Before Computer Aided Design (CAD) came into existence, the only source for. That isn't to say that manual drafting does not have its advantages. Learn about some of the most important differences between CAD and manual techniques. Comparison of Conventional and Computer-aided Drafting Methods from the View of Time and Drafting Quality Article (PDF Available) in Eurasian Journal of Educational Research (EJER) 62(62):239-254.
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Financial, Acronyms, Idioms, Wikipedia.
drafting
[′draf·tiŋ] (graphic arts)The making of drawings of objects, structures, or systems that have been visualized by engineers, scientists, and others.
![Manual drafting jobs Manual drafting jobs](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/8f/48/46/8f4846470ef5706e963ab1588256699b--computer-tables-drafting-tables.jpg)
The process of lengthening raw fibers, in the form of slubbing, sliver, or roving, to make the stock look more like yarn.
Plotting directions for weaving on cross-section paper, showing the movement of the threads.
Drafting
one of the basic processes in spinning; it thins half-finished products—slivers and rovings—to obtain yarn of desired fineness. The yarn is thinned by lengthening the product through the displacement of the yarn’s fibers. The fibers, under the action of mutual friction, straighten out and lie parallel, creating yarn with better structure. The Russian scientist N. A. Vasil’ev is the founder of the theory of drafting. Drafting is done by drafting machines.
Drafting
The making of drawings of objects, structures, or systems that have been visualized by engineers, scientists, or others. Such drawings may be executed in the following ways: manually with drawing instruments and other aids such as templates and appliqués, freehand with pencil on paper, or with automated devices.
Engineers often draft their own designs to determine whether they are workable, structurally sound, and economical. However, much routine drafting is done under the supervision of engineers by technicians specifically trained as drafters. SeeComputer graphics, Engineering drawing
Graphic symbols have replaced pictorial representations leading to the introduction of templates that carry frequently used symbols, from which the draftsman quickly traces the symbols in the required positions on the drawing.
Where the design procedures from which drawings are developed are repetitive, computers can be programmed to perform the design and to produce their outputs as instructions to automatic drafting equipment. Essentially, automated drafting is a method for creating an engineering drawing or similar document consisting of line delineation either in combination with, or expressed entirely by, alphanumeric characters.
The computer receives as input a comparatively simplified definition of the product design in a form that establishes a mathematical or digital definition of the object to be described graphically. The computer then applies programmed computations, standards, and formatting to direct the graphics-producing device. This method provides for close-tolerance accuracy of delineation and produces at speeds much greater than possible by manual drafting. In addition, the computer can be programmed to check the design information for accuracy, completeness, and continuity during the processing cycle.
Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content.
Link to this page:
Manual drawing has a tradition so old that it disappears into prehistory, while CAD (computer aided design) drawing was unknown even 50 years ago. Each of these methods of creating visual imagery has its advantages and disadvantages. The discriminating artist understands which technique is more suitable in different creative conditions.
Repetition Required
Particularly in the case of architectural drawing, repetition of identical components is sometimes required. The capabilities of CAD technology are designed for this situation and are far more appropriate for it than hand drawing. Using a CAD program, the artist or designer can create a single window or other feature, then replicate it as many times as necessary. This repetitive quality would not necessarily be a strength in some artistic applications but is definitely appropriate for use in mechanical drawing.
Pinpoint Accuracy
The design of buildings, machinery and other technical components requires extreme accuracy, sometimes to the thousandth of an inch. Achieving this level of accuracy while drawing by hand is difficult and exhausting. CAD technology accomplishes it by adjusting the level of accuracy of the grid on which you are working in the program. You can set up CAD programs so that drawn lines are 'snapped' to the nearest appropriate grid line, resulting in perfectly accurate measurements. In high-tech applications, the CAD program is fed directly into a manufacturing device such as a computer numeric control router, all but removing the risk of human error in the manufacturing process.
Emotion and Creativity
In the realm of emotion and expression, CAD drawing loses its edge to the touch of the human hand. While not able to replicate elements instantly or draw perfectly to the thousandth of an inch, an artist's hand can still create emotive works that are beyond the capabilities of a machine. Convincing representations of the wavering lines of a growing tree or the smooth curve of a woman's hip are dependent on the artist's eye and hand and the awareness that connects the two. The human complexity and imperfection that reside in the artist, the same qualities that are disadvantages in the realm of technical accuracy, are what create the artistic mystery that is beyond the realm of a computer.
Serendipity vs. Perfection
Beauty and innovation are often the results of events that are originally seen as mistakes. The accidental but fortuitous discovery of something wonderful is known as serendipity. In the perfect and linear interior world of a computer, serendipity is virtually unknown. The binary perfection of which a computer is capable leads to sterility in the absence of creative evolution. Hand drawing, practiced by a sensitive, conscious and talented artist, remains subject to the guiding and unpredictable hand of fate. This hand retains the ability to make mistakes and, consequently, to discover the unknown.