1
Prints: The
Language of
Industry
• Identify the importance of prints.
• Discuss historical processes and technologies
related to prints.
• Identify and define terms related to prints.
• Explain how prints are produced.
• Identify two important elements of print reading.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
• Identify ways in which to care for prints.
• Identify and discuss options for using prints in an
electronic (digital) format.
• Discuss the role of various organizations in the
standardization of drawings.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Importance of Print Reading
• Drawings are the universal language of industry
• Engineers, designers, technicians, and skilled
workers all use drawings
• A print is a copy of a drawing
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Importance of Print Reading
• Prints provide the worker with the details of:
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Size
Shape
Tolerance
Materials used
Finish
Other special treatments
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Print Reading and Drafting
• Print reading is closely related to the study of
drafting
• Drafting is the field of study that focuses on the
creation of technical drawings
• Blueprint is a term originating from one of the
earlier copying processes for technical drawings
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Print Reading and Drafting
• Prints used to be called blueprints
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How Prints Are Made
• Prints are basically a “hardcopy” of a drawing
• CAD systems can create paper drawings using
printers and plotters
– Printers and cartridge-based plotters create raster
images
– Pen-based plotters create vector images
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
How Prints Are Made
• Cartridge-based plotters create raster images
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Print Reading Elements
• Reading a print involves two principal elements:
visualization and interpretation
– Visualization is the ability to “see” the shape of the
object based on the various views shown on a print
– Interpretation is the ability to understand the meanings
of the lines, symbols, dimensions, and notes on a print
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Print Reading Elements
• Visualization is “seeing” the object based on the
views shown on a print
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Care of Prints
• When working with prints, observe these rules:
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Never write on a print
Keep prints clean
Be careful when folding and unfolding prints
Do not lay sharp tools and parts on a print
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Care of Prints
• Use care when folding and unfolding prints
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Electronic Formats for Drawings
• Electronic formats are available that enhance
the ability to share prints without sharing the
actual CAD data
– Portable document format (PDF) is a file format from
Adobe and very common
– Design web format (DWF) is a file format from
Autodesk and common in environments that use
AutoCAD and other Autodesk products
– Free viewers are available for both formats
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
Standards for Industrial Prints
• A standard is a voluntary guideline
• The standardization of engineering drawings for
prints has long been established through the
American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
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Standards for Industrial Prints
• The American Society for Mechanical Engineers
(ASME) is the professional organization that
authors and publishes engineering standards
related to industrial prints
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Standards for Industrial Prints
• The American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
is the umbrella organization that serves as an
overseeing body for numerous American
standards
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Standards for Industrial Prints
• The International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) is an organization that provides over 18,000
standards on a variety of subjects in the
international and global arena
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
• List factors that make print reading important.
Prints provide the details of size, shape,
tolerances, materials used, finish, and
other special treatments needed to
manufacture a product
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
• Describe historical processes and technologies
related to prints.
An early copying process was a wet process
that resulted in white lines on a blue
background (a blueprint). A dry process (diazo)
was later developed that resulted in blue lines
on a white background (a whiteprint or blueline print). Today, prints are often output from a
CAD system to an inkjet or laser printer/plotter.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
• List some terms related to prints.
Print, engineering graphics, blueprint, whiteprint,
vellum, visualization, interpretation, and
standards, among others
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• In general, describe how prints are produced.
A print is a copy of a drawing. Traditionally, a
print was made with either a wet or dry
process (blueprints and whiteprints), but now
prints are often output from a CAD system to a
printer or plotter.
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
• What are two important elements of print reading?
Visualization and interpretation
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
• List four points related to the care of prints.
A) Never write on a print
B) Keep prints clean
C) Very carefully fold and unfold prints
D) Do not lay sharp objects on prints
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
• How can prints be used in electronic (digital)
format?
By distributing a DWF or PDF file, for
example, to the print reader
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.
• What are the two organizations that have a role in
developing standards documents for engineering
drawings?
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
(ASME) and International Organization for
Standardization (ISO)
Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.