Technical drawing
The term ‘technical drawing’ has a very broad meaning, referring to any drawing that conveys the way that something functions or how it is constructed. Technical drawings are intended to convey one specific meaning, as opposed to artistic drawings which are expressive and may be interpreted in a number of ways.
Most drawings prepared during the design and construction of buildings might be considered to be technical drawings.
Technical drawings will generally become more complete, more specific and will increase in detail as a project progresses. They may include:
- Sketches.
- Design intent drawings.
- Detail drawings.
- Working drawings.
- General arrangement drawings.
- Assembly drawings.
- Component drawings.
- Shop drawings.
- Installation drawings.
- As-built drawings and record drawings.
Technical drawings may comprise two-dimensional (orthogonal) plans, sections and elevations, or may include three-dimensional or exploded projections. They may be drawn to scale by hand, or prepared using Computer Aided Design (CAD) software. However, increasingly, building information modelling (BIM) software is being used to create three-dimensional representations of buildings and their components. BIM models may be described as 'design intent models' during the early stages of development but then may evolve into 'virtual construction models' (VCM) and finally 'as-constructed models'.
It is important that the purpose for which technical drawings are being prepared and the people that will use them are carefully considered to ensure they are properly structured and adopt an appropriate presentational techniques.
The scale at which drawings are prepared should reflect the level of detail of the information they are required to convey, and graphical techniques such as the use of different line thicknesses and hatching can help provide greater clarity.
To help convey the precise meaning of information, technical drawings may include title blocks, dimensions, notation and symbols. To ensure their meaning is concise and unambiguous, it is important that these are consistent with industry standards.
Specification information may be included on technical drawings or in a separate specification, but information should not be duplicated as this can become contradictory and may cause confusion.
The broad term ‘technical drawing’ should not be confused with the specific meaning of drawings prepared during the technical design stage. These are drawings prepared after the detailed design (or 'developed design' or 'definition') has been completed, but before the construction contract is tendered or construction begins. These drawings will often be prepared by specialist subcontractors.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- As-built drawings and record drawings.
- Assembly drawing.
- Common mistakes on building drawings.
- Component drawings.
- Concept drawing.
- Design drawings.
- Detail drawing.
- Drawing board.
- Elevations
- Engineering drawing.
- General arrangement drawing.
- Installation drawings
- North American Paper Sizes.
- Notation and symbols.
- Paper sizes.
- Projections.
- Scale drawing.
- Scale rule.
- Section drawing.
- Shop drawing.
- Technical design.
- Technical drawing pen sizes.
- Types of drawing.
- Working drawing.
Featured articles and news
HBPT and BEAMS Jubilees. Book review.
Does the first Labour budget deliver for the built environment?
What does the UK Budget mean for electrical contractors?
Mixed response as business pays, are there silver linings?
A brownfield housing boost for Liverpool
A 56 million investment from Homes England now approved.
Fostering a future-ready workforce through collaboration
Collaborative Futures: Competence, Capability and Capacity, published and available for download.
Considerate Constructors Scheme acquires Building A Safer Future
Acquisition defines a new era for safety in construction.
AT Awards evening 2024; the winners and finalists
Recognising professionals with outstanding achievements.
Reactions to the Autumn Budget announcement
And key elements of the quoted budget to rebuild Britain.
Chancellor of the Exchequer delivers Budget
Repairing, fixing, rebuilding, protecting and strengthening.
Expectation management in building design
Interest, management, occupant satisfaction and the performance gap.
Connecting conservation research and practice with IHBC
State of the art heritage research & practice and guidance.
Innovative Silica Safety Toolkit
Receives funding boost in memory of construction visionary.
Gentle density and the current context of planning changes
How should designers deliver it now as it appears in NPPF.
Sustainable Futures. Redefining Retrofit for Net Zero Living
More speakers confirmed for BSRIA Briefing 2024.
Making the most of urban land: Brownfield Passports
Policy paper in brief with industry responses welcomed.
The boundaries and networks of the Magonsæte.
Comments
This would all be so much more useful if we could actually see examples of all the different types of drawings.