Drafter Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for a drafter job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a drafter. Feel free to use our drafter job description template to produce your own drafter job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a drafter.
Who is a Drafter?
Drafting, also known as an engineering drawing or draughting is a graphical representation of buildings, equipment, and the elements that make them up that convey a technical design’s engineering intent to the craftsperson or worker who will be producing the item. The art of drafting involves producing technical drawings. Almost every conceivable object may be designed using this method. Designing homes, streets, and even sewage systems are primarily in architecture. In business and engineering, it is also typical. The indications are similar enough for everyone to understand.
An engineering professional who creates intricate technical drawings or designs for equipment, structures, electronics, infrastructure, sections, etc. is known as a drafter sometimes also known as a draughtsman or draftsman. Drafters turn the designs, plans, and layouts of architects and engineers into a set of technical drawings using computer software and hand-drawn sketches. Drafters work in the background as assisting developers, creating engineering designs and drawings from conceptual design ideas. The term “CADD specialists” is occasionally used to refer to drafters. Technical drawings and plans are made by drafters. Building things like toys, coffee makers, machinery, aeroplanes, homes, and oil pipelines requires the utilization of production and construction employees. The technical details of the items and structures are shown in the draftings, which also include dimensions, materials, and methods. Currently, the majority of drafters create drawings using CADD technologies. Manufacturing, engineering, and construction companies all use drafters. In the electronics sector, they are also employed.
With the help of drafting professionals who are skilled at drawing and the ever-expanding capabilities of computers, complex designs may be produced quickly and precisely. A CADD system can detect errors, repair them, and even notify the operator when one is being created. Additionally, it may adjust the scale and proportions of a drawing on the computer screen as well as reorder or repeat specific elements of the overall design. Drafters use graphical tablets, light pens, digitizers, and cursor pads to carry out these tasks. Some drafters just use the sketches or specifications that someone else, like an engineer or clothing designer, has prepared to create their designs. Others carry out the actual creation while keeping track of their designs utilizing the CADD system. Drafters may be categorized by the industries they operate in. Architectural drafters, for instance, create blueprints for homes, office buildings, malls, schools, and other structures. Electrical drafters create drawings of electrical systems, such as those in manufacturing facilities, power plants, or public lighting systems. Mechanical drafters create the drawings that are utilized in the production of machinery, tools, auto components, and other mechanical goods. Other types of drafting experts include structural drafters, electronic drafters, maritime drafters, and aeronautical drafters.
Additionally, the type of work that drafters do and the level of responsibility that they have been used to categorize them. Senior drafters create layouts from the rough plans created by architects, engineers, or designers. Detailers provide more detailed drawings of the numerous components seen on a layout. Dimensions, materials, and other details are included. Every drawing is checked by checkers for flaws. Tracers then make copies of the revised drawings to give to the blueprint. Usually, they make tracings of them on thin paper or clear plastic film. Tracers occasionally make minor adjustments to the drawings as well. Keep up on the latest drafting software developments if you want to succeed as a draftsman. A great draftsman will have a keen eye for detail and a thorough understanding of the discipline they draft for.
Various types of drafters include:
Civil Drafters: For infrastructure projects including bridges, pipelines, highways, and sewage systems, civil drafters create designs that are used. Additionally, civil drafters create relief and topographical maps that are used by engineers and construction experts.
Mechanical Drafters: Mechanical drafters develop the blueprints needed to build mechanical goods like machine parts, tools, and vehicle components. These kinds of designs are created by drafters who provide details about the size of mechanical items and how they should be put together. They are responsible for designing building blueprints that detail how to assemble machines and other mechanical devices, including where to attach each component.
Architectural Drafters: Drawings created by architectural drafters are utilized in construction projects. Their labour is employed to construct places like individual residences, educational facilities, industrial facilities, office buildings, and shopping malls. Architectural drafters employ the concepts provided by engineers, architects, or designers to generate the designs for a structure and specifics regarding how the construction should be carried out to execute these projects. Drafters may also review the drawings for errors and modify the designs.
Aeronautical Drafters: Drafters that specialize in aeronautics create the blueprints needed to build aircraft, missiles, and helicopters. To guarantee that the designs are accepted, these drafters work with engineers and use their comments to make adjustments to their drawings.
Marine Drafters: The blueprints needed to build ships, yachts, and other maritime buildings are created by marine drafters. A floor layout for a maritime vehicle must be created, together with details on where the plumbing and electrical systems will be installed.
