Articles
Technical drawing: from sketch to working drawingDrawing theory · 8 minA technical drawing is a precise means of communication between those who design and those who execute. Here the most important drawing types are reviewed, how to dimension unambiguously and why a shared drawing language is crucial.3D modelling and CAD as documentation basisCAD og BIM · 8 minModern technical design is based on 3D models where drawings are derived from the model rather than drawn manually. The article explains parametric modelling, BIM thinking and why a well-organized model is the foundation of the entire project.Standards, title block, and scale ratioDocumentation · 7 minA professional drawing set follows fixed rules for format drawing head scale and revision control. Here we look at what a drawing head should contain how scale is correctly specified and why revision control is essential.Tolerances and fits: when dimensions must fit togetherTolerance theory · 8 minNo part can be made perfectly precisely. Tolerances tell how much a dimension can deviate so the parts still fit together and work. The article explains the concepts tolerance fit and surface and why you only tighten them where necessary.Sections, cutouts and cross-sections in technical drawingDrawing theory · 7 minA section lets the reader see into an item that would otherwise be full of hidden edges. The article covers the section line cross-hatching the different section types and the rules for what you do not cut through.Cooperation with engineer and architectProject collaboration · 7 minA technical designer rarely works alone. The article looks at the division of roles between designer, engineer and architect, how interfaces and responsibilities are clarified and how to avoid the misunderstandings that arise when multiple trades draw on the same thing.Geometric tolerances: when dimensions alone are not enoughTolerance theory · 9 minCommon dimensions with plus/minus control size, but not whether a surface is flat, a shaft is round, or two holes are perpendicular to each other. That is what geometric tolerances are for. The article introduces the ISO GPS system, ISO 1101, datums, and the functional language that makes a drawing unambiguous all the way from design to measurement.Mechanical apparatus (ultrasonic tip) and polishing heads/cups.Drawing theory · 8 minBolts, nuts, threads, bearings and welds are standard parts that are not drawn in detail each time. They are shown simplified with fixed symbols and designations so any professional knows exactly what is meant. The article reviews thread notation, simplified display of assemblies and how you refer to a standard part without redrawing it.CAD standards, file exchange and document managementDocumentation · 8 minA drawing or model lives on is shared and modified by many hands. It requires common CAD standards, well-thought-out file exchange and control over which version is valid. The article looks at CAD manual and layer standards, open exchange formats, naming and the document management that keeps a project free of chaos.The history of the technical drawing: from sketch to CADHistory · 10 minThe technical designer's trade is built on a thousand-year struggle to depict three-dimensional reality unambiguously on a flat surface. The article traces development from ancient building drawings through Monge's descriptive geometry and the Industrial Revolution's drawing offices to today's parametric 3D models.Two specialties one trade: industrial production or construction and civil worksCareer · 7 minThe education to technical designer typically takes 3½ years and is divided into two specializations: industrial production and building and construction. Here you get an overview of the basic course, main course, and training in business—and how the everyday work looks in each of the two tracks. At the end we look at where the education can take you afterward.CE marking: bills of materials, manuals and instructions for useRules · 8 minWhen a machine is sold in the EU, it must be CE-marked—and behind the mark lies a documentation package that technical designers often help produce. The article covers conformity statements, technical dossiers, user instructions, and bills of material, and explains the transition from Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC to the new Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, which must be applied in full from January 20, 2027.The IKT Regulations: BIM requirements in public constructionRules · 8 minIn public and general construction, digital working methods are not optional: the IKT regulations from 2013 set requirements for, among other things, object-based building models, exchange in IFC format and digital handover. The article explains when the requirements apply, what they mean for the technical designer's daily work, and how an IKT agreement distributes responsibility in the project.Industry 4.0: digital twins and virtual commissioningTechnology · 8 minIndustry 4.0 moves the technical designer's model from being a drawing template to being a living digital twin of machines, systems and buildings. The article explains the concepts digital twin, virtual commissioning, 3D scanning and point clouds, as well as VR and AR — and what they mean for the way technical documentation is made and maintained.3D printing in the design process: from model to prototypeTechnique · 7 min3D printing makes it possible to hold your design in your hand a few hours after the model has been drawn. The article covers the most widespread printing technologies, the difference between file formats such as STL and STEP, and the practical considerations — tolerances, support structures and safety — that determine whether the print becomes usable.Ergonomics at the screen: your most important workplace.Work environment · 7 minA technical designer spends most of the working day at screen, mouse and keyboard — and precisely for that reason there are special rules for screen work. The article covers the rights under the Screen Working Regulations, the good setup of a CAD workstation and the habits that prevent mouse arm, neck pain and tired eyes.Sustainability in technical design: from world goals to LCASustainability · 8 minSustainability is written directly into the education's competency objectives based on the UN's 17 world goals and in construction the building regulations now require climate calculations for new buildings. The article explains what life cycle assessment (LCA) is how the BIM model's quantities become climate data and how design choices early in the process make the most difference.