Presents

Sample chapters from the title

Best Practice in Process, Electrical &

Instrumentation Drawings and
Documentation

Website: www.idc-online.com
E-mail: idc@idc-online.com

1
Overview

1.1

Introduction
The objective of this course is to familiarize the participants with the various standards
that apply to the production of plant drawings, diagrams and documentation. The topics
contained in the course are of interest and relevance to all users of documentation
whether they are designers of electrical installations, erection engineers or personnel
responsible for operation and maintenance of the installations
Although many organizations have developed, over time, a range of in-house standards
they all have a level of traceability to a set of international standards in order to facilitate
clear communication of the requirements and operation of a particular plant design.
In this manual we will make direct reference to a range of commonly used standards
which are either recognized internationally or are national standards with traceability to
an international standard.

1.2

An overview of the contents of the manual

This manual commences with a broad overview of the role of a range of standards and
their associated organizations and using these standards builds progressively a complete
project documentation dossier of drawings, diagrams, lists, schedules etc. covering the
Process, Instrumentation, Electrical and Electro-Pneumatic / Hydraulic needs of a plant.
The manual concludes with a short section covering vendor interaction as all projects
require, to a greater or lesser degree a level of documentation from equipment vendors.
It should be recognized that this dossier is by no means complete in the sense that specific
projects will often require additional special documents but often these can be adapted
from one of the templates contained in this manual.

2 Best Practice in Process, Electrical & Instrumentation Drawings & Documents

1.3

What are standards and why are they necessary?

Standards are documented agreements containing technical specifications or other precise
criteria to be used consistently as rules, guidelines, or definitions of characteristics, to
ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose.
For example, the format of the credit cards, phone cards, and "smart" cards that have
become commonplace is derived from an ISO International Standard. Adhering to the
standard, which defines such features as an optimal thickness (0.76 mm), means that the
cards can be used worldwide.
International Standards thus contribute to making life simpler, and to increasing the
reliability and effectiveness of the goods and services, we use.
Standards for documentation, equipment, appliances, and devices of an installation are
necessary for the following reasons.
To ensure a uniform and consistent approach to the production of
documentation ensuring that the documentation is universally
understandable and usable
Conformity of documentation throughout the plant reduces the frustration by
technical staff of having to try and understand the designers approach.
To ensure that all vendors know what is required from them to ensure that
their documentation is in line with the clients.

1.3.1

So who sets the standards?

ISO International Standards Organization
What is ISO?

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a worldwide federation of

national standards bodies from more than 140 countries, one from each country.
ISO is a non-governmental organization established in 1947. The mission of ISO is to
promote the development of standardization and related activities in the world with a
view to facilitating the international exchange of goods and services, and to developing
cooperation in the spheres of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity.
ISO's work results in international agreements, which are published as International
Standards.
Many people will have noticed a seeming lack of correspondence between the official
title when used in full, International Organization for Standardization, and the short form,
ISO. Shouldn't the acronym be "IOS"? Yes, if it were an acronym which it is not.
In fact, "ISO" is a word, derived from the Greek isos, meaning "equal", which is the root
of the prefix "iso-" that occurs in a host of terms, such as "isometric" (of equal measure or
dimensions) and "isonomy" (equality of laws, or of people before the law).

Overview 3

From "equal" to "standard", the line of thinking that led to the choice of "ISO" as the
name of the organization is easy to follow. In addition, the name ISO is used around the
world to denote the organization, thus avoiding the plethora of acronyms resulting from
the translation of "International Organization for Standardization" into the different
national languages of members, e.g. IOS in English, OIN in French (from Organization
internationale de Normalization). Whatever the country, the short form of the
Organization's name is always ISO.
How it all started

International standardization began in the electrotechnical field: the International

Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) was created in 1906. Pioneering work in other fields
was carried out by the International Federation of the National Standardizing
Associations (ISA), which was set up in 1926. The emphasis within ISA was laid heavily
on mechanical engineering.
ISA's activities ceased in 1942, because of the Second World War. Following a meeting
in London in 1946, delegates from 25 countries decided to create a new international
organization "the object of which would be to facilitate the international coordination and
unification of industrial standards". The new organization, ISO, began to function
officially on 23 February 1947.
The first ISO standard was published in 1951 with the title, "Standard reference
temperature for industrial length measurement".
SI System International
The creation of the decimal Metric System at the time of the French Revolution and the
subsequent deposition of two standards representing the meter and the kilogram, on
22 June 1799, in the Archives de la Rpublique in Paris can be seen as the first step in the
development of the present International System of Units.
IEC International Electrotechnical Commission
Mission

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization

that prepares and publishes international standards for all electrical, electronic and related
technologies. These serve as a basis for national standardization and as references when
drafting international tenders and contracts.
Through its member, the IEC promotes international cooperation on all questions of
electrotechnical standardization and related matters, such as the assessment of conformity
to standards, in the fields of electricity, electronics and related technologies.
The IEC charter embraces all electrotechnologies including electronics, magnetics and
electromagnetics, electroacoustics, multimedia, telecommunication, and energy
production and distribution, as well as associated general disciplines such as terminology
and symbols, electromagnetic compatibility, measurement and performance,
dependability, design and development, safety and the environment.

4 Best Practice in Process, Electrical & Instrumentation Drawings & Documents

Objectives
The Commission's objectives are to:
Meet the requirements of the global market efficiently
Ensure primacy and maximum world-wide use of its standards and
conformity assessment schemes
Assess and improve the quality of products and services covered by its
standards
Establish the conditions for the interoperability of complex systems
Increase the efficiency of industrial processes
Contribute to the improvement of human health and safety
Contribute to the protection of the environment.

