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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Drafting Technician

💰 $40,000 - $70,000

EngineeringDraftingCADManufacturing

🎯 Role Definition

A Drafting Technician (CAD Drafter) creates accurate 2D drawings and 3D models that translate engineering concepts into precise, fabrication-ready documentation. This role converts hand sketches, engineering sketches, and field measurements into detailed shop drawings, as-built documentation, and BOMs using AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Revit or equivalent CAD platforms. The Drafting Technician works closely with engineers, designers, fabricators and field teams to ensure drawings meet specification, code and manufacturability requirements while maintaining revision control and quality standards.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • CAD Operator / CAD Technician
  • Mechanical Drafter / Architectural Drafter (Entry level)
  • Engineering Technician Apprentice

Advancement To:

  • Senior Drafting Technician / Lead CAD Drafter
  • CAD Manager / CAD Supervisor
  • Design Engineer / Mechanical Designer
  • BIM Coordinator / Engineering Project Coordinator

Lateral Moves:

  • BIM Technician / Revit Modeler
  • Quality Assurance Inspector (dimensional inspection)
  • Estimator (manufacturing or construction)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Produce detailed 2D shop drawings and assembly drawings from engineering sketches, specifications and 3D models using AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Inventor or equivalent, ensuring all views, dimensions, tolerances and notes comply with company and industry standards.
  • Create and edit 3D parametric models for components and assemblies, verify fit and function through basic interference checks and hand off models for simulation or CAM preparation.
  • Interpret engineering drawings, P&IDs, schematics and blueprints to capture critical dimensions, material specifications, finish requirements, and geometric dimensioning & tolerancing (GD&T).
  • Prepare fabrication-ready drawings including exploded views, section views, detail callouts, welding symbols and surface finish annotations for shop floor use.
  • Generate and maintain Bills of Materials (BOMs), parts lists and material takeoffs linked to drawings and 3D models; ensure part numbers, revision levels and vendor information are accurate.
  • Maintain drawing revision control: issue controlled revisions, update revision tables, stamp drawings with release information and purge superseded files from active folders per PDM/PLM procedures.
  • Coordinate drawing and model reviews with engineers, project managers and manufacturing leads; incorporate feedback and ensure approvals prior to production release.
  • Produce as-built and field-measurement drawings after site surveys, documenting field changes, retrofits and modifications so that records reflect true installed conditions.
  • Translate vendor and subcontractor submittals into company drawing standards, reconcile inconsistencies and update drawings with approved vendor-supplied data.
  • Prepare detailed fabrication and installation instructions, including lift points, welding sequences and handling notes to support safe and efficient shop operations.
  • Create and export CNC-friendly files (DXF/DWG, STEP, IGES) and nesting files for laser/plasma cutting, waterjet, and CNC machining; verify exported geometry and coordinate with CAM programmers.
  • Apply and validate GD&T, tolerance stacks and fit tolerances on drawings to ensure parts assemble correctly and meet functional requirements specified by engineering.
  • Support product design for manufacturability (DFM) by proposing minor detail changes to simplify assemblies, reduce costs or eliminate potential manufacturing conflicts.
  • Maintain and develop CAD templates, title block standards, layers, line types, symbol libraries and drawing standards to ensure consistency and efficiency across projects.
  • Perform drawing quality control checks, including dimensional verification, annotation completeness and standards compliance prior to issuing files to production.