Fuel Pipeline Drafters: Drafters for the fuel pipeline establish the piping system planning and construction guidelines for chemical factories, oil refineries, and other locations that require fuel-based pipes.
Set Designer Drafters: These are drafters who design sets. They give production teams and departments blueprints and models so they may build sets for movies or plays.
Electrical and Electronics Drafters: Electrical drafters collaborate closely with engineers to provide the plans and schematics needed for the electrical wiring of buildings, power plants, and communication hubs. They must inspect the locations of the structures, make rough designs, prepare the project’s requirements, which must contain the stress levels, weights, and volumes involved, and make sure the electrical wiring complies with all applicable laws. Electronics drafters design the wiring and circuit diagrams necessary to build or fix individual electrical equipment parts.
Drafter Job Description
What is a drafter job description? A drafter job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a drafter in an organization. Below are the drafter job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a drafter job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a drafter include the following:
- Make a variety of technical drawings by following calculations and specifications.
- Use CADD technologies to create detailed work as well as quick sketches.
- Make weight and material restrictions calculations.
- Communicate with engineers and architects while putting learned information into drawings
- Prepare, evaluate, and revise the document with the engineering team.
- Verify that the final designs adhere to construction regulations.
- Find potential design issues and let the rest of the team know about them.
- Make architectural, engineering, or manufacturing designs into 2D or 3D drawings or models using CAD or other software.
- Calculate the design’s dimensions and other tangible elements to make sure the technical drawing is scaled correctly.
- Save building schematics for future use and reference.
- Discuss the product requirements necessary to finish technical drawings with other members of the building team and negotiate adjustments.
- Make flowcharts and layouts that depict the workflow strategy for a construction project, together with the materials, tools, and software the team is to utilize.
- Enhance the performance of an existing structure or product.
- Design guides that outline a finished product’s features, maintenance steps, and operational guidelines.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science in architecture or engineering.
- A technical college diploma is also accepted.
- Knowledge of drafting and design using computers (CADD).a working of manual drafting stations
- The ability to draw by hand is advantageous.
- Ability to function successfully both on your own and in a team.
- Ability to think critically and solve problems
- A capacity for organization
- The capacity to manage numerous projects at once Strong mathematical abilities
- Knowledge of the rules that are required
- Excellent time management abilities
- Ability to work independently, take criticism effectively, and keep an optimistic outlook.
Essential Skills
- Communication skills: Working alongside other experts including engineers, architects, and other drafters is common for drafters. It can be easier to work with others and comprehend their requirements if you have good communication skills, such as active listening. You can better understand technical concepts by using your communication abilities. Since drafters frequently collaborate with other experts on a project, they frequently are familiar with how to accommodate various communication preferences and settle any disputes. Additionaltheythey learn shown how to give and receive feedback since doing so will enable them to enhance their drafting process and modify their working methods to more closely adhere to the demands of the product owners.
- Artistic skills: Drafters convert an original idea into practical schematics, diagrams, workflow layouts, and other technical drawings using their drawing abilities. If you have artistic talent, you can help architects and other experts modify their design concepts to match building constrained even though drafters often create their drawings on computers, many start with hand sketches to speed up the rendering of two-dimensional drawings elements and three-dimensional models.
- Problem-solving skills: Problem-solving skills are used by drafters to address difficulties that develop throughout the design process. For instance, if a design isn’t working, drafters may need to come up with a different technique to produce it or discover a solution to make it work. This may entail altering the design or the process used to develop the design.
- Attention to detail: Because they frequently work with exact dimensions, drafters need to be able to pay attention to detail. Drafters must guarantee that the blueprints they use to illustrate the original design are accurate. This necessitates that they are capable of identifying any discrepancies in the measurements or any information that is lacking. When developing drawings and blueprints, drafters frequently take into account various information systems, such as product owners’ specifications and team members’ suggestions. They can provide technical drawings and blueprints that are more precise if they completely comprehend the information’s finer points. They can also spot potential problems and decide how to address them more effectively.
- Technical expertise: Since projects frequently require both CAD and PDM software to be used simultaneously, a draftsperson is extremely proficient in using these programs. Drafters can save their design processes for various projects using AutoCAD, a popular application. Many drafters utilize a PDM tool called SolidWorks PDM, which enables them to generate workflow documents and combine the many duties of the construction team into a single system. Additionally, drafters may be familiar with the technical abilities needed for their particular business. For instance, drafters in the field of aeronautics may be conversant with the controls or mechanisms of planes, whereas drafters in the field of mechanical engineering are likely to be knowledgeable about the software that controls equipment.
