C-3 Drawings and Specifications Introduction
Drawings and specifications are essential tools in the pipe trades. They provide the information needed to plan, install, and maintain piping systems safely and accurately. Drawings show the layout, dimensions, and relationships between components, while specifications describe the materials, standards, and requirements that must be followed.
In this section, you will learn how to read and interpret common types of trade drawings, understand symbols and dimensions, and use basic drafting tools. These skills are critical for communicating with other tradespeople, following project requirements, and ensuring that work is completed correctly and efficiently.
Learning Objectives
After completing this section, you should be able to:
- Describe the drafting tools and materials.
- Use scale rulers to determine actual dimensions from a piping diagram.
- Describe piping and fixture symbols used in the pipe trades.
- Describe lettering and dimensioning of piping diagrams.
- Describe drawing projections.
- Use drawing projections.
- Use tools to sketch irregular shapes.
Topic areas covered in this publication are in alignment with SkilledTradesBC Harmonized 2018 Program Outlines.
You will be required to reference publications and videos available online at WorkSafeBC.
Supplementary Resources
Terminology
The following terms may be used throughout this section. Note that some glossary terms may be in italics throughout the section content but are not included in this list. A complete list of terms for this section can be found in the Glossary.
- compass: A tool used to draw circles or curved lines. (Section C-3.1)
- divider: A tool with two sharp points used to measure or copy distances. (Section C-3.1)
- drafting board: A flat surface used for drawing plans and diagrams. (Section C-3.1)
- French curve: A tool with curved edges used to draw smooth curved lines. (Section C-3.1)
- mechanical pencil: A pencil that uses replaceable graphite sticks instead of wood. (Section C-3.1)
- protractor: A tool used to measure and draw angles. (Section C-3.1)
- radian: Another way to measure angles (used mainly in advanced math). (Section C-3.1)
- scale rule: A ruler used to measure and draw objects at a smaller or larger size. (Section C-3.1)
- spline (flexible curve): A flexible tool used to draw smooth curves. (Section C-3.1)
- steel straightedge: A straight metal ruler used to check if a line is perfectly straight. (Section C-3.1)
- T-square: A T-shaped tool used to draw straight horizontal lines. (Section C-3.1)
- template: A tool with cut-out shapes used to trace standard drawings. (Section C-3.1)
- triangle (set-square): A flat tool used in drafting to draw straight lines and angles. (Section C-3.1)
