AutoCAD

Presented by TP Mechanical | Provided by: Matt Houston

CAD drafting and preconstruction coordination has come a long way in the past five years. Typically, this was completed on-site, in the General Contractor’s trailer, overlaying plans on a light table to determine collisions and conflicts between trades. This was a very involved and timely process, with many hands drawing their own plans in two dimensions.

The evolution of the CAD department has moved into drawing all of its plans in three dimensions, allowing for true-to-form coordination and more timely and accurate prefabrication.

New tools we use during the typical coordination process:

1. Autodesk Fabrication – Formerly CAD-MEP+ from TSI Software, Autodesk Fabrication is the foundation of all of our drafting today. With the use of Design Line elements and the Attacher tool, it is possible to create real-life installation drawings, using actual fitting sizes and piping materials with each system.
2. Autodesk Navisworks – Purchased by Autodesk in 2007, Navisworks provides software for 3D coordination, collaboration and sequencing in design and construction. Interference management tools help design and construction professionals anticipate and avoid potential problems before construction begins, minimizing expensive delays and rework.
3. Autodesk Revit – Architects and Engineers are moving (or have moved to) Revit for their construction drafting. Revit provides a much simpler interface to create a complex construction model and the pertaining documentation. CAD technicians can use Revit to extract 3D models of the building and structure to allow for even more detailed coordination. It is also possible to receive correctly sized equipment for use in coordination and prefabrication.
4. Citrix Goto Meeting – Travelling to job sites is becoming a thing of the past. Using the software tools, we can have our meetings online, often making changes to our drawings on-the-fly, making the coordination process even more streamlined. Also, less driving saves costs to the project, trimming bids to increase work backlog and also trimming our carbon footprint.
5. Citrix Sharefile – File transmission can be unwieldy, especially if you must use an antiquated FTP system that is unreliable and unsecure. Enter Sharefile, which allows us to share specific files with specific individuals. It also allows customers to upload their files to us securely. It is now possible to make project files available to field personnel as well as other trades working on the project, while keeping the files secure.

We like challenging projects, and aggressive timelines, unusual circumstances and intricate details are our specialty.

That’s why we were psyched to tackle the ARM/Berry Plastics project. TP Mechanical welcomed the opportunity to fabricate and install a new primary/secondary chilled water piping system – while the old system continued to run and the facility remained occupied. We had four months from the time the contract was awarded until the project milestone to have the chillers up and running, and there were no blueprints to work from.

For us, that’s just another day on the job. Our first step was to use the building’s original 2D blueprints to create an AutoCAD layout. Meanwhile, we started our guys on the exterior piping of the building that didn’t require any modeling in order to maximize time. Working concurrently alongside our crews, we used the AutoCAD layout to create a 3D model of the new system so that our client would have a crystal clear view of what the system was going to look like in place.

The new system was going into an area that had, up until that point, been used for storage and the client wanted to ensure that enough space would remain for safety guardrails and fork truck traffic. In addition to the 3D modeling, we laid out chalk drawings of the footprints of the chillers and pump pads to help them envision the space and get an accurate idea of the end product.

As another time-saving strategy, we prefabricated the pipe assemblies so that when the piping arrived on site, no field welding was required; all they had to do to install was rig it up, set it in place and bolt it together. We completed the tie-in in two days and once the new system was in place, we dismantled and eliminated the old equipment. We completed an entire new chilled water piping system with no disruption in the facility’s production or putting the occupants in harm’s way.

Throughout this process, we met with the client at least once weekly to keep the lines of communication flowing and discuss updated safety precautions, preplanning strategies for every step of the process and feedback on design as the project evolved.

Communication, teamwork, and creative problem solving. That’s how we roll – with the punches, that is.

IT’S NOT JUST LINES AND CIRCLES… ANYMORE

Tight timeline? Bring it on.