Drawing Automation

Overview

The project aim was to automate the creation of 'Make Sheets', which are essential drawings representing precast elements in Mace's high-rise solution. By leveraging the drawing engine in the KOPE Construct platform, the team aimed to eliminate the complexity and manual effort typically required to produce these drawings.

The focus of this engagement was on automating comprehensive representations of each unique precast element, providing multiple views with accurate dimensions for penetrations, slab shapes, castings, and fixings.

What we did

Mace recognised the immense value in automating the creation of 'Make Sheets', as these drawings play a vital role in translating the 3D designs prepared by their team into instructions for the factory to fabricate the components. KOPE's objective was to develop an automated solution using the KOPE Construct platform's existing drawing engine, thereby eliminating the need for traditional CAD/BIM applications.

The 'Make Sheets' system comprises various views, including top-down, and bottom-up plans and a collection of elevations describing different profile conditions. Each of these views is dimensioned, referencing penetrations, cut-outs, the overall shape of the slab, and all associated castings. Additionally, the KOPE team incorporated schedules, outlining the type and quantity of associated sub-components, and provided additional information on the slab itself, along with its quantities across levels.

Results

By automating the creation of 'Make Sheets', KOPE Construct significantly reduced the manual effort and complexity involved in generating detailed drawings for precast floor slabs. The automated solution not only saved valuable time but also ensured accuracy and consistency throughout the process.

Furthermore, the automated solution laid the foundation for potential future expansion to include component drawings for other structural elements, such as walls, columns, maximising the benefits of automation across Mace's high-rise solution.

      1-1.5 days per drawing  to under 5 minutes for the whole drawing pack.

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