Projections of Lines

3
 Line inclined to HP and VP
Apparent Inclinations: α and β
Apparent Lengths: ab, a b
 Line inclined to HP and VP…….
Draw the projections of a
line AB inclined to both HP
and VP, whose true length
and true inclinations and
locations of one of the end
points, say A are given.

Since the line AB is inclined

at θ to HP and φ to VP – its
top view ab and the front
view a b are not in true
lengths and they are also
not inclined at angles θ to
HP and φ to VP.
 Line inclined to HP and VP…….
Step 1: Rotate the line AB to make it parallel to VP.
Rotate the line AB about the end A,
keeping θ, the inclination of AB with
HP constant till it becomes parallel
to VP. This rotation of the line will
bring the end B to the new position
B1.

AB1 is the new position of the line

AB when it is inclined at θ to HP and
parallel to VP.

Project AB1 on VP and HP. Since

AB1 is parallel to VP, a b1 , the
projection of AB1 on VP is in true
length inclined at θ to the XY line,
and ab1, the projection of AB1 on HP
is parallel to the XY line. Now the
line is rotated back to its original
position AB.
 Line inclined to HP and VP…….
Step 2: Rotate the line AB to make it parallel to HP.

Rotate the line AB about the end A

keeping φ the inclination of AB with VP
constant, till it becomes parallel to HP.
This rotation of the line will bring the
end B to the second new Position B2.

AB2 is the new position of the line AB,

when it is inclined at φ to VP and
parallel to HP.

Project AB2 on HP and VP. Since AB2

is parallel to HP, ab2, the projection of
AB2 on HP is in true length inclined at
φ to XY line, and a b2 the projection of
AB2 on VP is parallel to XY line. Now
the line is rotated back to its original
position AB.
 Line inclined to HP and VP…….
Step 3: Locus of end B in the front view
When the line AB is swept around about the
end A keeping θ, the inclination of the line
with the HP constant, by one complete
rotation, the end B will always be at the same
vertical height above HP, and the locus of the
end B will be a circle which appears in the
front view as a horizontal line passing
through b'.

As long as the line is inclined at θ to HP,

whatever may be the position of the line (i.e.,
whatever may be the inclination of the line
with VP) the length of the top view will
always be equal to ab1 and in the front view
the projection of the end B lies on the locus
line passing through b1’.

Thus ab1, the top view of the line when it is

inclined at θ to HP and parallel to VP will be
equal to ab and b , the projection of the end
B in the front view will lie on the locus line
 Line inclined to HP and VP…….
Step 4: Locus of end B in the top view
When the line AB is swept around about the end A
keeping φ the inclination of the line with the VP
constant, by one complete rotation, the end B will
always be at the same distance in front of VP and
the locus of the end B will be a circle which appears
in the top view as a line, parallel to XY, passing
through b.

As long as the line is inclined at φ to VP, whatever

may be the position of the line (i.e., whatever may
be the inclination of the line with HP), the length of
the front view will always be equal to a'b2' and in
the top view the projection of the end B lies on the
locus line passing through b2.

Thus a b2 the front view of the line when it is

inclined at φ to VP and parallel to HP, will be equal
to a'b' and also b, the projection of the end B in the
top view lies on the locus line passing through b2.
 Line inclined to HP and VP…….
Step 5: To obtain the top and front views of AB
• From the above two cases of rotation it
can be said that

(i) the length of the line AB in top and front views

will be equal to ab1 and a'b2' respectively and

(ii) the projections of the end B, (i.e., b and b‘)

should lie along the locus line passing through
b2 and b1 respectively.

• With center a, and radius ab2 draw an

arc to intersect the locus line through b2
at b. Connect ab the top view of the line
AB.
• Similarly with center a', and radius a'b2'
draw an arc to intersect the locus line
through b1' at b . Connect a'b' the front
view of the line AB.
 Line inclined to HP and VP
Orthographic projection
1. As the location of one of the end points
(i.e. A) with respect to HP and VP, is
given, mark a and a , the top and the
front views of point A.

