How to Check Engineering Drawings? 8 Things to Know - Engineer Calcs (2024)

Learning how to check engineering drawings is an art. If you don’t know how to properly check your engineering drawings, you’ll be in a world of pain.

I’m going to go over 6 techniques I use to check my engineering drawings. Also, I’ll sprinkle in a lot of tips for you to follow.

Not only will this help you increase your design review efficiency, but it’ll help you sleep better at night.

What’s more, a copy of your engineering drawings will almost forever stay with your client. I see some engineering drawings with clients dated back to almost 100 years ago.

This should be reason enough to motivate you to properly review and check your drawings.

#1 Self-review drawings

After you complete your design drawings, set the drawings aside. Let several days pass before you review your drawings.

This allows you to review with a fresh mind without any lingering biased thoughts.

I always find I can catch mistakes better this way. My mind isn’t tainted with my recent design decisions. Plus, I’m over my design fatigue.

Here are several other tips to follow in your review:

  • Check every drawing: don’t dismiss a drawing because it’s simple. Every drawing requires your attention.
  • Print out your drawings: preferably on large-sized sheets. Surprisingly, once you print your drawings, the mistakes will pop out right at you. Somehow, mistakes go unnoticed on computer monitors.
  • Review environment: find a quiet area where you can focus without distractions.
  • Questions: write down any design elements you’re not 100% certain over.

Since your name is on the designs, you need to put the greatest effort into your review. Don’t expect a stranger to put more effort than you.

No different than if you assemble a baby crib for your newborn.

You want to make sure you follow the crib assembly instructions perfectly. Also, check if all the screws are properly tightened.

#2 Yellow line drawings

In engineering, many design elements are dependent on one another. Elements on drawing #2 may somehow relate to elements on drawing #8.

By yellow lining, you make sure your drawing elements all properly cross-check together.

As an example, in electrical drawings, you have a conduit schedule and site plan. These two drawings go hand in hand.

The site plan shows the routing of conduits from point A to point B. These conduits are then tagged with specific conduit numbers.

The conduit schedule then lists the ‘from’ and ‘to’ routing as well. But also, it lists the size and the fill for each conduit.

So with a highlighter, I highlight a conduit tag from the conduit schedule against the site plan.

I want to cross-check the accuracy of conduits from my conduit schedule against my site plan. This technique verifies the ‘from’ and ‘to’, and the conduit fill.

For example, the following is a site plan and conduit schedule I’ve started to yellow line:

Site plan:

How to Check Engineering Drawings? 8 Things to Know - Engineer Calcs (1)

Conduit schedule:

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You can see if I mistakenly label a conduit on the site plan, the contractor will use the wrong size conduit and fill.

For example, the use of a conduit with 4160-volt power conductors instead of 24-Volt DC control wires.

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Important Note: place yourself in the shoes of the contractor or fabricator. Do your drawings include everything someone would need to make heads or tails of what you want?

This requires a strong understanding of all aspects of your engineering design. This way, you can properly check your drawings for what’s wrong and not clear.

#3 Global drawing checklist

Every type of engineering will have certain review checks in common. The common drawing review checklist includes:

  • Codes & standards
  • Calculations
  • Cut-sheets
  • Format check
  • Real-world check

So always be sure to check these elements in your drawings. Let’s go through them one by one.

Codes & standards

Find all codes and standards that apply to your drawings. Then look for any violations.

Be sure you use the latest codes and standards in your review. With each latest code edition, you can find big changes.

You don’t want to review your drawings using a 1990s edition codebook.

Also, only experience allows you to quickly tell if something doesn’t appear correct. Because honestly, it’s not easy to check design compliance against a 500 plus page codebook.

Calculations

Double-check your calculations. Even the simple calculations.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen basic arithmetic mistakes.

Even more, check your units. A simple unit mistake can propagate through an entire design process.

Once a mistake is deep enough into a design, it’ll become very difficult to spot. It’ll perfectly blend in with all your other calculated values.

This is why it’s important you properly review a design from the start.

Product cut-sheets

Check all your specified products against the latest vendor cut-sheets for compliance. You want to be 100% sure you’re properly using a product.

For example, a cut-sheet reads a product connects at 240-volts. You then show the product connected at 480-volts in your design.

How to Check Engineering Drawings? 8 Things to Know - Engineer Calcs (4)

This is not only a code violation, but it’s a huge safety concern.

Equally important, you may have used the same product for several years. So you think you know the product’s specs like the back of your hand.

But, the vendor updated the product a month ago and you weren’t aware. If you forgot to verify the cut-sheet, you’ll have a mistake on your hands.

Format check

Check the format of your drawings. No different than when you edit the format of a Microsoft Word document.

