Chapter 9 Multiview Drawings 215
and edges. Thinking in these terms can help
in the visualization process as well as the
problem-solving process.
Selecting Views
to Be Drawn
As previously discussed, there are six
standard views of any object in orthographic
projection. This does not mean that all six
of the views must be used, or that they are
needed to completely describe an object. Only
the number of views needed to give a complete
shape description of the object should be
drawn. Any view that repeats the same shape
description in another view (an identical view)
can be eliminated, Figure 9-14.
In most instances, two or three views
are sufficient to show the shape of an object.
Objects that are basically cylindrical in shape
can usually be drawn with just two views.
Basic and complex prism-shaped objects
generally require at least three views. In
general, the front view should be the view
that shows the most features (visible features)
and the fewest hidden features of the object.
The number of views needed is then decided
in relation to the contents of the front view.
In general, the drafter should draw the
views that show the fewest features as hidden
lines. These are the views that should be used
to create the multiview drawing. Views of
objects showing a large number of hidden
lines are normally used only when absolutely
necessary for the complete understanding of
the shape and size of the object. The use of too
many hidden lines on a drawing tends to make
the drawing confusing to the person reading
the drawing or fabricating the part. Use
another view without as many hidden lines,
Figure 9-15. Sometimes it may be necessary to
draw the left side or bottom of an object if the
features are visible from one of those points of
view instead of the standard right side or top.
Regardless of the views shown, they should
still be placed in proper orthographic order.
As shown in Figure 9-14B, the top view is
placed above the front view, and the right view
is placed to the right.
When drawing hidden lines in multiview
drawings, it is also important to draw them
correctly in relation to other types of lines.
Hidden lines should always start and end
with a dash in contact with the object line,
Figure 9-16. This illustration shows examples
of how hidden lines are used and how they
properly intersect or do not intersect other
lines, depending on the situation.
It is important to remember with any
drawing that the viewer wants to see as many
visible features as possible, not invisible
(hidden) features. The goal is to communicate
the size and shape of the object as clearly and
precisely as possible to the person making
the part. Keep this in mind when laying out
views for multiview drawings.
Top view
Bottom view
Front view Right
view
Left
view
Rear
view
Top view
Front view Right
view
Unneeded
views
A
B
Figure 9-14 Not all views are needed in a multiview
drawing. Eliminate any view that repeats the same
shape description shown in another view. A—The six
views of the object. B—Three views are sufficient for
a complete description.