How to Read Engineering Blueprints

The most important step in bringing an engineering idea or concept to life is to put it into a blueprint. Developing a blueprint will allow others to view, understand and analyze your idea. Learning to read engineering blueprints is an important part of developing and understanding engineering principals and plans.

1. Learn about basic blueprint symbols. All engineering blueprints are developed using a distinct set of symbols. There are a large number of symbols, all with different meanings. Before you attempt to read a blueprint, study the most common engineering symbols and be sure to understand their meaning. You will learn about these symbols during your college studies. You can also refer to engineering guidebooks or website references if you have any questions.


2. Determine the scale of the drawing. Blueprints are drawn to scale, which allows engineers to show the entirety of a project on a sheet of paper. The print's scale should be listed somewhere on the print itself. Locate the scale information and make a note of it. Most engineers use a scale of 1/4 or 1/8. Scales can also vary between the pages of a blueprint, so when you are reviewing a new page, be sure to note any changes in the scale.


3. Pay attention to any abbreviations that you might find on the print. Engineers use many different abbreviations when they are developing their prints, so it is important that you clarify the meaning of any abbreviations that you are unsure of. Two of the most common abbreviations that are used are DP, which stands for depth, and DIA, which stands for diameter.


4. Pay attention to circled numbers that you may find on a print. A number within a circle is used to point a person to an additional drawing that will provide a more detailed plan of the drawn structure. If you see a circled number on the plan that you are reading, be sure to view to the additional page that is referenced.