Plan, explore, and apply to college using these great tools.
Career Details :: Mechanical Drafters
Description
Prepare detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices, including dimensions, fastening methods, and other engineering information.
Experience
A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Education
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Tasks
- Develops detailed design drawings and specifications for mechanical equipment, dies/tools, and controls, according to engineering sketches and design proposals.
- Draws freehand sketches of designs and traces finished drawings onto designated paper for reproduction of blueprints.
- Shades or colors drawings to clarify and emphasize details and dimensions and eliminate background, using ink, crayon, airbrush, and overlays.
- Reviews and analyzes specifications, sketches, engineering drawings, ideas, and related design data to determine factors affecting component designs.
- Positions instructions and comments onto drawings and illustrates and describes installation and maintenance details.
- Directs work activities of detailer and confers with staff and supervisors to resolve design or other problems.
- Coordinates and works in conjunction with other workers to design, layout, or detail components and systems.
- Confers with customer representatives to review schematics and answer questions pertaining to installation of systems.
- Compiles and analyzes test data to determine effect of machine design on various factors, such as temperature and pressure.
- Measures machine setup and parts during production to ensure compliance with design specifications, using precision measuring instruments.
- Observes setup and gauges during programmed machine or equipment trial run to verify conformance of signals and systems to specifications.
- Modifies and revises designs to correct operating deficiencies or to reduce production problems.
- Computes mathematical formulas to develop and design detailed specifications for components or machinery, using computer-assisted equipment.
- Lays out, draws, and reproduces illustrations for reference manuals and technical publications to describe operation and maintenance of mechanical systems.
- Designs scale or full-size blueprints of specialty items, such as furniture and automobile body or chassis components.
- Lays out and draws schematic, orthographic, or angle views to depict functional relationships of components, assemblies, systems, and machines.
Related Careers
- Architectural Drafters
- Calibration and Instrumentation Technicians
- Civil Drafters
- Civil Engineering Technicians
- Electrical Drafters
- Electrical Engineering Technicians
- Mechanical Engineers
- Model Makers, Metal and Plastic
- Precision Devices Inspectors and Testers
Important Abilities
General Work Activities
- Drafting & Specifying Technical Devices, etc.
- Getting Information Needed to Do the Job
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Communicating With Other Workers
- Updating & Using Job-Relevant Knowledge
Important Skills
Frequent Work Context
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
- Consequence of Error
- Job-Required Social Interaction
- Frustrating Circumstances
Related Majors
| Major | Add to XapPack |
|---|---|
| Drafting |  [ add ] |
| Drafting/Design Engineering Technology | [ add ] |
| Drafting/Design Technology | [ add ] |
| Electro/Mechanical Engineering Technology | [ add ] |
| Electromechanical Engineering Technology | [ add ] |
| Mechanical Engineering Technology | [ add ] |
Institutions Offering Related Majors
No institutions found.