What is the Difference Between Manufacturer and Engineer Drawings?

Engineer drawings and manufacturing drawings are two very similar terms and are often used interchangeably. These both are made with the same goal in mind- to serve as the blueprint to produce a product both consistently and successfully. They often share a lot of the same features, though there are distinctions between the two.

Engineering Drawings

Engineering drawings are generally more comprehensive than manufacturing drawings because they detail how a product comes together. They are made to show both the design and the mechanics of the product, including its fit, form, and function. They can include 3D renderings, circuit board layouts, schematics, assembly and component drawings. They don’t always describe how each individual part of the product is manufactured.

Manufacturer Drawings

Manufacturing drawings show all the detailed dimensions and specifications of a single part so that it can be made with precision. Manufacturer drawings include complete dimensions, the surface finish, welding information, plating, and any other requirements such as the deburring of the part. The quantities and complexity of the part will influence how the manufacturer decides which method is the most cost effective to produce it.

What’s the Difference?

If a company was making heaters, they might have engineering drawings that detail all the parts that make the heater. The drawings may have the size and thread of the bolts and screws that hold it together. What they may not have are the manufacturing drawings that have all the dimensions and specifications of those screws and bolts. If they bought them from another supplier or a premade stock, they probably don’t have access to the manufacturer drawings.

The factory making those screws and bolts will have manufacturing drawings that will contain the information needed to produce them. They won’t detail how the screws and bolts are used in the heater. Those same screws and bolts may be bought by other companies for various products, so the screw manufacturer wouldn’t need to have the engineer drawings in that situation.

Both the engineer and manufacturer drawings are integral in manufacturing a complex product consistently and effectively. See if we can help you with your product engineering or china sourcing needs by contacting us.