Lecturer 2: Drawing Scales

CE-112 : Engineering Drawing for Civil Engineers

By: Dr. Mohammad Ashraf (engineerashraf@yahoo.com)

Office: CE: B109

Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and

Technology, Peshawar

Measuring Units
 US Customary Units or English Units or Foot Pound System (FPS)
or Imperial Units
z 1.0 Mile = 1760 Yards
z 1.0 Mile = 8.0 Furlongs
z 1.0 Yard = 3.0 Feet
z 1.0 Feet = 12.0 Inch
 International System of Units (SI System)
z Mega meter, Kilometer, meter, decimeter, centimeter, millimeter
 Conversions
z 1.0 Meter = 3.281 Feet
z 1.0 Yard = 0.9144 Meters

1
What is drawing scale?
 The scale is a measuring device used to transfer
the true or relative dimensions of an object to
the drawing
 Traditionally scales were made of wood, but
today they are usually made of rigid plastic or
aluminum
 Full-size may not always be possible. Drawings
are usually drawn proportionally smaller or
larger
 Civil Engineering objects are usually bigger and
therefore drawn smaller than the actual size

Representative Factor (R.F.)

 R.F. is used to represent the scale of a drawing
 It is the ratio of length on drawing to the length on actual object
R.F. = (length on drawing) / (actual length of object)
 It is a measure of how much the object is reduced or enlarged on
drawing paper.
 The scale is also represented as 1″ = 8′-0″ i.e. one inch on drawing
is equal to 8 feet on actual object
 The Representative Factor of scale 1″ = 8′-0″ is 1/96 indicated as
1:96 on drawing

2
Type of scales
 Plain Scales (A line id divided into a number of equal parts and
sub-parts)
z Full Size Scales (SI Units, US Customary Units), 1:1 (RF = 1)
z Reduced Scales, 1:2 (RF=1/2), 1:10 (RF=1/10), 1:96 (RF = 1/96)
z Enlarge Scale, 2:1 or 1:1/2 (RF=2), 10:1 or 1:1/10 (RF=10)
 Diagonal Scales (For minute measurements)
 Vernier Scales (for minute measurements)

Plain Scales
Problem:
Draw a scale of 1″ = 4′-0″ (1:48) to show inch and half inch and long
enough to measure up to 10 feet.
Length of the scale = RF x maximum length to be measured
= 1/48 x (10 x 12) = 2.5″

3
Diagonal Scales
Problem:
Draw full-size diagonal scales with a least count of 1/64″ and 1/100 and
long enough to measure up to 6″.

Vernier Scales
Problem:
Draw full-size vernier scale with a least count 1/100 and long enough
to measure up to 6″.

4
Assignment No.1
Prob-1: Draw a plain scale of 1″ = 2′-0″ (1:24) to show inch and half
inch and long enough to measure up to 10 feet. Show a length of 2′-
3.5″ on the scale

Prob-2: Draw full-size diagonal scale with a least count of 1/200

(0.005) and long enough to measure up to 6″. Show a length of 2.345″
On the scale

Prob-3: Draw a full-size vernier scale with a least count 1/64 and long
enough to measure up to 6″. Show a length of 2-29/64″ on the scale