Shri Shankracharya Technical

Campus-SSGI, Bhilai

Engineering Graphics & Design

Plain & Diagonal Scale

Vikky Kumhar, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, SSTC-SSGI, Bhilai

 SCALE

Vikky Kumhar, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, SSTC-SSGI, Bhilai

Scales

1. Basic Information

2. Types and important units

3. Plain Scales (2 Problems)

4. Diagonal Scales - information

5. Diagonal Scales (3 Problems)

Vikky Kumhar, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, SSTC-SSGI, Bhilai

 SCALES

DIMENSIONS OF LARGE OBJECTS MUST BE REDUCED TO ACCOMMODATE

ON STANDARD SIZE DRAWING SHEET. THIS REDUCTION CREATES A SCALE FOR FULL SIZE SCALE
OF THAT REDUCTION RATIO, WHICH IS GENERALLY A FRACTION.. R.F.=1 OR ( 1:1 )
SUCH A SCALE IS CALLED REDUCING SCALE MEANS DRAWING
& OBJECT ARE OF
AND
SAME SIZE.
THAT RATIO IS CALLED REPRESENTATIVE FACTOR.
Other RFs are described
as
SIMILARLY IN CASE OF TINY OBJECTS DIMENSIONS MUST BE INCREASED 1:10, 1:100,
FOR ABOVE PURPOSE. HENCE THIS SCALE IS CALLED ENLARGING SCALE. 1:1000, 1:1,00,000
HERE THE RATIO CALLED REPRESENTATIVE FACTOR IS MORE THAN UNITY.
USE FOLLOWING FORMULAS FOR THE CALCULATIONS IN THIS TOPIC.

DIMENSION OF DRAWING
A REPRESENTATIVE FACTOR (R.F.) =
DIMENSION OF OBJECT
LENGTH OF DRAWING
=
ACTUAL LENGTH
AREA OF DRAWING
=
V ACTUAL AREA
VOLUME AS PER DRWG.
=3
V ACTUAL VOLUME

B LENGTH OF SCALE = R.F. X MAX. LENGTH TO BE MEASURED.

Vikky Kumhar, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, SSTC-SSGI, Bhilai
 BE FRIENDLY WITH THESE UNITS.

1 KILOMETRE = 10 HECTOMETRES
1 HECTOMETRE= 10 DECAMETRES
1 DECAMETRE = 10 METRES
1 METRE = 10 DECIMETRES
1 DECIMETRE = 10 CENTIMETRES
1 CENTIMETRE = 10 MILIMETRES

TYPES OF SCALES:
1. PLAIN SCALES ( FOR DIMENSIONS UP TO SINGLE DECIMAL)
2. DIAGONAL SCALES ( FOR DIMENSIONS UP TO TWO DECIMALS)
3. VERNIER SCALES ( FOR DIMENSIONS UP TO TWO DECIMALS)
4. COMPARATIVE SCALES ( FOR COMPARING TWO DIFFERENT UNITS)
5. SCALE OF CORDS ( FOR MEASURING/CONSTRUCTING ANGLES)

Vikky Kumhar, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, SSTC-SSGI, Bhilai

 PLAIN SCALE:- This type of scale represents two units or a unit and it’s sub-division.

PROBLEM NO.1:- Draw a scale 1 cm = 1m to read decimeters, to measure maximum distance of 6 m.

Show on it a distance of 4 m and 6 dm.

CONSTRUCTION:- DIMENSION OF DRAWING

a) Calculate R.F.=
DIMENSION OF OBJECT
PLAIN SCALE
R.F.= 1cm/ 1m = 1/100
Length of scale = R.F. X max. distance
= 1/100 X 600 cm
= 6 cms
b) Draw a line 6 cm long and divide it in 6 equal parts. Each part will represent larger division unit.
c) Sub divide the first part which will represent second unit or fraction of first unit.
d) Place ( 0 ) at the end of first unit. Number the units on right side of Zero and subdivisions
on left-hand side of Zero. Take height of scale 5 to 10 mm for getting a look of scale.
e) After construction of scale mention it’s RF and name of scale as shown.
f) Show the distance 4 m 6 dm on it as shown.

4 M 6 DM

10 0 1 2 3 4 5 METERS
DECIMETERS
R.F. = 1/100
PLANE SCALE SHOWING METERS AND DECIMETERS.
Vikky Kumhar, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, SSTC-SSGI, Bhilai
PROBLEM NO.2:- In a map a 36 km distance is shown by a line 45 cms long. Calculate the R.F. and construct
a plain scale to read kilometers and hectometers, for max. 12 km. Show a distance of 8.3 km on it.

CONSTRUCTION:-
a) Calculate R.F.
R.F.= 45 cm/ 36 km = 45/ 36 . 1000 . 100 = 1/ 80,000 PLAIN SCALE
Length of scale = R.F. max. distance
= 1/ 80000 12 km
= 15 cm
b) Draw a line 15 cm long and divide it in 12 equal parts. Each part will represent larger division unit.
c) Sub divide the first part which will represent second unit or fraction of first unit.
d) Place ( 0 ) at the end of first unit. Number the units on right side of Zero and subdivisions
on left-hand side of Zero. Take height of scale 5 to 10 mm for getting a look of scale.
e) After construction of scale mention it’s RF and name of scale as shown.
f) Show the distance 8.3 km on it as shown.

