Rolling stock engineering drafter
Description
Rolling stock engineering drafters convert the rolling stock engineers’ designs into technical drawings usually using software. Their drawings detail dimensions, fastening and assembling methods and other specifications used in the manufacture of rail vehicles such as locomotives, multiple units, carriages and wagons.
Duties
Rolling stock engineering drafters typically do the following duties:
- Use computer-aided design (CAD) software to create detailed drawings and schematics of rolling stock components and systems, including mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic systems
- Work closely with engineers, designers, and project managers to develop and refine designs, ensuring that they meet functional, safety, and quality standards
- Review and revise existing drawings and documentation as needed to ensure accuracy and completeness
- Conduct design reviews and provide feedback on designs to ensure compliance with specifications, standards, and best practices
- Produce bills of materials and other documentation to support manufacturing and assembly processes
- Collaborate with production teams to resolve design-related issues and optimize manufacturing processes
- Participate in testing and commissioning activities to verify that rolling stock systems meet performance and safety requirements
- Keep up to date with the latest technologies, materials, and industry trends to ensure that designs are innovative, efficient, and cost-effective
- Maintain accurate records of drawings and documentation, ensuring that they are organized and easily accessible to relevant stakeholders.
Other titles
The following job titles also refer to rolling stock engineering drafter:
rolling stock engineering drafting specialist
rolling stock draughter
rolling stock engineering draughtsperson
rolling stock drafter
rolling stock engineering draftsperson
rolling stock draftsperson
rolling stock engineering drafting consultant
rolling stock engineering drafting expert
rolling stock draughtsperson
rolling stock engineering drafting adviser
rolling stock engineering daughter
Working conditions
The working conditions for rolling stock engineering drafters can vary depending on their specific role and the organization they work for. They may work in an office or on a manufacturing floor, and may be required to work long hours or in shifts in order to meet project deadlines. They may also be required to travel to different job sites or manufacturing facilities as part of their work.
Minimum qualifications
To become a rolling stock engineering drafter, individuals typically need to have a strong background in engineering and design, as well as a solid understanding of CAD software and drafting techniques. Many professionals in this field have completed post-secondary education programs in engineering technology, drafting, or a related field. Ongoing training and professional development may also be necessary to stay current with advancements in CAD technology and rolling stock design.
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.
Rolling stock engineering drafter is a Skill level 3 occupation.
Rolling stock engineering drafter career path
Similar occupations
These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to rolling stock engineering drafter.
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Long term prospects
These occupations require some skills and knowledge of rolling stock engineering drafter. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of rolling stock engineering drafter with a significant experience and/or extensive training.
aerodynamics engineer
automotive designer
tooling engineer
container equipment design engineer
fluid power engineer
Essential knowledge and skills
Essential knowledge
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of rolling stock engineering drafter.
- Engineering principles: The engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to 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.
- ICT software specifications: The characteristics, use and operations of various software products such as computer programmes and application software.
- 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 rolling stock engineering drafter.
- Execute analytical mathematical calculations: Apply mathematical methods and make use of calculation technologies in order to perform analyses and devise solutions to specific problems.
- 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.
- 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 rolling stock engineering drafter. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Material mechanics: The behaviour of solid objects when subjected to stresses and strains, and the methods to calculate these stresses and strains.
- Electromechanics: The engineering processes that combine electrical and mechanical engineering in the application of electromechanics in devices that need electricity to create mechanical movement or devices that create electricity by mechanical movement.
- Physics: The natural science involving the study of matter, motion, energy, force and related notions.
- 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.
- CAD software: The computer-aided design (CAD) software for creating, modifying, analysing or optimising a design.
- Mechanics of trains: Possess basic knowledge of the mechanics involved in trains, understand the technicalities and participate in discussions on related topics in order to solve problems related to the mechanics.
- Product data management: The use of software to track all information concerning a product such as technical specifications, drawings, design specifications, and production costs.
Optional skills and competences
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of rolling stock engineering drafter. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
- Control compliance of railway vehicles regulations: Inspect rolling stock, components and systems to ensure compliance with standards and specifications.
- 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.
- Archive documentation related to the work: Select relevant documentation related to the ongoing or complete work and take steps to archive it in a way that ensures its future accessibility.
- Use CAD software: Use computer-aided design (CAD) systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation of a design.
- 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
- Rolling stock engineering drafter – ESCO
- Featured image: By Alexander Neumeister, http://www.neumeister-partner.com/ – Provided by Alexander Neumeister for Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0