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Career Details

17-3013.00 - Mechanical Drafters


Prepare detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices, including dimensions, fastening methods, and other engineering information.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
65,700
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
61,200
Estimate
Change in Employment
-4,500
Estimate
Change in Employment %
-6.8%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Develop detailed design drawings and specifications for mechanical equipment, dies, tools, and controls, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment.
  • Coordinate with and consult other workers to design, lay out, or detail components and systems and to resolve design or other problems.
  • Review and analyze specifications, sketches, drawings, ideas, and related data to assess factors affecting component designs and the procedures and instructions to be followed.
  • Compute mathematical formulas to develop and design detailed specifications for components or machinery, using computer-assisted equipment.
  • Position instructions and comments onto drawings.
  • Modify and revise designs to correct operating deficiencies or to reduce production problems.
  • Design scale or full-size blueprints of specialty items, such as furniture and automobile body or chassis components.
  • Check dimensions of materials to be used and assign numbers to the materials.
  • Lay out and draw schematic, orthographic, or angle views to depict functional relationships of components, assemblies, systems, and machines.
  • Confer with customer representatives to review schematics and answer questions pertaining to installation of systems.
  • Draw freehand sketches of designs, trace finished drawings onto designated paper for the reproduction of blueprints, and reproduce working drawings on copy machines.
  • Supervise and train other drafters, technologists, and technicians.
  • Lay out, draw, and reproduce illustrations for reference manuals and technical publications to describe operation and maintenance of mechanical systems.
  • Produce three-dimensional models, using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
Supplemental
  • Shade or color drawings to clarify and emphasize details and dimensions or eliminate background, using ink, crayon, airbrush, and overlays.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Design
  • 96%
    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
 Engineering and Technology
  • 95%
    Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
 Mechanical
  • 90%
    Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
 Mathematics
  • 87%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
 English Language
  • 79%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Physics
  • 78%
    Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 76%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Production and Processing
  • 66%
    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
 Education and Training
  • 63%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 62%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Clerical
  • 59%
    Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
 Public Safety and Security
  • 56%
    Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
 Administration and Management
  • 56%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Drafting supplies
  • Architects' scales
  • Compasses
  • Electronic scales
  • Flexible curves
  • French curves
  • Protractors
  • T-squares
  • Triangles
 Computer data input devices
  • Backlit digitizers
  • Estimating keypads
  • Large-format digitizers
  • Sonic digitizers
  • Three-dimensional laser digitizers
  • Three-dimensional motion controllers
  • Wide-format document scanners
 System Cards
  • Computer aided design CAD multi-unit display graphics cards
 Computer printers
  • Cutting plotters
  • Plotters
 Computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Graphics tablets
  • Notebook computers
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Industry specific software
  • 1CadCam Unigraphics
  • Autodesk AutoCADHOT
  • Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3DHOT
  • Autodesk InventorHOT
  • Autodesk MechanicalHOT
  • Autodesk RevitHOT
  • Bentley MicrostationHOT
  • Bentley NavigatorHOT
  • Computer aided design and drafting CADD softwareHOT
  • Computer aided design and drafting software CADDHOT
  • Dassault Systemes CATIAHOT
  • Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKSHOT
  • Piping and instrumentation design PID softwareHOT
  • PTC Creo ParametricHOT
  • PTC Pro/CableHOT
  • Rapid prototyping software
  • Reverse engineering softwareHOT
  • Siemens Solid EdgeHOT
  • SofTech CADRAHOT
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe After Effects
  • Adobe Systems Adobe LiveMotion
  • Graphic presentation software
  • McNeel Rhino software
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Microsoft WordHOT
  • Motion graphics software
  • Non uniform rational b-splines NURBS software
  • Scanning software
  • Three-dimensional scanning software
  • Trimble SketchUp ProHOT
 Business function specific software
  • Bill of materials software
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
  • Microsoft ProjectHOT
 Content management software
  • Document management system software
 Information exchange software
  • ESRI ArcGIS softwareHOT
 Development software
  • Extensible markup language XMLHOT
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Advanced
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Online Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Laurel Ridge Community College
Mountain Empire Community College
New River Community College
Virginia Peninsula Community College