AutoCAD users needed

[lesliedc23]

I am currently working on my degree in inerior design, and am in an introduction to AutoCAD class. This week we have an assignment to interview autocad users. I have just a few simple questions to ask. If someone could take the time to answer, I would really appreciate it.
-Leslie


Name, location, and profession

When do you use CAD in the production process (i.e. preliminary design, design development, etc.),

The types of standardization you use, and

Advantages or disadvantages that CAD brings to your practice.

[Mike.Perry]

Hi Leslie

Pleese note I've *moved* this post from the AutoCAD General Forum to this Forum.

Please refer to the AUGI Forum Guidelines for more information.

Thanks, Mike

Forum Moderator

[mjfarrell]

I am currently working on my degree in inerior design, and am in an introduction to AutoCAD class. This week we have an assignment to interview autocad users. I have just a few simple questions to ask. If someone could take the time to answer, I would really appreciate it.
-Leslie


Name, location, and profession

When do you use CAD in the production process (i.e. preliminary design, design development, etc.),

The types of standardization you use, and

Advantages or disadvantages that CAD brings to your practice.

Michael Farrell, Phoenix AZ, Civil Engineering, AutoDesk instruction.

I employ CADD from beginning to end, from planning stage though
to site design and permitting for final construction.

The Standards I use are governed by both the reviewing agency as
to the final submitted plan documents. For standards I use Layer, T
ext and Dimension styles, file naming and directory structure standards.

The biggest advantage is the ability to evaluate mutiple design alternates
and produce finished plans for the approved concept in the shortest time possible.

The biggest disadvantage, where do I plug this Laptop in for power???

[RobertB]

R. Robert Bell
Spokane WA
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Consulting Engineers

We do some limited work at SD, but the majority begins in DD/CD phases.

Nearly all aspects of AutoCAD are standardized, from dimensions, text, layers, blocks, details, plot styles and page setups, menus, accelerator keys, programming, and the kitchen sink.

Advantages are speed of production, consistent look of drawings, revision process, and reuse of work. Disadvatages are... carpal tunnel?

[Mike.Perry]

Mike Perry
London (UK)
Multi-Disciplinary Consultancy (I work within the Bridges & Special Structures division)

All stages of project work. Largest percentage is on Design & Build.

All the usual (as the others have already given).

Advantages - Consistency of drawing work; Quality of drawing work; Ease of drawing work (especially true when it comes to Revisions/Reuse of drawing work).

Disadvantages - Sore eyes; trying to deal with people (there is always one where ever you are) that won't follow good CAD practice.

[richard.binning]

Richard Binning
Jacksonville, FL
CAD Management (DesignBuild Firm)

We are a multi-discipline, integrated Design Build firm. We do everything from Land Planning, finance and land acquisition, through Design into construction (self perform) and sometimes lease back to owner.

We utilize CAD in many forms and throughout the entire life cycle of a project.

Advantages: Consistency, portability, re-use.

Disadvantages: disassociation with traditional practices.

[arcadia_x27]

Jason Goodwin
Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Modular Housing(Pre-fab) Construction Company. (I work as the Cad Coordinator)

We use Autocad and Architectural Desktop at all stages from preliminary design to final production drawings and details. Its also used by the purchasing department to do material takeoffs

Standardization is used in most aspects of the drawings, from layers, dimensions, lineweights, even some of our blocks are standardized and very specific as they have to represent real world objects to their exact dimensions.(ie showers, tubs, cabinets).

Advantages: speed of production, ability to recycle work, ease of revising drawings.

Disadvantages, users who feel that stardards "aren't necessary", dealing with management who have no idea what CAD is. Users who continue to use Autocad the same way they did 10 years ago.

[Glenn Pope]

Glenn Pope
Lawton Oklahoma
CAD/GIS Technician

We use CAD for the entire life of projects and maintenance of all GIS data.

Current working on a set of standards

Advantages: The ability of calculating all kinds of data in minutes that would take days my hand.
Disadvantages: Users that refuse to learn anything new about the software. Windows.

[baechlerj]

Joe Baechler
Ottawa, ON, Canada
Facilities Management/CADD Specalist

I use Autocad from start to finish, dealing with Architectural, Mechanical & Electrical/Communications. Also use CAD for layouts for Elec. Panels, Synic Board, Schematics, Piping runs, ect. Any structural or odd design projects are also created in-house.

Standardization is critical as we deal with many other goverment agencies and design groups. With multipule buildings around the country and a vast arrary of archived documents, a standard methodology for how drawings are setup, saved and Titled with Drawing Numbers is important, as well as layers, blocks and even sheet size standards.
When you introduce the factor of many departments which can access these documents, standard, clear information is a must.
This is a constant 'work-in-process', you are never finished with Standards as you must always maintain and adapt your rules as the work enviorment changes- a constant battle.

The advantage of Autocad is the ability to customize, not only for each operator at their station, but for the magor disiplines them self, ie Arch., Elec. with templates, menus and tool palettes.
Autocad also allows rapid editing, which is great when you need to layout 8 different office layouts!

Disadvantages - Programs, operating systems, hardware are constanly changing upgrades are expensive and training is constant - AutoCAD now names its releases by yaer, some day it will be by month I fear, - (AutoCAD November2008!!).

Anyway, great tool would not want to go back to the board.

[JASONM30395]

Jason R Melanson Halifax N.S Canada Civil Design CAD Manager

CAD is used throughout the entire process.

standards set by client. (usually government)

Advantages as stated by others.

Disadvantages:
"Since it's so easy to change let's see what happens if we do this"
Quote from a engineer a day and a half before project is due. Used to be things were "thought throught" a lot more before a project was started. Now it's "We'll change it on the fly, because we can do it so quick." and mistakes are made.