Technical Description

 

 

 

Technical Description of Mechanical Pencil

 

 

 

Niky Subedi

Writing for Engineering

Professor Davidow

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 Topics                                                                        Page numbers

 

Introduction                                                                  3 – 4

 

Description of Mechanical Pencil                                  5 – 9

 

Conclusion                                                                      10

 

Self- Reflection                                                                 11

 

References                                                                        12

 

 

Introduction

A mechanical pencil is an instrument for writing or drawing which was first made in 1822 and since then there has been a numerous modified version of the mechanical pencil. Mechanical pencils are well suited for uses like technical drawing and writing. In today’s date we can find many updated versions which makes writing and drawing faster, easier, and more fun. They help create lines of constant thickness without needing to be sharpened.

The majority of mechanical pencils fall into one of two fundamental categories based on their intended use: those meant for general writing or creative purposes, and those meant for technical drawing or drafting reasons. There is a lot of overlap between these two categories, especially as almost all mechanical pencils designed for technical drawing may also be used for general writing, but there are also some distinct differences between general writing and technical pencils.

Mechanical pencils consist of a pigment called ‘lead’ which is the main source for writing and drawing. The lead is typically made of graphite that is removable and extensible which are not connected to the outer part of the pencil. Technical pencils usually have variety of grips allowing the pencil to be gripped and turned at any position as opposed to common writing pencils which typically have a broad variety of grips, often triangular. Mechanical pencils are also called as: drafting pencil, lead pencil, propelling pencil and many more.

However, the cost of mechanical pencil is more than a regular pencil which is one of the downsides of it and there is a use of lead which is sold separately so buying it frequently can add up for more expenses. The other downside of the pencil is that most of them are made with plastics which can be harmful for the environment especially if the market of the mechanical pencil takes off then so will the use of plastics. Same goes for the eraser that attached to the end of the pencil. The refill erasers come in a plastic box and charges extra, so it all comes down to be expensive and not as sustainable as the regular wooden pencil. But, talking about regular wooden pencils and mechanical pencils compared mechanical pencil has more advantages and useful characteristics such as precise writing, more control over hand and writing movements. There is no need of sharpening, looks good and lasts long. Except for the plastics used they do consist of rubber for better grip which are more environmentally sustainable due to their synthetic nature and can also be recycled.

 

 

 

 

 

Description of Components of a Mechanical Pencil

Talking about the Mechanical Pencil it consists of main parts and lot of other various small parts that helps in its production. The two main components:

  1. Gripping assembly
  2. Barrel assembly

Gripping Assembly: –

This part of the pencil provides a better grip while using and it promotes easy, smooth writing as it holds the lead inside. The assembly is made with a hollow rubber which provides protection to the internal mechanisms. The gripping assembly can also further divide by three other parts which are

  1. Cone cap
  2. Rubber gripping barrel
  • Lead rod outlet

Cone Cap: –

The cone cap is located at the bottom shaped like a cone and has a small opening to let the lead rod come out.

 

Image from: https://www.thearchitectsguide.com/articles/best-mechanical-pencil-for-writing

 

Rubber gripping barrel: –

This consists of a gripper made with rubber to make it easy to hold with better control and help with easier faster writing.

Image from: https://www.thearchitectsguide.com/articles/best-mechanical-pencil-for-writing

Lead Rod Outlet: –

The lead rod outlet is designed to provide support for the lead which commonly ranges from 0.5mm-0.7mm. Due to the outlet wrapped around the lead, the lead is able to strengthen and function.

Image from: https://www.thearchitectsguide.com/articles/best-mechanical-pencil-for-writing

Barrel Assembly: –

This assembly mostly covers the back of the mechanical pencil such as the eraser holder and provides extra support to the lead. It also contains of pocket clam holder to hold the other parts together.

Image:https://omernecaticora.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/technical_description_mechanical_pencil.pdf

There are other components that the barrel assembly can ne divided into and they are: –

  1. Hourglass barrel: –

This is a hollowed cast which is used to hold the lead of different size ranging from 0.5mm to 0.7mm. It is also known as “the main component or body of the mechanical pencil” (Dunleavy, 2015, p. 8).

 

 

  1. Lead Rod Projector: –

This is the internal mechanical assembly that is intended to discharge lead rods from the bottom of the Mechanical Pencil where the cone cap is situated. It is usually made of aluminum and high-impact plastic.

 

  • Eraser: –

This can be found at the back of the pencil which is removable and attached to the lead rod.

Image from: https://www.thearchitectsguide.com/articles/best-mechanical-pencil-for-writing

CONCLUSION

The Mechanical Pencil is easy to use, and the main function is precision writing. It resembles a pen in appearance and writes with lead like a pencil, which comes with a removable eraser to make it easier to write or draw. Most consumers including me find it to be a nice choice because of its functions.

Although the pricing can be higher than wood pencil, it can be justified by its functions, benefits, and use. In comparison to wood pencils, the mechanical pencil is a precise writing tool with a various benefit with no need of sharpening which avoids the sharpening mess and efforts. In addition to that it lasts a long time if you take care of it properly. Here, you never have to worry about the pencil getting shorter making writing and drawing difficult.

To conclude, even though mechanical pencil has its downsides, it possesses many advantages to its consumers making their life easier. Looking at the number of sales or even in our daily life people surrounding using mechanical pencil is seen more often than wood pencil which also proves the convenience it provides to its consumers.

 

 

Self- Reflection

The purpose of this essay is to learn more in detail about making of a mechanical pencil, its uses, benefits, disadvantages, history, and purpose. This helped me show that even a small thing like a pencil has a lot of brain and work put on them. They were created for various purposes and has its own benefits. The mechanical pencil consists of many different parts, and it all works towards an easy and smooth writing with convenient functions such as no need of sharpening and easy change of lead by saving time.

I learned a lot about its functions, and I it gave me a better understanding of how small mechanical products works. I also learned about the need of precise thinking and attention in making of different machines. Mechanical pencil can be considered as a small prototype of a machine as there is a mechanism that is used in order the pencil to function. This was really helpful for me as I am majoring in Engineering so learning from the very base about a prototype of a small machine is helpful for my career which can be very handy in future.

It also made me realize I have lot to learn from small to heavy machinery as I intend to go into structural and construction engineering. This was a great way to know the basics and being self-aware about how there is still a lot to learn. Writing this essay taught me that we should work in parts and first plan, design, make prototypes, and then choose the one you think is the best. Finally, bring your design to life and test for any defects, put it to use and test it out to see its working mechanism, convenience and how practical it is in a daily life before finalizing the final product.

 

REFRENCES

Hubbard, B. (2022, March 11). The best mechanical pencils for writing in 2022. The Architect’s Guide. https://www.thearchitectsguide.com/articles/best-mechanical-pencil-for-writing

 

Dunleavy, B. (2015). Technical Description of the Mechanical Pencil. https://omernecaticora.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/technical_description_mechanical_pencil.pdf