Respecting design intent If an engineer has placed dimensions in specific locations, does the drafter have the freedom to rearrange them as desired without authorization?

Introduction / Context:
Drawings are legal and technical documents. Dimension placement is often tied to design intent, inspection strategy, and datums. Moving dimensions freely can change the interpretation, imply different datums, or contradict the functional requirements chosen by the engineer.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Dimensions have been deliberately located by the designer.
• Changes to placement might alter the perceived feature relationships.
• The drafter may improve clarity but must preserve design intent.

Concept / Approach:
Any modification to dimensions—values, tolerances, feature control frames, or even placement that affects interpretation—requires coordination with and approval from the responsible engineer. Drafters can propose layout enhancements for clarity, but unilateral changes risk miscommunication and downstream nonconformance.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Compare the revised layout against measurement plans and GD&T datums to ensure the interpretation is unchanged.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“Correct” and options suggesting aesthetic or template-driven freedom disregard configuration control and design authority. Space limitations do not justify altering intent without approval.

Common Pitfalls:
Breaking datum chains, separating related dimensions across views, or introducing redundant dimensions that conflict with the original scheme.

Final Answer:
Incorrect