Graphic Communication

Graphic Communication Signs & Symbols

Signs • Signs are used to convey information in pictorial form. • This has many advantages over written instructions. • People who talk different languages can understand the same common signs. • Instructions for some tasks can be clearer when given as drawings.

Signs & Symbols • Signs & symbols are commonly used in everyday situations. • Roadsigns, information, engineering symbols, flow charts and circuit diagrams are types of drawings that you will need to know about for your exams.

Signs • There are different families of signs. • These are: • mandatory signs • prohibition signs • warning signs • safety signs • danger signs

Signs - Mandatory signs • These signs are blue in colour. • They give a positive instruction. In other words they tell you what to do rather than what not to do. Turn left

Signs - Prohibition signs • These signs are circular with a line across the circle. • They are red in colour. No smoking

Signs - Warning signs • These signs are yellow. • They are normally triangular but can be other shapes.

Signs - Safety Signs • These signs tell people of safe places to go or safe conditions.

Signs - Danger signs • These signs warn people of dangerous situations. • Commonly found on roadsigns and the back of long vehicles.

Signs • There are also general information signs used for a number of different purposes. • Some common signs are shown over the next few slides.

Signs - Kitemark • The Kitemark is used to tell consumers that the products they buy are safety tested to BSI standards. • All products sold must carry this Kitemark to be legally sold. The British Standards Kitemark.

Signs - Fragile • This mark is placed on breakable objects’ packaging to tell people handling the box to treat it with care. The Fragile symbol.

Signs - Recycled • This mark is placed on recycled objects to tell the consumer that they are buying a recycled product. • This is a big advertising point as companies like their products to be seen as being environmentally friendly.

Signs - Disabled • This is used to show disabled access.

Signs - male & female • These signs are used commonly to distinguish the male and female toilets.

Flow Charts • A Flow Chart is a method of showing the correct steps to follow in order to complete some type of problem. • There are some symbols used in flow charts to show certain processes that have to be done when completing the problem.

Process Input/Output Decision Flow Charts • These symbols are shown below. Start/Stop

Has button been pushed? No Yes Wait 2 Start Amber light flash Wait 5 Amber light on Red light off Red light on Green light on Wait 10 Flow Charts • An example of a flow chart for a pelican crossing is shown:

Circuit Diagrams • When electrical circuits are designed, standard symbols are used to tell people what the different components are. • This is so people from different countries and areas can understand the drawings. • It would be dangerous for a person to wire a circuit up incorrectly simply because they did not understand the drawing!

Circuit Diagrams • These symbols are drawn to British Standards. • You have to know some of them. These are drawn over the next two slides. junctions switch (general symbol) cross-overs

battery bulb electric bell loudspeaker microphone Circuit Diagrams

Drawing Symbols • Drawings use many different line types to show different parts of an object. • These are standardised so that anyone can understand what is meant by a particular line type regardless of where they come from.

Drawing Symbols • Orthographic drawings are drawn in Third Angle Projection. • This is a standard drawing layout covered in the tutorial on orthographic projection where the 3 views are drawn in the direction you are looking at them.

Drawing Symbols • The 3rd Angle Projection symbol is shown below. • This is normally included on a drawing to tell people the standard it is drawn in.

Drawing Symbols • Different line types used include: • outlines • projection lines • hidden detail • centre lines • cutting planes • fold lines

Drawing Symbols - Outlines • Outlines are used to show the outline of an object. • They are thicker than projection lines. • Drawn at 0.7mm thick.

Drawing Symbols - Projection Lines • Projection lines are used to help construct a drawing. • They are not part of the outline of the drawing and are drawn lightly and thin.

Drawing Symbols - Hidden Detail • Hidden detail lines are used to show any part of an object that cannot be seen but does exist. • They are dashed lines.

Drawing Symbols - Centre Lines • Centre lines are used to show the centre of circles or lines of symmetry. • They are drawn as a series of long and short dashes.

Drawing Symbols - Cutting Planes • Cutting planes are used to show where an object is cut in a sectional drawing. • The arrows tell us what direction the cut is to be viewed. • The letters are the label of the section. • The ends of the cutting plane are drawn slightly thicker than the rest of it. X X

Drawing Symbols - Fold Lines • Fold lines are used to show where surface developments should be folded.

Building Symbols • Engineers need to use symbols to show the different materials used in building a house. • This is law as when submitting planning permission a company must be able to prove the quality of the houses or buildings they want to build.

Shower tray Sink top Sink Washbasin Bath Radiator Building Symbols • These are some common symbols that you will need to remember.

Window In-line valve (any type) Sawn wood Junctions Crossover Door Building Symbols • These are some common symbols that you will need to remember.

Switch Brickwork Socket Concrete Insulation Building Symbols • These are some common symbols that you will need to remember. Bulb

Storyboards • Storyboards give step by step instructions on how to operate something using pictures to illustrate what is to be done at each stage. • Short statements further help the user understand what to do. • They are often found on change machines and in electrical appliance instructions.

Storyboards • These are advantageous as a person does not have to speak any specific language to understand what to do. • The written instructions are kept very short which helps people who, for any reason, cannot read things properly. • Often the statements are also given in many different languages to help foreigners.

Building drawings • A number of different drawings are required to be completed and submitted to the local authorities when developers want to build new buildings. • This group of drawings is called a Project Set.

Project Set • A project set consists of a number of different drawings including • elevations • sketches • sectional drawings • schematic diagrams • location plans • site plans • floor plans

Project Set • Elevations, sketches and sectional drawings are required to view the actual building. • Schematic diagrams are used by tradesmen to install any electrical circuit work or plumbing and heating. • Schematic diagrams use British Standards symbols covered in these slides.

Location Plans • This type of drawing shows the position of the new building in its surrounding area. • It is as if you are looking at the building from an aeroplane above. • It is normally drawn to a scale of 1:1250.

Location Plans • This is an example of a location plan. Albany Terrace Albany Drive Albany Road

Site Plans • This type of drawing shows the building from closer in than a Location Plan. • It is like a bird is looking down at it. • It shows the building in its immediate surrounding area. • It is normally drawn at a scale of 1:200.

8.5 5 12.5 7 2 Glenisla Drive Site Plans • This is an example of a site plan.

Floor Plans • This type of drawing shows the internal layout of a building including the materials used in the walls. • Any electrical appliances fitted will also be drawn like, radiators, electrical sockets and switches. • This type of drawing is normally drawn at a scale of 1:50.

Floor Plans • This is an example of a floor plan.

Graphic Communication