An engineering scale is a ruler used by engineers to create ratio drawings. It has six measuring surfaces and is more accurate than an architect’s scale. The scale is marked with progressively smaller units of measure and can reproduce designs at different ratios. While CAD has replaced hand drawing in some areas, an engineering scale is still useful in situations where CAD is not possible.
An engineering scale, also known as an engineer’s scale, is actually a type of ruler that produces ratio drawings. Engineers typically use this scale for drafting and creating projects. For example, with an engineering scale it is possible to manually create a drawing ten times larger or ten times smaller than the original from which the engineer is drawing.
In the United States and Canada, a conventional engineer’s scale somewhat resembles a three-sided ruler and is usually made of plastic. People sometimes confuse an engineer’s scale with an ordinary ruler and can use it in this capacity. Each wing of the engineering scale is marked on both sides, which gives it six measuring surfaces. While similar in appearance to an architect’s scale, the engineering scale is designed to be more accurate and is capable of taking smaller measurements.
In North America, the six edges of the engineering scale are denoted by progressively smaller units of measure. The largest is 1/10 of an inch (2.54 mm), followed by 1/20, 1/30, and so on up to 1/60 of an inch (4 mm) on the trailing edge. Its delicate measurements allow engineers to use these scales to create circuit boards and electronic parts.
Engineering ladders are commonly 300mm long, which is just over 12 inches. The extra space at the ends is intended to provide a margin of safety. If the balance is exposed to wear, its end marks will still be visible.
Knowing how to read the scale ratio is often key to using it. Typically, an engineering scale will have a ratio listed as 1:10 or 1:5, meaning that the scale can reproduce a design that is one-tenth or one-fifth the original size, respectively. In some cases, modern CAD (Computer Aided Design) drawing technology has replaced the conventional engineering scale. CAD is an electronic process by which the engineer can quickly and easily create a 2D or 3D design and modify its measurements and proportions.
CAD revolutionized the world of engineering and made hand drawing at an engineer’s scale virtually obsolete in some areas. However, an engineering scale can be useful in situations where CAD drawing is not possible or not desired, such as when you don’t have access to your computer. Learning to hand draw with an engineering scale is often considered a good foundational exercise for later CAD drawing.
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