DRAWING 1/ INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN

CHAPTER 3: BASIC MEASUREMENT

DESIRED LEARNING OUTCOMES:
❖ Distinguish System of Measurement
❖ Layout Measurement in Metric and English System
❖ Calculate Conversion Process
❖ Explain the Scaling Process
MENSURATION

a. System of Measurements
b. Reading Measurements in English and Metric System
c. Conversion Factor
d. Scaling
 BASIC MEASUREMENT
The word measurement comes from the Greek word
“metron”, meaning limited proportion. The metre (U.S.: meter) was
standardized as the unit for length after the French Revolution,
and it has been adopted throughout the world. Metric scale is
applied when the meter is used for linear measurement. Accurate
measurement is essential in many fields, and since all
measurements are necessarily approximations, a great deal
of effort must be taken to make measurements as accurate
as possible.
 Measuring accurately is a skill that should be developed.
Inaccurate measurement would mean waste of time, effort and
materials. The development of the skill in measuring starts
with the ability to read measurements.
 SYSTEM OF LINEAR MEASUREMENT
Linear measurement is the distance between the two
given points or objects. Thus, we can define length as “total
gap measured between the leftmost and rightmost end of an
object in the mentioned system of units.”

There are two types of measurements:

a. Metric System
b. English System
 Metric system or systems international (S.I) which
originated in France. The metric system is an internationally
agreed decimal system of measurement created in France in
1799. The international system of units (si), the official system
of measurement in almost every country in the world, is based
upon the metric system.
METRIC SYSTEM LINEAR EQUIVALENT

10 MILLIMETERS (MM.) = 1 CENTIMETER (CM.)

10 CENTIMETERS (CM.) = 1 DECIMETER (DM.)
10 DECIMETER (DM.) = 1 METER (M.)
10 METERS (M.) = 1 DECAMETER (DM.)
10 DECAMETER (DM.) = 1 HECTOMETER (HM.)
10 HECTOMETER (HM.) = 1 KILOMETER (KM.)
10 KILOMETER (KM.) = 1 MAYRIAMETER (MN.)
 English system which originated in England. While the
metric system was lawfully accepted for use in the United
States in 1866, the US has not adopted the metric system as
its “official" system of measurement. The US English System
of measurement grew out of the manner in which people
secured measurements using body parts and familiar objects.
For example, shorter ground distances were measured with
the human foot and longer distances were measured by
paces, with one mile being 1,000 paces
English System Linear Equivalent

1 foot (ft) = 12 inches (in)

1 yard (yd) = 3 feet (ft)
1 yard (yd) = 36 inches (in)
1 mile (mi) = 5,280 feet (ft)
 READING MEASUREMENTS

The basic unit in Metric System is called the

meter. The meter is divided into 100 Centimeters. Each
centimeter is divided into 10 millimeters. They are
abbreviated as follows: Millimeters (mm), centimeters
(cm), decimeters (dm), meters (m).
In this system, the centimeter is divided into 10
millimeters. As shown in Fig. 3.1.
Fig. 3.1. Centimeter is divided into 10 millimeters
 In the English System , the inch is divided into 16
graduations and the smallest graduation is read 1/16. To read
measurement exceeding 1 inch say 2” and for smaller
graduations, it is read and written as: 2 4/16 or 2 ¼. see Fig.
3.2.
This system has four kinds of units: inches, foot, yard,
mile
Fig. 3.2. The 16 graduations of an inch from 1/16 to 1inch
 CONVERSION FACTORS

A conversion ratio (or unit factor) is a ratio equal to

one. This ratio carries the names of the units to be used in the
conversion. It can be used for conversions within the English
and Metric systems, as well as for conversions between the
systems. The conversion ratio is based upon the concept of
equivalent values.
 In the metric system, the basic type of measurement in
length has one basic unit of measure which is “meter”.
Conversions are quickly made by multiplying or dividing by
factors of 10. It is as simple as moving the decimal point to the
right (for smaller prefixes) or to the left (for larger prefixes).
 SCALING
To draw accurate drawings, you must measure accurately;
develop the ability to measure distances. The measuring tool,
called the scale (commonly known as the metric scale), has
several edges. Each edge is called the proportion scale.
Scaling is a drawing method used to enlarge or reduce a
drawing in size while keeping the proportions of the drawing the
same. Scales are generally expressed as ratios and the most
common scales used in drawing are 1:1, 1:2, 1:5, 1:10 and so on
for reducing and possibly 2:1, 5:1, 10:1 and so on for enlarging.
 Scaling is used to either to reduce the drawing in size so
that it will fit onto the page, or enlarge the drawing in size so
that all required details are clearly visible.

