Drawing to Communicate: The Basics of Technical Drawing

• Communicates design ideas clearly

• Used by engineers, designers, builders

• Shows size, shape, and details of objects

• Helps avoid confusion or errors in making a product

• It's a universal language for design

​

• Item

• Item

• Item

• Shows 2D views of a 3D object

• Common views: Top, Front, and Side

• Drawn using a method called third-angle projection

• Each view lines up using projection lines

• Used to build, manufacture, or assemble parts accurately

​

​Understanding Orthographic Projection

• Visible line – solid, shows object edges you can see

• Hidden line – dashed, shows edges you can't see

• Centre line – thin and dashed with long/short, shows symmtry

• Dimension line – has arrows, shows how big something is

• Projection line – thin line to align views

​

​Line Types in Orthographic Drawing

​Replace this with your body text.

​Duplicate this text as many times as you would like.

​All provided templates can be reused multiple times.

​

• Keep dimensions clear and neat, not crowded

• Place them outside views where possible

• Use consistent units (e.g. mm)

• Don’t repeat dimensions

• Use leader lines and arrows to point to features

​

​Dimensioning Rules

Replace this with your body text.

​Duplicate this text as many times as you would like.

​

​Replace this with a header

• Adds detail and realism to drawings

• Shading shows light and shadow (depth)

• Rendering shows material (wood, metal, plastic)

• Use different pencil pressures or markers

• Light source direction affects how shading looks

​

• T-square – draws straight horizontal lines

• Set square – draws vertical/angled lines (30°, 45°, 60°)

• Compass – draws circles or arcs

• Scale ruler – used for accurate measurements

• Drawing board – flat surface to keep work aligned

​

​Using Traditional Tools

• Tinkercad – beginner-friendly, easy 3D modelling

• Good for learning shapes and how things fit

• Autodesk Inventor – industry-level software

• Allows detailed engineering drawings and simulations

• CAD tools help test and change designs before making them

​

Digital Tools – Tinkercad and Inventor

• Choose eco-friendly or recycled materials

• Design for re-use, not just one-time use

• Reduce waste during production

• Think about energy use and product lifespan

• Design for repair, not just replacement

​

• Make products usable by all people (inclusive design)

• Avoid copying other people’s work (plagiarism)

• Use materials that don’t harm people or the planet

• Think about who benefits and who might be left out

• Design with fairness and responsibility

​

​Ethics in Technical Design