Customization (a.k.a. Implementation)
I am so happy that this will be my third article I have word smithed for AUGIWORLD. In my first article in June titled Engineering Implementation vs. Installation, where I talked about how good Engineering is and all about good control and covered the general topic that defined how anyone can purchase any of the CAD hardware and software technology. It is what the company does with it that makes the difference. Then in my second article for AUGIWORLD August edition, The CAD Manager… (a.k.a. The Conductor), I continued to tell the story I hope the whole industry hears. Therefore, logically Customization is the very first step in the Implementation process. Because it is well overdue and overtime to get this all right.
I use many CAD software systems, from AutoCAD and its 3rd generation applications such as Civil 3D, Advanced Steel, and other Toolsets e.g., Plant 3D and Map 3D, Mechanical and so on. I can also use Bentley Microstation, Open Roads, 12d Model, Inventor, Solid Edge, Fusion 360, 3D Studio MAX, and Victorworks to a level I would consider, above industry standard.
I do love my CAD and the only reason I do not know more is firstly, I am human, and secondly, I only have so much time in the days. My absolute #1 Top skillset is definitely AutoCAD based platforms, having spent more than 20,000 hours over the past 23+ years on some serious heavy-duty R&D outside my daily work hours… (it is a claim I challenge anyone to match). Therefore, I hope you can trust me that I know what I am talking about because trust is an important of your own journey as you work to learn, understand, and master all and any of these seemly impossible to get right, CAD systems, workflows, and processes.
So as part of this continuing story, in today’s article, I’m going to breakdown AutoCAD (and CAD systems in general), detailing how to customize them into the most simplest of terms to demystify the plethora of information, urban myths, legacy ideas, and data to save you a heap (bucket-load) of time.
Take a good look at this image. Here you see the list of what I have called AutoCAD - Complex Objects. These are some of the features of AutoCAD that any good CAD Manager will need apply laser-focus on to create their own unique version of CAD Standards.
I know, it may seem like a simplistic image, but the work that will be required behind each configurable feature will depend on how many specific disciplines (e.g., Survey, Civil, Structural and Mechanical etc. etc.) you will need to cover for you own unique version of comprehensive and unified CAD Standards.
There needs a definitive plan and strategy to achieve success; without it, you could be wasting thousands of hours and become lost, overwhelmed, and demoralised.
There can never be any fully completed CAD system no matter how much money, smarts, time and effort is thrown at it, because it’s just not possible; over the years I have seen countless incomplete, abandoned attempts. What is often not taken into consideration is that some of the configurable features of all these CAD platforms will need to work in unison with each other to fully work as planned (e.g., Layers that need to talk to CAD Objects and then CTB and STB files).
Some aspects of CAD Management are not the actual CAD program themselves but creating good Folder and File naming conventions and PC specifications that will do the job to expectations of both the Users and Management. As a contractor mostly in my 43+ years career, I have seen numerous Folder and File naming conventions and formats. So, I can adapt to anything pretty much instantly. But unless you have ever worked on multi-million-dollar mining projects that have all the Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Piping, Electrical, Comms CAD data all in 3D Modelled Xref's and the Drawing files with hundreds of Xrefences in them along with the thousands of Layers to control to present the Drawings correctly and clearly; or multi-billion-dollar Road and/or Rail Tunnelling Infrastructure Projects.
This is when badly developed Folder and/or File and Layer Naming Conventions show up as serious flaws in the CAD Management system. This is when Chaos takes over and burns off even the biggest budgets.
I would strongly suggest starting with a clever and logical, yet simple as possible Naming Convention for all these Complex Objects. Because without it, you may become overwhelmed trying to maintain control over the sheer volume of data any good, customised CAD system requires to perform as planned and make a significant enough difference to the ROI for your company. Especially if your own company works in multiple engineering disciplines. To highlight just how important this is, AutoMENU multi-disciplined system already has over 50k clean and functional Blocks currently in its Block Libraries. This alone is thousands of hours of work, which I would not personally want to revisit and/or redo.
Acronym all naming conventions. With 2 letters and 3 letters are most common for Folder names and 4 or 5 for File and Complex Objects for things like Layers, Block, Linetype etc. naming conventions. e.g., X2D for 2D Xreferences and X3D for 3D Xreference files. 2D and/or PS for Paperspace Drawing files with project numbers and discipline acronyms also in the Drawing file(s) name(s) for easy identification. Such a complete, and logical acronym system becomes like a new language after everyone adapts to it, saving a mountain of time also. I wouldn't work without one. Just like I could never and would never go back to working with Vanilla AutoCAD. I would retire first.
A clean and simple folder structure is also very imperative to keep everything in order and make it easier for Users to find data without searching on multiple or varied places and/or drives. Keep the level of these directories a flat as possible. My own system folders are no more than 3 levels deep, with the exception of the “System” folder which is only especially for CAD Manager use anyway and is server write protected to ensure the CAD system cannot be deliberately and/or accidently messed with, as all the CAD Users customizations are reading from this one central folder. This makes CAD Management of the system easier to develop, edit and control also.
Do not update anything during normal work hours whilst Users are using the system. And Users should be told not to mess with the system as it will crash. There are other ways to manage updates; this is how I have chosen to manage it, and it has worked fine based on my own personal history and experience.
The above image is some more very powerful and important AutoCAD customizable features that I would like to suggest you research, develop and include into your own system. I would not like to work without them. Now the beauty is; because most CAD software has similar features as I have covered here, Once you have developed them for AutoCAD based platforms, you can Save As most data to the other CAD software formats and use all these Naming Conventions etc. you have developed for your own unique CAD Management System both keeping a company-wide CAD Standard unified and saving you thousands of hours of work having to reinvent the wheel over and over again. Happy days!
