In mechanical drawings, which line type is used to represent an edge not visible to the viewer?

In mechanical drawings, which line type is used to represent an edge not visible to the viewer?

• A. Thick solid line
• B. Medium weight dashed line
• C. Fine dotted line
• D. Light solid line

Answer: (B)

In mechanical drawings, the way lines are drawn communicates whether an edge is seen or not. When an edge isn’t visible in the view, it’s shown with a hidden line—usually a medium-weight dashed line. This style keeps the drawing readable by indicating that the feature exists but is obscured by other parts. Thick solid lines depict edges that are visible, so they don’t convey occlusion. A fine dotted line or a light solid line aren’t the standard choices for hidden features, so they wouldn’t correctly represent an edge that isn’t in view.

In mechanical drawings, the way lines are drawn communicates whether an edge is seen or not. When an edge isn’t visible in the view, it’s shown with a hidden line—usually a medium-weight dashed line. This style keeps the drawing readable by indicating that the feature exists but is obscured by other parts. Thick solid lines depict edges that are visible, so they don’t convey occlusion. A fine dotted line or a light solid line aren’t the standard choices for hidden features, so they wouldn’t correctly represent an edge that isn’t in view.