Maybe I should clarify my previous post:

ANSI Y14.2 sizes text and lines for a specific formats so that they may be
"blown back" from microfilm with legible results.  For instance, the smallest
text size permitted on a D size document is .140. The down side to this are the
gargantuan symbols that result from using this text at this size. Our terminal
spacing on a typical symbol is no closer than .300, so as you can imagine, a
large part can take up the entire page.  But as you mentioned, we too are
getting away from formal schematic documentation, and are no longer including
it as part of the drawing package for many projects.  Instead, the schematics
are primarily used for generating information for our CAD tool.

Tom Hybiske
General Atronics Corporation
> This is true, but who draws a real D or E size drawing anymore?
> Although you may use that format on your computer terminal and
> utilize the "official" symbol and text size, it's when you send that
> drawing to the printer that you run into the trouble mentioned in
> previous emails.  We generally utilize the D and E formats, then
> print them at C size so as to be able to read the text.  When
> sending this to a B size laser printer, the text was illegible, not
> only for us old guys with bifoculs, but the newbie engineers too.
> They come crying back to us asking for a larger print.  They are
> the people we make the prints for (troubleshooting or whatever)
> and it's our job to make their job easier while still staying within
> the constrains or requirements we are dictated by.
>
> O.K., I'll step off my soapbox before somebody kicks it out from
> under me.
>
> Larry Campbell
> Supervisor, PWB
> BFGoodrich, Avionics Systems
>
> >There are "official" publications for text and symbol size, etc. for
> >a specific size
> >document. Once text height is determined, the symbol can be
> >sized
> >accordingly.  Refer to ANSI Y32.14  (IEEE Standard Graphic
> >Symbols) and
> >ANSI Y14.2 (Line/Letter Convention) for details.
>

################################################################
DesignerCouncil E-Mail Forum provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c
################################################################
To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body:
To subscribe:   SUBSCRIBE DesignerCouncil <your full name>
To unsubscribe:   SIGNOFF DesignerCouncil 
################################################################
Please visit IPC's web site (http://www.ipc.org) "On-Line Services" section for additional information.
For technical support contact Hugo Scaramuzza at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.312
################################################################