Standards

IEC's international standards facilitate world trade by removing technical barriers to

trade, leading to new markets and economic growth. Put simply, a component or system
manufactured to IEC standards and manufactured in country A can be sold and used in
countries B through to Z.
IEC's standards are vital since they also represent the core of the World Trade
Organization's Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), whose 100-plus central
government members explicitly recognize that international standards play a critical role
in improving industrial efficiency and developing world trade. The number of
standardization bodies which have accepted the Code of Good Practice for the
Preparation, Adoption and Application of Standards presented in Annex 3 to the WTO's
TBT Agreement underlines the global importance and reach of this accord.
IEC standards provide industry and users with the framework for economies of design,
greater product and service quality, more inter-operability, and better production and
delivery efficiency.
At the same time, IEC's standards also encourage an improved quality of life by
contributing to safety, human health and the protection of the environment.
Conformity assessment
The IEC's multilateral conformity assessment schemes, based on its international
standards, are truly global in concept and practice, reducing trade barriers caused by
different certification criteria in various countries and helping industry to open up new
markets. Removing the significant delays and costs of multiple testing and approval
allows industry to be faster and cheaper to market with its products.
As technology becomes more complex, users and consumers are becoming more aware of
their dependence on products whose design and construction they may not understand. In
this situation, reassurance is needed that the product is reliable and will meet expectations
in terms of performance, safety, durability and other criteria.

Overview 5

How can the industrial user and the final consumer be sure that the product they buy
conforms to the criteria of an IEC standard? The IEC's conformity assessment and
product certification schemes exist to provide just this reassurance, and the regulatory
nature of some products now also sees recognition of the CA schemes amongst some
government regulators.
On 15 September 1904, delegates to the International Electrical Congress, being held in
St. Louis, USA, adopted a report that included the following words:
"steps should be taken to secure the co-operation of the technical societies of the world,
by the appointment of a representative Commission to consider the question of the
standardization of the nomenclature and ratings of electrical apparatus and machinery."
As a result, the IEC was officially founded in June 1906, in London, England, where its
Central Office was set up.
By 1914, the IEC had formed four technical committees to deal with Nomenclature,
Symbols, Rating of Electrical Machinery, and Prime Movers. The Commission had also
issued a first list of terms and definitions covering electrical machinery and apparatus, a
list of international letter symbols for quantities and signs for names of units, an
international standard for resistance for copper, a list of definitions in connection with
hydraulic turbines, and a number of definitions and recommendations relating to rotating
machines and transformers.
The First World War interrupted IEC work, which resumed in 1919 and by 1923 the
number of technical committees had increased to 10. IEC Council decided to create the
Committee of Action "to assist in giving effect to the decisions of the Council, to second
the efforts of the Central Office and to co-ordinate the work of the National Committees
and of the Advisory Committees."
In 1930, the IEC established the following electrical units:

Hertz, for the unit of frequency

Oersted for the unit of magnetic field strength
Gauss for the unit of magnetic flux density
Maxwell of the unit of magnetic flux
Gilbert for the unit of magnetomotive force
Var for designating the unit of reactive power
Weber for the practical unit of magnetic flux

It was decided to extend the existing series of practical units into a comprehensive system
of physical units, which became the "Giorgi system", named after Giovanni Giorgi (18711950) - an Italian scientist and engineer. This system has been elaborated further and is
now commonly known as the "Systme international", or SI for short.
Between the First and the Second World Wars, a number of new international
organizations came into being and the IEC recognized the need for co-operation to avoid
overlapping efforts. In some cases, joint technical committees were formed, such as the
International Special Committee on Radio Interference (CISPR).

6 Best Practice in Process, Electrical & Instrumentation Drawings & Documents

In 1938 the IEC produced the first edition of the International Eletrotechnical Vocabulary
(IEV). The unification of electrotechnical terminology was one of the principal tasks
allocated to the IEC by the St. Louis congress. In the early days, the Nomenclature
Committee was engaged in pioneer work, as no comparable international technical
vocabulary had yet been published and few national electrotechnical vocabularies existed.
With its 2000 terms in French, English German, Italian, Spanish and Esperanto, and its
definitions in French and English, the IEV could rightly be considered as an outstanding
achievement. It aroused wide interest among international technical organizations outside
the electrotechnical field.
In September 1939, the IEC's activity came to a standstill because of the Second World
War and did not resume for another six years.
In 1948, the IEC Central Office moved from London to Geneva, Switzerland.
Subsequently, the IEC expanded its efforts in the light current field, which had
constituted only a small part of the activity of the Commission before 1939. Standards
covering measurements, safety requirements and the testing and specification of
components for radio receivers and televisions began to appear. At the same time, work
on electroacoustics started, while CISPR developed standards on permissible limits for
various frequency ranges used for radio broadcasting and measurement methods for
interference.
From 1948 to 1980, the number of technical committees grew from 34 to 80 and began to
include such new technologies as capacitors and resistors, semiconductor devices,
electrical equipment in medical practice and maritime navigation and radio
communication systems and equipment.
ISA Instrument Society of America
History of ISA the instrumentation, systems, and automation society

Industrial instruments, which became widely used during World War II, continued to play
an ever-greater role in the expansion of technology after the war. Individuals like
Rimbach and others involved in industry saw a need for the sharing of information about
instruments on a national basis, as well as for standards and uniformity. The Instrument
Society of America addressed that need with more than 39,000 members from more than
110 countries.
Recognizing ISAs international reach and the fact that its technical scope had grown
beyond instruments, in the fall of 2000, the ISA Council of Society Delegates approved a
legal name change to ISAThe Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society.
The founders mission
The object of the Society shall be to advance the arts and sciences connected with the
theory, design, manufacture, and use of instruments in the various sciences and
technologies.

