ED-ME111

L-2

Dr. Poonam Kumari

LETTERING
Writing text on a drawing (e.g. titles, dimensions,
scales) using letters which can be alphabets,
numerals, symbols or punctuation marks to
convey detailed information.

Features of Lettering

1. Legibility,
uniformity,
ease,
rapidity
of
execution and reproducibility
2. No ornamental or artistic and cursive style of
letter
3. Letters should be distinguishable from each
other in order to avoid any confusion even in
Standard
case offollowed
slight mutilations
IS 9609 (Part 0): 2001 & SP46: 2003 (lettering for
technical drawings). This BIS standard is based

Types of Lettering

Single stroke - Thickness of the line of the

letter should be such as is obtained in one stroke
of the pencil.
Does not mean that the letter should be
made in one stroke without lifting the pencil.
Double stroke- When more thickness is given
to single stroke letters, it is known as double
stroke or gothic letters.

BIS (SP46:2003) - Gives dimensions for

lettering & types
Type A - Height of capital letter is divided into
14 parts
Type B Height of capital letter is divided into
10 parts
Basic
Strokes
Both types can be Vertical or Inclined at 75 to

Examples
Height
and width of letters
I46:
letter2003) has
Arecommended
letter
B letter
BIS (SP
the
heights of
letters as: 1.8, 2.5, 3.5, 5, 7, 10, 14 & 20
4 mm 5
1

Sl. no Items on a drawing

1
Name of the company

Size (mm)
6 20
10, 14,

2
3
4
5

Drawing numbers, letters

3 denoting section planes
2
Title of the drawing
Sub- titles & Headings
Dimensioning, notes, schedules
& material lists
.

10,14
7, 10
5, 7
3.5, 7

Alteration entries and tolerances

3.5

Total
height
of
lowercase
letters
equals that of capital
letters.
The height-to-width ratio for letters varies between

A & B type
Lettering
BIS (SP46: 2003)

Specifications

Type

Value

Size (mm)

Capital letter height

2.5

3.5

10

14

20

2.5

3.5

10

14

20

a=(5/7)h

2.5

3.5

10

14

a=(7/10)h

2.5

3.5

10

14

b=(1/14)h

.18

.25

.35

.5

.7

1.4

b=(1/10)h

.25

.35

.5

.7

1.4

c=(1/7)h

.35

.5

.7

1.4

2.8

c=(1/5)h

.5

.7

1.4

2.8

Minimum spacing between

words

d=(3/7)h

1.05

1.5

2.1

4.2

8.4

d=(3/5)h

1.5

2.1

4.2

8.4

12

Minimum spacing between

baselines

e=(10/7)h

3.5

10

14

20

28

e=(7/5)h

3.5

10

14

20

28

Lowercase letter height

Thickness of lines
Spacing between characters

Vertical Capital Letters

and Numerical

Vertical
Lowercase
Letters

Fraction & Indices letteri

1. Height of
numerator and
denominator =
3/4th of height of
non-fractioned
number
2. Spacing between
division bar and
Inclined Capital Letters
At 75
numerator or
denominator
The height of
should be such
index is half of
that the total
height of a base
height of fraction
letter

Few Tips
If you put the central horizontal strokes of the letters B, E, F,
and H at mid-height, they will appear to be below center. To
overcome this optical illusion, draw the strokes B, E, F, and H
slightly above the center as you letter, keeping letters
uniform, as in the second example of fig(right below).

Use extremely light horizontal guidelines to keep letter

height uniform as shown in Figure (left above). Do not use
vertical guidelines to space the distance from one letter to
the next within a word or sentence . This should he done by
eye while lettering.
Some combinations, such as LT and VA, may have to be
slightly closer than other letters to look correctly spaced. In
some cases the width of a letter may be decreased slightly. In
typesetting, pairs of letters that need to be spaced more
closely to appear correctly are called kerned pairs.

DIMENSIONING
BIS (SP 46: 2003) defines dimension as a
numerical value expressed in appropriate units of
measurement and indicated graphically on
technical drawings with lines, symbols & notes.

Features of Dimensioning

1. Units of measurement length (mm), angles

(degrees )
2. Symbols incorporated to indicate specific
geometries
3. Notes to give specification to particular
Elements
of
Dimensioning
feature or specific information necessary during
Object
lines
manufacturing
of the job
Extension lines
Dimension lines

Leader lines

Examples for elements of dimensioning

Elements of
dimensioning

Definition

Object line

A line on the drawing whose length is to be shown is called an object

line. In case of angles 2 lines forming angle will be object lines.

Extension line

An extension line is a thin continuous line drawn perpendicular to an

object line. It extends by about 3 mm beyond the dimension line

Dimension line

Dimension line is drawn between 2 extension lines parallel to the

object line. One dimension line represents one dimension. For angles a
curved dimension line as arc with center at the vertex of angle is
drawn. It is terminated by arrowheads touching the extension lines

Center line

A center-line is a thin, dark line alternating long and short dashes.

Center-lines are commonly used as extension lines in locating holes
and other symmetrical features. When extended for dimensioning.
Center-lines cross over other lines of the drawing without gaps. Always
end center-lines using a long dash.

Elements of
dimensioning

Definition

Leader line

A leader or a pointer is a thin continuous line connecting a note or a

dimension figure with the feature to which it applies. Never drawn
vertical of horizontal but at some angle. A dot is used instead of an
arrowhead if the leader ends inside the object.

Arrowheads

An arrowhead is placed at each end of a dimension line. Its pointed end

touches an extension line. The size of an arrowhead should be
proportional to the length of the dimension line. The length of the
arrowhead should be about three times its maximum width.

