2D CAD Drafting Services

When 2D is the right answer

Not every job needs a 3D model. A flat part, a floor or site layout, an electrical schematic, a gasket, a sign panel or a wiring diagram is fully described in two dimensions, and 2D is quicker and cheaper to produce and change. 2D drafting is also the right choice when the person receiving the file works in AutoCAD, a CAM package or on the shop floor with a printed sheet.

Where a part has real depth, multiple machined faces or has to fit inside an assembly, a 3D model is usually better, and we produce the 2D drawings from it. If you are not sure which you need, describe the job and we will say which is the more economical route.

Typical 2D drafting jobs

• Redrawing sketches: a dimensioned hand sketch turned into a clean, scaled drawing.
• Workshop and factory layouts: machine footprints, walkways, racking and service positions, so you can plan a move before lifting anything.
• General arrangement (GA) drawings: how the parts of a frame, guard or enclosure fit together, with a parts list.
• Cutting files: profiles for laser, plasma, waterjet and CNC router work, including signage letters and panels.
• Schematics and diagrams: electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic circuits, and simple process flow diagrams.
• Planning-style drawings: elevations and site layouts for sheds, outbuildings and signage, for you or your agent to submit.

For architectural floor plans, see our floor plans page. For fabricated steelwork, see sheet metal and fabrication drawings.

What makes a DXF 'clean' for cutting

Cutting machines follow lines literally, so a drawing that looks fine on screen can still fail. A clean cutting DXF has:

• Geometry at 1:1 scale in millimetres, never scaled to fit a sheet.
• Closed profiles (joined polylines) with no gaps, so the machine knows inside from outside.
• No duplicate or overlapping lines, which would be cut twice and scorch the edge.
• Text converted to outlines if it is to be cut or engraved, and removed if it is only a note.
• Dimensions, title blocks and borders on separate layers or left out entirely.
• Cut and engrave lines on separate layers or colours, as your cutter specifies.

We leave kerf compensation to the cutting company, because it depends on their machine and material, unless they ask for it to be built in.

Drawing conventions we follow

Our 2D drawings use the line conventions in the ISO 128 series, which BS 8888 refers to: continuous thick lines for visible edges, dashed lines for hidden detail, chain lines for centre lines and section planes. Hatching follows the section, dimension text is a readable height when printed, and every sheet carries a scale, units, projection symbol and revision. These small things are what let a machinist in another company read the drawing without phoning you.

We draw everything full size in model space and set up scaled sheets for printing, so the geometry stays accurate even when you print at A3 instead of A1.

What to send us for a 2D drawing

The more we know up front, the fewer questions and the lower the cost. Useful inputs are: a sketch or marked-up photo with overall sizes and key dimensions; the material and thickness for anything that will be cut; what the part fixes to or sits next to; the sheet size you print on (A4, A3 or larger); and the format and version your machine, supplier or software needs. If there is an existing drawing, even an old or partial one, send it, because it often answers questions you would not think to mention. If you already have a company drawing standard or title block, include that too and we will follow it.

Price

2D CAD drafting is £45 an hour + VAT. A simple single-sheet part drawing or cutting file is often an hour or two of work; a full factory layout or a multi-sheet GA set takes longer. Send us what you have and we will give you a fixed price where the scope is clear. See all our prices or ask for a quote.

What you get

• DWG files with named layers, blocks and dimension styles
• Clean DXF files for laser, plasma, waterjet or router cutting
• Print-ready PDFs at the stated scale and sheet size (A4 to A0)
• Your title block, or a new one set up for you as a template
• A revision table so changes are traceable

How it works and what it costs

Logos from £150, brochures from £295, photography from £295 a half day and CAD at £45 an hour, all + VAT. You get a fixed price before we start.

1. Tell us the brief

   What it is for, who will see it, where it will be used and any examples you like. Rough is fine.

2. Fixed price

   We confirm the price and what you get, in writing, before any work starts.

3. First designs

   We design, shoot or model it and share the first version for your comments.

4. Refine

   We make the changes, check every detail, and prepare the files properly for print, web or manufacture.

5. Final files

   You get the finished files in the formats you need, ready for your printer, website, social channels or manufacturer.

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