TS 3532

TS 3532 is a standard concerned with the scales used in technical drawings. In engineering graphics, a scale defines the ratio between an object's real size and its representation on paper or a screen; it is therefore central to legibility, dimensioning practice, and the common interpretation of drawings across disciplines.

Scale in technical drawing practice

In general technical usage, scales are commonly understood as enlargement, reduction, or full size. Reduction scales are used when large objects must be shown in a manageable drawing format, while enlargement scales help make very small details easier to read. Choosing an appropriate scale supports the relationship between views, details, and dimensions, and one of the basic principles of technical drawing is that stated dimensions should be read as the authoritative size information, not inferred from the plotted scale.

What this standard covers

This TS standard covers the scales for technical drawings used in engineering fields and is published as equivalent to ISO 5455:1979. In practical terms, it provides a shared reference for how drawing scales are identified and organised in technical documentation, helping drawings prepared in different engineering contexts to be read with the same scale logic. Its subject is the scale aspect of technical drawing, not the full set of drafting rules.

• Addresses the ratio between real object size and its drawn representation in engineering drawings.
• Focuses on the technical-drawing use of enlargement and reduction scales.
• Supports more consistent reading of drawings across teams and disciplines.