The scale factor is used to compare the scales to each other.įor instance, if you have a drawing at 3/16' = 1'-0' and you want to change it to 1' = 40'-0', you simply compare the two scale factors and adjust as required: The trick is to use the Scale Factor, which appears in our CAD Scale Factors article. Changing from one scale to another seems like a complex task, especially if you need to convert from an architectural scale to an engineering scale.