Refine Your Precast Design using 3D modeling improves speed, accuracy and costs

Inside our unique design method

Our method is based on the industry standard AutoCAD®, the world’s most popular design and drafting program. Using ActiveX and VBA, we’ve built our own custom 3D design software and fully integrated it into AutoCAD.

Process

1. Right-built 3D models require precise 2D drawings. That’s why we first develop 2D drawings based on your architectural and structural input.
2. From these drawings, we then design optimal panel systems and build a simplified 3D model that also includes structural elements such as columns, slabs and outside architectural elements that may interfere with panels.
3. Next, we design 3D panel connection details and elevations. With all building components designed and defined, the 3D model is complete and ready to view.

Changes

The beauty of a 3D model is that you can quickly see mistakes, and easily fix them right in the model. The 3D model becomes a master document for making all changes and performing checking/fixing. Cross checking many, many drawings is eliminated. Once all changes are made and the design is finalized, all that’s left is error-free drawings.

Output

We can print 2D drawings in a matter of minutes, right from the 3D model with total accuracy. We simply add any needed text and dimensions, then print.

Data

The 3D models we build include any statistical information you want (total hardware counts, a list of panels with particular hardware detail, types of hardware per floor and so on). We can extract this information and provide it to you in the form of spreadsheets or other documents.

In-house work

Building your 3D model is too important to outsource. That’s why we only perform this critical work as well as the simpler drafting work in-house.

More about our software

Our custom 3D design application is built to interfaces seamlessly with AutoCAD, using Visual Basic (VBA) and C++. It performs many essential functions:

1. It collects data from AutoCAD drawings (2D and 3D) as well as other sources such as spreadsheets and text files, then collates that into a single database.

2. Runs macro routines eliminating many of the mistakes that come from repeating tasks in 2D drafting. We achieve this with extensive use of XREFs (AutoCAD external references) which are blocks of repeating elements in drawings. The result: set an element once, and all instances in all drawings change automatically.