The Significance of Good Construction Shop Drawings

by Engineering Geek Expert in industrial engineering including piping,

The construction projects of today are becoming more strict regarding cost and risk control. As a result, project investments suffer, uncertainties increase, and time, money, and labor are continually in short supply. To help you have more clarity, in this article, I will talk about how the construction industry uses shop drawings, what their specifications are, and their top benefits/importance for construction.

What are Shop Drawings?

Shop drawings are detailed plans that reflect design intent. They are the manufacturer's or contractor's interpretations of the data in the construction documentation. The manufacturer's production crew or the contractor's installation crews can understand the fabrication and installation of the goods because of shop drawings.

Shop drawings show a wide range of prefabricated components from steel beams, trusses, and concrete panels to elevators, appliances, cabinetry, ducting, and electrical layouts. Modern shop drawings and technical drawings are made with CAD software like AutoCAD or Revit; hand-drawn technical drawings are becoming less popular. Instead, this dying craft has been relegated to fast sketching for quickly conveying ideas and concepts.

The bigger Building Document Submittal Process, which is needed on all major construction and restoration projects, involves shop drawings. The architect and engineer largely use submittals to ensure that the proper items, processes, and services are used on a project. The requirements listed in the Construction Specifications are used to create submittals.

Submittals are not a chance for an architect or engineer to amend their specification requirements; rather, they are a way to validate that the many suppliers and subcontractors on a job are providing the items, materials, services, colors, finishes, and so on that they specified. And these submittals are incomplete without shop drawings.

Specifications in Shop Drawings

In this section, I will discuss the typical shop drawings specifications that are important in detail engineering.

In addition to being clear and thorough, detailed shop drawings extracted from architectural BIM modeling provide information for a team of architects and engineers reviewing and referencing the specifications and drawings.

Computer-Aided Drawings (CAD) show the prefabricated component in great detail from several perspectives.

To construct the component, the physical dimensions, material specifications, manufacturing methods, and precise instructions.

Notes on any critical dimensions that must be inspected and verified on the construction site before the component may be produced and installed

Measurements on the job site must be double-checked since they may differ from those on the construction designs.
Step-by-step instructions, a diagram of connections, and a list of supporting supplies that must be obtained and planned for proper installation are all needed to build or install the component.

Detailed engineering references have been required that show how the prefabrication design adheres to the original design and construction documents' criteria and requirements.

Notes pointing to any revisions or deviations from the original documentation are also to be included in the store design for the designer's approval, allowing them to assess all of the adjustments.

Importance and Benefits of Shop Drawings

These drawings are essential in the construction sector for a smooth construction process. Other importance includes:

It helps ascertain that the client, the architect, and the fabricator are all on the same page.

It gives the fabricator enough information to ensure that the elements are structurally sound and meet all safety, quality, and project requirements.

You can reduce or even eliminate fabrication or installation rework by resolving concerns and clashes early on. Unnecessarily expensive labor and material expenditures are avoided as a result.

MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) experts use shop drawings to acquire a clear idea of constructing ducting, electrical components, and pipework on a job site.

It helps in collaboration and coordination while using BIM data to monitor the entire proposed project and identify building conflicts before fabrication and construction begin.

Shop drawings combined with BIM 3D modeling create a precise design model, timetable optimization, accurate cost analysis & quantity takeoffs, improved production standards, and easier handover. As a result, efficient cross-functional cooperation and coordination may be realized.

Following original diagrams, developing the building structure is not always possible during real-world construction. During the construction process, changes are almost always necessary. Shop drawings are used to offer precise information for actual construction.

Shop drawings that are accurate play a critical role in reducing project time and expenses. Many BIM organizations now supply shop drawings to project managers as a roadmap, increasing project profitability. This enables fabricators to complete work on time and under budget while adhering to project specifications. Project managers can also make a profit by providing clients with high-quality services.

Shop drawings aid in the delineation of roles and tasks among team members, as well as increased coordination and risk reduction.

As opposed to engineering and construction drawings, shop drawings include more detailed and precise information and reflect the stage of the prefabrication process following the development of design drawings and specifications.
It provides accurate dimensions, design requirements, and quantity takeoffs/BOQs (Bill of Quantities).

During construction, it assists with the placement of structural and steel members within the structure.

Modern BIM technology has given its users great flexibility, allowing for seamless cooperation among project stakeholders. Cloud collaboration via MEP shop drawings allows you to share your MEP sets with all of your Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC) project stakeholders.

Shop drawings show a scaled outline of how the final product will be put together, along with supporting information such as the materials to be used, the product's dimensions, hidden components represented by dashed lines, the product's intended weight, the product's joints & connections, and product-specific treatments such as 'galvanizing steel,' and more.

Conclusion-
Shop drawings are crucial for the AEC sector to provide timely, cost-effective, and error-free work in a quickly developing construction context. Residential, commercial, educational, industrial, and infrastructural projects are all catered to by expert BIM experts. Therefore, when shop drawings are necessary, it is critical first to choose a reputable shop drawings source and then ensure that they are examined, checked, and approved by a design specialist.