Overview 7

Todays mission
The mission of ISA as the global society for instrumentation, systems, and automation is
to:
Maximize the effectiveness of ISA members and other practitioners
organizations worldwide to advance and apply the science, technology,
allied arts of instrumentation, systems, and automation in all industries
applications
Identify and promote emerging technologies and applications
Develop and deliver a wide variety of high-value information products
services to the global community

and
and
and
and

ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers

As with many other standards, the dominance of a particular institution or society, and the
broad international acceptance of its publications often lead to a de facto recognition of
certain publications as an international standard. As with ISA above ASME produces a
wide range of standards relevant to best drawing practices and these publications (ASAs)
are referenced later in this manual.

1.4

Drawing office operating standards

1.4.1

Drawing office operating manual

Introduction
In any given plant therefore the drawing office must establish what standards it is going
to employ and what processes it will utilize to control the quality, workflow and
ultimately the archiving of its output. As many drawing offices may use contract staff to
undertake significant projects it is important that a clear and uniform set of rules be
documented to cover all activities. The Drawing Office operating manual satisfies this
need and a typical manual should address the following elements.

1.4.2

Drawing office organizational structure

Structure
The drawing office is a subset of the design office and as such the overall authority
resides with the Resident Engineer or the Project Manager. His requirements and
decisions are passed to the drawing office staff via the Chief Draughtsman and/or
discipline specific Engineers.

1.4.3

Office discipline
Administration personnel involved
Time keeping and office discipline is the responsibility of the Chief Draughtsman.
Time keeping
Time books showing a log of all hours need to be maintained by the Chief Draughtsman.
All staff shall submit a weekly timesheet to the Chief Draughtsman for approval before it
is passed to accounts for payment and/or client billing purposes.

8 Best Practice in Process, Electrical & Instrumentation Drawings & Documents

Workmanship
Quality and quantity of the work produced by the drawing office shall be monitored by
the Chief Draughtsman.
Problem resolution
Should any contentious points arise concerning either discipline or personal problems
which cannot be solved between the relevant personnel they may be brought to the
attention of the Chief Draughtsman and ultimately the Resident Engineer.

1.4.4

Methods of work initiation, control and reporting

Work request
No work should commence without a work request carrying the requisite information and
signatures.
The following information should be completed before commencement of work:

Name of person requesting work - print in block capitals

Name and signature of engineer authorizing work
Respective cost code
Date completed work required by (ASAP is not acceptable)
Title of plant or work area
Comprehensive work description or title
Indicate on the work request information supplied, drawings required
Comments i.e. similar to equipment number 6001, contact name and
extension number, refer to supplier for information, etc
Date received by drawing office
Chief Draughtsman signature
Draughtsmans name to whom work is allocated

Should the work request refer to an existing structure, i.e. in the case of an extension or
require a new structure based on a previous job, it is imperative that site investigations be
carried out before work is commenced as modifications may have been made on site.
On completion of the job the original work request should be filed with the project
documentation package and kept as a permanent record.
Program progress reports
The Chief Draughtsman is responsible for scheduling and allocating work in an endeavor
to meet the Project time schedule consistent with available manpower.

1.4.5

Draughting procedures
General introduction
The function of the Design Office is to provide and communicate information to the end
user in drawing form. Clear, easy to read and understandable drawings that transmit the
necessary information are therefore the prime objectives.

Overview 9

The intent of the following section is to provide uniform information and typical details
that serve as a guide and help in our work.
When making a Drawing
Always keep in mind: Who will use the drawing and for what? What
information does he need?
Always practice functional draughting
Standards and specifications
Functional draughting is not a set of hard and fast rules. They are principles that are to be
followed in making drawings. Particulars and their application in specific cases will be
left to the draughtsmans judgment and good sense backed by their experience and
knowledge of a given projects requirements.
Plan your drawing
A drawing must be simple yet clear and sufficient. A drawing should not just grow, it
must be planned. Think through the drawing before you lay it out. Have a clear idea what
has to be communicated and then decide on the best way to communicate the idea. A
good clear drawing should be produced from left to right and from top to bottom and not
be just a random distribution of details and views fitted in wherever there happens to be
space for them.
Avoid artistry
A drawing is not a picture; it is a diagrammatic representation of the object. Any
unnecessary line is a waste of time: Eliminate unnecessary elaboration that adds nothing
to the message. Shading, etc. falls into this category with few exceptions.
Repetition of typical details
Once a typical detail has been identified -stop. If ten off are required -draw the one detail
only and indicate by a note or instruction that there are ten off required. If this typical
detail is required on other drawings for the project then all that is needed is a reference to
the original key drawing with the typical detail - do not redraw the detail.
It is important to establish the existence of an obvious pattern. Once sufficient draughting
is done to establish this pattern clearly, stop delineating and give a note or instruction.
Eliminate unnecessary views
Always question the necessity of a projected view. A description, a note or a reference
may be all that is required. Guard against re-drawing an entire item in another projection
just for the sake of showing a minor divergent detail, or a secondary view which does not
show anything but a diameter or a thickness.
Drawing sheets
Pretty much all of us live in a metric world. All drawings should be scaled to standard
metric size sheets (in CAD software) or prepared on standard metric plastic drawing
sheets.

10 Best Practice in Process, Electrical & Instrumentation Drawings & Documents

All sheets should use pre-configured templates with title blocks, borders, etc. (for CAD
software) or pre-printed equivalents when using plastic drawing sheets.
Scales
Where possible a constant set of scales shall be used on one set of drawings. This can
help considerably in checking out obstructions between disciplines by a simple overlay.
In addition, the eye becomes accustomed to viewing the drawing in perspective.
Avoid using odd scales, e.g. 1:25, 1:30, 1:175, etc. as in future someone else may work
on these drawings. Try to use only common scales e.g. 1:200, 1:100 1:50, 1:20, 1:10,
1:5.
Drawing implements
For hard drawings, plastic leads or ink may be used. For CAD based drawings layering
should be used with all detail in black.
Lettering
Lettering sizes and styles for different sheets sizes should be defined.
Titles of drawings
In general the drawing title will be presented in a three-sequence format after the initial
box-designating client name:
Facility of Plant Area
General Description of Work
Details or Specifics (as required), e.g.

