College of Science and

CST Technology
Royal University of Bhutan

MDD101: Mechanical
Drawing
Week 4: Projections
Damcho Wangchuk
Asst. Lecturer
Mechanical Engineering Department
College of Science and technology

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Recap
1. Define projections
2. Classify different systems of projections
3. Define Orthographic, oblique and Perspective projections
4. Suitability of various systems of projections
5. Construction of Multiviews of objects

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Session Outline
1. List out the possible positions of a point in Dihedral angles.

2. Identify the different planes in Dihedral angles.

3. Describe the method of drawing orthographic projections of a point.

4. Draw the projections of a point located in all the four Quadrants with various positions.

5. Interpret the given projections of a point and determine its position with respect to the principal planes.

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Motivation
Normally, in first-angle projection (IS method), the object is in the first quadrant and kept parallel to both the vertical plane
(VP) and horizontal plane (HP), so its projections are straight onto the opposite planes.
But in engineering drawing, we often need orthographic views of solids that are tilted — either inclined to VP, inclined to HP,
or inclined to both.
Therefore, we must learn how to draw orthographic views when the object’s axis is in different positions relative to the
reference planes.

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A. PROJECTION OF A POINT
• Although first-angle and third-angle projections are the standard orthographic methods (first-angle: object in first
quadrant; third-angle: object in third quadrant), it’s good practice to draw projections of a point in all four quadrants.

• This helps you clearly understand projection principles and makes it easier to draw orthographic views of planes and
solids later.

• A point is defined as a geometrical element that has no dimension.

• In engineering drawing, a point is represented by a dot.

• Orthographic projections are obtained on two principal planes/ reference planes, having negligible thickness (V.P &
H.P).

• Principal planes divide the space into four quadrants

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LOCATION OF A POINT
1. A Point in First Quadrant :

Case (i): A point in first quadrant may have perpendicular distances x and
y, from the reference planes VP and HP respectively.

Case (ii): A point in first quadrant may lie on horizontal plane, having any
distance x, frrom the verticala plane.

Case (iii): A point in first quadrant may lie on vertical plane, having any
distance y, from the horizontal plane.

Case (iv): A point in first quadrant may lie on the reference axis, having
zero distances from the reference planes.

● Similarly these four cases may be drawn for the

remaining quadrants
● If we need the profile, we add the P.P with a distance of z

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ORTHOGRAPHIC VIEWS OF A POINT

Conventions used to represent the projections of a point are as follows:

1. Front view: a’,b’,c’, etc.
2. Top view : a,b,c, etc.
3. Side view : a”, b”, c”, etc. •
4. Lines joining the front, top and side views of a point are known as projectors/ projection line and dawn as a
thin continuous line

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ORTHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION OF A POINT

Point in 1st Q. Projection and Projectors

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Task

1. Draw the projections of a point A lying on HP and 30 mm infront of VP.

2. Draw the projections of a point B lying on VP and 25 mm above HP.

3. A point P is 15 mm above the HP and 20mm in front of the VP. Another point Q is 25 mm behind the
VP and 40 mm below the HP. Draw projections of the P and Q keeping the distance between their
projectors equal to 90 mm. Draw straight lines joining (i) their top views and (ii) their front views.
4. A point Q is situated in the first quadrant. It is 40 mm above the HP and 30 mm in front of VP. Draw
its projections and find its shortest distance from the intersection of HP, VP and Auxiliary plane.
5. A point A is situated in the 1st quadrant. Its shortest distance from the intersection of HP, VP and
auxiliary plane is 60mm and it is equidistant from the principal planes. Draw the projection of the
point and determine the distance from the principal planes.

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B. Projection of Lines
1. Positions of a Straight Line in Dihedral Angles

2. Projections of Straight Lines in First Quadrant

3. True Length and True Inclinations

4. Traces of Straight Lines

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Projection of Lines
• A straight line may be defined as the locus of a point which moves along the shortest path joining
two given points or the locus of a point which moves linearly. Thus two ends of a straight line are
points. Therefore projection of a straight line can be drawn by joining the respective projections of its
end points.
POSITIONS OF A LINE IN DIHEDRAL ANGLES
1. Parallel to Both HP & VP
AB = Straight line of actual length (or) True length 'l'
a'b' = Front view of AB = l (since AB is parallel to VP)
ab = Top view of AB = l (since AB is parallel to HP)

Note:
1) If a line AB is parallel to both the planes, its projections a'b' and ab will have the
true length of AB.
2) If a line is parallel to both the planes its projections are parallel to the reference
line XY.
3) Draw the projection a'b' and ab as thick and the remaining lines as thin
continuous lines.

