WHAT DOES A DRAFTSMAN DO?

Updated: Mai 28, 2025 - The Draftsman provides expert drafting services for design, fabrication, installation, and assembly processes, ensuring all technical aspects of projects are clear and plans are reviewed. Works closely with Project Managers using Revit to develop documents for design reviews and construction, ensuring adherence to established standards and codes. Coordinates engineering tasks across departments, assisting in the translation of field measurements into detailed drawings.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Draftsman

1. Draftsman Duties

  • Drafting: Providing drafting expertise in the design, fabrication, installation, and assembly of the project.
  • Technical Review and Planning: Review and plan projects and ensure technical aspects of the job are clear.
  • Quality Assurance: Ensure that all deliverables are produced in accordance with the relevant procedures and specifications.
  • Revit Documentation: Assist Project Manager in developing project documents for design review and construction using Revit.
  • Project Coordination: Assist Project Manager with file exchanges, coordination, and communication with consultants and agencies.
  • Schedule Management: Work in conjunction with Project Manager to meet scheduled deliverables.
  • Project Support: Provide support on various tasks required for the successful completion of the project.
  • Standards Compliance: Work with established standards and code requirements.
  • Measurement and Drafting: Assist in measuring existing equipment in the yard and translate those measurements into drawings.
  • Engineering Coordination: Coordinate engineering tasks and communicate with several departments.

2. AutoCAD Draftsman Details

  • Drafting: Create and update customer approval drawings based on information from customer service, sales, and engineering.
  • Data Entry: Maintain job workflow information by entering updates into workflow management software.
  • Technical Drawing: Create and revise production drawings as directed by designers and engineers.
  • Layout Design: Create and revise custom layouts of models and drawings as directed by designers and engineers.
  • Document Control: Process ECNs by updating file locations of released and obsolete drawings.
  • ERP Management: Maintain ERP system data by creating and changing items, bills of material, and routings as directed.
  • Marketing Support: Support marketing with new and modifications to existing product owners and technical bulletins, etc., for all product lines.
  • ERP Implementation: Implement ERP shop order modifications for engineered-to-order products.
  • Progress Reporting: Keep supervisor advised of work status, workload, problems, and progress as related to work assignments.

3. Draftsman Responsibilities

  • Structural Design: Producing aspects of structural design and drawings in REVIT and AutoCAD.
  • Database Management: Organizing and maintaining a design and REVIT digital file database for each project.
  • Project Collaboration: Successfully carrying out assignments on project design teams.
  • Technical Drawing: Undertaking the detailed working drawings of steel, concrete, wood, and site plans.
  • Quality Control: Facilitating and ensuring the quality of design, drawings, and graphic work produced for the team.
  • Team Communication: Communicating during model production with other team members.
  • REVIT Management: Understanding REVIT file structures and modifications for exchanges with other consultants.
  • REVIT Development: Creating and understanding custom blocks (Families) using REVIT software.

4. Draftsman Accountabilities

  • Requirements Analysis: Review work order requirements to extract design & drafting requirements.
  • CAD Drafting: Create detailed drawings and bills of materials utilizing computer-aided drafting applications.
  • Design Engineering: Design component through finished goods parts based on written customer specifications, while incorporating company manufacturing capabilities.
  • Design Utilization: Leverage company library of engineering drawings to create new designs that meet customer requirements.
  • Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Collaborate across departments to ensure that work products (drawings) accurately reflect customer requirements, meet company quality requirements, and follow company standards.
  • Attendance Management: Maintain regular and on-time attendance for full scheduled work shift.
  • Workplace Relations: Maintain a favorable working relationship with coworkers to promote a cooperative working climate conducive to maximum productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness.
  • Continuous Improvement Support: Participate in and support Continuous Improvement initiatives.
  • Performance Management: Perform work at the appropriate pace to maintain quality and productivity requirements.

