Measurement Good Practice Guide No. 79 - Fundamental Good Practice in the Design and Interpretation of Engineering Drawings for Measurement Processes

Oct 24, 2026

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Good Practice Guide No. 79 explains the fundamentals of interpreting engineering drawings in relation to the measurement process. It is written for engineers, designers and metrology technicians to align drawing interpretation with measurement aims. Designers gain clearer understanding of how measurement requirements connect to drawing information such as size, position, shape and surface texture. Metrology technicians learn how to interpret those aims to support consistent measurement outcomes and effective communication across design and measurement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages99

Reading Time4 h 9 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

What this guide is about, and what it isn’t?

Holistic approach to production

An introduction to Geometrical Product Specification

Interpreting a drawing in preparation for manufacture

Interpreting a drawing in preparation for measurement

The standard reference temperature

Design

The designer’s role – an introduction to the modern design process utilising CAD, FEA and mathematical modelling

Design interpretation to make manufacturing and measurement easier

So why do dimensions require tolerances?

Measurement considerations when designing components

Can I design the component to make measurement easier?

Design changes to aid holding the component

Design changes to aid access to features

Design changes to allow repositioning to be used

Manufacture

An introduction to the manufacturing of components

Overview of basic manufacturing and machining processes

Stock removal techniques

Volume production processes

Monitoring the process

Trend monitoring and statistical control

Process control and measurement feedback

Drawings

A simple overview of what information is being conveyed

Co-ordinate systems

General tolerances

Geometric tolerancing

Geometric references (datum features)

Feature control frames

Geometric characteristics

A NATIONAL MEASUREMENT GOOD PRACTICE GUIDE No. 79 Fundamental Good Practice in the Design and Interpretation of Engineering Drawings for Measurement Processes The DTI drives our ambition of‘prosperity for all’by working to create the best environment for business success in the UK. We help people and companies become more productive by promoting enterprise, innovation and creativity. We champion UK business at home and abroad. We invest heavily in world-class science and technology. We protect the rights of working people and consumers. And westand up for fair and open markets in the UK, Europe and the world. This Guide was developed by the National Physical Laboratory on behalf of the NMS. Measurement Good Practice Guide No. 79 Fundamental Good Practice in the Design and Interpretation of Engineering Drawings for Measurement Processes David Flack Engineering Measurement Team Engineering and Process Control Division Keith Bevan Bevan Training and Assessment Services Limited ABSTRACT This good practice guide is written for engineers, designers and metrology technicians who wish to understand the basics of the interpretation of engineering drawings in relation to the measurement process. After reading this guide designers should have a better understanding of the measurement process and metrology technicians should be in a better position to interpret the aims ofthe designer. © Crown Copyright 2005 Reproduced with the permission of the Controller of HMSO and Queen's Printer for Scotland July 2005 ISSN 1368-6550 National Physical Laboratory Hampton Road, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 0LW Acknowledgements This document has been produced for the Department of Trade and Industry’s National Measurement System Policy Unit under contract number GBBK/C/08/17 . Thanks are due to Hexagon Metrology, Tesa Technology and Renishaw for providing some of the images and to Dr Richard Leach (NPL) and Prof. Paul Scott (Taylor Hobson) for suggesting improvements to this guide. Contents Introduction............................................................................................................................ 11 What this guide is about, and what it isn’t?.................................................................... 12 Holistic approach to production ..................................................................................... 12 An introduction to Geometrical Product Specification .................................................. 12 Interpreting a drawing in preparation for manufacture .................................................. 16 Interpreting a drawing in preparation for measurement ................................................. 17 The standard reference temperature ............................................................................... 18 Design ...................................................................................................................................... 21 The designer’s role – an introduction to the modern design process utilising CAD, FEA and mathematical modelling........................................................................................... 22 Design interpretation to make manufacturing and measurement easier......................... 23 So why do dimensions require tolerances? .................................................................... 26 Measurement considerations when designing components............................................26 Can I design the component to make measurement easier? ........................................... 26 Design changes to aid holding the component................................................. 26 Design changes to aid access to features .......................................................... 27 Design changes to allow repositioning to be used ........................................... 27 Manufacture ........................................

FAQs

Who is this guide intended for?

The guide is written for engineers, designers, and metrology technicians. It focuses on understanding engineering drawing interpretation in relation to measurement processes.

What is the guide’s purpose for designers and metrology technicians?

After reading, designers should better understand the measurement process. Metrology technicians should be better positioned to interpret the designer’s aims.

Which topics are covered in the guide’s approach to drawings and measurement?

The guide covers interpreting drawings for manufacture and measurement, standard reference temperature, and drawing information such as size, position, shape, surface texture, tolerances, and geometric tolerancing with datum features and feature control frames.

Oct 24, 2026

Upload by OKfine