CAD Standards Comparison

[rcroke]

I started to try and do a Standards comparison based on published information that I have aquired.
After about an hour, I realized what a huge task it would be and decided to stop.
We often have to use these standards which is a big problem when dealing with layer keys, content, MVBlocks, etc.... because they can be very different.
I wanted to compare these:

My company standards (NCS Compliant except for some symbols)

National CAD Standards Version 3.1
http://www.nationalcadstandard.org/

VHA National CAD Standard (May 2006)
http://www.va.gov/facmgt/standard/details.asp

A/E/C CADD Standard Release 3.0 (September 2006)
https://tsc.wes.army.mil/products/standards/aec/aecstdweb.asp

USDA CAD Standards (210-VI-NEH, January 2006)
http://policy.nrcs.usda.gov/scripts/lpsiis.dll/H/H_210_641_1.pdf

This comparison would only look at:

Layer Standards
Line Widths
Line Types and Styles
Line Colors and ratios of RGB
Screening
Text Styles and Fonts
Symbols
File Naming

Has anyone ever gone through and done this already?

[robert.1.hall72202]

What is the benefit of comparing the standards?

[Mlabell]

If you have to adapt to all of these standards depending on project, I would try and setup work groups which only work on one standard, maybe two, that would keep design time to a minimum, and hopefully not overload your draftsmen. Otherwise you could possibly write drafting routines to manage the layers colors, and such but I think individualized drafting teams would keep everyone in a production state of mind.

[rcroke]

What is the benefit of comparing the standards?

If something was documented, we would have an easier time finding discrepancies and making the proper adjustments as needed. All of these standards are pretty close to each other in some areas but way off in others.

[madcadder]

More times than not... From what I've found in my research... Most US CAD standards are based in some form around the NCS (one version or another).

[rcroke]

More times than not... From what I've found in my research... Most US CAD standards are based in some form around the NCS (one version or another).

I agree, it's usually ctb's and symbols that vary

[madcadder]

Shhh.... Something tells me in the not too distant future the NCS w/ the AIA, MIGHT, POSSIBLY, release an add-on (plug-in style, maybe template, dunno) to allow for easier use of the NCS v4, when it is released.

One of the biggest complaints about the NCS is that there's not a easy way to address the initial setup and then you have the difference between "conformance" and "in compliance" after that.

[rcroke]

Shhh.... Something tells me in the not too distant future the NCS w/ the AIA, MIGHT, POSSIBLY, release an add-on (plug-in style, maybe template, dunno) to allow for easier use of the NCS v4, when it is released.

One of the biggest complaints about the NCS is that there's not a easy way to address the initial setup and then you have the difference between "conformance" and "in compliance" after that.

I won't say a word ;)

[CADDmanVA]

What is the benefit of comparing the standards?Amen. Been there, done that. Didn't work. We're a Landscape Architecture firm that does architectural and engineering work, so we really can't comply to one standard. I had to build ours from a combo of previous projects we liked the end product of, and a layer standard I found at a university's website.