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Drafting Symbols
Symbols provide a “common language” for drafters all over the world.
However, symbols can be meaningful only if they are created according to the
relevant standards or conventions. This document describes and illustrates
common dimensioning, GD&T, architectural, piping, and electrical symbols.
Standard Dimensioning Symbols
The size of dimensioning symbols varies with text size, but it should be consistent with the height of the text. In the following illustration, h = text height.
Standard Dimensioning Symbols
h
Diameter Radius
Spherical
Radius
2h
1.5 h
Spherical
Diameter
Countersink
60°
Depth
(or Deep)
0.5 h
Dimension
Origin
0.3 h
h
0.5 h
h
h
0.6 h
h
2
Counterbore
or Spotface
Places
or By
h
90°
h
Symmetrical
Controlled
Radius
15°
h
2h
h
1.5 h
30°
Conical Taper
Slope
Square
Shape
Reference
2.5 h
1.5 h
30°
h
1.5 h
0.3 h
Arc
Length
All
Around
0.8 h
Statistical
Tolerance
h = letter height
Copyright by Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Drafting Symbols, page 1
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Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing Symbols
You can either create your own library of GD&T symbols, or use one of
AutoCAD’s GD&T fonts to insert the symbols as text. The following table shows
how to construct the symbols.
GD&T Symbol Creation
2h
Identification letter
Optional shoulder
h
2h
Any
needed
height
Filled or unfilled
60°
h
Datum Feature Symbol
Straightness
Target area size
(when used)
Form
Profile
Datum target symbol
without area size
Circularity
Cylindricity
2h
Datum
Flatness
Target number
Datum target symbol
with area size
Profile of a line
Profile of a surface
Position
Location
Datum Target Symbol
Concentricity
Symmetry
90°
Parallelism
Orientation
2h
Angularity
Runout
Target point
Perpendicularity
Datum line
Target area
Target Point and Target Area
MMC, maximum
material condition
or
Circular
runout
Total
runout
Geometric Characteristic Symbols
RFS, regardless of feature size (no symbol,
RFS is assumed unless otherwise specified)
1.5 h
or
LMC, least
material condition
0.8 h
Material Condition Symbols
Copyright by Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Drafting Symbols, page 2
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GD&T Symbol Creation (continued)
1.5 h
0.8 h
Free
State
Tangent
Plane
Projected
Tolerance Zone
2.5 h
3h
30°
0.8 h
0.6 h
1.5 h
0.8 h
Between
Statistical Tolerance
With a dimension
Combined with
conventional tolerance
In the feature control frame
Statistical Tolerancing Methods
2h
2h
h
Feature Control Frame with
Straightness Geometric Symbol
Copyright by Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
h = lettering height
Drafting Symbols, page 3
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GD&T Symbol Creation (continued)
1.5 h
0.8 h
Free
State
Tangent
Plane
Projected
Tolerance Zone
2.5 h
3h
30°
0.8 h
0.6 h
1.5 h
0.8 h
Between
Statistical Tolerance
With a dimension
Combined with
conventional tolerance
In the feature control frame
Statistical Tolerancing Methods
2h
2h
h
Feature Control Frame with
Straightness Geometric Symbol
Copyright by Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
h = lettering height
Drafting Symbols, page 4
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GD&T Symbol Creation (continued)
1.5 h
h
h
2h
60°
Feature Control Frame with the Flatness
Geometric Characteristic Symbol
h
1.5 h
2h
Feature Control Frame with Circularity
Geometric Characteristic Symbol
60°
1.5 h
h
h
2h
Feature Control Frame with Cylindricity
Geometric Characteristic Symbol
2h
h
h
Feature Control Frame with Profile
of a Line Geometric Characteristic
Symbol and a Datum Reference
Copyright by Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
h = lettering height
Drafting Symbols, page 5
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GD&T Symbol Creation (continued)
