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What do symbols on the blueprint mean?
Blueprint Symbols are generally used to indicate function, objects, or systems in the floor plan or any kind of engineering drawing. It could be present in structural drawing, architectural drawing, electrical drawing, machines, etc.
Types of Blueprint Symbols
There are different types of blueprint or graphic symbols, I’m listing out some useful categories of blueprint symbols.
- Architectural blueprint symbols
- Electrical blueprint symbols
- Plumbing blueprint symbols
- Welding blueprint symbols
- Structural steel blueprint symbols
- Blueprint furniture symbols
Let us discuss the above blueprints one by one.
Architectural blueprint symbols
Let’s start with architectural symbols, which are typically larger and will be drawn into floor plans first. Doors, windows, stairwells, walls, cabinets, and sinks are examples of these. Reading blueprints generally requires a strong understanding of line types.
The architectural symbols listed below are divided into the following categories:
- Services symbols
- Lighting symbols
- Electrical symbols
- Plan, elevation, and section symbols
A. Services Symbols
The mechanics of a building are represented by service symbols, which help identify elements such as mechanical ventilation, soil pipes, incoming power, etc.
B. Lighting Symbols
Since architectural lighting is such a wide topic with so many variations, lighting symbols provide a quick and easy way to identify positions, types, amounts, and power outputs without cluttering a drawing with labels.
C. Electrical Symbols
These electrical symbols are the same as lightning symbols. Electrical symbols show the precise location and type of power switch outputs and other technical details.
D. Plan, elevation, and section symbols
As the name indicates these symbols are usually associated with floor levels and section lines, and they are used to improve the readability of a drawing.
Electrical blueprint symbols
Electrical drawings are prepared by competent electrical drafters in a specific time frame to avoid unnecessary delays. In an electrical blueprint, symbols are used on electrical drawings to make drafting easier for both drafters and workers interpreting the drawings.
Let us check all the electrical symbols in the below images.
Electrical Symbols Chart
Plumbing blueprint symbols
Plumbing is one of the most important departments in any kind of construction project, if we are talking about piping, there are different types of piping work like industrial, residential, and commercial piping, we can categorise it as per the nature of projects.
The majority of industrial piping is designed to transfer liquids and gases used in manufacturing processes. The piping is used in all kinds of applications in commercial and residential buildings and generally is known as “plumbing”, and it is designed to carry fresh water, liquid and solid wastes, and gas. All pipe fittings, fixtures, valves, and other components are represented by symbols in a plumbing drawing.
Let us know about different types of plumbing symbols:
Welding blueprint symbols
Welding symbols are used to represent all the details about welding, connections, joints for the machine, machine parts, or other building parts like windows, doors, railing, etc. Usually, these symbols are used by designers, such as shop foremen, welding engineers, supervisors, and welders. They mentioned all these symbols on engineering and fabrication drawings in order to create their weld, the welder will refer to this drawing.
Before starting their welding work, welders will usually look at a Welding Procedure Specification (WPS), this is a document that directs the welder by providing information such as material thickness, and the general position in which the part must be welded, the electrodes to use, and so on.
Structural steel blueprint symbols
Here are the symbols which are used in structural steel:
Blueprint furniture symbols
Common symbols used for furniture.
I hope this article will help you to understand the Blueprint Symbols for Architectural, Electrical, Plumbing & Structural Steel. You may also want to see my other post on my Blog. If I have missed anything here, please let me know about that in the comment below this post.
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