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Task
1. A line AB 70 mm long is parallel to both the planes. The line is 35 mm infront of VP and 25 mm
above HP. Draw its projections.
2. A line AB, 60 mm long lies in HP and 30 mm infront of VP. Draw its projections.
3. Draw the projections of a line AB of length 65 mm, lying in VP and 40 mm above HP.

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2. Line Parallel to HP and Perpendicular to VP.

Step 1: Draw the reference line XY.

Locate the Front view b'a' as a thick point at a height of y units above XY which
represents the height of the line AB above HP.

Step 2: Draw the projector of front view, which is perpendicular to the reference line.

Mark the top view of the point A as a, at x units below XY, which represents the
distance of the end A in front of VP.

Mark the top view of the point B as b, at l (true length) distance from a such that the
point b is at (x + l) units from XY, which represents the distance of the end B from VP.
ab represents the top view of line AB.

Darken the line ab and note the given dimensions

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Task
1. A line AB of length 45 mm is parallel to HP and perpendicular to VP. Point A is 30 mm above HP and
20 mm infront of VP. Draw its projections.
2. Draw the projections of a line AB, 50 mm long, parallel to VP and perpendicular to HP. Point A is 65
mm above HP and 25 mm infront of VP. Point B is 15 mm above HP and 25 mm infront of VP.

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3. LINE PARALLEL TO ONE PLANE AND INCLINED TO OTHER PLANE
- When a line is parallel to one of the reference planes and inclined to other plane, its projection on the
plane to which it is parallel will have the true length and true inclination.

● If a line is parallel to HP and inclined to VP,

the projection of the line on HP will have
the true length and true inclination. ie, the
true length (l) and true inclination (ϕ) can
be seen on top view.
● If a line is parallel to VP and inclined to HP,
the projection of the line on the VP will
have the true lengths and true inclination
which can be seen on front view.
● It is also interesting to note that if a line is
inclined to any plane the projection of line
on that plane is a straight line having
shorter length and parallel to XY line.
I.e. a'b' < AB & ab < AB

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Line Parallel to HP and Inclined to VP
• Consider a line AB of length l parallel to HP and inclined to VP at
angle 'ϕ'
• Let the height of the line AB above HP be y and distance of the
end points A and B be x and x1 respectively from VP.
• As the line AB is parallel to HP, look at the line from top first (ie,
draw the top view first).
• The projection will be a straight line ab, of true length and inclined
at an angle ϕ to the reference axis XY. Distance of the end points
from XY are observed as x and x1 respectively which represents
the corresponding distances from VP.
• Then look at the line AB for front view. As the line AB is inclined to
VP, its projection on VP is a straight line of apparent length
(shorter length) and parallel to reference axis XY.
• The projection a'b' is the front view, y units above XY which
represents the height of the line AB above HP.
• Rotate the HP to 90° in clockwise direction and eliminating the
size of reference planes, final orthographic projections are drawn

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Note:

1. If a line is parallel to any plane, the projection on that plane will have the true length and true inclination.

2. If a line is inclined to any plane, the projection on that plane will have a reduced apparent length.

3. If a line is parallel to VP and inclined to HP, draw the front view first and then draw the top view.

4. If a line is parallel to HP and inclined to VP, draw the top view first and then draw the front view.

5. If a line is contained in a plane, its projection on the other plane will be on the reference line XY.

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Task
1. A line PQ 60 mm long is parallel to HP and inclined at an angle of 30° to VP. The point P is 20 mm
above HP and 15 mm infront of VP. Draw its projections.
2. A Line PQ is inclined at 40° to VP and is contained by HP. The end P is 16 mm infront of VP. Draw
the projections of the line if the true length of line PQ is 50 mm.
3. Draw the projections of a line PQ, inclined at 30° to HP and contained by VP. The end P is 20 mm
above HP. If the true length of the line PQ is 55 mm draw its projections.

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4. LINE INCLINED TO BOTH THE PLANES

- When a line is inclined to a plane, its projection on that plane will be shorter in length.
Therefore when a line is inclined to both HP and VP its projections (both front view and
top view) will be shorter in length and make angles α and β with reference line XY. ( α
with HP and β with VP).

