Draftsman Courses and Classes Overview
Draftsman courses train students to draft, or draw, blueprints for a wide variety of buildings, products and machines in two or three dimensions, often using computer programs designed for this purpose. Courses in drafting are typically found as part of 2-year degree programs. Read on to explore some typical courses in this field.
Draftsman courses are typically offered by the drafting, design or engineering departments of technical or community colleges. Classes are available in several areas of drafting, including architectural, mechanical, civil and electrical drafting. Typically, drafters take these courses as part of an associate's degree program in drafting.
List of Courses
A sampling of courses typically offered in draftsman programs is provided below.
Introduction to Drafting Course
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of becoming a draftsman. After becoming familiar with basic drafting terminology, students begin developing multi-view drawings and learning about projection methods, auxiliary views and section views. Lettering, tolerance, metric construction, technical sketching and orthographic projection are also covered.
Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) Course
The use of CAD technology has become the standard for draftsmen in the creation and manipulation of architectural, mechanical and electrical designs. CAD concepts include formatting drawings; storing and retrieving files; rotating, placing and scaling objects; using layers and coordinate systems; and adding text and dimensions. Students leave the course with a working knowledge of a typical CAD system.
Blueprint Reading Course
A blueprint reading class gives students a working knowledge of the conventions and dimensioning practices of this integral part of the drafting and design process. The curriculum focuses on the comprehension of blueprint terminology, orthographic projections, exploded views and assembly drawings, as well as machining specifications and title block information.
Descriptive Geometry Course
This course provides the aspiring draftsman with practice solving problems in three dimensions. The curriculum includes studies of lines, points, angles, intersections, planes and revolutions. Students complete all assignments using CAD technology.
Architectural Drafting Course
Students learn about the architectural design elements of building construction from site development and plot plans to foundations, floors and interior elements. Students study architectural drafting procedures and practices, including reading and understanding various standard architectural drawings, elevations, details and sections. Students are usually given the opportunity to design and draw plans for a building that can be part of their professional portfolio.
Mechanical Drafting Course
This course focuses on mechanical drawing problems, including the representation of gears and cams, perspectives and isometric projections. Students have the opportunity to draw from schematic diagrams using drafting aids and templates. Mechanical drafting courses sometimes cover electrical drafting, in which case the curriculum includes electronic circuit board design, logic and embedded systems.
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