8KM 3HM

10 5 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
KILOMETERS
HECTOMETERS
R.F. = 1/80,000
PLANE SCALE SHOWING KILOMETERS AND HECTOMETERS
Vikky Kumhar, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, SSTC-SSGI, Bhilai
 We have seen that the plain scales give only two dimensions, such
as a unit and it’s subunit or it’s fraction.

The diagonal scales give us three successive dimensions DIAGONAL

that is a unit, a subunit and a subdivision of a subunit. SCALE

The principle of construction of a diagonal scale is as follows.

Let the XY in figure be a subunit. X
Y
From Y draw a perpendicular YZ to a suitable height. 10’ 10
Join XZ. Divide YZ in to 10 equal parts. 9’ 9
Draw parallel lines to XY from all these divisions 8
8’
and number them as shown.
7
From geometry we know that similar triangles have 7’
their like sides proportional. 6’ 6

5’ 5
Consider two similar triangles XYZ and 7’ 7Z, 4
4’
we have 7Z / YZ = 7’7 / XY (each part being one unit)
3
Means 7’ 7 = 7 / 10. x X Y = 0.7 XY 3’
:. 2
2’
Similarly 1
1’
1’ – 1 = 0.1 XY
2’ – 2 = 0.2 XY Z
Thus, it is very clear that, the sides of small triangles,
which are parallel to divided lines, become progressively
shorter in length by 0.1 XY.

The solved examples ON NEXT PAGES will

make theVikkyprinciples of diagonal scales clear.
Kumhar, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, SSTC-SSGI, Bhilai
 PROBLEM NO. 4 : The distance between Durg and Nagpur is 200 km.
In a railway map it is represented by a line 5 cm long. Find it’s R.F.
Draw a diagonal scale to show single km. And maximum 600 km.
DIAGONAL
Indicate on it following distances. 1) 222 km 2) 336 km 3) 459 km 4) 569 km SCALE
SOLUTION STEPS: RF = 5 cm / 200 km = 1 / 40, 00, 000
Length of scale = 1 / 40, 00, 000 X 600 X 105 = 15 cm
Draw a line 15 cm long. It will represent 600 km.Divide it in six equal parts.( each will represent 100 km.)
Divide first division in ten equal parts. Each will represent 10 km.Draw a line upward from left end and
mark 10 parts on it of any distance. Name those parts 0 to 10 as shown.Join 9 th sub-division of horizontal scale
with 10th division of the vertical divisions. Then draw parallel lines to this line from remaining sub divisions and
complete diagonal scale.
569 km
459 km
336 km
222 km
10
9
8
7
6
KM

5
4
3
2
1
0
KM
100 50
0 100 200 300 400 500 KM
R.F. = 1 / 40,00,000

DIAGONAL SCALE SHOWING KILOMETERS.

Vikky Kumhar, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, SSTC-SSGI, Bhilai
 PROBLEM NO.5: A rectangular plot of land measuring 1.28 hectors is represented on a map by a similar rectangle
of 8 sq. cm. Calculate RF of the scale. Draw a diagonal scale to read single meter. Show a distance of 438 m on it.

SOLUTION : DIAGONAL
1 hector = 10, 000 sq. meters SCALE
1.28 hectors = 1.28 X 10, 000 sq. meters
Draw a line 15 cm long.
= 12800 sq. m
8 sq. cm area on map represents It will represent 600 m. Divide it in six equal parts.
( each will represent 100 m.)
1  cm 1   cm
So, RF=
  8  sq .  cm = 40
 
  m
=  
40 ×10 ×10  c
Divide first division in ten equal parts. Each will
m
12800   sq.  m represent 10 m.
Draw a line upward from left end and
  RF= mark 10 parts on it of any distance.
Name those parts 0 to 10 as shown. Join 9th sub-division
LOS=
  of horizontal scale with 10th division of the vertical divisions.
Then draw parallel lines to this line from remaining sub divisions
Assuming scale max. 600m because not given in question.
and complete diagonal scale.
438 meters

10
9
8
7
6
5
M

4
3
2
1
0
M 100 50
0 100 200 300 400 500 M
R.F. = 1 / 4000

DIAGONAL SCALE SHOWING METERS.

PROBLEM NO.6:. Draw a diagonal scale of R.F. 1: 2.5, showing centimeters
and millimeters and long enough to measure up to 20 centimeters.

SOLUTION STEPS:
R.F. = 1 / 2.5 DIAGONAL
Length of scale = 1 / 2.5 X 20 cm. SCALE
= 8 cm.
1.Draw a line 8 cm long and divide it in to 4 equal parts.
(Each part will represent a length of 5 cm.)
2.Divide the first part into 5 equal divisions.
(Each will show 1 cm.)
3.At the left hand end of the line, draw a vertical line and
on it step-off 10 equal divisions of any length.
4.Complete the scale as explained in previous problems.
Show the distance 13.4 cm on it.

13 .4 CM

10
9
8
7
6
MM

5
4
3
2
1
0
CM 5 4 3 2 1 0 5 10 15 CENTIMETRES

R.F. = 1 / 2.5
DIAGONAL SCALE SHOWING CENTIMETERS.
Vikky Kumhar, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, SSTC-SSGI, Bhilai