ITI Draughtsman Interview Questions and Answers: Civil and Mechanical
These are the questions an ITI Draughtsman (Civil) or Draughtsman (Mechanical) is asked at an architect's or engineer's office, a construction or fabrication company, a manufacturing firm or an apprenticeship interview: drawing basics, then trade questions for civil or mechanical, AutoCAD, and the drawing test.
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A drawing office wants a draughtsman whose drawings can be built or machined without a phone call: the right views, the right scale, complete dimensions and clean layers. Most questions test whether you know the conventions and whether you can work fast in AutoCAD.
Answer the basics section whatever your trade, then the civil or the mechanical section.
Draughtsman interview questions with answers
Drawing basics (both trades)
Which projection method is used in India, first angle or third angle?
First-angle projection is recommended by the Bureau of Indian Standards (SP 46). In first angle, the top view (plan) is drawn below the front view (elevation) and the left side view on the right. Third angle, common in the US, places the top view above.
How to say it: Draw the two symbols quickly if you are given paper.
What types of lines are used, and where?
Continuous thick for visible outlines, continuous thin for dimension, projection and hatching lines, dashed for hidden edges, chain thin (long dash-dot) for centre lines, and chain thick at the ends for cutting planes.
What is a scale, and when do you use 1:100 or 2:1?
The ratio of drawing size to real size. Reducing scales such as 1:50 or 1:100 are for buildings and large parts; full size 1:1 for small parts; enlarging scales such as 2:1 for tiny details.
What are the rules for dimensioning?
Each dimension is given once, in the view that shows the feature best, outside the object where possible, in one unit (usually mm), with dimension lines not crossing each other, and enough dimensions to make the part without measuring the drawing.
What is a sectional view, and why is it used?
A view of the object as if cut by a plane, with the cut surface hatched. It shows inside details clearly instead of many hidden lines.
Civil draughtsman
What is the difference between a plan, an elevation and a section of a building?
A plan is the horizontal view from above, cut at about window-sill height. An elevation is the outside view of one face. A section is a vertical cut that shows floor heights, slabs, beams, foundations and stairs.
What is the size of a standard modular brick?
The Indian Standard modular brick is 190 × 90 × 90 mm, which with a 10 mm mortar joint gives a nominal 200 × 100 × 100 mm.
What is a bar bending schedule?
A table of all the reinforcement bars in a member: bar mark, diameter, shape, cut length, number of bars and total weight. Site uses it to cut and bend steel.
What are lintel, beam, column and footing?
A lintel spans over an opening such as a door or window; a beam carries loads across between supports; a column carries loads down; the footing spreads the column load onto the soil.
What do RL and the north arrow on a drawing mean?
RL (reduced level) is a height measured from a fixed benchmark; levels on plans are given as RLs. The north arrow orients the drawing with the site.
Mechanical draughtsman
What are tolerance, allowance and fit?
Tolerance is the permitted variation in a size. Allowance is the intended difference between mating parts. A fit is the relationship between a hole and a shaft: clearance, transition or interference.
How are threads shown on a drawing?
By convention: the major diameter of an external thread with a thick line and the root with a thin line, the reverse for internal threads, and the thread size written as, for example, M12 × 1.75.
What is a bill of materials?
A table on an assembly drawing listing each part number, name, material and quantity, matched to balloon numbers on the drawing.
What is the difference between an isometric and an orthographic drawing?
Isometric shows the object in one 3D-looking view with axes at 120°. Orthographic shows separate true-shape views (front, top, side) that are used to make the part.
What does a surface finish symbol tell the machinist?
The required surface roughness and, where given, the machining method or lay, so the shop knows which surfaces need finishing and how smooth.
AutoCAD and the practical test
Which AutoCAD commands do you use most?
LINE, PLINE, CIRCLE, OFFSET, TRIM, EXTEND, FILLET, MIRROR, ARRAY, HATCH, DIM commands, LAYER and BLOCK. Name the ones you really use and one shortcut you like.
What is the difference between model space and layout (paper) space?
You draw at full size in model space. In layout space you place viewports at a scale with the title block, and plot from there.
Why use layers?
To separate walls, dimensions, text, hatching and so on, so each can be shown, hidden, coloured and plotted with its own line weight.
What is the usual practical test?
Commonly: draw a given plan, elevation and section (civil) or a machine part in three views with dimensions (mechanical) in AutoCAD within a time limit, then plot or save it to scale.
How to say it: Set units, layers and the scale first; it saves time later.
Your answers to fill in and practise
Copy the lines that are true for you, replace every [bracket] and delete the rest. Every number should be one you can repeat in a practical test.
"Tell me about yourself" for a draughtsman
- I am [name]. I completed ITI Draughtsman [Civil / Mechanical] ([NCVT / SCVT]) from [ITI name] in [year] with [XX]%.
- I work in AutoCAD [version] and can prepare [plans, elevations and sections / part and assembly drawings] with dimensions and title blocks.
- During my [apprenticeship / training] at [company] I drew [working drawings for residential buildings / fabrication drawings / jigs and fixtures].
- I am looking for a draughtsman job with [an architect / a construction company / a manufacturing company] in [city].
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Common questions
What questions are asked in an ITI draughtsman interview?
Projection methods, line types, scales, dimensioning and sections, then trade questions: plans, sections, brick size and bar bending for civil; tolerances, fits, threads and bills of materials for mechanical; plus AutoCAD commands and a drawing test.
Which projection is used in India?
First-angle projection, as recommended by the Bureau of Indian Standards in SP 46.
Can I get these draughtsman interview questions as a PDF?
Open the page, choose Print in your browser menu, then Save as PDF. The page prints without menus.
What should I revise the night before?
First vs third angle, line types, dimensioning rules, your trade section above, and the AutoCAD commands you use most.
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