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A guy at a trade show in Charlotte told me I was wasting my time with 2D detail views
This was about two years ago at the big engineering expo. I was showing some of my steel connection details, and this older drafter, maybe in his 60s, looked at my sheets and just shook his head. He said, 'Kid, you're drawing every bolt. The fabricator doesn't need that, they need a clear 3D model they can pull measurements from directly.' I argued that my 2D details were the standard and left no room for error. He told me to time how long it takes to update a change across thirty detail sheets versus one model. It stuck with me because he was right about the time part, even if I still like my 2D views for checking. Has anyone else had a push to go fully 3D for fabrication drawings?
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robin8966mo ago
Yeah, that guy had a point. I fought it too, but letting go of some 2D control actually cut down on RFIs. Linda_butler is right about them pulling their own details, it just works better once everyone's on board.
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richards986mo ago
Time part is key, 3D models save so many hours.
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hannah_craig4mo ago
Funny how everyone forgets the setup cost. Sure, it saves time later, but getting everyone trained and buying the new software eats up months and a ton of cash up front. Not every shop can just drop everything to learn a whole new way of doing things. Sometimes a clear 2D drawing gets the job done without all the fancy tech.
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linda_butler6mo ago
Oh man, that older drafter was onto something! It's not just about saving time on updates, it's about cutting out the whole middle step. If the fabricator has the model, they can pull their own sections and details right from it, exactly how they need to see it for their machines. That means fewer questions back to you and way less chance they misread your 2D drawing. The time you save on revisions alone makes the switch worth it.
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