The drawing number is used for part identification and to ease storage and retrieval of the drawing and the produced parts. While there is no set way to assign part numbers, common systems are nonsignificant, significant, or some combination of the two previous systems.
Nonsignificant numbering systems are most preferred because no prior knowledge of significance is required.
Significant numbering systems could be used for commonly purchased items like fasteners. For example, the part number for a washer could include the inside diameter, outside diameters, thickness, material, and plating.
A combination of nonsignificant and significant numbering systems may use sections of the numbers in a hierarchical manner. For example, the last three digits could be the number assigned to the part (001, 002, 003, etc.). This would be nonsignificant. The remaining numbers could be significant: two numbers could be the model variation, the next two numbers could be the model number, and the next two could be the series number while the last two could be the project number. Many other possibilities exist.
Dimensioning and Tolerancing
Handbook
Paul J. Drake, Jr.
McGraw-Hill
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