Importance of Technical Drawing and its Future
Technical drawing is an effective way of communication among engineers. It can be referred to as a record of the planning process. It is a known fact that “An image is worth a thousand words”; similarly, a technical drawing is a much more efficient tool for engineers than a written plan. It helps engineering companies to visualize the concepts more quickly. It is a preferred method of drafting in different engineering fields, including civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, architectural engineering, etc.
Before exploring the future of technical drawings, let’s have a look at its present applications in engineering industries;
Technical drawings are considered as instruction manuals for communication between parties involved in order processing. They provide a detailed visual representation of how an end equipment/ product would look like in real. Therefore, drawings are a vital part of the contract process as they communicate specifications of the idea. The constructor gets an accurate view of constructing an object in physical form and how it should function.
The creation of drawings on the sheet is a time-consuming activity. It takes time to position all the required views and include all the required dimensions and annotations. Though the components are entirely described within the drawing sheet, specific queries might come from the production department.
It is not surprising that the 3D layout is transformed into 2D drawings by the designer and manufacturer than converts these 2D drawings back into the 3D model. With manual steps involved in this process, lots of vital information gets lost & error reduction is only possible through automation. As the technical drawings are comprehensive, the process gets automated to a certain extent. It is necessary to adopt new solutions to simplify the transfer of data from design to production.
Model-Based Definition (MBD)
What if a designer who knows all the requirements of components could enter the data directly into the 3D model and the manufacturer could now read it? The Model-Based Definition is a computerized design or CAD model that can create a fully defined 3D model. The MDB is a robust set of tools for adding annotations, tolerancing (GD&T) & other manufacturing information directly to a 3D model. It is a unifying aspect to move away from traditional drawing-based workflows to CAD models.
The Future of Technical Drawings
The use of Model-Based Definition significantly simplifies or even eliminates the need to create manual drawings. MBD workflow results in increased technical communication efficiency. MBD can also be attached to the model and shared instead of creating an entire illustration to get a work quote. It results in a quicker turnaround for quotations.
Technical drawings are an essential part of the contract in the procurement process. Engineering companies are now recognizing that Model-Based Definition is the future and will continue to release new technology to revolutionize technical drawings. It helps improve efficiency and productivity.
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