Welcome to the definitions page. This is where you can find definitions for the most-used terms of drafting. Just click your word and you will be taken to its definition.

Drafting
- The common term that refers to all types of graphic communications.
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Drafting Technology
- The tools and techniques used by designers, drafters, and engineers to develop ideas for new products into useable technical drawings.
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Technical Drawing
- Broad term for any drawing which expresses technical ideas, including sketches, mechanical drawings, charts, and illustrations.
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T-Square
- A drafting instrument that has a head and a blade that is used on a board to make a horizontal line. It fits up against the board and forms a 90 degree angle. You can also use triangle templates with this to form 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 degree angles.
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Compass
- A drafting instrument used to make circles or arcs. It can be adjusted to different radii.
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Technical Sketching
- A freehand technical drawing where a person uses a pencil and paper to communicate the shape of ideas to others.
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Mechanical Drawing
- A technical drawing made with drafting instruments.
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Engineering Drawing
- A mechanical drawing used by engineers and other members of the engineering design team to describe the production of a part, its shape and size, and the materials used to produce it.
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Engineering Graphic
- A graphic illustration or drwing that represents physical objexts used in engineering and science.
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Descriptive Geometry
- A method for solving spacial and graphical problems using precise geometric descriptions.
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CAD
- An interactive design tool that is used to produce design ideas and technical drawings using computer hardware and software.
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Oblique
- A 3D drawing where the depth of an object is drawn at any angle.

example:
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Isometric
- A 3D drawing where the width and depth are drawn at 30 degrees and the height is drawn at 90 degrees.

example:
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Three View Drawing
- A set of 3 2D drawings. One of the front side, one of the top, and one of the side (usually the right side of the object).

example:
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Various types of lines

Construction Lines
- Lines that are used to start drawing an object. They can be used to connect things and transfer dimensions or lines to another part of the drawing. They are erased (or turned off if using a computer program) after you have put in the visible lines.

Visible Lines
- Lines that are visible in the final drawing and show the shape of the object that you can see.

Dimension Lines
- Lines that show the measurement of a certain part of the object.

Hidden Lines
- Lines that are also visible in the final drawing but show the parts of the object that you can't see from that view.

Center Lines
- Lines that are used to show the center of an arc or a circle in a drawing.

example:
Construction = red
Visible = black
Dimension = dark blue
Hidden = green
Center = light blue
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