The format check includes such things as:

  • Line types: consistency with lines used in CAD
  • View orientation: are section views properly shown
  • Symbology: are you following the industry standard
  • Appropriate border: is the correct drawing title block used
  • Text size: is the font size consistent and not too small or large

Real-world check

Do your designs cross over from paper to the real-world?

Many times something looks great on paper, but it’s not buildable.

So put on your construction or manufacturing hat to do this part of your review. The more experience you have in the real world, the better.

Here are some things to consider in your review:

  • Geometric accuracy
  • Buildability
  • Laws of physics

#4 Coordination with other engineering trades

With engineering projects, almost always several trades will work together.

So you need to ensure your design conforms with the other trades involved in your project. This requires close coordination.

If you’re the prime engineer, you need to cross-check your design work with all your subs.

I’ve seen one too many times, where one trade makes a change but doesn’t tell others about it. This then can disrupt the entire design.

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Important Note: for every project, request all the latest design information in an email. Then use this information for your design work.

This way you have a record of the latest information you are to use.

#5 Review by another qualified engineer

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Have another qualified engineer in your team thoroughly review your drawings.

I never recommend pushing out drawings without a second set of eyes reviewing them.

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been an engineer, or how great you think you are.

All humans make mistakes. This includes all engineers. No exceptions!

Just be sure, the other engineer is as qualified as you. Otherwise, it defeats the purpose of a peer review.

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Helpful Tip: use colored pencils to mark up drawings in a review. Use yellow for items that are correct, blue for comments, and red for errors. Find a model that works for you and your team and follow it.

#6 Create a global review process

Create an in-house process for reviewing drawings. Include a list of review checks every drawing set must go through before going out the door.

Find what works for your team and what doesn’t.

This way, you create a standard review structure to always follow. No matter if a project is small or large.

This will greatly reduce design mistakes.

Management’s involvement in the review process

Make sure management is on board with the review process. This will ensure everyone follows the established review protocol for every project.

This helps eliminate laziness with people skipping over review process steps.

Also, you need to set ground rules in the review process. Otherwise, reviews can become chaotic with endless back-and-forth discussions.

Further, review processes should only include qualified people. Because if everyone can make comments, then it’ll become a bloody mess.

A design can be torn apart in countless ways from too many or unqualified commenters. This could force a design to start from scratch.

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Important Note: if any design element remains in doubt, the designer must get the benefit of the doubt. Because in the end, the designer signs off on the drawings.

#7 Learn what good drawings look like

I learned so much about what good drawings look like by reviewing older designs.

I’m talking about hand-drawn designs before CAD came into the picture. I find these older drawings are much more detailed than many drawings of today.

Not to say these older engineers didn’t make mistakes. And of course, design standards have changed since 40 plus years ago.

But, the level of detail was greater compared to modern drawings.

Also, you learn how easy to follow these drawings are. The simpler your drawings are to follow, the better.

What do I consider simple? If an average non-electrical engineer can pick up my drawings and understand them.

This simplicity begins with great labels and notes. I don’t want someone to look at my drawings and curse me out because of their confusion.

#8 General tips on how to check engineering drawings

Here’s a list of tips I’ve picked up over the years, that I find helpful:

  • Be consistent with the units you use – Metric versus English.
  • Before you review someone else’s design, form a preliminary design concept yourself. This way you’re not influenced by someone else’s design.
  • Check for number discrepancies in all your documents. For example, you list the same beam as 10′ in one drawing and 20′ in another.
  • Fill out your title block completely, and ensure it’s accurate.
  • If your company uses an error checking system, check what the most common errors are. Then learn from these errors.
  • Show all necessary equipment and product clearances.
  • List all important equipment and product dimensions.
  • Check ALL dimensions.
  • Specify other drawings sheets on drawings when necessary. Make it easy for someone to find related design elements between drawings.
  • For schematics, check for proper symbols, reference designators, and polarity markings.
  • Check spelling and grammar.
  • Review all drawing notes for accuracy. Many times, notes get incorrectly copied over from one project to the next.

Conclusion

Learning how to check engineering drawings is a critical part of engineering. It’s definitely a skill.

I would go as far as saying it’s something every engineer needs to learn how to do great.

Great drawing review practices, allows us to enjoy the many luxuries of today.

What are your thoughts on how to check engineering drawings? What’s your favorite technique on how to best review drawings?

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How to Check Engineering Drawings? 8 Things to Know - Engineer Calcs (9)

Engineer Calcs

Koosha started Engineer Calcs in 2020 to help people better understand the engineering and construction industry, and to discuss various science and engineering-related topics to make people think. He has been working in the engineering and tech industry in California for over 15 years now and is a licensed professional electrical engineer, and also has various entrepreneurial pursuits.

