Detail View Best Practice

[ta1234]

Hi everyone,

I have two questions about detail views:

1. Is it good/accepted practice to section a detail view on a drawing?

2. Is it good/accepted practice to create a detail view within a detail view on a drawing, nesting the detail views?

Many thanks,

Tom

 

[CheckerHater]

It was discussed many times before.

It is not explicitly forbidden, but is considered "bad practice", as taking section from the section.

If you have no other choice, like making changes to already busy drawing, you may resort to bizarre techniques.

If it's new design it is better to lay out your drawing in "conservative" way.

For better or for worse, right now it is more the matter of what your CAD system can do, rather than what standard says :-(

"For every expert there is an equal and opposite expert"
Arthur C. Clarke Profiles of the future

 

[ta1234]

Thanks for your reply,

In that case I'll avoid doing either of those things as it's a new drawing. I fully agree with you, with the new CAD software it's possible to do all sorts of wierd and (sometimes not so) wonderful things.

Out of interest which is the best standard to refer to for questions like this? I'm working in the UK but I could refer to an American standard. I hve seen ASME Y14.5M and BS 8888. Are there any other drafting standards that are useful?

Thanks,

Tom

 

[ewh]

Assuming you are following ASME standards...

1. If the detail view is not a section, it would not violate ASME Y14.3-2012 to take a section from the detail.

2. Nested detail views are sometimes necessary to get a clear understanding of what the drawing is defining, and do not violate ASME Y14.3-2012.

Bottom line is to make the drawing as easy to interpret, within the standards (company, ISO or ASME), as you reasonably can.

Some CAD packages come OOTB following the ASME standards but allow for changing the settings to do what would otherwise be considered bad practice, such as creating a section from a section. As long as these "bad" practices are documented, it is acceptable to follow them.

"Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively."
-Dalai Lama XIV

 

[drawoh]

CheckerHater,

Good drafting is a lot like good writing. Related information should be grouped in close proximity. If something on a detail is best explained by a separate section view, I would take it off the detail. I agree that sections off details are best avoided, but sometimes, they are the clearest way to present the information.

--
JHG

 

[KENAT]

ta1234 - I'd follow BS888 as that is the norm in the UK.

However, I don't recall this issues being in there (or really the compendium of ISO stds that 8888 is).

Then again, ASME dont' have much on this kind of thing - a little in Y14.3 but not explicit guidance on this specific issue best I recall.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[CheckerHater]

Good drafting is a lot like good writing.

I totally agree.

And the first sign of good writing is brevity.

To rephrase Thomas Jefferson, one should never use two views when one can do.

"For every expert there is an equal and opposite expert"
Arthur C. Clarke Profiles of the future

 

[3DDave]

Or Strunk and White - "Use fewer words."

 

[drawoh]

"Never use a big word when a diminutive one will do."

--
JHG

 

[JohnRBaker]

From where I came from, sectioning of detailed views was considered a poor practice. And many CAD systems would not even support this without a lot of extra effort.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Digital Factory
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[ewh]

While some may consider it poor practice, sectioning detail views can provide an easily interpretable method of defining small features on large parts, and is not restricted under current ASME standards.

"Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively."
-Dalai Lama XIV