We Still Need Technical Drawings
Technical Drawings are not used anymore. Right? Wrong!
Technical drawings still build the backbone of the engineering world. Each German Automotive company still produces more than a thousand new drawings per day!
Engineering drawings are used to define the requirements of an engineered item fully and clearly. An engineering drawing transfers what is required, wanted, and needed to enable resources to be expanded so an idea can be turned into reality.
Let us explain, from the point of view of manufacturers and suppliers, why they need technical drawings:
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers) View
OEMs still rely on technical drawings because essential information is missing in most 3D models – for example, the material or tolerances. While there are sophisticated models that contain this information (see Model-Based Definition), their usage is usually limited to the internal engineering department. In the Model-Based Definition, when the part needs to be produced or purchased from a supplier, it is converted into a Technical Drawing to be apprehensible.
Supplier View
In consequence, most suppliers worldwide work with technical drawings. Some of them do not even accept 3D models and process all their incoming orders as PDF or TIFF files. This can also be attributed to the fact that 2D drawings for parts convey critical information immediately, in comparison to 3D models. Critical data can be communicated much more quickly through a 2D drawing without having to pull up a CAD model and measuring it.
Moreover, engineering drawings have many further advantages such as portability, storage and the ability to amend minimal costs. In addition, they can be interpreted similarly across the globe due to standardization.
Conclusion
Therefore, the final decision between using technical drawings versus CAD models depends on the information they contain and the time it takes to glance at a spec sheet as compared to pulling up and inspecting a 3D model. Thus, most OEMs and suppliers are still reliant on the latter and the situation is unlikely to change for a long time.
Werk24 makes it even easier, efficient and more cost-effective to process these engineering drawings. Our AI powered API extracts key features and returns a JSON response with structured information, including Title Blocks, Measures, Tolerances, Threads, GD&T, Radii, and Surface Roughness. Find out more about our successful case studies or explore how you can enhance your business by scehduling a call with our experts.