How to Start an As-Built Layout showing all facilities and services

[Detsenira]

To All Auto-CAD users:

I work as an Engineer in a shipyard facility and one of my goals for the year-2006 is to create an Auto-CAD database Master Plan of the entire facility showing all existing underground and overhead utilities (Domestic water, Sprinkler and Fire protection, Natural Gas, Steam, Compressed air, Sanitary and Storm Sewer lines). We are maintaining 12-Buildings in an approximately 40-acres of property land. Five Buildings are modern built in the late 1980’s but the rest was built in the early 1930’s.

The only information that I have in hand is the electronic raster copy of the foundation plan w/ underground utility lines taken from the old plan that was drafted more than 75 years ago and the rest is what you see is what you got.

My objective is to create an as-built layout into Auto-CAD database for the entire facility showing all location and descriptions of all active lines and identify all existing gate valves for both water and fire protection and gas lines, storm inlets, floor drain and clean outs that are user friendly for maintenance purposes.

By utilizing all available powerful tools of Auto-CAD 2005 What do you think is the right way to start this kind of project? We are planning to upgrade hundreds of variety of types and sizes of gate valves. How do you think I can control the material updates of each upgraded units?

My advance thanks, to all.

Ted (Detsenira)
Auto-CAD user

[aledtaylor79401]

I would tackle this project by aiming to produce a single drawing. If multiple drawings are used it will become increasingly difficult to co-ordinate the details. Small sections can be printed as required (use view ports from paper space).

Each system would be drawn on it's own layer so it could be turned on or off as required. Using layers in this way means that you do not need to worry about excessive complexity.

I hope this helps

Aled Taylor

[Opie]

Are you the only user to be compiling this information? If not, will more than one user be updating the drawings at the same time?

If multiple users will be working with these drawings, I would have to disagree with Aled. I would recommend that you use a multiple drawing setup due to a single file would only allow one user to update that file at a time.

You could create a base map of the facility. With the base map, you could then reference it into the various other utility drawings (Domestic water, Sprinkler and Fire protection, Natural Gas, Steam, Compressed air, Sanitary and Storm Sewer lines), utilising one drawing per utility type. You could also reference the other utility drawings into each other to resolve any possible conflicts.

This setup can be more complex, but does allow more flexibility to your staff.

[aledtaylor79401]

Are you the only user to be compiling this information? If not, will more than one user be updating the drawings at the same time?

If multiple users will be working with these drawings, I would have to disagree with Aled. I would recommend that you use a multiple drawing setup due to a single file would only allow one user to update that file at a time.

You could create a base map of the facility. With the base map, you could then reference it into the various other utility drawings (Domestic water, Sprinkler and Fire protection, Natural Gas, Steam, Compressed air, Sanitary and Storm Sewer lines), utilising one drawing per utility type. You could also reference the other utility drawings into each other to resolve any possible conflicts.

This setup can be more complex, but does allow more flexibility to your staff.

This sounds very good in theory and it would certainly allow multiple users but I would be wary of a system that references drawings into each other because it could become seriously screwed up by inexperienced CAD users (Rule No. 1: Keep it simple).

I've inherited a multiple drawing system and it's been full of problems. I have lots of information that is out of date mixed up with current information and there are a variety of styles, standards and detail. Not to mention various proposed schemes that never happened. The mess was so extensive that the one drawing solution was proposed in order to ensure integrity.

If the site is large you could have one drawing for each building and one drawing for the spaces between the buildings but you'd have to define a standard (layer names, scale, symbols etc.) to ensure consistency.

We don't have a problem with multiple users, as keeping the plan up to date is a relatively small part of what we do.

Aled Taylor

[Detsenira]

Thank you Aled and Richard for your interest in my complex-2006 project and sharing your open ideas that might benefits some fellow Auto-CAD users with the same interest.

This project will be compiled by a single user and be open and printed for review by others. So, I decided to set-up a multiple files w/ 1-single file per buildings and 1-Master Plan for the entire facility then x-reference all building layouts and raster drawing files on each corresponding base locations to create as-built plan as required. Then I am planning to create a separate layers for each existing utilities and other objects like road, utility poles, parking space, etc. Sounds like a combination of Aled and Richard’s plan and propositions.

I think by doing this I can utilize the amount of memories available as the file is getting bigger and worried free of annoying slow response, possible file crash and multiple pain in the neck. Do you think the power of X-Ref and Image Manager will handle this problem by loading and unloading the file and work on the subject project per case-to-case bases?

Do you think I am on the right track? Any comments before I move on is highly appreciated. Thanks,

Ted (Detsenira)

[Opie]

I think that plan is a good plan. You can also unload the reference files (not detach) to free up some memory from loading the unneeded reference files. This will allow you to work with only what you need to complete a portion of the site.

Good Luck on your project.

[Wanderer]

I think that plan is a good plan. You can also unload the reference files (not detach) to free up some memory from loading the unneeded reference files. This will allow you to work with only what you need to complete a portion of the site.

Good Luck on your project.

Any notable events on this Ted?

[Detsenira]

Hi to all,

First of all I want to thanks all of the above who give brilliant ideas on how I start and proceed my goals to create Master Facility plan. I am presently busy and enjoying my project by doing a daily routine updates by jumping from file to files.

Now how do you think I can manage to control the large no. of growing layers on the Master Plan that comprise of 15-different x-ref files overlaid to one another and the layers is almost 850 so far? Is it possible to create a revised unique name of layers? or how can I reduce to at least 50%? Is it possible?

Thank you all for sharing your ideas w/o reservations. I am glad to share the outcome of my project to all who are interested. Just drop me a line and I will send you an updates.

Ted
(Auto-CAD 2005 user).

[Comach]

The solution offered by Opie is certainly the way to go and it seems that this is perhaps your intent.

The xref solution breaks the data into manageable chunks of data - in this case per system. Is it therefore prudent to try and bundle all this data into one master layout drawing? If nothing else clarity of information becomes an issue and potential usefulness is compromised. I think it may be best to manage a master layout for each service and if required you can create on the fly layouts utilizing the individual master files as references.

This would also be a useful file management solution for future works on your facility and reduce the massed layers issue.

The principle being dont try and amass loads of data on one drawing it just makes the drawing very large and unwieldy - break it down into manageable chunks and this will give you more flexibility to satisfy your current and future criteria.

[Doodlemusmaximus]

I'd have to agree with them here exref's are the way to go. I used to work for a small chemical company and I did the same think with there facility, breaking it down into bite size chunks it also allowed for a easier data base reference to each drawing. Allowing for each system to generate its own file and then just referencing them all in a master fornting.


If its done right then once you have it all set up it'll be easy to manage and all future expansion and changes will be simple. The one thing I did do though was to have two base's one for normal printing and the other for working which was a much more simplified drawing allowing easier manipulation of the data.

Hope this helps you..