Why Does The AEC Industry Rely On Shop Drawings Services?

Shop drawings services play a crucial role in the AEC industry. The are valued today because of the wide range of utilities and applications you can put detailed drawings to.

They are used by homebuilders, real estate developers, millwork manufacturing companies, casework companies, custom furniture manufacturers, flooring manufacturers, AWI members, kitchen remodelers, and more.

Types of shop drawings include steel shop drawings, tile shop drawings, stone shop drawings, and MEP shop drawings – and those are just a few. 

With the growth of the construction industry, understanding shop drawings has become more important than ever. We’ll unearth more on why the AEC industry finds shop drawings essential to its operations.

The building construction industry is highly competitive. To stay one step ahead of the curve, contractors and architects of various firms need swiftness, accuracy and precision.

Shop drawings services meet these needs.

What are Shop Drawings?

Shop drawings are accurately drawn versions of a contractor’s information represented in construction documents.

They help you figure out the dimensions of the proposed installations, the timelines, and the type of materials you will need for the components.

• Shop drawings supplement working drawings.

• They are more detailed than architectural drawings and are usually prepared by your material suppliers and contractors.

• They tend to represent fabrication and installation of structural steel elements, product design & development, and mechanical components.

Shop drawings should always be prepared prior to the construction phase.

Who Uses Shop Drawings?

Shop drawings are used by almost everyone involved in a project.

The idea behind shop drawing design is to present the guidelines for manufacturing various components which will be used during construction.

By leveraging this information, you can ensure that industry specifications and quality standards are achieved for your project.

Components of Shop Drawing Designs

Mostly, pre-fabricated components are included in designing shop drawings. The arrangement of these pre-fabricated components is vital to building construction.

This assembly needs to take place accurately. This is achieved through architectural shop drawings, MEP shop drawings, steel shop drawings, millwork shop drawings and so on.

Some examples of these pre-fabricated building components include:

• Pre-cast components

• Steel structures

• Steel trusses

• Steel elevators

• Millwork and cabinets

• Wooden windows

The right shop drawings services will give you the following:

• Detailed information about pre-fabricated components that will be used in building construction

• What components will be used where and in what quantity during construction

• Specific information pertaining to dimensional specifications, component measurements and calculations based on plans

With all this information at your tips, you have the ability to make quicker, better decisions.

Versatility, precision and accuracy are the three pillars that make shop drawing services so valuable.

Let’s discuss these in detail.

Versatility

• The best shop drawings adhere to industry, manufacturing and project standards.

• Shop drawing drafting can be done for anything that your building might require. For example, spool drawings, MEP drawings, sleeve drawings, penetration drawings, millwork drawings and insert layout drawings.

• You can create both mass-produced and custom shop drawings. Building product manufacturers often utilize components of older sets while creating new projects. On special request, however, the sequence of components can be customized for the specific requirements of a client.

• Creating detailed designs of plumbing, piping, fire protection, sheet metal ductwork and electrical components.

• Creating any type of millwork and cabinetry with shop drawing software.

Precision

When you work with the right CAD drafting service providers, you can expect precise, high-quality shop drawings with uniform component dimensions.

These drawings can recognize and rectify potential issues in your project, even before the ground construction begins.

Accuracy

• If your drawings have high accuracy, you can download them to your contractors’ GP systems without any fuss or distortion. This will enable your contractors to develop the layout faster and more efficiently.

• The chances of trial and error is considerably reduced. The lesser the room for error, the lesser will be component wastage. This way, the drawings help you keep the project budget under control.

Having said that, we wouldn’t recommend getting shop drawings done for every project.

Does your project require shop drawings?

Not every project requires such drawings.

Smaller projects make do with construction documentation only.

Mostly, shop drawings are required for projects with greater complexities and challenges. With detailed shop drawings, larger projects can be updated in real-time, thereby facilitating convenient workflow.

What should be my approach for shop drawing preparation?

We’d recommend following the below steps for most effective shop drawings for your next project.

• Identify a project that requires shop drawing.

• Ask your experts to create accurately detailed drawings.

• Get your drawings reviewed by design professionals.

• Make sure that the design professionals consult the different stakeholders involved in your project before approving the drawings.

• Share the approved drawings with various fabricators and manufacturers.

Conclusion

Shop drawings, with their precision, accuracy and versatility act as crucial tools for suppliers, fabricators and manufacturers.

If you are not sure whether you need shop drawings, want your old shop drawings to be reviewed, or require new shop drawings, BluEntCAD is here to help.

Our design professionals have years of hands-on experience in creating accurate shop drawings. Contact us now for shop drawings services!

Maximum Value. Achieved.