5. Draftsman Functions

  • Detailing and Material Management: Provide complete shop details of all fabricated members with a complete bill of materials, including a list of field fasteners and miscellaneous items using the applicable system of marks and sheet numbers.
  • Information Management: Submit Request For Information (RFI) or variances, including required sketches, drawings, or calculations.
  • RFI Assistance: Assist Engineering Manager as required to submit RFI or variances including required sketches, drawings, or calculations.
  • Administrative Support: Make copies, run prints, and perform other administrative functions as may be required to perform the job functions.
  • Design Support: Assists the design department with the creation of an Installation and Design package for each project.
  • Drawing Creation: Creates concept drawing packages to include floor plans, communication diagrams, and detail drawings.
  • Research and Documentation: Researches and assembles product cut sheets, as well as operations and maintenance documentation for project packages.
  • As-Built Drawing Development: Creates As-Built drawings from a marked-up (red-lined) original set of prints.
  • Diagram Development: Develops equipment placement and communication diagrams from an equipment schedule.
  • Engineering Collaboration: Preparing, reviewing, and redrafting alongside the engineering team.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring final designs are compliant with regulations.
  • Problem Identification: Identifying and communicating potential design problems to the rest of the team.

6. Draftsman Job Description

  • Data Collection: Collect new product details and dimensions.
  • Drafting: Prepare product sketch and new product shop drawing.
  • Technical Drawing: Prepare production worksheet and cutter profile drawing.
  • Instruction Development: Prepare method of packing and assembly instruction sheet.
  • Materials Sourcing: Prepare material required for sample making.
  • Specification Improvement: Upgrade the product specifications & drawings.
  • Quality Control: Check and review drawings and illustrations.
  • Approval Process: Ensure all drawings are checked and approved.
  • Team Communication: Explain drawing to the team and provide adjustment.
  • Software Proficiency: Prepare fabrication drawings including parts, assembly, and installation drawings using a range of computerized software.
  • Research: Carry out research on products and standards to be used in the production of drawings.
  • Team Liaison: Liaise with the workshop team to ensure programs are understood.
  • Problem Solving: Resolve technical issues with drawings and manufacturing capabilities.
  • Process Optimization: Identify continuous improvement methods to increase efficiency.
  • Independent Work: Work predominantly alone but with support from Design Manager.
  • Technical Drafting: Produce Architectural & General Metalwork layout and fabrication drawings.

7. Draftsman Overview

  • AutoCAD Proficiency: Collaborate with Architects and Consultants to revise drawings and layouts to accommodate changes and enhancements using AutoCAD.
  • Technical Drawing Preparation: Prepare working drawings, shop drawings, section details, and as-built drawings using AutoCAD.
  • Manufacturing Drawing Production: Produce setting-out drawings from designer/architect drawings for ultimate use as manufacturing drawings.
  • Document Management: Organize the printing, collating, recording, and monitoring of all drawings and related documents received for each project, e.g., from third parties.
  • Site Survey Execution: Conduct site surveys at the initial contract stage.
  • Communication Clarity: Clarify instructions received from in-house or from clients.
  • Timely Distribution: Ensure drawings and cutting sheets are produced and distributed in a timely manner.Revision Management: Ensure any revisions/amendments are notified to the relevant individual(s) in a timely manner.
  • Instruction Communication: Communicate clear and precise instructions to others (in-house and third parties).
  • Site Operation Support: Prepare AutoCAD drawings to support site operations such as sketches for proposals to RFIs raised, temporary works, and facilities drawings, overall layout drawings of structures and external works, and coordinated drawings as requested for site operation ease.
  • Document Transmission Assistance: Assist with drawing/document transmission works: photocopying, distribution, and preparation of drawing/document transmittal.
  • AutoCAD Drawing Management: Manage and archive softcopy of AutoCAD drawings.
  • Printing and Plotting Management: Handle general printing and plotting matters, maintenance of the printing machine, records of print jobs, and tracking of printing paper inventory.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Assist in the preparation of submission drawings complying with various authorities' guidelines.
  • Drawing Coordination: Coordinate with main contractors (consultants, etc.), subcontractors, and architects on the drawings.

