Drafters Contractors
Find skilled automation professionals specializing in AutoCAD and SolidWorks fabrication detailing, weldment and sheet-metal drawings, and release-ready drawing packages.
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Automate America is an industrial automation marketplace where manufacturers connect with skilled drafting contractors. Browse professional profiles, review project histories, and send a direct work request. Projects typically receive qualified contractor responses within 24 hours.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does a drafter do in manufacturing and automation?
A drafter converts engineering concepts and 3D models into precise, dimensioned 2D fabrication and assembly drawings. They detail machine frames, brackets, weldments, sheet-metal parts, and guarding, apply GD&T and weld symbols, build bills of material, and deliver revision-controlled drawing packages that fabricators, machinists, and assemblers build from.
What software should a contract drafter know?
AutoCAD and AutoCAD Mechanical are foundational, with SolidWorks and Autodesk Inventor for model-driven drawings. Specialty work may use AutoCAD Electrical for schematics or MicroStation for layouts. Strong contractors also know a PDM/Vault system and can adopt a client’s drawing standards and title block quickly.
How much do drafter contractors charge?
Contract drafters typically post $28–$55 per hour. General 2D AutoCAD detailers sit near the low end; senior mechanical, structural, or piping drafters with strong GD&T and PDM experience reach the upper end, with top specialty contract drafters posting around $60 per hour.
What’s the difference between a drafter and a designer?
A designer develops and models the design — geometry, layout, and component selection — while a drafter focuses on producing the accurate, standards-compliant 2D drawings and documentation from that design. On smaller projects one contractor does both; on larger builds the roles split to keep drawings moving.
What certifications matter for a drafter?
The most recognized are AutoCAD Certified Professional, Autodesk Certified User, SolidWorks CSWA, and ASME GD&T (GDTP), plus ADDA drafter certification. Certifications validate drafting speed and standards discipline, but a portfolio of released, error-free fabrication drawings usually matters most to hiring managers.
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