Koosha has an extensive background in the design and specification of electrical systems with areas of expertise including power generation, transmission, distribution, instrumentation and controls, and water distribution and pumping as well as alternative energy (wind, solar, geothermal, and storage).

Koosha is most interested in engineering innovations, the cosmos, our history and future, sports, and fitness.

    How to Check Engineering Drawings? 8 Things to Know - Engineer Calcs (2024)

    FAQs

    What to check for in drawings? ›

    Issues or deficiencies a 2d drawing chat list which is the general list of features which must be on

    How do you read engineering drawing tolerances? ›

    Look at the number of decimal. Places in the dimension. In this case there are two decimal places in

    How do you pass engineering drawings? ›

    Make sure everything is neatly presented and drawn, so that it makes it easier for the person correcting your paper to grade it.
    ...
    Sujayendra Krishna Nellore
    1. Stop panicking. ...
    2. Ask your seniors for tips. ...
    3. Focus on the easy units. ...
    4. Practice, no seriously, practice as much as you can. ...
    5. Presentation.

    How do you read a drawing? ›

    Follow projection lines to read most dimensions.

    Lines drawn up or down indicate length and width, while those out to the side indicate height. Some drawings might place the dimensions directly on the side of the object if it's clear in the drawing what side that dimension refers to.

    What are the symbols used in engineering drawing? ›

    Basic types of symbols used in engineering drawings are countersink, counterbore, spotface, depth, radius, and diameter. Here are more commonly used engineering drawing symbols and design elements as below.

    Which software is used for engineering drawing? ›

    Technical drawing software

    Software for 2D and 3D CAD. Subscription includes AutoCAD, specialised toolsets and apps. Cost-effective 2D CAD software for drafting, drawing and documentation. Plan, design, construct and manage buildings with powerful tools for Building Information Modelling.

    What are the 3 types of tolerances? ›

    Three basic tolerances that occur most often on working drawings are: limit dimensions, unilateral, and bilateral tolerances. Three basic tolerances that occur most often on working drawings are: limit dimensions, unilateral, and bilateral tolerances.

    What is H7 tolerance? ›

    H7 (hole) tolerance range = +0.000 mm to +0.025 mm. p6 (shaft) tolerance range = +0.042 mm to +0.026 mm. Potential interference will be between −0.001 mm and −0.042 mm.

    What is the passing marks out of 100 in engineering? ›

    According to the general rule student should get Atleast of 28 marks out of 70 marks in theoretical paper and in total that is out of 100 he or she should get 40% marks to pass the subject .

    How many types of lines are there in engineering drawing? ›

    There are 12 types of lines usually used in engineering drawing.

    How can I improve my technical drawing skills? ›

    7 Ways to Improve Drawing Skills in Minutes a Day
    1. How to Get Better at Drawing. ...
    2. Exercise 1: Keep a Daily Sketchbook. ...
    3. Exercise #2: Warm Up to Improve Speed and Coordination. ...
    4. Exercise #3: Use Perspective to Make Drawings More Realistic. ...
    5. Exercise #4: Improve Proportion. ...
    6. Exercise #5: Perfect Working With Shapes.
    7 Dec 2018

    What is RF in engineering drawing? ›

    A representative fraction (RF) is the ratio of distance on the map to distance on the ground.

    What is line in engineering drawing? ›

    As the basis of engineering drawing is a line, a set of conventional symbols representing all the lines needed for different purposes may well be called an alphabet of lines. Each line, in a well executed drawing has a specific meaning and function. Lines of different thickness and features are used for specific use.

    What are the types of technical drawing? ›

    There are many types of technical drawings, including: 3D drawings (isometric, perspective) • Exploded-view 3D drawings • Complete working drawings • Detail drawings (2D orthogonal projections) •Diagrams are another form of technical drawing with looser, less universal standards.

    What does 2x mean on an engineering drawing? ›

    What does typical mean on a blueprint? Typical on an engineering drawing identifies a repeated feature. This is identical to a feature which is identified as 2x or 5x. A typical dimension callout will occasionally be followed by a 2x, 5x or similar, to specify the quantity of features which are tolerance the same.

    What is PP in engineering drawing? ›

    ABBREVIATIONS
    AFVauxiliary front view
    OSNAPobject SNAP
    PPprofile plane
    PPPpicture plane for perspective projection
    RFrepresentative ...
    22 more rows

    What are GD&T symbols? ›

    Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) is a system of symbols used on engineering drawings to communicate information from the designer to the manufacturer through engineering drawings. GD&T tells the manufacturer the degree of accuracy and precision needed for each controlled feature of the part.