For example, a machine part may be half size (1/2" = 1");

a building may be drawn 1:48 size (1/4" = 1 '-0") ; a map may
be drawn 1:2000 size (1" = 100'-0"); or a gear in a wrist watch
may be ten-times size (10" = 1" or -10/1). Scales used are
classified as architects scale, fig. 3.6 (a), architects scale
(b),engineers scale, (c), mechanical draftsmans scale, (d), and
the decimal scale.
Figure 3.6 Types of Scales
 A full -divided scale is one in which the basic units are
subdivided throughout the length of the scale, fig. 3.6 (a), (b),
and (d). An open-divided scale is one in which only the end unit
Is subdivided, as at (c).

Drawings can be scaled up or down using either a

calculator or a scale rule. To scale a drawing using a
calculator, divide the measurement by the scale if you want to
reduce the drawing in size, or multiply the measurement by the
scale if you want to increase it in size.
 Most drafting scales are equipped with proportion scales.
Each of these scales aids the drafter in reducing an object on a
drawing in a different proportion.
 Commonly Used Scale
Full-size scale – has a ratio of 1:1. This means that 1 mm
on the drawing represents 1 mm of the actual object. The views
on the drawing paper are the same size as those of the actual
object.

Reduced scale (scaled-down) – has a ratio of 1:2. This

means that 1 mm on the drawing represent 2 mm on the actual
object. The views of the actual object are twice the size of the
views on the drawing paper.
 Sometimes you want to show the shapes of the objects
clearly and to be able to show the dimension more convenient,
you have to prepare drawings that are larger than the actual
object. Listed below are sample of enlarged scale.

Enlarged scale (scaled-up) scale 2:1 - this means that

every 2 mm on the drawing represent 1 mm on the actual
object. The views on the drawing paper are twice the size of
those of the actual object. Scale 5:1 - this means that every 5
mm on the drawing represent 1mm on the actual object. The
views on the drawing paper are five times larger than those of
the actual object.
 To scale a drawing using a scale rule, scale rules allow
us to directly set out measurements onto a drawing without
having to convert them to their scaled sizes by using a
calculator first. The whole process is made easier because
these conversions are already made for us. On a scale rule fig.
3.7(a) which has divisions of 1:5, each division represents 5mm
and the measurements on the ruler indicate this. In fig. 3.7(b)
which has divisions of 1:10, each division represents 10mm
and the measurements on the ruler indicate this.
(a) (b)
Figure 3.7. Example of a scale rule

Figure 3.8 triangular scale commonly used in

scaling a drawing by applying the scale rule
 This is an example of a scaled drawing Fig. 3.9 notice that
the elevation is drawn at a scale of 1:10. Included in the
drawing is detail A, and this is drawn additionally at a scale of
1:1, or full size.

Figure 3.9 example of a

scaled furniture drawing
 Another example Fig. 3.10 this drawing has a scale of
"1:10", so anything drawn with the size of "1" would have a size
of "10" in the real world, so a measurement of 150mm on the
drawing would be 1500mm on the real horse.

Figure 3.10 Example of a Scaled

Horse Drawing
 The Scale Ratio (Object/Drawing)

Scale ratio 1: 1 – means that 1 mm. On the drawing

represent 1 mm. On the actual product or work piece. Fig.3.11

Fig. 3.11 Each mark you pass from zero represents one millimeter.
 Example of Scaling Down Process (by using Calculator)

Since it is not always possible to draw on paper the actual

size of real-life objects such as the real size of a car or an
airplane, we need scale drawings to represent the size like the
one you see in real life.

Fig. 3.12 A drawing of Van

 In real-life, the length of this van may measure 240
inches. However, the length of a copy or print paper that you
could use to draw this van is a little bit less than 12 inches.

Since 240/12 = 20, you will need about 20 sheets of copy

paper to draw the length of the actual size of the van.

In order to use just one sheet, you could then use 1 inch
on your drawing to represent 20 inches on the real-life object.

You can write this situation as 1:20 or 1/20 or 1 to 20.

 Notice that the first number always refers to the
length of the drawing on paper and the
Second number refers to the length of the real-life object.

Scaled length of the drawing on paper→ 1:20 ← real length of the object

This means that a 1 inch drawing in a paper means

20 inches in a real-life object.