Drawing Setup

Drawing
Setup

Drawing Setup Module provides a standardized framework for presenting facility information graphically, ensuring effective communication, easy retrieval, and preservation. These standards impact both hardcopy and electronic drawings, influencing production, delivery, and layout decisions. The module creates a consistent environment for technical drawings, adaptable to various projects, including buildings, civil works, engineering and process-focused designs.

FILE STRUCTURE

The methodology of organizing drawing sets is as follows:

Group information by discipline (design and construction) into subsets
Order subsets to align with the natural construction sequence, grouping similar topics
Present each drawing (plan, elevation, section) on dedicated sheets, allowing different drawing types for smaller projects
Organize information within each subset from general to specific

SUBSET

Following the cover sheet, sheets should be organized into subsets in the order below. All the subsets may not apply, or more specific additional categories may be required depending on the size, scope, and complexity of the project

SHEET IDENTIFICATION

The sheet identification format works for both manual and CAD drawings. It is consistent but flexible enough for different project sizes. The Cadnadian v1 format includes:

Discipline Designator: One or two letters with a hyphen to identify the sheet's category.
Sheet Type Designator: A single number showing the type of information.
Sheet Sequence Number: Two numbers indicating the sheet's order.

Sheet Type Designator

Discipline Designator

Sheet Sequence Number

DISCIPLINE DESIGNATOR

The discipline designator is the first part of the sheet identification format. This designator helps identify the subject matter on the sheet.

Refer to "Appendix A - discipline designator" for example of 2 levels descipline designator

Level 1: A single letter followed by a dash

Level 2: Two letters without a dash

#	LEVEL 1 DISCIPLINE DESIGNATORS
G	General
H	Hazardous Materials
V	Survey/Mapping
B	Geotechnical
C	Civil
L	Landscape
S	Structural
A	Architectural
I	Interiors
Q	Equipment
F	Fire Protection
P	Plumbing
D	Process
M	Mechanical
E	Electrical
T	Telecommunications
R	Resource
X	Other Disciplines
Z	Contractor/Shop Drawings
O	Operations

SHEET TYPE DESIGNATOR

The sheet type designator is a single number that indicates the type of sheet. It can be used with any discipline designator, and not all sheet types need to be used in a project or discipline.

#	SHEET TYPE DESIGNATORS
0	General (symbols legend, notes, etc.)
1	Plans (horizontal views)
2	Elevations (vertical views)
3	Sections (sectional views, wall sections
4	Large-Scale Views (plans, elevations, stair sections, or sections that are not details)
5	Details
6	Schedules and Diagram
7	User Defined (for types that do not fall in other categories, including typical detail sheets)
8	User Defined (for types that do not fall in other categories)
9	3D Representations (isometrics, perspectives, photographs)

Sheet type designators allow flexibility in combining different types of drawings on a single sheet for simplicity. For example:

Adding profile drawings to sewer or road plan sheets.
Including same-scale sections with large-scale stair or escalator plans.
Placing schedules on plan sheets for related information.
Combining drawing types on small projects.

SHEET SEQUENCE NUMBER

Sheet Sequence Number:
The sheet sequence number is a two-digit identifier (e.g., 01, 02) for organizing sheets within the same discipline and type. Sequence numbers:

Start at 01 (00 is not allowed).
Do not need to be consecutive, allowing for future additions.
Standardized as two digits for easier sorting and database use.

For plan sheets, floors can be reflected in numbering (e.g., A-102, M-102, E-102 for the second floor), though this can be complex for basements or split levels.

User-defined designator:new sheets added later can use a suffix (up to three characters).

User-Defined Designators

SUPPLEMENTAL DRAWINGS

For changes:

Use revision clouds and revision blocks for small updates.
For major updates, add a suffix after the sequence number:
- R for revisions.
- X for complete changes.
- A, B, C... for phased versions.

A dash separates the sequence number from the suffix.

Supplemental Drawings

Refer to "Appendix B" and "Appendix C" for example of Sheet identification

FILE NAMING

Consistent file naming and folder organization are crucial for managing both graphical and non-graphical project information effectively. Organized practices ensure reusability and accessibility. While each organization can determine its approach, the following section provides recommended guidelines for naming and organizing files, which can be adopted if no system is already in place.

PROJECT CODE/NUMBER

The Project Code should be identified at the start of each project to ensure consistent file names within that project. Using 1- to 20- character at the beginning of the file name. When using this field, it is recommended to include a distinctive character like an underscore "_" in all model file names to help folder sorting routines organize similar files together.

MODEL FILE NAMING

The model file naming convention has four mandatory fields. All fields must be used and in the correct sequence.

Project Code

Discipline Designator

FIle Name Extension

User-Defined Designators

Type of Model

File names in CAD follow a structured format for clarity and consistency. The first character(s) is the discipline designator (e.g., one letter with a hyphen for Level 1 or two letters for Level 2). The third and fourth characters define the model type, while the fifth to eighth characters are user-defined modifiers. An optional prefix can be added for project identification in systems supporting long filenames. File extensions (e.g., .dgn, .dwg, .dwf, .dxf) are defined by the CAD software after the required decimal point.

##	MODEL FILE TYPES
FP	Floor Plan
SP	Site Plan
DP	Demolition Plan
QP	Equipment Plan
XP	Existing Plan
EL	Elevation
SC	Section
DT	Detail
SH	Schedules
3D	Isometric/3D
DG	Diagrams

SHEET FILE NAMING

Sheet file names are designed to align with the "Sheet Identification" format to ensure consistency between electronic files and physical drawings. The naming format categorizes the content of each file as clearly as the identification system organizes the corresponding physical sheets, streamlining preparation and production.

FILE MANAGEMENT

PROJECT FOLDERS

Use a unique project ID (up to 8 characters) for the main folder to ensure easy sharing and identification.

Subfolder Organization must be followed:

Project ID

100_Xref

200_Models

300_

400_Production

500_Plots

600_Reports

700_Incoming Data

800_Transmitals

900_Standards

FILE BACKUP

A structured project folder system offers a consistent location for documents throughout the project cycle, making file management more efficient. It allows for easy identification of specific projects or phases, facilitates file searches, and simplifies tasks like backups, archiving, and distribution. Draft drawings should be stored in an accessible folder or volume and backed up daily to ensure data security.

DATA PROTECTION

Even with a well-organized folder and file naming system, operator errors can lead to file loss. To safeguard work, frequent saves, automatic timed backups, and daily backups to external drives are essential. Deleted files may sometimes be recovered from the recycle bin, though hard-drive failures result in permanent loss. Using an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is also recommended to protect against power outages and minimize data loss.

ARCHIVING AND DISTRIBUTING DATA

At key milestones, drawings should be copied to an archive folder, with weekly backups recommended. Once a project stage is completed, the entire drawing set should be saved on an archival medium, such as a dedicated drive, CD-ROM, or removable disks. In smaller offices, this could be a hard disk partition or compressed files. Access to archives must be password-protected and limited to responsible, qualified individuals.