what format size do you use?

I try to stick to D and B as well.  We don't even have a template for A size.

Sometimes I have to resort to E.  And very rarely I use C.

When I worked for an Automotive Supplier (Tier 1), sometimes the final prints would be E size vertically, but could extend double or triple the length of a standard E size document.

A,B,C,D.  Most parts are B, unless they are small and simple in which case they will be A.  More complicated drawings will utilize C and D, printed on A and B respectively.  It's easier to do that than it is to change the text height of all the notes/dimensions to make more room.

B size (11x17) is the only allowable size here while any size from A to E could be used in my previous job

I created one or two drawings on 11 x 17 years ago.  Everything else has been 8.5 x 11.

I'm surprised that they're not a lot of ISO formats here.  Most companies are going global or work with global suppliers that want to use only ISO standards.  Having said all that, I do use both sets ANSI and ISO.  I'd rather work in metric and ISO and it's real easy EXCEPT for that stinking first angle projection, just doesn't make sense.

Steve C

Parts are on letter (8.5 x 11), assemblies are on tabloid (11x17). I have some assemblies that ''count'' as parts on the shop floor so those are also on 8.5 x 11.

Don't really see the point to use a format bigger to then print in a smaller format. Why not just fit your template to the size you want it in the first place. If it isn't too small to be readable on a D template printed as a B, why would it be too small to read on a B scaled accordingly?

B size are easiest to handle, but for drawings with lots of detail I like to use a D size sheet/title block/etc in SW and then save as PDF and let whatever program prints it to paper do the scaling to 11x17 paper.  If you let SW scale it to smaller paper, it will actually not scale lineweights etc, so some details sort of blob together.   A full size PDF scaled down by Acrobat Reader looks a lot better than a direct scaled print from SW.

Virtually all of our product ends up on B-Size (11x17) ...

Back in the day when pen plotters were all the rage and inadvertently huffing ammonia from the blueprint machine was still a thing the standard was C-Size and D-Size but this went away with the advent of the office copiers and their multi select sheet trays.

We have A, B, C, D. Most are D. Only D are multiple sheets (makes sense, you need more room on smaller sheets move to larger sheet).

ANSI D is the HQ standard.  Our districts put out some 11x17 (ANSI B).  But, with everything going digital, I'm pushing our CAD group to just make it all ANSI D and let people print it how they want.  It's less work for everyone if there is only one format.

Available printers could play a part in this decision. If all you have is a copy machine to use as a printer then B size could be appropriate. Any larger size will make the title block too small to read. If you have access to a plotter this point is mute.

A, B, C, D, E4 through E9.  Yep, NINE feet wide.  Those are super fun to fold up!

I'd say my most used size is C or D.  A may be one in 100 drawings.

Dan,

Our standard here is a "B" size.  This works most of the time, but on larger parts I prefer a "C" size.  We have one particular customer that puts everything on "E" size.  Needless to say, printing on a "B" size doesn't work unless you are 17 years old, have 20-20 vision, and a good magnifying glass.  My personal preference is to match the paper size to the drawing template size.

Bob

I'm with Bob, use the paper size that fits your part.  Or use multiple sheets if required and print to that size paper.  If you are limited to a B size printer then that should be your size of choice.  Remember that your customer is the one that has to read your drawings.  So the 60 year old machinist that can make any thing that you dream up needs to be able to read your prints easily, not spend time looking for a micro scope to see if the print says 1/4" or 14" 

In our company we draw in A3 and we print in A4, we receive sometimes A2, and we print them in A3.

We prefer add more sheets in our drawings to explain better the assemblies than do a bigger drawing.

I am from Europe and I prefer first angle projection, I think it is easier, maybe because I always worked this way.

Our shop standard is to plot everything actual size. We have found that reduces errors as some peoples brains can't "see" the actual size of something in their heads when viewing a scaled down version on paper.

We plot from A thru E both ANSI and ARCH

One detail per sheet. Smallest sheet that will properly hold detail.

Landscape or portrait.

I have done a few Extended "D" & "E" prints over the years.

I'm as flexible as a gymnast.

We standardized on B size prints about 10 years ago when we started going fully electronic on storing drawings instead of keeping paper copies of everything (we had a full room full of file cabinets and large drawing cabinets).  We have ANSI A - D size boarders available, but most parts end up on the B size.  Small parts that can fit full scale on 8-1/2 x 11 go on A size, and large assemblies tend to go on C or D boarders.

I did make a custom sized boarders for our building prints, it was 36 x 60 since our new building is 3 times longer then the width.

At our company we have standardized using size B..... but.... always a but.   WE are "supposedly" going paperless, but we have project managers that insist on printing out every sheet on 8.5 x 11 paper... We did a couple projects @ 8.5 x 14... have you ever seen what 8.5 x 14 looks like when printed off on a home printer on 8.5 x 11...   Well when the project manager complains that your drawings and markings  (he doesn't understand "notation") either are too small or get cut off when he overrides the setting to print @ 100% zoom....  It doesn't matter how forward thinking you company is as long as there is still a dinosaur in an office with enough say things will never be smooth.

BTW I'm not saying that all older people are dinosaurs so no offence, just the techno-phobes.

I try to use B for most things since we print B size. We do have a D size format though if we need the title block to take up less of the drawing space.

I think if you do a D size and then create the PDF, you may be able to have more detail in the PDF since you can zoom in the PDF.

Same as you, for the same reasons. I find about half of companies do this, the other half use A and B size formats but typically cheat on font and title block sizes, which might be reasonable.