# Mechanical Drafters

> Prepare detailed working diagrams of machinery and mechanical devices, including dimensions, fastening methods, and other engineering information.

- **SOC code:** 17-3013.00
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-3013-00
- **Also known as:** Design Drafter, Drafter, Mechanical Designer, Mechanical Drafter, CAD Designer (Computer Aided Design Designer), CAD Operator (Computer Aided Design Operator), Drafting Technician, Product Designer
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- Develop detailed design drawings and specifications for mechanical equipment, dies, tools, and controls, using computer-assisted drafting (CAD) equipment.
- Produce three-dimensional models, using computer-aided design (CAD) software.
- Lay out and draw schematic, orthographic, or angle views to depict functional relationships of components, assemblies, systems, and machines.
- 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.
- 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.
- Compute mathematical formulas to develop and design detailed specifications for components or machinery, using computer-assisted equipment.
- Coordinate with and consult other workers to design, lay out, or detail components and systems and to resolve design or other problems.
- Position instructions and comments onto drawings.
- Confer with customer representatives to review schematics and answer questions pertaining to installation of systems.
- Supervise and train other drafters, technologists, and technicians.

**Emerging tasks** (O*NET):
- Create bills of materials.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- Design _(knowledge)_
- Engineering and Technology _(knowledge)_
- Mechanical _(knowledge)_
- Mathematics _(knowledge)_
- English Language _(knowledge)_
- Physics _(knowledge)_
- Computers and Electronics _(knowledge)_
- Near Vision _(ability)_
- Mathematical Reasoning _(ability)_
- Visualization _(ability)_
- Production and Processing _(knowledge)_
- Reading Comprehension _(essential_skill)_

**Skills in demand:**
- Mathematics _(Common Skill)_
- English Language _(Common Skill)_
- Physics _(Specialized Skill)_
- Visualization _(Specialized Skill)_
- Microsoft Word _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Outlook _(Common Skill)_
- Microsoft Excel _(Common Skill)_
- Autodesk Revit _(Specialized Skill)_
- Speech Recognition _(Specialized Skill)_
- Reading Comprehension _(Common Skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(Common Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- Autodesk AutoCAD _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Autodesk Revit _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Bentley MicroStation _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Dassault Systemes SolidWorks _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft Excel _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft Outlook _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft PowerPoint _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Microsoft Word _(hot technology, in demand)_
- Adobe After Effects _(hot technology)_
- Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D _(hot technology)_
- ESRI ArcGIS software _(hot technology)_

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 71st percentile (High) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 69th percentile (High) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 83rd percentile (High) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 60th percentile (Moderate) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 57th percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** yes — task structure, not who actually works remote.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** -6.5% growth (Declining); 3.3k annual openings; 42.9k → 40.1k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $68,510; 39,900 employed.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** (May 2024) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS Employment Projections** (2024–2034) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **Anthropic Economic Index** (v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27)) — Anthropic. https://www.anthropic.com/economic-index
- **Microsoft “Working with AI”** (working-with-ai) — Microsoft Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-17-3013-00_