Why 3D CAD Models of a Building are translated to 2D drawings, to be built in Three Dimensions?

Aug 15, 2016 -- Though the approach to building design has evolved tremendously, it still starts with a rough paper sketch. Immediately after that the design starts transforming in to a 3D model. It is a lot more convenient and quick to visualize new designs in a 3D environment.

For architectural design support service providers like us, it empowers us to enable our clients to see what spaces will really look like instead of interpreting from prints. Also our CAD designers and BIM modelers, with help of 3D CAD designs, do an outstanding job of optimizing the structures and systems when everything is present in one single model.

And hence the question, Why 3D CAD Models of a Building are translated into 2D drawings, only to be built in three dimensions?

For more than two decades now, we have been successfully developing architectural CAD drawings, building elevation drawings, presentation drawings, floor plans, furniture detailing as well as 2D representations of interior planning and demarcations through our expertise in architectural 2D drafting services. We deliver 2D architectural CAD services, with help of AutoCAD, Revit and Autodesk Building Design Suite to convert sketches in CAD drafts with different formats such as DWG, DXF and DGN.

We strongly feel that the answer to why 3D CAD models are translated into 2D drawings is that complex projects need complex controls; including Bills of Materials for procurement, construction sequencing, document revision control, and dimensions. That said, we are nowhere against the evolving technologies, nor are we failing in being equipped with all of them. However; the importance of 2D drawings cannot be denied. Let’s understand it from our perspective.

Construction process of buildings including residential, commercial, institutional, government and industrial facilities, or even parking and storage spaces, cannot take a start off without procuring right kind of materials. Our 3D model database contains information on all structure, systems and equipments contained in the model, and preparing a bill of material – BOM; is as simple as running a query in the database and enables the project to springboard without creating any drawings.

This is then followed with utilizing huge monitors/screens loaded with model-viewing software that provides real time design data to the shop. The builders, architects, contractors and stakeholders in the supply chain, can literally see what they are working on, how it would appear when finished, and what several other systems or structures are in near vicinity. 3D BIM models are easy to interpret by almost anyone without extra efforts required to interpret 2D drawings/drafts or prints.

Now if you hail from the building construction industry, you could not agree more to the fact that building without production drawings certainly makes document control irrelevant. How would one provide dimensions and tolerance information to the builder? This traditionally forms a part of, or is shown in 2D production drawings with conventions for where dimensions are placed, and assumed tolerances for construction. How on earth will the builder get this information if there are no 2D drawings created or printed, just to eliminate the cost?

Conclusion:

Partner with us, your 2D architecture support service provider, to transform conceptual architecture design sketches to detailed 2D CAD drawings to enable you as architects, contractors, engineers and construction firms to take informed decisions quickly and improve productivity for building development projects.

We develop architectural CAD drawings, building elevation drawings, presentation drawings, floor plans, furniture detailing as well as 2D representations of interior planning and demarcations through our expertise in architectural 2D drafting services.

We have expertise in converting raw data from multiple formats such as PDF, MCD, TIFF or scanned images to CAD readable formats such as DWG, DGN, DXF and more. Feel free to come up with your requirement and will be more than happy to do a pilot project - free of cost.

About Author: Hiral Patel is a news editor and has been contributing to the AEC industry since last 7 years. She mainly writes about the application of BIM across Architecture, MEP and Structural sectors. Her focus is towards encouraging construction companies, sub-contractors and architects to adopt right technologies to improve efficiency and profitability.