1.4.6

General information on drawings

Cross-reference and information traceability
It is of utmost importance that the information shown on a drawing be cross-referenced
such that the source is fully traceable and other project drawings that are directly affected
by this information are identified. It is therefore critical that each drawing used as a
source of information in the preparation of your current drawing be noted as a reference
drawing in the current drawing reference block provided.
Key plans
There are three main cases where the use of a key plan is necessary:
Where a layout drawing is part of a larger area consisting of a number of
drawings then a key plan is required to show this area covered in each
drawing
Shaded area represents are covered on that drawing
Where a plan has been produced on one drawing and some or all of the
sections on other drawings
Section Lines or Arrows are to be used i.e. A-A and 8-8 show where
section has been taken through on other drawing
Location purposes also require a key plan

Overview 11

First angle / Third angle projections

Projection is a means to represent a three dimensional attribute of an object on one or
more planes. A company standard convention should be defined such that all projection
drawings are either 1st Angle (European) or 3rd Angle (American). The projection type
must always be shown on the drawing.
Information systems
The location and utilizing of existing information is critical in the production of drawings.
Do not re-invent the wheel.
Catalogued reference system
A comprehensive catalogued reference system should be maintained in the Drawing
Office Filing Section. This system references and correlates all drawings to projects,
types of plant, structures, buildings and related manufacturers items. This system should
be available to all personnel.
The reference system may consist of:
Catalogued index
Microfile System
Manufacturers information
Manufacturers provide a vast source of catalogued information which is readily available
on request. A good library is an invaluable resource in ensuring that the draughtsmen
utilize readily available materials rather than custom manufactured items in so far as
possible. Maintaining this library and keeping it up to date with a formalized system of
review is an inherent part of the overall operation of a drawing office.
Alternative source of information
If having exhausted the Drawing Registers, catalogues, etc, the draughtsman still lacks
information ASK. There is often available (to all draughtsmen) a senior person with
specialized knowledge and many years experience and this should be utilized to the full.
Information - responsibility and accuracy
The Engineer is responsible for the aesthetic, schematic and detailed design of any plant,
equipment or structure. He will be involved in the conceptual layout of any given scheme
to ensure suitability for duty, safety of operation and code compliance. He must also sign
the Approval Drawing.
The Chief Draughtsman and Draughtsman are responsible for the accurate representation
of all information on the drawings.
Drawing distribution procedures
A formalized system of drawing approvals must be implemented in any drawing office to
define the stage / status of a drawing the following gives some suggestions as to how
this process can be accommodated.

12 Best Practice in Process, Electrical & Instrumentation Drawings & Documents

1.4.7

Issued for approval

Approval drawings are required mainly for layouts but may be used for any drawing
where specific items are required to be drawn to the Engineers attention. An approval
drawing need not be complete or fully dimensioned, but must clearly define the concept.
The approval drawing is a scheme, which requires approval from the Engineer. These
drawings are not to be issued for Tender, Construction or to any Consultant or Contractor
to use as final drawings.
After approval of a drawing with all appropriate signatures the drawings need not be reissued for final approval unless specifically requested on the approval form.
To summarize
Approval drawings are for internal use only, i.e. between Client/Design
Department
No construction may be carried out using an approval drawing
Where approval of any drawing is required, it must be issued to the
responsible Engineer or Manager
If a second or third approval is required, the drawing must state this.
Drawing numbers refer to a single drawing or document. Two or more
drawings cannot have the same number
A duplicate drawing can be issued and stamped accordingly
Where approval has been sought, the final drawing must indicate this.
An approval drawing which has been approved need not be re-submitted

1.4.8

Issued for final approval

On completion of final drawings and prior to issue, a print shall be made and this shall be
handed over to the Project Engineer for his signature and to record that final drawings
have been issued to his approval, all previous comments having been acted on to his
satisfaction. This shall not be used for further modifications.

1.4.9

Issued for information only

There are a number of situations where a drawing may be issued for information only, i.e.
these drawings may be worked to for manufacture or construction.
Drawings may be issued to a Civil Contractor for planning his construction
program
Drawings may be issued to a supplier to assist in determining type of
merchandise best suited to our requirements
Drawings may be issued to a Quantity Surveyor for preparation of Bill of
Quantities
Drawings may be issued inter-departmental to expedite work. In each of the
above cases the Drawings must be clearly stamped: for information only not
to be worked to

Overview 13

1.4.10

Issued for tender

Drawings shall be as complete as possible before issuing for tender
purposes. The more: information given at this stage the more accurate the
quote and the less likely future claim for extras
Where possible send out detail drawings at tender stage
Whenever possible have drawings checked before going out on tender
Tender closing date must be realistic.
An extension to the tender closing date may be given at the discretion of the
Resident Engineer on request by one or more of the Tenderers. However,
should this occur tenderers must be notified of the new date.
Manufacture/Fabrication time allowed on Tender should tie in with program
requirements but again be realistic towards the Supplier.
Tender documents shall carry a reference to all drawings, specifications etc.,
which form part of the Tender.

1.4.11

Issued for manufacture or construction

Any variations between drawings at tender stage and construction issue shall
be highlighted by way of a revision on the drawing.
In conjunction with issuing the drawing for construction to the fabricator
issues shall also be made to client, i.e. Plant etc., and to a Quantity Surveyor
should he be involved.