- Mathematics knowledge: To perform the necessary duties in any drawing position, it’s critical to have a solid understanding of geometry, trigonometry, and algebra. This includes having a thorough grasp of arithmetic, forms, and lines. Certain mathematical abilities may be valued more highly than others depending on the specialization. Geometry is used, for instance, by architectural drafters to calculate the proper proportions of a building design so that building workers would know how to fit the materials together in the building location.
- Ability to work independently and manage time: They must be able to successfully manage their time and duties because drafters frequently work independently on assignments. They should be able to independently conduct research and pick up new skills. Your ability to solve problems and be more productive can both be improved by working individually. Successful drafters typically develop methods to make the most of their time since projects can have several deadlines to make sure the construction team can fulfill all the requirements. They understand which project component should be prioritized first and how much time each one will probably require, and they utilize that knowledge to create construction plans and process layouts in their preferred software.
How to Become a Drafter
Step 1: Research Duties and Education for the Job
A credential, associate’s degree, or both in the discipline of drafting are often awarded to draftsmen who complete their education at a community college or trade school. The normal length of these programs is two years. A four-year university is an option for a draftsman to improve their education, but it is not usually necessary. There are many specializations available to draftsmen, and each one can lead to a different kind of employment. Many other professions, including civil engineering, architecture, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and pipeline design, offer drafting positions.
Step 2: Start High School Courses
Taking science, math, and computer classes while still in high school is a great way to get ready for drafting programs at either a community college or a technical school, even though they are not required. The prerequisites for drafting include the capacity to handle complex software and carry out precise calculations. If students have the chance to acquire these abilities at a younger age, they will be better equipped to succeed if they are in a degree program for professional draftsmen.
Step 3: Make an application to a University with a Drafting Degree Program
Instead of four-year institutions, technical schools and community colleges offer the bulk of degree programs leading to a draftsman certification. The program will probably place a stronger emphasis on general education requirements and essential skills if a community institution offers a degree in drafting. A technical school, on the other hand, almost usually has a curriculum that is entirely focused on drafting, and students there typically earn fewer credits for their general education needs.
Step 4: Gain an Associate’s or Diploma Degree
Students typically finish a drafting bachelor’s degree program in two years. Many students are now able to take online drafting programs because of the use of computer-aided design (CAD) software in the drafting process. As a result, even if they do not reside close to a school, students can still pursue a professional draftsman education. Basic drafting, mechanical design, domestic computer-aided design (CAD), building papers, and three-dimensional AutoCAD are among the topics covered in the curriculum.
Step 5: Advance your Education or Apply for a Drafting Job
After completing the requirements for a degree in drafting, students may choose to enroll in a four-year college to pursue a higher-level degree. Students who transfer from a community college with a degree in drafting can typically use their coursework to finish the requirements for an engineering or architecture degree. With an engineering or architectural degree and drafting expertise, graduates have a wide range of professional opportunities at their disposal. Recent drafting program graduates could be able to find employment in a range of industries, including architectural, civil, electrical, and mechanical drafting. Government organizations, manufacturing firms, architectural firms, as well as a wide range of other enterprises, frequently employ drafting specialists.
Where to Work as a Drafter
Drafters are employed by one of the three categories of businesses: manufacturing, construction, or consulting firms for architecture or engineering. Drafters operate in spacious, well-lit studios or offices. They create designs, plans, maps, and drawings using drafting and computer-aided design (CAD) software. Along with more conventional drafting tools like T-squares, triangles, and compasses, they also employ measuring tools like scales and protractors. Despite spending most of their time sitting down, drafters occasionally have to stand for extended periods when using drafting tables. Although they typically put in a 40-hour work week, they sometimes need to work overtime to finish projects on schedule.
Drafter Salary Scale
Depending on the type of drafter a person specializes in, the remuneration varies. In the US, the average hourly wage for a drafter is $25.71. In Nigeria, the average monthly salary for a drafter is roughly 165,000 NGN. Ranging from 75,900 NGN to 262,000 NGN, are the salaries. This is the typical monthly wage, which also includes housing, transportation, and other amenities. Salary ranges can vary significantly depending on a variety of crucial aspects, including schooling, credentials, supplementary talents, and the length of time you’ve been working in a given field.