Draughting Standards
Most of the time those standards are irrelevant. Either the client has standards (which may or may not match), or we have our own standards (which may or may not match). Rather than standardize by exception i.e. "Use this section, except for para. ___, unless the project started before ___, in which case do ____" it's easier and more consistent to provide your own robust set of standards. That also means there aren't large sections which don't apply, such as mechanical drafting instruction in a civil/land design environment.
Not many businesses have a hard-copy standards library any more. Even PDF libraries are rare, since they can be accessed online through providers like IHS and Techstreet.
If you are going to fly by the seat of your pants, expect friction burns.
"I don't know" is the beginning of knowledge, not the end.
@MikeKovacik4928 wrote:
Thanks for that feedback.
So you are saying, you do have your own standards, even though they may be very general, which
though not in a printed format, will exist in an electronic format, and these standards are company
rather than national?
Mike
We do have our own standards. They aren't documented in an instruction manual per se. Most of the standards (e.g. settings for layers, text styles, and so on) are controlled through automation so are transparent to the users. The data files are constructed to be "self documenting" so there is no separate documentation that has to be updated for every little change. THAT is a royal PITA.
The standards are based on the company experience in our region and industry, with our past and present clients and their requirements in mind. How they are implemented is also heavily influenced by what clients have historically required e.g. almost all are CTB so our default is also CTB; the automation and settings did not support STB until we had a client which used that method.
If you are going to fly by the seat of your pants, expect friction burns.
"I don't know" is the beginning of knowledge, not the end.
@MikeKovacik4928 wrote:John
I have yet to work in a drawing office, where there is a set of standard draughting procedures.
I have been in 11 drawing offices ranging from 3 to 9 draughtspersons, as well as working as a contract
draughtsperson, freelance draughtperson, and run my own draughting & training service
I have worked in the following fields for periods of 2 up to 6 years
Diesel Engine Assy, Localisation & Repowers; Coachbuilding (Buses, Trailers, Tankers, Tippers) ;
Formwork & Scaffolding; Construction; Mechanical & Electrical Draughting+Autocad Training;
Mining & Plant; Airforce; Agricultural Machines; Freelancing/contracting (mechanical/manufacturing);
Coal Milling Machines
I was just curious to know how drawing offices in other parts of the world are run, and if they have
set procedures and specified draughting standards.
I can appreciate how difficult it is to get everybody to draught in one particular way, especially when
there are so many different ways of doing one thing!!, and also that it may not be beneficial to force draughters
to use one particular method, and stifle their "creativity and fee thinking".
Mike
Based on your role(s), I don't think there are much you can do.
And agree with what you said:
...it may not be beneficial to force draughters to use one particular method, and stifle their "creativity and fee thinking".
I believe that many experianced drafters would like to see a drafting standard in practice. But in fact, a drafting standard is rarely practically complied, especially in a CAD office with large number of drafters.
Here is examples.
I have set up drafting procedures including a set of drawing templates and lisp routines in my office. And we now use vault as a documentation library/data management tool.
- One of the lisp routines I created allows users to edit/update drawing revision in DWG file. This handy tool saves users time and helps them updating "DWGprop", title block and revision block by only a few clicks prior to checking files into vault. Until now I don't see users using it even I reminded them.
"I don't have time and why not just checking files into vault straightaway." This is what they think.
- With the drawing templates I oblige users using drawing titleblocks in layout. But I have seen some users moving the titleblock/boarder to model space all the time.
Indeed, I understand your frustration but there is not much you can do even you are in the leading position. Unless, unless you are also the head of HR. 