1.4.12

As built
Represents the final revision to all drawings reflecting actual changes made
during the construction and commissioning of the plant.
Will form part of the Plant Operating and Maintenance documentation and
must be archived on completion of the project.
Checking procedures
Checking procedures fall directly under the control of the Chief Draughtsman.
The Checking activity is the last line of defense in the system to ensure that a drawing
represents as closely as possible the functional requirements of the job. As such, the
checker needs to critically analyze and question any proposal put forward.
The Checker has the right and may challenge, without prejudice, any idea, concept or
formulation that has been committed to paper.
The Checker shall not subscribe to any suggestion until the Checker is totally convinced
of its usefulness and fitness for purpose.
No drawing shall be issued for manufacture unless it is authorized by a Checker.

1.4.13

Analysis
The checking procedure entails a methodical step-by-step study of all phases of the
design of a given item in relation to the function it performs. The philosophy underlying
this approach is not concerned with appraisal of any given part per se. Rather the

14 Best Practice in Process, Electrical & Instrumentation Drawings & Documents

appraisal focuses on the function, which the part, or the larger assembly containing the
part, performs. This approach is designed to lead the analyst away from a traditional
perspective which views a part as having certain accepted characteristics and
configurations. Indeed, it encourages the analyst to adopt a broader point of view and to
consider whether the part will perform the required function as efficiently and as
inexpensively as possible.

1.4.14

The checklist
It is useful to develop a checklist to systemize the checking activity. The following is a
general checklist, which should be supplemented by more specific items from the
checkers.
Determine the function of the item then establish:
Can the item be eliminated?
If the item is not standard can a standard item be used?
If it is a standard item, does it completely satisfy the application or is it a
misfit?
Does the item have greater capacity than required?
Can the mass be reduced?
Is there an off-the-shelf item that could be substituted?
Are closer tolerances specified than are necessary? (h) Is unnecessary fine
finishes specified?
Are unnecessarily fine finishes specified? (j) Is Commercial quality
specified?
Can the item be easily and cheaply transported? (I) Can cost of packaging be
reduced?
Are suppliers being asked for suggestions to reduce cost?
A very important question is What does it cost to perform the function done
by this part? or Is the importance of the function to be performed
commensurate with the cost of performing it?

1.4.15

Dimensional accuracy
This is of crucial importance. Dimensions must be checked on a local and overall basis.
Particular attention must be given to mating parts, e.g. base plates, foundations, etc.
The orientation of each element must be checked in relation to the total unit. In this
respect, an orientation diagram must be included on the drawing showing the relevant
position of the item in question.

1.4.16

Checking procedures
All drawings produced need to be checked before issue for tender
Except under special circumstances, drawings should be checked in a
different department than the section producing them.

Overview 15

A suggested color code for checking

Red Incorrect
Yellow Correct
Green To be used by draughtsman when correcting errors. Green through
red indicating alteration has been done
Should there be revisions to a drawing once it has been signed off as
checked then it should be returned for a further check
Where there is a point of contention between Checker and the originating
Draughtsman, the Chief Draughtsman should be consulted

1.4.17

Printing and filing

Printing and filing activities need to be defined in a drawing office to ensure the highest
level of efficiency together with the best utilization of available printing equipment.
Printing of all drawings
Printing requirements normally fall into three categories:
Printing for developing of working drawings
Printing for issuing internally
Printing for issuing externally
All Prints should be officially requested. This may take the form of an Issue
Slip, or a Print Request Slip.
Where a job is deemed to be urgent then the Chief Draughtsman must
prioritize.
All other printing shall be done on a First come First served basis
Registering of drawings
All drawings must be registered in the Master Drawing Register.
Vendors drawings on arrival in Drawing Office shall be registered with all
the relevant information, i.e. request for Drawing Office Number to be given
to drawing, registering in Drawing Register, filing and returning of copies to
interested parties
Filing of all drawings
All completed drawings shall be filed in the appropriate place in the Filing
Section this may be a dedicated location on a server hard disk or a physical
location for hard copies.
A Draughtsman should only have in his possession the drawing relevant to
the job he is currently working on. All other drawings in his possession
should be in the form of prints or microfilm prints and marked accordingly
as copies.
Records of all expenses on office supplies
It is the responsibility of the Chief Draughtsman to keep accurate records of all stationery
ordered.

16 Best Practice in Process, Electrical & Instrumentation Drawings & Documents

Issuing and dispatching of drawings

All drawings issued through the Drawing Office / Printing Section must be formally
requested. This may be done by way of an official issue slip or drawings being for tender
or construction. All drawings issued should be accompanied by a document transmittal
form which should be signed and returned and filed by the originator for record purposes.
Binding of documents
Where required the parties responsible for printing the documents may be called upon to
make up a package of documents required for tender purposes. Again, explicit
instructions shall be given as to the number required and the content therein.

1.5

General drawing standards

1.5.1

Introduction
Although we acknowledge that a large number of mature organizations have adapted a
range of standards to suit their particular needs it is appropriate in this manual to provide
recommendations with direct traceability to an international set of rules. The following
recommendations are therefore taken from AS 1100.101-1992 Technical Drawing
General Principles the Australian Standard for Technical Drawing.
This standard is in agreement with the following International Standards.
ISO 128
ISO 129
ISO 406
ISO 1101
ISO 1660
ISO 3040
ISO 3098/1
ISO 5455
ISO 5459
ISO 6410

1.5.2

Technical Drawings General Principles of Presentation

Technical Drawings Dimensioning
Technical Drawings Tolerancing of linear and angular dimensions
Technical Drawings Geometrical Tolerancing
Technical Drawings Profile Dimensioning
Technical Drawings Cone Dimensioning
Technical Drawings Lettering
Technical Drawings Scales
Technical Drawings Datum Systems for Geometric Tolerancing
Technical Drawings - Representation of Threaded Parts

Size of drawing sheets

Preferred sizes
The preferred size of drawing sheets is taken from the ISO-A series which is listed in the
table below.
Designation

Trimmed size
(mm)

Width of border
(mm)

A0
A1
A2
A3
A4

841 1189
594 841
420 594
297 420
210 297

20
20
15
15
15

Overview 17

Non-preferred sizes and roll drawings

Under certain circumstances the use of other drawing sheet sizes may be necessary and
the ISO-B series sheets may be used. Roll drawings when required should have standard
widths of either 860mm or 610mm.

