Heating, ventilation, air conditioning (and refrigeration) drafter

Description

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning (and refrigeration) drafters create prototypes and sketches, technical details, and aesthetic briefings provided by engineers to create drawings, usually computer-aided, of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and possibly refrigeration systems. They can draft for all kinds of projects using these systems.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to heating, ventilation, air conditioning (and refrigeration) drafter:

heating, ventilation, air conditioning (and refrigeration) draughter
HVAC(R) draughter
HVACR design engineer
heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineering draughter
HVAC design engineer
HVAC draughter
HVACR drafting adviser
heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration drafter
HVACR drafting expert
heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration design engineer
heating, ventilation, air conditioning (and refrigeration) design engineer
HVAC(R) design engineer
HVACR drafting consultant
heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineering design engineer
HVACR draftsperson
HVACR draughter
€‹heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration draughter
HVACR draughtsperson
HVACR drafting specialist

Working conditions

HVAC drafters typically work in office settings, using computers and other technical equipment for the majority of their workday. They may occasionally need to visit construction sites or manufacturing facilities to gather information and make observations about the HVAC systems they are designing.

Minimum qualifications

To become a heating, ventilation, air conditioning (and refrigeration) drafter, you typically need an associate degree or certificate in drafting or a related field, as well as experience using CAD software and other technical tools. Some employers may prefer candidates with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related field. HVAC drafters must have excellent attention to detail, strong communication skills, and the ability to work well in a team environment.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning (and refrigeration) drafter is a Skill level 3 occupation.

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning (and refrigeration) drafter career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to heating, ventilation, air conditioning (and refrigeration) drafter.

product development engineering drafter
rolling stock engineering drafter
automotive engineering drafter
marine engineering drafter
aerospace engineering drafter

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of heating, ventilation, air conditioning (and refrigeration) drafter. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of heating, ventilation, air conditioning (and refrigeration) drafter with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

heating, ventilation, air conditioning engineer
automotive designer
fluid power engineer
container equipment design engineer
industrial tool design engineer

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of heating, ventilation, air conditioning (and refrigeration) drafter.

  • Engineering principles: The engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs about the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.
  • Design drawings: Understand design drawings detailing the design of products, tools, and engineering systems.
  • Mathematics: Mathematics is the study of topics such as quantity, structure, space, and change. It involves the identification of patterns and formulating new conjectures based on them. Mathematicians strive to prove the truth or falsity of these conjectures. There are many fields of mathematics, some of which are widely used for practical applications.
  • Technical drawings: Drawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.
  • Engineering processes: The systematic approach to the development and maintenance of engineering systems.
  • CAE software: The software to perform computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis tasks such as Finite Element Analysis and Computational Fluid Dynamics.
  • CAD software: The computer-aided design (CAD) software for creating, modifying, analysing or optimising a design.
  • Heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration parts: The different parts constituing heating, air conditioning and refrigeration systems such as the different valves, fans, compressors, condensers, filters and other components.
  • Manual draughting techniques: Techniques used for creating detailed drawings of designs by using specialised pencils, rulers, templates and scales.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of heating, ventilation, air conditioning (and refrigeration) drafter.

  • Use computer-aided engineering systems: Use computer-aided engineering software to conduct stress analyses on engineering designs.
  • Use manual draughting techniques: Use non-computerised draughting techniques to make detailed drawings of designs by hand with specialised tools such as pencils, rulers and templates.
  • Use technical drawing software: Create technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.
  • Use CADD software: Use computer-aided design and drafting software to make detailed drawings and blueprints of designs.
  • Create technical plans: Create detailed technical plans of machinery, equipment, tools and other products.
  • Read engineering drawings: Read the technical drawings of a product made by the engineer in order to suggest improvements, make models of the product or operate it.
  • Use CAD software: Use computer-aided design (CAD) systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation of a design.
  • Liaise with engineers: Collaborate with engineers to ensure common understanding and discuss product design, development and improvement.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of heating, ventilation, air conditioning (and refrigeration) drafter. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Refrigerants: The characteristics and properties of the different fluids used in heat pump and refrigeration cycles.
  • Ventilation systems: The types of mechanical ventilation systems that permits the exchange and circulation of air.
  • Thermodynamics: The branch of physics that deals with the relationships between heat and other forms of energy..
  • Fluid mechanics: The characteristics and properties of fluids, including gases, liquids and plasmas, at rest and in motion, and the forces on them.
  • Domestic heating systems: The modern and traditional heating systems alimented by gas, wood, oil, biomass, solar power and other renewable energy sources and their energy saving principles.
  • 3D modelling: The process of developing a mathematical representation of any three-dimensional surface of an object via specialised software. The product is called a 3D model. It can be displayed as a two-dimensional image through a process called 3D rendering or used in a computer simulation of physical phenomena. The model can also be physically created using 3D printing devices.
  • Components of air conditioning systems: Know the different components that constitute air conditioning systems such as condensers, compressors, evaporators and sensors. Identify and repair/replace malfunctioning components.
  • Industrial heating systems: Heating systems fuelled by gas, wood, oil, biomass, solar power, and other renewable energy sources and their energy-saving principles, applicable specifically to industrial buildings and facilities.
  • Product data management: The use of software to track all information concerning a product such as technical specifications, drawings, design specifications, and production costs.
  • Mechanics: Theoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of heating, ventilation, air conditioning (and refrigeration) drafter. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Lead a team: Lead, supervise and motivate a group of people to meet the expected results within a given timeline and with the foreseen resources in mind.
  • Adjust engineering designs: Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.
  • Create a product’s virtual model: Create a mathematical or three-dimensional computer graphic model of the product by using a CAE system or a calculator.
  • Build a product’s physical model: Build a model of the product out of wood, clay or other materials by using hand or electrical tools.
  • Draft design specifications: List the design specifications such as materials and parts to be used and a cost estimate.
  • Draw blueprints: Draw layout specifications for machinery, equipment and building structures. Specify which materials should be used and the size of the components. Show different angles and views of the product.
  • Develop assembly instructions: Develop a code of letters and numbers to label diagrams for assembly instructions.
  • Render 3D images: Use specialised tools to convert 3D wire frame models into 2D images with 3D photorealistic effects or non-photorealistic rendering on a computer.

ISCO group and title

3118 – Draughtspersons


References
  1. Heating, ventilation, air conditioning (and refrigeration) drafter – ESCO
Last updated on May 8, 2023