Dimension

Placed near the middle and above the dimension lines or at the center
of dimension lines by breaking them. As all dimensions of a drawing
are in the same unit, instead of unit a note (ALL DIMENSIONS IN
MM) preferable at the left hand side of title block is written. Dimension
text should be uniform for all features.

Best practices for dimension & extension lines

1. The shorter dimensions are nearest to the object outline.
2. Dimension lines should not cross extension lines as in
Figure (b), which results from placing the shorter
dimensions outside. Note that it is perfectly satisfactory
to cross extension lines (Figure a), but they should not be
3. shortened
Dimension (Figure
lines c).
should not
cross each other & any other
lines of the object. However
extension lines can cross both
(fig 1).
4. A dimension line should never
Fig 1
coincide with or extend from
any line of the drawing (Figure
d).

Best practices for dimension & extension lines

5. Dimensions should be lined up and grouped
together as much as possible, as in Figure 2a,
and not as in Figure 2b.
6. In some cases, extension lines and center-lines
must cross visible lines of the object (Figure 3a).
When this occurs, gaps should not be left in the
lines (Figure 3b).

Fig 2

7. Dimensions should be
placed outside the
views
(a).
Placed
inside if more clear

Fig 3

Best practices for arrowheads & centerlines

1. Arrowheads should ordinarily be drawn within
the limits of the dimensioned feature. But when
the space is too narrow, they may be placed
outside (fig 4)
Fig 4

Fig 5a

1. Center line(axis) itself shall not

be used as a dimension line
with arrowheads as its ends. Fig
5a
2. Center line(axis) itself shall not
Fig 5b
be used as a dimension line
arrowheads
as not
its ends.
Figfrom view to
3. with
Center-lines
should
extend

Best practices for dimensions

1. All dimensions must be given. There should not be need
for calculation, assumption or direct measurement for
any dimension. Dimension should be on features best
view.
2. Each dimension should be given only once. No dimension
should be redundant / superfluous (repeated) (fig 6). Not
even on another view (fig 7) or by different ways.
Fig 6

3. Dimensions
Fig 1shall be given
to visible lines and not to
hidden lines
4. Each
feature
is
dimensioned
and
positioned where its shape

Fig 7

Fig 2

Best practices for dimensioning pictorial view

1. Principal lines are dimensioned in pictorial view.
Dimension and extension lines are drawn in
directions that are parallel to the principal lines.
For non-principal lines, its coordinates, in the
directionFigparallel
to the principal lines are given.
Fig L1
Fig R
(fig L)

2. In case of oblique parallel projections, along with

principal lines, those lines which are projected
with true length are also dimensioned. In those
cases, extension lines are drawn perpendicular

Systems of dimensioning
For placing the dimensions on the drawing, following systems can
be
adopted.
Aligned
system
Unidirectional system
1. Dimensions
are
placed 1. Dimensions are placed vertically
perpendicular to the dimension
irrespective of dimension lines.
line.
2. All dimensions can be read from
2. Horizontal
and
inclined
the bottom of the drawing.
dimensions can be read from the 3. Horizontal dimensions are placed
bottom of the drawing. Vertical
above the midpoint of dimension
dimensions can be read from the
lines.
Vertical
and
inclined
right-hand side of the drawing.
dimensions are placed at the
3. All dimensions are placed above
middle of dimension lines by
the midpoint of dimension lines.
breaking them.

Note
All the dimensions on a drawing must be shown using either
Aligned System or Unidirectional System. Two systems should not

Arrangement of dimensions
Chain dimensioning

Parallel dimensioning

All dimensions are aligned in

such a way that an arrowhead
of one dimension touches tipto-tip the arrowhead of
adjacent dimension. The
overall dimension is placed
outside the other smaller
dimensions.

All dimensions are shown Both the methods (chain &

from a common reference parallel) are used on the same
line. All dimensions share a drawing
common extension line. This
is adopted when dimensions
have to be established from a
particular datum surface.

Used when the possible Used where a number of

accumulation of tolerances dimensions have a common
does not endanger the datum feature
fundamental requirement of
the component.

Combined dimensioning

Dimensioning of circular features

1. By diameter instead of radius, precede by
leaders.
2. symbol,
For more
than 1 hole of
same , the dim. of a hole
with a note will give idea
Hole dimensioning
about the dimensions
of all
the holes.
(fig 8a,b)
If there
are different
categories (each with same
holes) of holes, use reference letters and noted
below the view. (fig 8b)
Standard
symbols for
dimensions

Fig 9
Fig 8

Equispaced holes (fig 9) where

5x18 means 6 holes center-to-

Dimensioning of arc, fillets, angles & cyl.

Arc shown by radius, precede by R symbol, center
marked by cross, leaders. For large or small arc,
Cyl.
dimensioning
center
mark is omitted (10)
Fig 10

Angle
dimensioning

Fillets are of standard size, such as metric R3 and

R6. Thus, a note in the or simply lower portion of
the drawing is given.
FILLETS R6 AND ROUNDS R3 UNLESS OTHERWISE
SPECIFIED or

Dimensioning of spherical, conical, tapered

Spherical feature dimensioning

Conical feature dimensioning

Flat tapered feature

dimensioning

Dimensioning- square, chamfered, countersunk

Square feature
dimensioning

External Chamfer dimensioning

Internal Chamfer dimensioning

Countersunk dimensioning

Dimensioning- screw threads

External thread

Internal
thread

Metric thread
Nominal dia. = 12mm
Depth of drilled hole
= 22mm
Threaded length =
18mm

Symbols & abbreviations used in dimensioning