8. Draftsman Details and Accountabilities

  • Civil and Structural Drafting: Perform civil and structural drafting and drawings based on the design requirements and specification set by the Company or Client, including preliminary, detail & structure design drawings.
  • Revision Management: Make revision drawings based on instruction, comments or to resolve any issues arising.
  • Team Collaboration: Work closely with the Civil & Structural team and other relevant parties.
  • Documentation Practices: Maintain good documentation practice on all drawing records for traceability.
  • 3D CAD Modeling: Work from engineering/GA drawings to create 3D CAD models for a range of steelwork projects (mainly buildings/structures).
  • Technical Drafting: Create detailed assembly/fabrication drawings, bills of material, erection drawings.
  • Stakeholder Liaison: Liaise with internal colleagues and relevant external companies such as Architects and engineers.
  • Query Resolution: Generate and chase as required technical queries/RFI’s.
  • Project Management: Work within a team of detailers on a project or run own project from start to finish.
  • Technical Support: Support service and produce technical drawings.
  • Manufacturing Preparation: Prepare engineering drawings for manufacture.
  • 3D Prototyping: 3D Prototyping for use throughout the business.
  • Compliance Review: Review construction practices on-site for compliance with applicable green building programs.
  • Attention to Detail: Work accurately and consistently with excellent attention to detail.
  • Quotation Assistance: Assist with the preparation of Quotations for Industrial Electrical/Mechanical Installations.
  • Material Procurement: Purchase Materials for Projects/Contact Suppliers.
  • Cost Management: Assist with job Costing for Industrial Electrical/Mechanical Installations.

9. Microstation Draftsman Tasks

  • Site Coordination: Site-coordination, project drawings and general arrangement drawing.
  • Data Backup: Backup copies of engineering drawings into server.
  • Schedule Management: Schedule and monitor program activity to achieve on-time result including follow-up with external suppliers to ensure timely response to action items.
  • Material Estimation: Work out material take-offs from all engineering drawings.
  • Stakeholder Liaison: Liaise with customers, vendors, and management of material.
  • Report Preparation: Assist in preparation or modification of reports and specifications.
  • Construction Detailing: Create construction layout/detail under direction from Design Manager/Design Engineer.
  • Drawing Revision: Prepare and revise engineering drawings, shop drawings, details, sections, charts and similar documents as directed.
  • Project Execution: Ensure timely completion of construction layout/detail.
  • Document Management: Ensure the proper indexing, filing and storage of drawings in both hard-copy and electronic media.
  • Revision Control: Keep and update drawing revisions and drawing register.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Prepare submission drawings complying with various authorities’ guidelines.

10. Draftsman Roles

  • Drafting Management: Responsible for all drafting and preparation of drawing.
  • Design Specification: Prepare design/proposal drawings to specifications set by requirements.
  • Quality Assurance: Ensure that all drawings are done in accordance with the company's quality procedure.
  • Quality Control: Ensure that drawings are being checked to the highest quality standard to meet customer's expectation.
  • Submission Preparation: Produce all required drawings and details for submission to authorities, Client, and Consultants from design intent and information, specifications, and in accordance with good industry practice.
  • Drawing Updates: Assist, prepare, and update construction/shop drawings and combined services drawings for consultants’ submission and approval.
  • Drawing Verification: Check and verify drawings for conformity and accuracy to identify and prevent potential conflict among all disciplines.
  • Data Integration: Incorporate data from topographical surveys and geophysical reports to prepare drawings.
  • Document Control: Ensure drawings are numbered in sequence with all revisions.
  • Drawing Management: Ensure drawings are being controlled and transmitted.
  • Stakeholder Liaison: Liaise with vendors and clients to ensure specifications are met.
  • RFI Management: Interpret Architectural and Structural drawings and prepare RFI's.
Relevant Information
What Does A CAD Drafter Do?
What Does A Drafting Manager Do?