Various Types of Lines
Various types of lines used in general engineering drawing are
described below:
• Outlines: Lines drawn to represent visible edges and surface
boundaries of objects are called outlines or principal lines. They
are continuous thick lines.
• Margin lines: They are continuous thick lines along which the
prints are trimmed.
• Dimension lines: These lines are continuous thin lines. They are
terminated at the outer ends by pointed arrowheads touching the
outlines, extension lines or center lines
• Projection lines: These lines are also continuous thin lines. They
extended by about 3 mm beyond the dimension lines
• Construction lines: These lines are drawn for constructing
figures. They are shown in geometrical drawings only. They are
continuous thin light lines.
Contd……..
• Construction lines: These lines are drawn for constructing
figures. They are shown in geometrical drawings only. They are
continuous thin light lines.
• Section lines: These lines are drawn to make the section
evident. They are continuous thin lines and are drawn generally at
an angle of 45 degree to the main outline of the section. They are
uniform spaced about 1 mm to 2 mm apart.
• Leader or Pointer lines: Leader line is drawn to connect a note
with the feature to which it applies. It is a continuous thin lines.
• Border lines: Perfectly rectangular working space is determined
by drawing the border lines. They are continuous thin lines.
• Short-break lines: These lines are continuous, thin and wavy.
They are drawn freehand and are used to show a short break or
irregular boundaries.
Contd…….
• Long-break lines: These lines are thin ruled lines with short
zigzags within them. They are drawn to show long breaks.
• Hidden or Dotted lines: Interior or hidden edges and surfaces
are shown by hidden lines. They are also called dashed line or
dotted lines. They are of medium thickness and made up of short
dashes of approximately equal length of about 2 mm spaced at
equal distances of about 1 mm.
• Center lines: Center lines are drawn to indicate the axes of
cylindrical, conical or spherical objects or details, and also to show
the centers of circle or arcs. They are thin, long, chain lines
composed of alternately long and short dashes spaced
approximately 1 mm apart.
• Cutting-plane lines: The location of a cutting plane is shown by
this line. It is long, thin, chain line, thick at ends only.
• Chain Thick: These lines are used to indicate spatial treatment
on the surface.
Various Types of Lines
Dimensioning
Every drawing, whether a scale drawing or freehand drawing, besides
showing the true shape of an object, must supply its exact length,
breath, height, size and position of holes and grooves etc. supplying
these information on a drawing is called dimensioning.
There are two system of placing dimensions
• Aligned System: In this system the dimensions are placed perpendicular
to the dimension line in such a way that it may be read from the bottom
edge or the right hand edge of the drawing sheet. The dimensions should
placed near the middle and above, but clear of the dimension lines.
• Unidirectional System: In unidirectional system all dimensions are so
placed that they can be read from the bottom edge of the drawing sheet.
The dimension lines are broken near the middle for inserting the
dimensions. This system is mainly used on large drawings- as of aircrafts,
automobiles etc. where it is inconvenient to read dimensions from right
hand side.
Size and location dimension (L: Location, F: Size)
Systems of placing Dimensions
Size and Location Dimension, L: Location, F: Size
Chain and Parallel Dimensions
Dimensions of Circular Feature
Dimensioning of arcs
Dimensioning in narrow spaces
Place smaller dimensions inside