1.5.3

Thickness of format lines

Recommended line thicknesses in mm for format lines are per the table below.

1.5.4

Feature

A0 Sheet

A1 Sheet

A2, 3, 4 Sheet

Border Lines
Title Block Lines
Grid Lines
Fold Lines
Other Format Lines

1.4 mm
1.0 mm
0.7 mm
0.25 mm
0.35 mm

1.0 mm
0.7 mm
0.5 mm
0.25 mm
0.25 mm

0.7 mm
0.5 mm
0.35 mm
0.25 mm
0.18 mm

Thickness of drawing lines

The thickness of drawing lines is covered in detail in the standards and is based on line
group types which may be 1.0, 0.7 & 0.5 mm (line group 1.0 mm typically used on A0
sheet sizes) through to 0.35, 0.25 & 0.18 mm (line group 0.35 mm which may be more
appropriate for A4 sheets). The standard specifically states that the minimum line
thickness on a drawing after reproduction (including reduction) should not be less than
0.18 mm.

1.5.5

Text types and character heights

The following text types are provided for in the drawing standards.
Upright Gothic
Sloping Gothic
ISO 3098/1 Type B Upright
ISO 3098/1 Type B Sloping
Microfont
The height of the characters should be one of the following (in mm) with minimum
character line thickness not less than 10% of the height
2.5 mm
3.5 mm
5 mm
7 mm
10 mm
14 mm
20 mm
The height of the characters should not be less than 1.7 mm on a reduced drawing
reproduction.

18 Best Practice in Process, Electrical & Instrumentation Drawings & Documents

1.5.6

Ratio of text size to corresponding line thickness

The ration of line thickness to text size is generally 1:10 and one of the following sets of
standard text sizes and corresponding line thickness is often used. Note that although Set
2 does not strictly meet the Australian Drawing Standard it is often referenced in other
standards the attached tables reference to the South Africa standard (SABS 0111 1990).

1.5.7

Title block
Title block layouts are normally laid out as standard templates with unique logos
pertaining to the individual company. The standards cover a variety of designs with
dimensions for different sheet sizes but specific layout is not dictated. As a general rule
however the title block should be located in the bottom right hand corner of the drawing
sheet or when this restricts the drawing layout the top right hand corner may be used.
As a minimum however the Title block contains the following:

Name of firm, organization or department

Title or name of drawing
Drawing number
Signatures or initials and dates
Additional information such as scale, method of projection, native sheet size
etc.
Provision to show revision level and drawing status.
Other information of relevance may include:
A space may be added to the top or added to the left hand side of the
company title block, in which space the Contractors details and title block
may be added
A further space may be added in the same area for the Contractors drawing
number
The Contractor shall indicate the persons responsible for producing the
drawing, the title, scale, project name, date, revision etc. in the spaces
provided for in the company title block

1.5.8

Reference drawings
Where applicable, all reference drawings shall be noted in an appropriate
place, on all drawings
Smaller series drawings (A4 and A3) may bear reference drawing numbers
as a note, in an appropriate position, on the drawing

Overview 19

Where a drawing is of sufficient complexity and size that warrants being

split over several pages, continuation lines shall be conveyed by means of
either of the under mentioned symbols. Note that the direction of the arrow
shall indicate the direction of information flow.

1.5.9

Recommended sheet sizes versus drawing types

As stated previously many companies have established in-house standards regarding a
variety of drawing areas not covered by ISO standards. A typical recommendation of
drawing sheet size versus drawing type is as per below. Bear in mind the reduction of
drawing size when reproducing large drawings must not allow the line thicknesses or
character heights to fall below the values stated in the standards for legibility. Reductions
of more than 2 drawing sizes will in nearly all cases make portion of a drawing illegible.
Documentation type
Process Drawings
Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams
Process Flow Diagrams

Drawing size
A1
A1

Metering & Instrumentation

Instrument Schedules
Instrument Data Sheets
Instrument Hookup Diagrams
Loop Drawings
Panel Wiring Diagrams
Cable Schedules
Cable Block Diagrams
Cable Interconnection Diagrams

A4
A4
A4
A4
A1/A4
A1/A4
A1
A1

Software Documentation
Plant I/O Schedules
Flow Charts
Software Listings

A4
A4
A4

Electrical Documentation
Single Line Diagrams
Electrical Schematic & Wiring Diagrams
Cable Schedules
Cable Block Diagrams
Cable Interconnection Diagrams

A1/A4
A1
A1/A4
A1
A1

20 Best Practice in Process, Electrical & Instrumentation Drawings & Documents

2
Symbols and numbering

2.1

Overview
The use of a consistent set of symbols to identify major plant components, instruments
and electrical equipment is fundamental to the purpose of clearly communicating the
functionality of a particular plant diagram. Additionally each item needs to have some
form of unique identification in the physical plant and a numbering system likewise needs
to employ a standard methodology that is easily understood.
The purpose of this section of the manual is to give the reader an overview of some
typical standards which are recognized globally such that the adoption of these would
provide the foundation for generating drawings, diagrams, lists and schedules which can
be readily understood by parties outside the immediate company.
It should be highlighted at this stage that the examples contained in this manual are no
substitute for a drawing office having a full set of standards as the examples contained
herein represent only a portion of the detail covered in full in the referenced standards.

2.2

Reference to standards
The following standards have been used in compiling this topic and represent either
standards which are directly traceable to an ISO set or are considered de facto
international standards by virtue of their use globally and their acknowledged expertise in
a specific area.

