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AutoCAD/technical drawing conventions

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Expert: - 7/27/2011


Question
Technical drawing
Technical drawing
Hi,

I am not sure where to post this question, so if it is not your area - I apologize. I am drawing up a 2D sketch of a design I have. The trouble I am having is that the object I want to make the drawing of is very long but also has a lot of small details. Since the object is too long to me to fit in the drawing without losing the details I want to show, I am wondering if there is a convention in such cases.
Would the drawing  in the image file attached be an accepted way to draw the object? How would this usually be done?

Thanks in advance for reading my question!
Eddie

Answer
Eddie:  I think there should be a partial drawing, with a pair of break-lines and an overall dimension like this:
  
↓------------123----------↓
<O-O-O-O-O-O // O-O-O-O-O>
V V V V V V    V V V V V   

would work nicely.

Dimension one diameter and call it typical dimension center to center one time and call it typical, dimension each bottom radius and call it typical, etc.  A "unit" to "unit" dimension can be called out once and labeled "Typical".   Intra-unit dimensions can be annotated with a detail that is scaled up for clarity. (Please note the scale used).  If you are doing this for a client, it would be a good idea to discuss what he/she would like to see on the drawing.  Perhaps there would be a sample you could look at.  If you need to send the drawing, I'd be happy to look at it for you and add some input.  You can go to my website and look for the email icon and click on it for my email address.
Keep in touch
Bill DeShawn
http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn

Bill DeShawn

Expertise

I can address all 2-D questions and some 3-D questions. I do programming in AutoLISP if it doesn`t involve solid modeling. I can also address menu customization issues and can help you find answers to questions I can`t answer by taking your question directly to Autodesk via their newsgroups.

Experience

I used to do electronic and mechanical design for a flat panel monitor manufacturer, and now I do architectural drafting for an architect. I did and do AutoLISP and menu customization and take pride in making my lisp routines to do the work exactly the way the client likes them done.

Publications
I had a routine published in CADENCE magazine (no longer in publication and taken over by CADALYST). Some of my routines are published on my website at http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn

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