AutoCAD and Its Applications BASICS

Reference Material

Drafting Symbols
Symbols provide a “common language” for drafters all over the world. However,
symbols are meaningful only if they are drawn according to relevant standards or
conventions. This document describes and illustrates common dimensioning, GD&T,
architectural, piping, and electronic symbols.

Recommended ASME
Dimensioning Symbols
The size of dimensioning symbols is consistent with text height. In the following
illustration, H = text height.

60°

1.5H H

Diameter Radius Spherical Spherical Controlled Places

Radius Diameter Radius or By

1.5H
90°
2H H
0.8H
H
2 H H H

Symmetry Line Counterbore Spotface Countersink Square Shape

H 0.3H
1.5H
H
1.5H
H
0.6H 60°
0.3H
Arc Length Depth or Deep Dimension Origin Reference

0.5H
30°

2H 15°
H 1.5H
H
0.5H
Taper Slope All Around All Over

H = Letter height

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May not be reproduced or posted to a publicly accessible website.
 Geometric Dimensioning and
Tolerancing Symbols
You can create a library of GD&T symbols, use AutoCAD GD&T tools, or use
an AutoCAD GD&T font to insert symbols as text. The following tables show
examples of GD&T symbols. For complete coverage of GD&T, refer to Geometric
Dimensioning and Tolerancing by David A. Madsen and David P. Madsen, published
by Goodheart-Willcox.

2H

2H H

Any
needed
length
60°
H

H = Letter height

Datum Feature Symbols

Target area size, when used

0.8H

3.5H

0.3H

Datum Target number 60°

H = Letter height

Datum Target Symbol Movable Datum Target Symbol

Datum Target Symbols

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May not be reproduced or posted to a publicly accessible website.
 Straightness

Flatness
Form
Circularity

Cylindricity

Profile of a Line
Profile
Profile of a Surface

Position
Location Concentricity

Symmetry

Parallelism
Orientation Perpendicularity

Angularity

or Circular Runout
Runout
or Total Runout

Geometric Characteristic Symbols

1.5H

0.8H
H = Letter height

Material Condition and

Material Boundary Symbols

2H minimum 2H minimum

2H H

H = Letter height
Feature Control Frame Symbol

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May not be reproduced or posted to a publicly accessible website.
 2H H

H = Letter height
Basic Dimension Symbol

2X 0.4H
0.8H

1.5H

Free Tangent Projected Independency Unequally

State Plane Tolerance Disposed
Zone Profile

3H
0.8H

3X 1.5H 0.6H
Translation Between

2.5H 2.5H

1.5H 0.8H 1.5H 0.8H

30° 30°

Statistical Continuous
Tolerance Feature

H = Letter height
Additional GD&T Symbols

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May not be reproduced or posted to a publicly accessible website.
 To draw GD&T symbols as text, create a style using the gdt.shx font. Then use
the lowercase alphabet to type the symbols. The following table shows the symbol
produced by each lowercase letter.

Lowercase Letter Symbol Produced

a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z

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May not be reproduced or posted to a publicly accessible website.
 Architectural Symbols
The following table shows basic examples of architectural drafting symbols.

Common Architectural Symbols

Water Heater
Exterior Door Toilet

Wall Hung Toilet

Interior Door
Shower
Pocket Door Urinal

Bifold Door
Oval Vanity Sink
Shower w/ Seat
Bypass Door

Window Rectangular
Vanity Sink
Lighting Outlet
Tub
Recessed Lighting
Outlet
Single Kitchen Sink
Wall Lighting Outlet

Fluorescent Washer/Dryer
Light Fixture

Single Receptacle Double Kitchen Sink

Outlet 220V
Duplex Convenience Outlet Range
Outlet
Weatherproof
Triplex Receptacle Outlet
Outlet
Thermostat
Special Outlet
Refrigerator
Floor Single Doorbell
Receptacle Outlet
Fan Hanger
Floor Duplex Receptacle Fan
Receptacle Outlet
Clock Hanger
Single Pole Switch Receptacle

3-Way Switch TV Outlet Conduit

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 Piping Symbols
The following table shows basic examples of piping drafting symbols.

Single-Line Piping Symbols

Screwed Buttwelded

Name Left Side Front Right Side Left Side Front Right Side

90° Elbow

45° Elbow

Tee

45° Lateral

Cross

Cap

Concentric
Reducer

Eccentric
Reducer

Union

Coupling

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 Electronic Symbols
The following table shows basic examples of electronic drafting symbols.

Common Symbols for Electrical Diagrams

Capacitor, Polarized Microphone

Amplifier

Circuit Breaker Twin Triode Using

Elongated Envelope Receiver, Earphone

Antenna,
General
Resistor, General

Ground
Voltage Regulator,
Antenna, also, Glow Lamp
Dipole Resistor, Adjustable
Chassis Ground

Phototube Resistor, Variable

Antenna, Connectors,
Loop Jack and Plug
Inductor, Winding,
Reactor, General
Antenna, Engaged Connectors Transformer, General
Counterpoise
Magnetic Core
Inductor

Battery, Long
Line Positive
Transformer,
Adjustable Inductor
Magnetic Core
Triode with Directly
Heated Cathode and
Envelope Connection
Multicell Battery to Base Terminal
Ballast Lamp
Shielded
Transformer,
Capacitor, Magnetic Core
General Fluorescent,
2-Terminal Lamp

Capacitor, Pentode Using Auto-Transformer,

Variable Elongated Envelope Incandescent Lamp Adjustable

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May not be reproduced or posted to a publicly accessible website.