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Drafting Symbols
Symbols provide a common language for drafters all over the world. However, symbols are meaningful only if they are drawn according to relevant standards or conventions. This document describes and illustrates common dimensioning, GD&T, architectural, piping, and electrical symbols.

Recommended ASME Dimensioning Symbols

The size of dimensioning symbols is consistent with text height. In the following illustration, H = text height.
60 1.5H Diameter 1.5H 2H H 2 Symmetrical Shape H Counterbore H 1.5H 0.6H Depth or Deep H H 60 Dimension Origin Reference 1.5H Spotface 0.8H H Countersink H Square Shape 0.3H Radius Spherical Radius Spherical Diameter Controlled Radius 90 H Places or By H

0.3H Arc Length 0.5H 30 2H

15 H 0.5H Taper Slope H = Letter height All Around All Over H 1.5H

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Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing Symbols

You can create a library of GD&T symbols, use AutoCAD GD&T tools, or use an AutoCAD GD&T font to insert symbols as text. The following tables show examples of GD&T symbols. For complete coverage of GD&T, refer to Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing by David A. Madsen, published by Goodheart-Willcox Company, Inc.
2H

2H Any needed length H

60

H = Letter height Datum Feature Symbols

Target area size, when used 0.8H

3.5H 0.3H Datum Target number H = Letter height Datum Target Symbol Movable Datum Target Symbol Datum Target Symbols 60

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Straightness Form Flatness Circularity Cylindricity Profile Profile of a Line Profile of a Surface Position Location Concentricity Symmetry

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Parallelism Orientation Perpendicularity Angularity

Runout

or or

Circular Runout Total Runout

Geometric Characteristic Symbols

1.5H 0.8H
H = Letter height Material Condition and Material Boundary Style

2H minimum

2H minimum

2H H = Letter height Feature Control Frame Symbol

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2H H = Letter height Basic Dimension Symbol

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2X 0.4H 1.5H Free State Tangent Plane Projected Tolerance Zone Independency Unequally Disposed Profile

0.8H

3H 0.8H

3X 1.5H Translation 2.5H 1.5H 30 Statistical Tolerance 0.8H 1.5H 30 Between 2.5H

0.6H

0.8H

Continuous Feature H = Letter height

Additional GD&T Symbols

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To draw GD&T symbols as text, create a style using the gdt.shx, GDT_IV25, or GDT_IV50 font. Then use the lowercase alphabet to type the symbols. The following table shows the symbol produced by each lowercase letter.
Lowercase Letter Symbol Produced
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
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Architectural Symbols
The following table show basic examples of architectural drafting symbols.
Common Architectural Symbols

Exterior Door

Toilet

Water Heater

Wall Hung Toilet Interior Door Shower Pocket Door Bifold Door Oval Vanity Sink Bipass Door Window Lighting Outlet Recessed Lighting Outlet Wall Lighting Outlet Fluorescent Light Fixture Single Receptacle Outlet Duplex Convenience Outlet Triplex Receptacle Outlet Special Outlet Floor Single Receptacle Outlet Floor Duplex Receptacle Outlet Single Pole Switch 3-Way Switch Double Kitchen 220V Outlet Weatherproof Outlet Thermostat Doorbell Fan Hanger Receptacle Clock Hanger Receptacle TV Outlet Conduit Refrigerator Range Washer/Dryer Rectangular Vanity Sink Tub Single Kitchen Shower w/ Seat Urinal

Fan

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Piping Symbols
The following table show basic examples of piping drawing symbols.
Single-Line Piping Symbols
Screwed Name Left Side Front Right Side Left Side Buttwelded Front Right Side

90 Elbow

45 Elbow

Tee

45 Lateral

Cross

Cap Concentric Reducer Eccentric Reducer Union Coupling

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Electronic Symbols
The following table show basic examples of electronic drawing symbols.
Common Symbols for Electrical Diagrams
Capacitor, Polarized Amplifier Circuit Breaker Antenna, General Ground Antenna, Dipole Chassis Ground Voltage Regulator, also, Glow Lamp Resistor, Adjustable Twin Triode Using Elongated Envelope Receiver, Earphone Microphone

Resistor, General

Antenna, Dipole

Connectors, Jack and Plug

Phototube

Resistor, Variable

Inductor, Winding, Reactor, General Antenna, Counterpoise Engaged Connectors Magnetic Core Inductor Battery, Long Line Positive Adjustable Inductor Triode with Directly Heated Cathode and Envelope Connection to Base Terminal Transformer, General

Transformer, Magnetic Core

Multicell Battery

Ballast Lamp Shielded Transformer, Magnetic Core Fluorescent, 2-Terminal Lamp

Capacitor, General

Capacitor, Variable

Pentode Using Elongated Envelope

Incandescent Lamp

Auto-Transformer, Adjustable

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