2. Suppose the line AB is assumed to be

made parallel to VP and inclined at θ to
HP. The front view of the line will be
equal to the true length of the line and
also, the inclination of the line with HP
is seen in the front view. Draw a'b1'
passing through a' at θ to XY line and
equal to the true length of AB. a'b1' is
projected down to get ab1, the top view
parallel to the XY line.
 Line inclined to HP and VP…….
Orthographic projection…..
3. Now the line AB is assumed to be made parallel
to HP and inclined at φ to VP. The top view of
the line will be equal to the true length of the
line and also φ, the inclination of the line with
VP is seen in the top view.
4. Draw ab2 passing through a at φ to the XY line
and equal to the true length of AB. ab2, is
projected up to get a'b2', the front view parallel
to the XY line.
5. Draw the horizontal locus lines through b2, and
b1'.
6. With center a and radius ab1, draw an arc to cut
the locus line drawn through b2 at b. Connect
ab, the top view of the line AB.
7. With center a' and radius a'b2 , draw an arc to
cut the locus line drawn through b1' at b'.
Connect a'b', the front view of the line AB.
 To Find True length and true inclinations of a line

• Given : The top and front views of a line are given

• This is of great importance since some of the engineering problems
may be solved by this principle.

• The problems may be solved by

(i) Rotating line method or
(ii) Rotating trapezoidal plane method or
(iii) Auxiliary plane method.

• The top and front views of the object can be drawn from the
following data: (a) Distance between the end projectors, (b)
Distance of one or both the end points from HP and VP and (c)
Apparent inclinations of the line.
 Rotating line method

The method of obtaining the top

and front views of a line, when
its true length and true
inclinations are given.

When a view of a line is parallel

to the XY line, its other view will
be in true length and at true
inclination.

By following the above

procedure, in the reverse order,
the true length and true
inclinations of a line from the
given set of top and front views
can be found.
Step by Step Procedure

1. Top and front views

• Draw the top view ab and the

front view a'b' as given

2. Rotation of the top view

• With center a and radius ab

rotate the top view to the new
position ab1 to make it parallel
to the XY line. Since ab1 is
parallel to the XY line, its
corresponding front view will be
in true length and at true
inclination.
3. Rotation of the front view
Similarly, with center a' and radius
a'b' rotate the front view to the new
position a'b2' parallel to the
XY line. Since a'b2' is
parallel to the XY line, its
corresponding top view will be in true
length and at true inclination.

In this position, the line will be

parallel to HP and inclined at φ to VP.
Through b draw the locus of B in the
top view. Project b2' to get b2, in the
top view. Connect ab2 which will be in
true length and true inclination φ
which the given line AB makes with
VP.
 Traces of a line

• The trace of a line is defined as a point at which the

given line, if produced, meets or intersects a plane.

• When a line meets HP, (or if necessary on the extended

portion-of HP), the point at which the line meets or
intersects the horizontal plane, is called horizontal
trace (HT)of the line and denoted by the letter H.

• When a line meets VP (or if necessary on the extended

portion of VP), the point at which the line meets or
intersects the vertical plane, is called vertical trace (VT)
of the line and denoted by the letter V.
• When the line is parallel to both HP and VP, there will be
no traces on the said planes. Therefore the traces of lines
are determined in the following positions of the lines.

Lines perpendicular to one plane and parallel to the

other.
Lines inclined to one plane and parallel to the other.
Lines inclined to both the planes.
 Trace of a line perpendicular to one plane and parallel to
the other

Since the line is perpendicular to one plane and parallel to the other, the
trace of the line is obtained only on the plane to which it is perpendicular,
and no trace of the line is obtained on the other plane to which it is parallel.
TRACE of the line perpendicular
Line Perpendicular to theto
to VP and Parallel VPHP:
Traces of a line inclined to one plane and parallel to the other
When the line is inclined to one plane and parallel to the other, the trace of
the line is obtained only on the plane to which it is inclined, and no trace is
obtained on the plane to which it is parallel.

A. Line inclined at θ to HP and parallel to VP

Line inclined at φ to VP and parallel to HP
 Traces of a line inclined to both the planes
Line inclined at θ to HP and ϕ to VP .
The line when extended intersects HP at H, the horizontal trace, but will never intersect the
portion of VP above XY line, i.e. within the portion of the VP in the 1st quadrant. Therefore
VP is extended below HP such that when the line AB is produced it will intersect in the
extended portion of VP at V, the vertical trace.
In this case both HT and VT of the line AB lie below XY line.