Proper engineering drawing tools are essential for creating high-quality drawings. These tools are commonly used by architects, drafters, engineers, painters, and other technical professionals.
✔ Proper drafting tools are crucial for accurate output, whether for artistic or engineering drawings. This article will cover 19 essential engineering drawing instruments, their images, and required details.
15+ Engineering Drawing Instruments With Images
We have listed 19 drawing tools we primarily use in engineering.
1. Drawing Paper
Drawing Paper is specially made for drawing on.
Drawing Paper is crucial for producing diverse drawings, from creative sketches to complex architectural designs.
It serves not only for manual artwork but also for printing physical copies of digital drawings.
The type of Paper used depends on the specific kind of drawing and the desired outcome.
a. Types of Drawing Paper
Commonly, we use 7 types of drawing papers in the engineering field. They are:
| Type of Drawing Paper | Description | Suitable For |
|---|---|---|
| Bond Paper | Harder and more durable than ordinary papers. | Letterheads, Typed reports, Envelopes |
| Gloss Coated Paper | Coated with gloss, it is highly shining in nature. | Flyers and Brochures |
| Matt Coated Paper | Opposite of gloss-coated Paper, not shiny. | Reports, Flyers, and Leaflets |
| Recycled Paper | Made from recycled paper, it reduces environmental impact. | Reports, Memo papers, and Forms |
| Silk Coated Paper | Interim between gloss and matt, smooth coating. | Magazines, Books, and Catalogues |
| Uncoated Paper | Absence of coating, commonly used for official purposes. | Forms, Letterheads, Applications writing, Files printing, and Memo paper |
| Watermarked Paper | It provides a luxury and premium look with a watermark. | Documents, Exam Certificates, and Game Certificates |
b. Different Sizes of Drawing Paper
| Paper Size | Dimensions (cm) | Paper Area (m2) |
|---|---|---|
| A5 | 14.8 x 21 | 0.03108 |
| A4 | 21 x 29.7 | 0.0612 |
| A3 | 29.7 x 42 | 0.125 |
| A2 | 42 x 59.4 | 0.25 |
| A1 | 59.4 x 84.1 | 0.50 |
| A0 | 84.1 x 118.9 | 1 |
c. Weight of different drawing papers
| Paper Weight (gsm) | Feels Similar to: |
|---|---|
| 35-55 | Most newspapers |
| 90 | Mid-market magazine’s inner pages |
| 130-250 | A good quality promotional poster |
| 180-250 | Mid-market magazine cover |
| 350 | Most reasonable quality business cards |
2. Masking Tape
✔This tape is used for attaching drawing paper to a board without damaging it.
3. Pencil Sharpener
✔ A mechanical tool commonly used to sharpen pencils is known as a pencil sharpener.
4. Eraser
✔ Eraser removes unwanted drawings or dirt from a piece of artwork.
✔ A soft eraser is more appropriate for eliminating smudges and pencil marks, while a harder eraser is ideal for making changes and correcting errors in the drawing.
5. Drawing Pencil
✔ When it comes to sketching on Paper, the Pencil is an essential tool. Graphite pencils are the norm for drafting, and the grade of the Pencil depends on the type of work.
✔ For extreme precision and working with graphs, diagrams, and charts, hard pencils like 2H, 4H, and 6H are the best.
✔ For general-purpose drawing, medium pencils like H.B. are great.
✔ On the other hand, soft pencils like 2B, 4B, and 6B are too bold for mechanical drafting but excellent for various artwork types.
a. Hardness of Pencil
| S.N. | Pencil Hardness | Used In Making |
| 1. | 3B to 8B | Artistic and pictorial drawing |
| 2. | H, F, H.B., B, and 2B | All Common Drawing and Writing |
| 3. | 2H to 6H | Technical drawing |
6. Triangular Scale
✔ Triangular scale reproduces drawings in regular proportions, either full size, reduced, or enlarged.
7. Erasing Shield
✔This is made of thin metal or plastic with irregular holes. It is helpful to preserve the rest of the drawing while removing smudges, unnecessary pencil lines, and other debris.
8. T-square
✔The T-square is a practical instrument for drawing straight horizontal lines.
It can also assist in producing perpendicular and vertical lines when used alongside set squares.
T-squares are commonly made from wood, plastic, or both materials.
9. Set Square
✔ It is a three-sided ruler, which contains two equal sides intersecting at a 90-degree angle and the third side at 45, 30, and 60-degree angles.
Commonly used triangles are:
a. 30 degrees X 60 degrees
b. 45 degrees X 45 degrees
10. Compass
✔ A compass is a device that can be used for drawing arcs and circles, much like a divider. This device comprises two legs, a pen leg, and a needle-point leg, connected by a handle.
11. Divider
✔ It is utilized when moving measurements, dividing lines, and arcs into a given number of equal parts.
✔ It can quickly move accurate measurements by adjusting the divider points.
12. Protractor
✔ A protractor is divided into 180 degrees for measuring angles.
It is commonly made from plastic and is transparent.
Transparency helps in the proper adjustment of the protractor and accurate measurement.
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13. Drafter
✔ Drafters are used for preparing technical drawings and plans.
✔ It is a combination of both T square and Set Square.
✔ It is utilized in making technical drawings to design everything from microchips to skyscrapers.
14. Drawing Table
✔ The drawing table is made up of wood, plastic, or glass and has smooth surfaces where drawing Paper is placed and fixed with the help of tape.
| Designation | Length x Width (mm) | Recommended for use with sheet sizes |
| D0 | 1500 x 1000 | A0 |
| D1 | 1000 x 700 | A1 |
| D2 | 700 x 500 | A2 |
| D3 | 500 x 500 | A3 |
15. Drafting Lamps
✔ Drafting lamps greatly benefits engineers and architects by offering adjustable arms and utilizing fluorescent, halogen, or LED light bulbs.
✔ These lamps enable professionals to work efficiently at night and easily concentrate on specific areas.
16. Magnifying Glass
✔ A magnifying glass is used to closely watch the small components in the drawing that are less visible to our eyes.
17. Electric Erasers
✔ Using an electric eraser can offer several advantages in accurately removing small lines and borders from drawings.
✔ One of the main benefits is that it can significantly decrease the probability of smudging the drawing paper, thus saving the user considerable time.
18. Blue Print Measuring Tool
✔ Architects and engineers rely on blueprint measuring equipment to facilitate their work.
✔ It can accurately calculate the linear measurements of any shape.
✔ It consists of a measuring wheel responsible for linear distance measurement. It also consists of a display that shows the result of the measurement.
✔ The measuring wheel can be digital, analog, or hybrid and can traverse maps, plans, blueprints, and other flat objects to obtain the necessary dimensions.
19. French Curve
A French curve is a drawing instrument composed of several curved segments commonly made from wood, plastic, or metal.
It is used for making smooth curves by connecting several known points.
Written By Sub. Er. Beepana Kshetri Puri
Verified By Er. Madhu Krishna Poudel
