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Thread: How do you deal with plotting within your company?

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    Default How do you deal with plotting within your company?

    We have been drawing and plotting from model space since forever. On each of our projects we set up a DSD file and batch plot (DWG TO PDF).

    With this down time, we are exploring paper space, viewports, sheet sets, title block templates etc.

    My question is how do most architects deal with plotting? Do you set up a layout for each page? Does this mean that, since our residential projects including structural and energy have 40-60 sheets we would have a layout tab for each of these?

    Any examples or references to examples would be appreciated.

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    Default Re: How do you deal with plotting within your company?

    Non-architect here, but I'd say add "xrefs" to your list of things, then you can spread out the date between more DWG files, and then have fewer layouts in each of your sheet files.

    ...and SSM is the way to go for fast, predictable publishing.
    R.K. McSwain | CAD Panacea |

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    Default Re: How do you deal with plotting within your company?

    Quote Originally Posted by rkmcswain View Post
    Non-architect here, but I'd say add "xrefs" to your list of things, then you can spread out the date between more DWG files, and then have fewer layouts in each of your sheet files.

    ...and SSM is the way to go for fast, predictable publishing.
    Second that!
    While I do Civil/Survey work we have an Architectural group down the hall. Every Architectural drawing I've ever seen used paper space, viewports, sheet sets, and title blocks.

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    Default Re: How do you deal with plotting within your company?

    Although we have a sheet layout template (Title Block) and can use this for each sheet that will need to be plotted...Do we then in theory have 1 sheet for every page that would be plotted? So in theory our sheet set could have 40-60 pages comprising of all the sheets needed to be plotted for a project?

    Thanks

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    Default Re: How do you deal with plotting within your company?

    Quote Originally Posted by plazawest690480 View Post
    Although we have a sheet layout template (Title Block) and can use this for each sheet that will need to be plotted...Do we then in theory have 1 sheet for every page that would be plotted? So in theory our sheet set could have 40-60 pages comprising of all the sheets needed to be plotted for a project?

    Thanks
    In theory yes, but it's cleaner to have that in several drawing with all the sheets referenced in one SSM file. Say you had one drawing with all the details, notes, quantities and such and another with the building, that building could be referenced into another drawing with landscape and infrastructure. Layouts can be added or removed as needed for utilities or whatever and SSM allows you to add, remove or rearrange the sheets as needed and allow you to plot the referenced layouts from those drawings as a Sheet Set.

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    Default Re: How do you deal with plotting within your company?

    Tom,

    Thanks.

    We have been using one drawing that contains all pages (avoiding using the word sheet). My confusion is that our sheet set would have 40-60 sheet setups and because we have been using only one dwg that contains everything, we would have in that drawing 40-60 tabs....
    We will revise our project to separate elements, ie one dwg that contains floorplans, elevations, sections?, another dwg that would contain the structural, another the energy, another MEP etc.

    Again Thanks

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    Administrator rkmcswain's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you deal with plotting within your company?

    Quote Originally Posted by plazawest690480 View Post
    Tom,

    Thanks.

    We have been using one drawing that contains all pages (avoiding using the word sheet). My confusion is that our sheet set would have 40-60 sheet setups and because we have been using only one dwg that contains everything, we would have in that drawing 40-60 tabs....
    We will revise our project to separate elements, ie one dwg that contains floorplans, elevations, sections?, another dwg that would contain the structural, another the energy, another MEP etc.

    Again Thanks

    Why avoid use of the word "Sheet"?

    I've never heard or seen good things associated with DWG files with that many layouts.
    Possible? Sure? Good idea? Probably not.
    R.K. McSwain | CAD Panacea |

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    Default Re: How do you deal with plotting within your company?

    Quote Originally Posted by plazawest690480 View Post
    Tom,

    Thanks.

    We have been using one drawing that contains all pages (avoiding using the word sheet). My confusion is that our sheet set would have 40-60 sheet setups and because we have been using only one dwg that contains everything, we would have in that drawing 40-60 tabs....
    We will revise our project to separate elements, ie one dwg that contains floorplans, elevations, sections?, another dwg that would contain the structural, another the energy, another MEP etc.

    Again Thanks
    I agree with the others, in addition to plotting, sheet sets make everything easier. It's a bit old, but, take a scroll through this handout for a quick overview: Put that Sheet Set Manager to Use.

    Even when I was the only one modifying drawings, I still had all my trades pulled out into different files for ease of finding, updating, plotting, exporting, etc. Even had mechanical ductwork and mechanical piping and med gas piping pulled out into three different sheet sets. (but, I work in Facilities, not on the design side)

    Having things broken out very specifically allows for the reuse of content/layout/settings quite easy on subsequent projects.
    Melanie Stone
    @MistresDorkness

    Archibus, FMS/FMInteract and AutoCAD Expert (I use BricsCAD, Revit, Tandem, and Planon, too)
    Technical Editor
    not all those who wander are lost

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    Default Re: How do you deal with plotting within your company?

    Quote Originally Posted by plazawest690480 View Post
    Tom,

    Thanks.

    We have been using one drawing that contains all pages (avoiding using the word sheet). My confusion is that our sheet set would have 40-60 sheet setups and because we have been using only one dwg that contains everything, we would have in that drawing 40-60 tabs....
    We will revise our project to separate elements, ie one dwg that contains floorplans, elevations, sections?, another dwg that would contain the structural, another the energy, another MEP etc.

    Again Thanks
    Quote Originally Posted by rkmcswain View Post
    Why avoid use of the word "Sheet"?

    I've never heard or seen good things associated with DWG files with that many layouts.
    Possible? Sure? Good idea? Probably not.
    I second that! Yes you can do it, but it becomes too cumbersome and only allows one person in the file at at time.
    We use separate Xrefs for every plan view and a set origin, xreffed elevations views, xref title block for the project (the sheet info in a separate attribute per sheet in PS).
    We use one drawing file for each sheet, and we use SSM religiously for sheet control and publishing.

    That way you can have all the sheets you want and everyone can work on a piece.

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    Administrator Ed Jobe's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you deal with plotting within your company?

    Quote Originally Posted by tedg View Post
    I second that! Yes you can do it, but it becomes too cumbersome and only allows one person in the file at at time.
    We use separate Xrefs for every plan view and a set origin, xreffed elevations views, xref title block for the project (the sheet info in a separate attribute per sheet in PS).
    We use one drawing file for each sheet, and we use SSM religiously for sheet control and publishing.

    That way you can have all the sheets you want and everyone can work on a piece.
    Having multiple editors. This is the biggest reason for having mutiple dwg files, one paper space layout per dwg per each sheet. And a separate file for each model/plan/section/elevation that can be xref'ed.
    C:> ED WORKING....

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