Detail and Section Views 1

I can't find my copy of the standard off hand, but you are looking for standard 14.3.

As far as I know, as you do also, you don't repeat view letters, even though one is section and one is detail. If you can't get the standard, I would avoid duplicating letters. Besides, most CAD packages label the views for you, and they don't repeat. I don't like basing my decisions on the fact that "the computer told me so" but I'm going to have to go with the flow on this one.

ASME Y14.3M-1994, "Multiview and Sectional View Drawings" does not directly state whether or not it is permissible to identify views and sections using the same letters. Many people imply that the duplication of letters is permissible since the criteria for identifying removed views and sections is defined in separate paragraphs of the standard (paragraph 1.7.3 for removed views and paragraph 3.2.2 for sectional views) To make the problem even worse, the standard also defines the term "Detail" in paragraph 2.9 which many people interpret to be a third entity which may also be identified separately. Hence, on the same drawing I could conceivably have a View A-A, a Section A-A, and a Detail A.

I only know of one company where the practice of duplicating letters is allowed. Personally, I think that duplicating letters for views, sections and details is a bad idea and only adds confusion for the drawing user. With the use of double-alpha letters, available identifying letters for views, sections and details are plentiful. There is simply no advantage in duplicating letters in this manner.

GDTGUY

Thanks for your fast replies. I also don't believe it to be a good practice, so I will update the detail names on my drawing.

Thanks again,

Mike

In my opinion there is no confusion by using double letters to designate sections and single letters for details such as AA(section) and A(detail). A logical sequence would be to start a detail with "A". If I were to start with "B" it could be interpreted that an "A" view exists somewhere else on the drawing. In the Notes section an entry could be place to read the last "section" and "view" used on the drawing.

I don't know if anyone is still following this thread, but for future reference my Drawing Requirements Manual for Departments of Defense and Industry by Global Engineering states the following concerning section identification letters:

"Once a letter or combination of letters is established on a released drawing, it is not reused for another section, view, or detail on the same drawing".

I highly recommend this source for anyone who does not have access to the full set of y14 standards.

alex, In the old days, when we used to do these things by hand, every drawing sheet was allowed a maximum of 26 sectional views, "A-A" thru "Z-Z". For Detail views, the maximum allowable was 26, "Detail A" thru "Detail Z". This maximum was only allowed if the section and detail views did not become so ponderous that the drawing sheet become a garbage pile and impossible to read. Fundamentally, you've got to use some judgement on sheet layout and development. There is nothing worse than a drawing that cannot be read due to excess info. If in doubt, make extra sheets of the sectonal views and details, but don't proliferate them to excess, provide only that which is necessary to communicate the design.

saxon