Guide · Production and documentation

What a title block needs, and how to control revisions so nobody builds the old version

7 min read · updated 3 Nov 2026

The title block is a drawing's identity card: what the part is, its number, its revision, who drew and approved it, and which standards apply. Many of the most expensive mistakes in a factory come not from a wrong drawing but from making parts from an old revision. A good title block and disciplined revision control prevent that.

Fields a title block should have

ISO 7200 recommends identifying and descriptive fields such as these:

Field	Example	Notes
Owner (company / department)	ABC Co., Ltd.	Who is responsible for the drawing
Title	BRACKET, MOTOR MOUNT	Main noun first, then qualifiers — easier to search
Drawing number	DWG-1024-031	Unique in the company; never reuse a cancelled number
Revision	A, B, C… or 00, 01, 02…	The current revision of the drawing
Material	S275 t3.0, 304 stainless, 6061-T6	Include thickness for sheet parts
Finish / colour	Zinc plated, powder coat RAL 7035	Write "–" rather than leaving it blank
General tolerance	ISO 2768-m	See general tolerances ISO 2768
Scale and units	1:2, mm	With several scales, state the main one
Projection symbol	First or third angle	See first- vs third-angle projection
Drawn / checked / approved, with dates	Initials and date	A drawing without approval should not go to production
Paper size and sheet	A3, 1/2	Helps confirm every sheet was printed

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The revision table

Besides the revision field in the title block, a drawing should carry a separate revision history, usually above the title block or at the top right. Each line is one change.

Rev.	Description	ECN no.	Date	Approved
A	First issue	–	2026-09-01	SP
B	Ø6 holes changed to Ø6.6 (4 places) · length 120 changed to 125	ECN-2610-07	2026-10-15	SP

Describe changes so a machinist knows at once what moved — give both the old and the new value. Many companies also put a triangle with the revision letter next to each changed feature on the drawing.

Raising the revision after an ECN

Open an ECN (Engineering Change Notice) with the reason, the parts affected and what happens to existing stock (use as is, rework or scrap).
Change the drawing, raise the revision in the title block, add a line to the revision table and mark the changed features.
Check and approve again — every time, even for a single number.
Release the new revision to everyone who holds the old one: production, QC, purchasing and suppliers.
Remove old copies from the shop floor: stamp them "OBSOLETE" or recall them, and keep an archive copy in the document system.
Put the revision in the file name, e.g. DWG-1024-031_RevB.pdf, so anyone receiving the file knows which one it is.

The one golden rule: once a drawing has left the design office, never change it without raising the revision — not even a spelling fix. Otherwise two different drawings exist with the same revision.

Frames and title blocks in DXCAD2D Online

Finish the drawing at 1:1 in mm; there is no need to draw a frame yourself.
Choose Export → PDF… (or DXF) and tick Add drawing frame + title block (template).
Fill in company / department, part name, drawing no., Rev., material, finish / colour, general tolerance, drawn by, checked by, approved by and date. Choose the paper size, orientation, scale (automatic works) and projection symbol.
The program remembers what you entered, so next time you only change what moved — such as Rev. and date.
Draw the revision table yourself with rectangles (REC) and text (T) above where the title block goes. Make one row, add rows with Array (AR) or Copy (CO), then group it (G) so it moves as one.

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