Secondary Functions

  • Work with purchasing and estimating teams to provide drawing-based material quantities, weights and vendor detail clarifications to support bids and procurement.
  • Assist in site surveys and field verifications, capturing measurements with tape, laser distance meters and digital scanners when required.
  • Support cross-functional teams by responding to RFIs (Requests for Information), clarifying drawing intent and supplying revised documentation under project timelines.
  • Train and mentor junior drafters and CAD interns on best practices, drawing standards and CAD tool usage to improve team capability and throughput.
  • Manage and archive drawing files in PDM/PLM or document management systems, tagging metadata for easy searchability and future retrieval.
  • Produce presentation drawings and markups (PDFs, plotted prints) for client reviews, internal design reviews and installation teams.
  • Liaise with quality control to provide dimensional drawings and inspection templates used during incoming part acceptance and final product inspection.
  • Participate in continual improvement activities by suggesting CAD workflow improvements, template optimizations and automation scripts (macros) to reduce repetitive tasks.
  • Ensure that all drafting work supports compliance with relevant codes and standards (ASME, ANSI, ISO, local building codes) and company health & safety practices.
  • Support engineering projects with prototype layout drawings, test fixture documentation and assembly aids for R&D and validation activities.

(Combined primary and secondary responsibilities above exceed 20 detailed, recruiter-oriented tasks commonly found in real job postings for Drafting Technician / CAD Drafter roles.)

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficient in AutoCAD for 2D drafting and documentation, including advanced dimensioning, blocks, xrefs and plotting to scale.
  • Experienced with 3D CAD software such as SolidWorks, Inventor, Creo or Revit for part and assembly modeling.
  • Strong working knowledge of GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and application of tolerances, fits and finish specifications on drawings.
  • Ability to create and manage Bills of Materials (BOMs), parts lists and export BOM data for procurement systems.
  • Familiarity with PDM/PLM systems (Vault, Windchill, Teamcenter) and drawing revision control processes.
  • Skilled at producing CNC and CAM-ready files (DXF, DWG, STEP, IGES) and preparing geometry for nesting and machining.
  • Proficient in reading blueprints, engineering specifications, P&IDs and technical schematics.
  • Competent with Microsoft Office suite (Excel for BOMs, Word for documentation) and PDF markup tools (Bluebeam, Adobe Acrobat).
  • Experience with Revit and BIM workflows for architectural or MEP drafting (if applicable to the industry).
  • Ability to perform basic tolerance analysis, interference checks and simple capacity/clearance verifications in CAD.
  • Knowledge of fabrication methods (welding, sheet metal, machined components) and how manufacturing constraints affect drawings.
  • Experience exporting and preparing drawings for printing, plotting and client submission in multiple formats.

Soft Skills

  • Excellent attention to detail with a strong focus on accuracy and completeness of technical documentation.
  • Clear written and verbal communication skills for coordinating with engineers, fabricators and contractors.
  • Strong time management and prioritization skills to meet tight project deadlines and handle multiple projects concurrently.
  • Collaborative team player who can work across engineering, production and procurement teams.
  • Problem-solving mindset for resolving drawing discrepancies, manufacturing conflicts and field issues.
  • Adaptability and willingness to learn new CAD tools, standards or industry-specific practices.
  • Customer-oriented approach when interacting with internal and external stakeholders and vendors.
  • Organizational skills for managing drawing libraries, templates and revision histories.
  • Ability to train and mentor junior staff and share best-practice standards.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent plus a technical certificate in Drafting/CAD or related hands-on drafting experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate degree in Drafting Technology, CAD Design, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Architectural Technology or related field.
  • Certifications such as Autodesk Certified Professional (AutoCAD), SolidWorks Certification (CSWA/CSWP) or ASME GD&T credential are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Drafting Technology / CAD Design
  • Mechanical Engineering Technology
  • Architectural Technology / Building Technology
  • Manufacturing Engineering Technology
  • Construction Technology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–5 years of drafting/CAD experience (industry dependent: mechanical, structural, architectural, MEP, or manufacturing).

Preferred:

  • 3+ years experience producing shop drawings and 3D models in a production or engineering environment.
  • Demonstrated experience with company PDM/PLM systems, BOM management, and preparing fabrication-ready documentation.
  • Experience in the specific industry (manufacturing, construction, oil & gas, utilities, aerospace, shipbuilding) is highly desirable.
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