Jobs / Architecture and engineering / 17-3013.00
Mechanical Drafters
Prepare detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices, including dimensions, fastening methods, and other engineering information.
- US jobs
- 39,960
- Median wage
- $71,550 a year
- Job family
- Architecture and engineering
Can agents do the work of mechanical drafters?
We read the evidence at the level of the job family, Architecture and engineering:
- Task levelUnexploredNo task-level benchmark in our collection tests architecture or engineering design work, such as CAD modeling or engineering calculations.
- Project levelNot yetWhole projects are mostly out of reach. The Remote Labor Index includes 3D, CAD, and architecture projects; across all its projects, the best agent completed 15.8% to a standard a client would accept. GDPval includes mechanical engineers, and its deliverables score higher, but those tasks are one-shot and fully specified.
Benchmarks for the job family
These cover work in architecture and engineering, not always this occupation's tasks.
- 1846 EloClaude Opus 5.5 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort, Default Fallback) · 23 Sep 2026Unrated
Typical tasks
From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.
- Produce three-dimensional models, using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
- Develop detailed design drawings and specifications for mechanical equipment, dies, tools, and controls, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment.
- Check dimensions of materials to be used and assign numbers to the materials.
- Design scale or full-size blueprints of specialty items, such as furniture and automobile body or chassis components.
- Lay out and draw schematic, orthographic, or angle views to depict functional relationships of components, assemblies, systems, and machines.
- Create bills of materials.
- Modify and revise designs to correct operating deficiencies or to reduce production problems.
- Review and analyze specifications, sketches, drawings, ideas, and related data to assess factors affecting component designs and the procedures and instructions to be followed.
- Position instructions and comments onto drawings.
- Coordinate with and consult other workers to design, lay out, or detail components and systems and to resolve design or other problems.
- Compute mathematical formulas to develop and design detailed specifications for components or machinery, using computer-assisted equipment.
- Confer with customer representatives to review schematics and answer questions pertaining to installation of systems.
Other job titles for this occupation (44)
CAD Designer (Computer Aided Design Designer) · CAD Operator (Computer Aided Design Operator) · CAM Specialist (Computer Aided Manufacturing Specialist) · Design Drafter · Die Designer · Drafter · Drafting Technician (Drafting Tech) · Mechanical Designer · Tool Design Drafter · Tooling Designer · Aeronautical Drafter · Auto Design Drafter (Automotive Design Drafter) · Auto Design Layout Drafter (Automotive Design Layout Drafter) · AutoCAD Designer (Auto Computer-Aided Design Designer) · AutoCAD Drafter (Auto Computer-Aided Design Drafter) · AutoCAD Technician (Auto Computer-Aided Design Technician) · CAD Designer (Computer-Aided Design Designer) · CAD Drafter (Computer Aided Design Drafter) · CAD Drafter (Computer-Aided Design Drafter) · CAD Draftsman (Computer-Aided Design Draftsman) · CAD Draughter (Computer Aided Design Draughter) · CAD Operator (Computer-Aided Design Operator) · CAD Technician (Computer Aided Design Technician) · CADD Drafter (Computer-Aided Design and Drafting Drafter) · Controls Designer · Design Checker · Detail Drafter · Furniture Detailer · Gage Designer · Installation Drafter · Machine Design Checker · Mechanical Design Drafter · Mechanical Design Technician (Mechanical Design Tech) · Mechanical Detailer · Mechanical Draughter · Mechanical Piping Designer · Mold Designer · Patent Drafter · Pattern Drafter · Piping Drafter · Plastic Mold Designer · Technical Designer · Tool and Die Designer · Tool Designer