Process drawings and diagrams

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

o ASA Y32.11 Graphical Symbols for Process Flow Diagrams
o ASA Z32.2.3 Graphical Symbols for Pipe Fittings, Valves &
Piping

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Best Practice in Process, Electrical and Instrumentation Drawings & Documentation

Instrumentation drawings and diagrams

Instrument Society of America (ISA) (now known as The Instrumentation Systems

and Automation Society)
o ISAS5.11984(R1992)
Instrumentation
Symbols
and
Identification
o ISA-S5.3-1983 Graphic Symbols for DCS/Shared Displays
o ISA-S5.4-1989 Instrument Loop Diagrams
o ISA-S5.5-1985 Graphic Symbols for Process Displays

Electrical drawings and diagrams

International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

o IEC Publication 27 Letter Symbols to be used in Electrical
Technology
o IEC Publication 50 International Electrotechnical Vocabulary
o IEC Publication 617 Graphical Symbols for Diagrams

2.3

Process drawings and diagrams

2.3.1

Plant equipment numbering

Plant area numbering
Plant area numbering is a useful tool in large plants with complex processes in that it
readily enables all personal to identify equipment with a particular section of plant. Plant
Area numbering schemes normally use either a 3 digit or 4 digit numeric system in the
form XXX where a plant areas may be 100, 200, 300 etc and identify discrete plant
sections (e.g. Furnace Area, Waste Heat Boiler Area, Converter Area etc). Plant Area
numbers are then used as the preliminary number in identifying all physical plant
equipment and instrumentation tags.
Plant equipment numbering
All physical plant equipment must be given an equipment number. The equipment
number will normally take the form of either 1, 2 or 3 alpha characters followed by either
3 or 4 numeric characters. The alpha characters may be site specific but are normally tied
to a specific company standard and identify the functional component (e.g. P or PMP for
pump, V for vessel etc). The numeric characters are unique for each device of a particular
type i.e. P100 and P101 may identify 2 pumps. When used in combination with a Plant
Area number the full equipment number may appear as XXXP100 and XXXP101 (e.g.
100P100 and 100P101).

Symbols and Numbering 23

Line numbering
All process lines are similarly given line numbers normally in the form of a series of
alpha and numeric characters which identify the following line elements: Plant Area Number (e.g. 100)
Service
(e.g. LP for low pressure steam)
Sequence Number ( a unique number e.g. 001)
Pipe Size (Nominal) ( e.g. 100 for 100 mm NB)
Line Material
( e.g. CS for carbon steel)
The resulting line number would appear as 100-LP-001-100-CS. The sequence number
changes each time there is a break in the integrity of the pipe either a flanged joint or
any other form of change in the pipe.

2.3.2

Plant equipment symbols

Plant equipment symbols are used in conjunction with plant equipment numbers to
identify discrete items of plant and show their interconnection to the rest of the process.
Symbols shown in the table below represent some established ASME standards. Note that
ISA also produces a wide variety of symbols for hand valves as well as control valves.
Many software vendors provide symbol libraries for popular CAD software which
contain literally thousands of symbols.

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Best Practice in Process, Electrical and Instrumentation Drawings & Documentation

Symbols and Numbering 25

2.4

Instrumentation drawings and diagrams

2.4.1

Instrument numbering (tagging)

Instrument Tag Nos.
As with Equipment numbers all instruments (including virtual instruments that exist in a
DCS, PLC or other shared system) are given unique identifiers called tag numbers. The
ISA tagging system is virtually universally adopted in terms of the basic construction of a
tag number. The ISA system comprises a group of alpha characters which describe both
the variable being measured (or controlled) together with the broad characteristics of the
instrument itself. The first alpha character in the tag always identifies the physical
variable with which the instrument is associated (e.g. Pressure, Temperature, Flow etc).
Subsequent alpha characters identify the function of the instrument and may be comprise
more than one additionally character. Hence FIC would refer to a Flow Indicating
Controller, PAHL would refer to an alarm device on pressure with both High and Low
alarm settings. Once the basic alpha tag characters are established a group of numeric
characters are added to identify the loop number. These may be 3 or 4 or more numerals
but all devices interconnected on the same loop must have the same loop number the
individual instruments are therefore differentiated by their alpha character functionality.
As with the equipment numbering system large plants employing an Area numbering
scheme may add the plant area number in front of the tag to create the full tag number. As
an example tag number 100PT001 and 100PIC001 are respectively a pressure transmitter
and a pressure indicating controller in plant area 100 on loop number 001. The table
below lists the ISA alpha character system.

26

Best Practice in Process, Electrical and Instrumentation Drawings & Documentation

Symbols and Numbering 27

28

Best Practice in Process, Electrical and Instrumentation Drawings & Documentation

2.4.2

Instrument symbols
Bubbles
The ISA standard employs a simple system to identify instruments on process drawings
by using bubbles the terminology originating from the fact that the original symbol
set used circles exclusively. The symbol set has now been expanded to account for the
emergence of shared systems such as DCSs, PLCs and host software systems which all
have multiple levels of functionality within one box. The system endeavors to identify the
location of the instrument function (field, control room, auxiliary panel etc) and when
used in conjunction with the instrument tag gives the reader of a diagram a clearer
understanding of the overall control loop and strategy. The ISA bubble symbol set is
shown in the attached table.

Symbols and Numbering 29

Primary and final elements

The ISA standard recognizes that many primary and final elements cannot be fully
described by a bubble and tag number alone and therefore caters to the use of a wide
variety of symbols to show the technology associated with a primary or final element. An
example of these symbols is shown in the tables below.

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Best Practice in Process, Electrical and Instrumentation Drawings & Documentation

Symbols and Numbering 31

Extended functionality
The ISA standard further recognizes that certain instruments may have a complex or
unique functionality that cannot be full described by a tag number and bubble and to this
end it allows for the inclusion of a small box/boxes outside the bubble with a symbol to
identify the specific detail of the instrument. A representative table of ISA functionality
legends appears below.