- α and β are known as apparent angles observed in front view and top view
respectively which always greater than the true inclination with HP and VP
respectively.(ie., α > θ and β > ϕ).

- The projections can be done through two methods:

- Rotating Line Method
- Auxiliary plane Method

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Rotating Line Method
Consider a line AB inclined at θ to HP and inclined at ϕ
VP. The projections of this line can be obtained by
rotating it into two simple positions as i) Parallel to VP
and ii) Parallel to HP.

i) Parallel to VP 1. First assumed position (line parallel to VP, inclined to HP):

○ Draw AB parallel to VP, so its front view (a′b′) shows θ

inclination to HP with true length and draw corresponding
T.V
○ Since the line AB is inclined V.P as well, tilt the point B to
make an inclination with VP, B moves along locus line
parallel to XY in front view (because height above HP is
fixed).
○ In top view, B moves along a locus arc (distance from A
fixed). It forms an inclination of ϕ to the V.P

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2. Second assumed position (line parallel to HP, inclined to VP):
○ Draw AB parallel to HP so its top view shows ϕ inclination to VP with true length and draw corresponding F.V
○ Since the line AB is inclined H.P as well, tilt the point B to make an inclination with HP, B moves along locus
line parallel to XY in front view (because height above HP is fixed).
○ In front view, B moves along a locus arc (distance from A fixed). It forms an inclination of ϕ to the V.P

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3. Combining both cases:

○ The true position of B is obtained by the
intersection of locus paths from case 1
and case 2.
○ Once point B is located, join with A in both
views.
○ The final projections a′b′ (front view) and
ab (top view) represent the line inclined to
both HP and VP.

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Step 5: Key points to remember

1. Locus lines → straight paths along which a point moves.

2. Locus arcs → curved paths (arcs) along which a point
moves.
3. Always keep one end fixed (usually A) and move the other
end along locus lines/arcs.
4. Combine both cases to locate the final projections.

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Example
A line AB 70 mm long has its end A 25 mm above HP and 20 mm infront of VP. Draw the projections of the line AB if it makes
30° to HP and 40° to VP.
Soln: Problem Data
● True length, l = 70 mm
● Inclination with HP, θ = 30°
● Inclination with VP, ϕ = 40°

Construction Steps

1. Draw the reference line XY.

2. Mark point O on XY and draw a vertical projector through it.
3. On this projector, mark a′ above XY (say oa′ = 25 mm) → height of point A above HP.
4. On the same projector, mark a below XY → distance of point A in front of VP.
5. From a′, draw a′b1′ = 70 mm at 30° to XY. Drop vertical projector from b1′.
6. From a, draw a line parallel to XY to meet the above projector at b1.
7. From a, draw ab2 = 70 mm at 40° to XY. Project upward from b2.
8. From a′, draw a line parallel to XY to meet this projector at b2′.
9. Draw loci (parallel to XY) through b1′ and b2.
10. With a′ as centre and radius a′b2′, cut the locus from b1′ → get b′. Join a′b′ (Front View).
11. With a as centre and radius ab1, cut the locus from b2 → get b. Join ab (Top View).

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Question: A straight line AB of 50 mm long has its end A 10 mm above HP and the end B 50 mm
infront of VP. Draw the projections of line AB if it is inclined at 30° to HP and 45° to VP.

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TRACES OF A LINE

• The point of intersection of line with a plane is called its trace.

• (i) Horizontal Trace (H.T): The point of intersection of a line or
line produced with HP is called Horizontal Trace. It is denoted as
H.T
• (ii) Vertical Trace (V.T) : The point of intersection of a line or
line produced with VP is called vertical trace. It is denoted as V.T
• The convention we will use for the projection of VT and HT are
v’, v and h’, h for front view and top view respectively.
• It is to be noted that if a line is parallel to any plane, the line (or)
line produced will not meet that plane. Hence it has no trace on
that plane

• Self-study: Drawing traces on Projection of lines

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Task
1. One end of a line PQ is at 5 mm above HP and 15 mm infront of VP. If its elevation and plan
measures 58 mm and 64 mm respectively and the elevation is inclined at 50°, draw the projections
of the line and find the true length and true inclinations of the line.
2. A line AB of 60mm long has its end A 20mm above HP and 15mm infront of VP. The line is inclined at
40° to HP and 50° to VP. Draw its projections.
3.

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