    What are the 3 types of drawing dimensions? ›

    with dimensions, multiview drawings serve as the main form of communication between designers and manufacturers. All three-dimensional objects have width, height, and depth. Width is associated with an object's side- to-side dimension.

    What is the first rule of dimensioning? ›

    1. Each dimension should be given clearly so it can be interpreted in only one way. 2. Dimensions should not be duplicated or the same information given in two different ways (dual dimensioning excluded).

    What are the two types of dimension? ›

    Dimensions fall into two types, size dimensions and location dimensions. Size dimensions are used to provide the measurements for the size of features and objects. Location dimensions are used to locate fea- tures and objects. Notes are also placed on drawings.

    What is layout of drawing sheet? ›

    After selecting the size of the drawing sheet and to divide the proper space for margin, title block, parts list, revision panel, folding marks and selecting a suitable scale on the drawing sheet is known as layout of drawing sheet.

    What is standard drawing? ›

    Standard drawings are predefined drawing templates that contain standard notes and details. They are used in the design of construction projects to save time and effort. Project design is an essential part of any trenchless construction operation.

    Why do we use engineering drawings? ›

    Engineering drawings are used to communicate design ideas and technical information to engineers and other professionals throughout the design process. An engineering drawing represents a complex three-dimensional object on a two-dimensional piece of paper or computer screen by a process called projection.

    Which CAD software is used the most? ›

    AutoCAD. One of the oldest and most used CAD software for 2D / 3D drafting & design. It has the ability to create blueprints, equipment layouts, section planes, model documentation, and more.

    What is technical drawing application? ›

    TDI is a modern productivity application to create technical drawings and illustrations using a desktop, laptop, tablet, phones and wall computers. The user interface allow you to use any input combination of touch, keyboard, mouse and stylus.

    Does Google have CAD software? ›

    SketchUp was originally developed by Google and was one of the greatest free CAD packages ever put on the market.

    How do you read a drawing radius? ›

    The letter 'R' as shown is used widely in drawings and is short for the word Radius. Radius is the distance from the centre point of a circle to the circumference of a circle. It is always placed in front of the number. For Example R50, means the circle has a radius of 50mm.

    How do you read first and third angle drawings? ›

    The difference between first and third angle projection is in the position of the plan, front and side views. In third angle, what you see from the right would be drawn on the right. In first angle, the view from the right would be projected through and drawn on the left.

    Is engineering drawing useful? ›

    Engineering drawings are used to communicate design ideas and technical information to engineers and other professionals throughout the design process. An engineering drawing represents a complex three-dimensional object on a two-dimensional piece of paper or computer screen by a process called projection.

    What is Ø in engineering? ›

    Science, technology and engineering

    Slashed zero (0̸), a representation of the number 0 (zero) to distinguish it from the letter O. The symbol for diameter (⌀), U+2300 in Unicode.

    What unit is radius? ›

    Radius of the atom is generally expressed in Angstrom.

    What is the first rule of dimensioning? ›

    1. Each dimension should be given clearly so it can be interpreted in only one way. 2. Dimensions should not be duplicated or the same information given in two different ways (dual dimensioning excluded).

    What is scale in engineering drawing? ›

    Definition. A scale is defined as the ratio of the linear dimensions of the object as represented in a drawing to the actual dimensions of the same.

    What is 1st angle? ›

    1. First Angle Projection : In the first angle projection, the object is placed in the 1st quadrant. The object is positioned at the front of a vertical plane and top of the horizontal plane. First angle projection is widely used in India and European countries.

    How many types of lines are there in engineering drawing? ›

    There are 12 types of lines usually used in engineering drawing.

    What are 3 reasons engineers use drawings? ›

    Here are three reasons that having an accurate drawing is critical:
    • Eliminate Questions. A drawing that includes all details and information necessary to successfully manufacture the design (e.g., tolerances, paint specs, electrical specs, packaging specs, etc.) ...
    • Reduce Production Delays. ...
    • Avoid Additional Costs.
    10 Jul 2019

    How can I improve my engineering drawing skills? ›

    9 Tips for Better Engineering Drawings that Save Time and Money
    1. Tip #1: Dimension only critical & measurable features. ...
    2. Tip #2: Communicate hole tapping needs with thread size and depth. ...
    3. Tip #3: Consolidate call-outs when multiples of the same feature exist in a view. ...
    4. Tip #4: Communicate assembly intent of critical features.

    What are drawing standards? ›

    Drawings are used by engineers and manufacturing technologists to communicate their ideas and hence good engineering drawings follow conventions which are referred to as drawing standards.

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