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Best Practice in Process, Electrical and Instrumentation Drawings & Documentation

Symbols and Numbering 33

The SAMA system

The Scientific Apparatus and Manufacturers Association further expands on the ISA
extended functionality system by using a range of blocks linked together to describe the
functionality within a control loop. Although seldom employed these days it provides a
useful tool for identifying control and measurement functions within complex loops. A
table of SAMA functions and an example of the scheme are shown below.

34

Best Practice in Process, Electrical and Instrumentation Drawings & Documentation

Example of a SAMA Scheme for describing the control strategy of a 3-element boiler drum level
control system.

2.4.3

Instrument interconnections
The ISA standard also provides for the interconnection of bubbles to show, on process
drawings, the media by which they communicate be it pneumatic, electrical, noncontact etc. The table below lists how the bubbles are interconnected.

Symbols and Numbering 35

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Best Practice in Process, Electrical and Instrumentation Drawings & Documentation

2.5

Electrical drawings and diagrams

2.5.1

Electrical equipment numbering

Component numbering
Components of an electrical circuit are numbered by means of a single alpha character
combined with a sequential digit each time a component of a new type is used. The
standards for the alpha character may vary from company to company and it is normal to
draw a legend sheet to explain the use on a particular set of drawings. The attached table
broadly coincides with the recommendations of the IEC Publication 27 standard for letter
designations.

Symbols and Numbering 37

Letter Code

Type

Assemblies, subassemblies

B
C
D
E
F
G
H
J
K
L
M
N
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

2.5.2

Transducers, from mechanical to

electrical and vice versa.
Capacitors
Delay / storage devices
Miscellaneous
Protective devices
Generators, supplies
Signaling devices
Relays, Contactors
Inductors
Motors
Amplifier, regulator
Measuring / Test equipment
Mechanical switching devices
Resistors
Switches, selectors
Transformers
Modulators, changers
Tubes, semiconductors
Transmission paths, waveguides,
aerials
Terminals, plugs, sockets
Electrically operated mechanical
devices
Terminations, hybrid
transformers, filters, equalizers

Examples
Amplifier with transistors, magnetic amp,
laser
Thermo electric sensor, transducer,
loudspeaker
Bi-stable, mono-stable, register
Lighting and heating devices
Fuse, arrestor
Battery, supply device
Optical and acoustic indicators
Induction coil, line trap
Indicating, recording devices
Circuit breaker/ isolator
Potentiometer, rheostat, shunt,
Pushbutton, limit, selector
Voltage, current transformer
Diode, transistor,
Jumper wire, cable, busbar, dipole
Socket, test-jack
Brake, clutch

Single line symbols

IEC Publication 617 provides an extensive range of symbols which are used in electrical
circuits. These are normally employed in both single line and electrical schematics but
differ from those symbols employed in ladder logic schematics. Typical examples of the
IEC symbol set are shown below.

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Best Practice in Process, Electrical and Instrumentation Drawings & Documentation

SYM BOL

CAD D

C 62
C62A
C 63
C63A

M AKE CO NTACT (N OR M ALLY O PEN ) - G EN ERAL SYM BO L

I.E.C.

07-02-02

CO NTAC T - NO RM ALLY O PEN

BREAK C ON TACT (NO RM ALLY CLO SED) - G ENER AL SYM BO L 07-02-03
CO NTAC T - NO RM ALLY CLO SED

C 64

TW O W AY C ON TACT W ITH C ENTR E - O FF PO SITIO N

07-02-05

C 65

CH ANG E O VER CO NTAC T

07-02-04

C 66

M AKE CO NTACT (O F A M U LTIPLE CO NTACT ASSEM BLY)

W H ICH IS EAR LY TO O PER ATE R ELATIVE TO THE OTH ER
CO NTAC TS O F THE ASSEM BLY.

07-04-01

C 67

M AKE CO NTACT (O F A M U LTIPLE CO NTACT ASSEM BLY)

W H ICH IS LATE TO OPERATE R ELATIVE TO TH E O TH ER
CO NTAC TS O F THE ASSEM BLY.

07-04-03

C 68

TIM ED CLOSE IN STANT O PEN

07-05-02

C68A
TDC

C 69

TDO

DESC RIPTION

C69A

C 70

C70A
TDO

CO NTAC T NO RM ALLY O PEN,TIM E D ELAY CLO SING ,

IN STANT O PEN .

TIM ED OPEN INSTAN T CLOSE

07-05-03

CO NTAC T NO RM ALLY C LO SED,TIM E D ELAY O PENING ,

IN STANT C LO SE.

IN STANT C LO SED TIM ED OPEN

07-05-01

CO NTAC T NO RM ALLY O PEN INSTANT,C LO SE TIM E

DELAY OPENIN G.

C 71

EM ER GEN CY STOP SW ITC H (CO NVEYOR TYPE)

C 72

TIM ER CO NTAC T NO RM ALLY O PEN,INSTAN T CLO SE

& O PEN ING .

C 73

IN STANT O PEN TIM ED CLOSE

EM S

TINST

TDC

C73A

CO NTAC T NO RM ALLY C LO SED INSTANT,O PEN TIM E

DELAY CLOSING .

07-05-05

Symbols and Numbering 39

2.5.3

Wire numbering system

Although there is no set standard for wire numbering of electrical circuits the generally
accepted rules are to use a numeric system with 3 (or more) digits in which the number
increments each time there is a break in the circuit (i.e. terminal, fuse etc).
The reader should be aware that there are individual country standards (e.g. AS3000
Australian Wiring Rules) that govern the use of certain letters (e.g. L, A, N, E) in wire
numbering systems involving potentially lethal voltages.

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Best Practice in Process, Electrical and Instrumentation Drawings & Documentation