An draftsman is a professional who is qualified & trained to create to-scale technical drawings; these drawings also include detailed specifications. An draftsman works across multiple industries, some of which include: government, building construction and non-building construction. Although draftsman spend much of their time working on computers in an office, some may visit job sites in order to collaborate with architects and engineers. Most draftsman work full time. draftsman prepare technical drawings and plans, which are used by production and construction workers to build everything from microchips to skyscrapers. Alternative titles for this position include drafter, building drafter, drafting officer, technician or draftsperson. draftsman possess a related skill set – with core expertise in CAD tools. Draftsmen create CAD drawings with surgical precision covering technical details such as material usage, dimensioning style and procedural dynamics.
They may work closely with government officials in order to stay knowledgeable of building codes, laws and regulations. These regulations must always be taken into consideration when putting together any construction sketch or blueprint. Draftsman work in conjunction with architects and are the (uncrowned) kings of drafting – a meticulous procedure that involves preparing CAD drawings for architecture and construction. Most draftsman use Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) systems to prepare drawings. Consequently, some drafters may be referred to as CADD operators. With CADD systems, drafters can create and store drawings electronically so that they can be viewed, printed, or programmed directly into automated manufacturing systems.
draftsman will also calculate processes such as material quantities, cost of labor and project timelines and deadlines. Since drafting is much more technical compared to design, the former can also be applied to a range of engineering designs. drafters also work closely with clients. This can be a business-to-business project or a consumer project. They provide client briefs, work with clients for approval on projects, and prepare project specifications according to their clients’ needs.
Drafters fill in technical details using drawings, rough sketches, specifications, and calculations made by engineers, surveyors, architects, or scientists. For example, many drafters use their knowledge of standardized building techniques to draw in the details of structures. Draftsmen are also adequately skilled in chalking out electric circuitry and mechanical plans (piping and HVAC in particular) for buildings.
CADD systems also permit drafters to quickly prepare variations of a design. Although drafters use CADD extensively, they still need knowledge of traditional drafting techniques in order to fully understand and explain concepts. These professionals come up with a visual guideline to teach others how to build a particular structure. They are trained in appropriate computer-aided drafting design (CADD) techniques and programs so that they can analyze designs, prepare sketches and provide detailed drawings and documentation for projects. Draftsmen are not the same as architects; a draftsman’s design will need to be signed by a structural engineer and an architect before they can be used for a home construction. Architect plans must only be approved by a structural engineer but their blueprint design fee is slightly higher than a draftsman.