2h
h
h
Feature Control Frame with Profile
of a Surface Geometric Characteristic
Symbol and a Datum Reference
0.6 h
h
1.5 h
2h
60°
Feature Control Frame with
Parallelism Geometric Characteristic
Symbol and a Datum Reference
1.5 h
h
2h
2h
Feature Control Frame with
Perpendicularity Geometric Characteristic
Symbol and a Datum Reference
30°
h
2h
1.5 h
Feature Control Frame with
Angularity Geometric Characteristic
Symbol and a Datum Reference
Copyright by Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
h = lettering height
Drafting Symbols, page 6
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GD&T Symbol Creation (continued)
45°
0.8 h
h
1.5 h
2h
0.6 h
Circular Runout
45°
1.5 h
h
2h
1.1 h
Total Runout
Runout symbols may be drawn open or filled
1.5 h
h
h
2h
Positional Geometric Characteristic
Symbol and Tolerance in a Feature Control
Frame with Three Datum References
1.2 h
h
0.5 h
2h
Feature Control Frame with Symmetry
Geometric Characteristic
Symbol and a Datum Reference
Copyright by Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
h = lettering height
Drafting Symbols, page 7
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To create GD&T symbols as text, create a style using the gdt.shx, GDT_IV25,
or GDT_IV50 font. Then use the lowercase alphabet to type the symbols. The
following table shows the symbol produced by each lowercase letter.
Lowercase Letter Symbol Produced
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z
Copyright by Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Drafting Symbols, page 8
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Other Symbols
Various industries have their own sets of standard symbols. The following
tables show typical symbols for the architectural, piping, and electrical industries.
Common Architectural Symbols
Exterior Door
Interior Door
Pocket Door
Toilet
Water Heater
Wall Hung
Toilet
Shower
Urinal
Bifold Door
Bipass Door
Oval
Vanity
Sink
Shower w/ Seat
Window
Lighting
Outlet
Rectangular
Vanity Sink
Tub
Recessed
Lighting
Outlet
Wall Lighting
Outlet
Single Kitchen
Washer/Dryer
Fluorescent
Light Fixture
Single Receptacle
Outlet
Duplex Convenience
Outlet
Triplex Receptacle
Outlet
Special Outlet
Floor Single
Receptacle Outlet
Floor Duplex
Receptacle Outlet
Single Pole Switch
3-Way Switch
Copyright by Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Double Kitchen
220V
Outlet
Range
Weatherproof
Outlet
Thermostat
Refrigerator
Doorbell
Fan Hanger
Receptacle
Fan
Clock Hanger
Receptacle
TV Outlet
Conduit
Drafting Symbols, page 9
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Single-Line Piping Symbols
Screwed
Name
Left Side
Front
Buttwelded
Right Side
Left Side
Front
Right Side
90° Elbow
45° Elbow
Tee
45° Lateral
Cross
Cap
Concentric
Reducer
Eccentric
Reducer
Union
Coupling
Copyright by Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Drafting Symbols, page 10
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Common Symbols for Electrical Diagrams
Capacitor,
Polarized
Amplifier
Circuit
Breaker
Microphone
Twin Triode
Using Elongated
Envelope
Receiver,
Earphone
Antenna,
General
Ground
Antenna,
Dipole
Voltage Regulator,
also, Glow Lamp
Chassis
Ground
Resistor,
General
Resistor,
Adjustable
Phototube
Antenna,
Dipole
Antenna,
Counterpoise
Connectors,
Jack and Plug
Engaged
Connectors
Battery, Long
Line Positive
Multicell
Battery
Magnetic Core
Inductor
Adjustable
Inductor
Triode with Directly
Heated Cathode and
Envelope Connection
to Base Terminal
Pentode Using
Elongated Envelope
Copyright by Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Resistor,
Variable
Transformer,
General
Transformer,
Magnetic Core
Ballast Lamp
Fluorescent,
2-Terminal Lamp
Capacitor,
General
Capacitor,
Variable
Inductor,
Winding,
Reactor,
General
Incandescent
Lamp
Shielded
Transformer,
Magnetic Core
Auto-Transformer,
Adjustable
Drafting Symbols, page 11