Taking a course in mechanical drafting isn’t one of the easiest endeavors. A student needs to develop a discipline over the way he or she looks at things. They also need to develop a constructive way of thinking so that the student can think in a mechanical way. Not only this but they need to be trained to be able to communicate graphically so that the intentions of an idea, process, or item are understood without question in a fabrication or machine shop.
Mathematics are a major part of the learning process. In this field of drafting, some of those math classes you took in high school will actually seem like a necessary skill to have once you start your studies. Calculations of material stresses and deflection, calculations of material density and volume, sheering, load tables, etc. are only a few of the things a student will have to learn.
The student has to get a working knowledge of the fundamental operations and conventions of mechanical drawings from lettering and calculations, to the lay out of the work and so on in order that the completed sheet or sheets of drawings reflect a well arranged and clearly executed finished drawing. In the making of working drawings, it is often very difficult for the novice because of its conventional character of the work.
In today’s engineering drafting offices, the student will need to be able to work on a CAD system. CAD is short for Computer Aided Drafting. In other words, it’s a drafting board in a computer. And before a CAD system is learned, it’s always best to learn how to draw on a drafting board. Manual drafting may be a disappearing discipline, but in my mind as a teacher, it’s indispensable.
As I said, it isn’t the easiest career to learn. But like anything you have to learn to do, once you get past the basics it’ll become second nature to you. It is high paying however and good pay means a more comfortable life. With enough determination, you too can do it. I did…
My name is Tim Davis and I draw architectural and mechanical plans for a living. I also teach others how to draw house plans, site plans, mechanical and shop drawings and other types of drafting that I have been trained to do in a virtual classroom on the internet called 101 Info Dot Org at http://101info.org
