Glossary
Third-angle projection
Also called: third angle projection, 3rd angle projection
Reviewed
Definition
Third-angle projection is the orthographic drawing convention used in the United States, in which each view is placed on the side of the object it shows: the top view above the front view and the right-side view to its right. Pallet drawings use it to lay out the top, bottom, side and end views.
How the views are arranged
| View | Position in third-angle |
|---|---|
| Front (usually the pallet side, along the stringers) | reference view |
| Top | above the front view |
| Right side (the pallet end) | to the right of the front view |
| Bottom | below the front view |
A title-block symbol (a truncated cone shown in two views) tells the reader which projection is used. First-angle projection, common in Europe, places views on the opposite sides, so reading a drawing with the wrong convention in mind swaps the views.
What each pallet view shows
- Top view: deckboard widths and every gap (3.25 in on a GMA-style 48x40)
- Bottom view: bottom board positions and openings over the notches
- Side view: overall length, board positions and notch dimensions (6 / 9 / 18 / 9 / 6 in on a GMA-style stringer)
- End view: overall width, overall height and stringer spacing
palletdesign.ai produces a to-scale third-angle drawing with a title block for every design. See how to read a pallet drawing.
Questions
- Is third-angle or first-angle projection used for pallet drawings?
- In North America, third-angle is the norm. European drawings often use first-angle, so check the projection symbol in the title block.