Career summary

Details for Electrical and Electronics Drafters


Description

Prepare wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly diagrams, and layout drawings used for manufacture, installation, and repair of electrical equipment in factories, power plants, and buildings.

Tasks

  • Draft working drawings, wiring diagrams, wiring connection specifications, or cross-sections of underground cables, as required for instructions to installation crew.
  • Assemble documentation packages and produce drawing sets to be checked by an engineer or an architect.
  • Consult with engineers to discuss or interpret design concepts, or determine requirements of detailed working drawings.
  • Review completed construction drawings and cost estimates for accuracy and conformity to standards and regulations.
  • Examine electronic schematics and supporting documents to develop, compute, and verify specifications for drafting data, such as configuration of parts, dimensions, or tolerances.
  • Confer with engineering staff and other personnel to resolve problems.
  • Draft detail and assembly drawings of design components, circuitry or printed circuit boards, using computer-assisted equipment or standard drafting techniques and devices.
  • Measure factors that affect installation and arrangement of equipment, such as distances to be spanned by wire and cable.
  • Locate files relating to specified design project in database library, load program into computer, and record completed job data.
  • Design electrical systems, such as lighting systems.
  • Draw master sketches to scale showing relation of proposed installations to existing facilities and exact specifications and dimensions.
  • Study work order requests to determine type of service, such as lighting or power, demanded by installation.
  • Explain drawings to production or construction teams and provide adjustments, as necessary.
  • Review work orders or procedural manuals and confer with vendors or design staff to resolve problems or modify design.
  • Reproduce working drawings on copy machines or trace drawings in ink.
  • Generate computer tapes of final layout design to produce layered photo masks or photo plotting design onto film.
  • Key and program specified commands and engineering specifications into computer system to change functions and test final layout.
  • Supervise and coordinate work activities of workers engaged in drafting, designing layouts, assembling, or testing printed circuit boards.
  • Compare logic element configuration on display screen with engineering schematics and calculate figures to convert, redesign, or modify element.
  • Determine the order of work and the method of presentation, such as orthographic or isometric drawing.
  • Review blueprints to determine customer requirements and consult with assembler regarding schematics, wiring procedures, or conductor paths.
  • Visit proposed installation sites and draw rough sketches of location.
  • Select drill size to drill test head, according to test design and specifications, and submit guide layout to designated department.
  • Plot electrical test points on layout sheets and draw schematics for wiring test fixture heads to frames.
  • Write technical reports and draw charts that display statistics and data.
  • Copy drawings of printed circuit board fabrication using print machine or blueprinting procedure.
  • Train students to use drafting machines and to prepare schematic diagrams, block diagrams, control drawings, logic diagrams, integrated circuit drawings, or interconnection diagrams.
  • Prepare and interpret specifications, calculating weights, volumes, or stress factors.
  • Supervise or train other technologists, technicians, or drafters.
  • Use computer-aided drafting equipment or conventional drafting stations, technical handbooks, tables, calculators, or traditional drafting tools, such as boards, pencils, protractors, or T-squares.

Interests

  • Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
  • Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
  • Artistic - Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
  • Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Education, training, experience

  • Education - Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
  • Training - Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
  • Experience - Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Knowledge

  • Education and Training -Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • English Language -Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Clerical -Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • Mathematics -Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Computers and Electronics -Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Design -Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  • Engineering and Technology -Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Skills

None found.

Related careers

None found.