CAD standards

CAD Standards have been created to improve productivity and interchange of Computer-aided design documents between different offices and CAD programs, especially in architecture and engineering.

AEC (Architecture Engineering and Construction) Standards

CAD Layer Standards

Most common:

*"BS 1192", which relies heavily on the Code of Procedure for the Construction Industry
*"AIA Cad Layer Guidelines", 2nd edition (1997), has a great usage in the USA;
*"ISO 13567-1/3", International standard, common in Northern Europe;
*"AEC (UK)", an adaptation of BS1192 based on Uniclass.

Samples of standardised layers:

A-B374--E- (ISO13567: agent Architect, element Roof window in SfB, presentation graphic element);A-37420-T2N01B113B23pro (ISO13567: agent Architect, element Roof Window in SfB, presentation Text#2, New part, floor 01, block B1, phase 1, projection 3D, scale 1:5(B), work package 23 and user definition "pro");A-G25---D-R (ISO13567: agent Architect, element wall in Uniclass, presentation dimensions, status Existing to be removed);A-G251-G-WallExtl-Fwd (AEC(UK): agent Architect, element External Wall in Uniclass, presentation graphic element, user definition "WallExtl" and view Forward);A210_M_ExtWall (BS1192: agent Architect, element External Wall in SfB, presentation model, user definition "ExtWall");A-WALL-FULL (AIA: agent Architect, element Wall, Full height).

Line Thickness

Thickness for pens and plot: 0,13mm, 0,18mm, 0,25mm, 0,35mm, 0,50mm, 0,70mm, 1,00mm. In AutoCAD usually parts to be printed in black are drawn in 1 to 7 basic colors.

Text and dimension

Heights: 1,8 mm, 2,5 mm, 3,5 mm, 5,0 mm, 7,0 mm (relative thickness are 1/10 of the heights).Font styles: "Romans", "ISO CP". Exceptional use of true type fonts (arial, etc.).

Scales

1:1, 1:2, 1:5, 1:10, 1:15, 1:20, 1:50, 1:100, 1:150, 1:200, 1:500, 1:1000, 1:1500, 1:2000, 1:5000, 1:10000, 1:20000, 1:50000 and so on.

File Naming Standards

*BS 1192:Discipline (1 char), Element (2 char, using SfB Table 1 or Uniclass), Drawing type (1 char, P=preliminary, X=special/xref, L=layout, C=component, S=schedules, A=assemby drawings, K=co-ordination drawing), Unique number (3 char), Revision (1 char, A=emission, B,C,D...= revisions).Samples: A22P012G.dwg (architect, internal walls in SfB, preliminary design, sheet 012, revision G).
*AIA
*AECSamples: ZE1G-124.dwg, XE1G-100.dwg
*AEC (UK)Project (unlimited char), Discipline (2 char max, recommended mandatory), Zone (optional), View (1 char, rec.mand.), Level (2 char, rec.mand.), Content (rec.mand.), Sequential number (up to 3 char);Samples: 1234-A-Off-P-M1-Furn-11c.dwg (project #1234, architect, office zone, plan, mezzanine 1, furnitures, version 1.1 revision c) , A-P-01-Part (architect, plan, 1st floor, partitions), 1234-A-S-055.dgn (project #1234, architect, section, sheet 055), A-S-xx-AA.dwg (architect, section, full building, section AA), A-P-x-Grid.dgn (architect, plan, all floor, grid), 1838-S-C-P-03 (project 1838, structures, building C, plan, 3rd floor).
*Other local:Job number (4 char), Agent (1 char), Section (4 char), phase (1 char), sheet number (2 char), revision (2 char)Samples: 0512-A-00A_-1-01-02.dwgJob number (3 char), View (2 char), section (2char), phase (1 char), revision (1 char)Samples: 123p0s2d0.dwg (job 1239, plan, 2nd floor, definitive drawing, emission), 459s0BBD0.dgn (job 123, section B, definitive drawing, emission).

MCAD (Mechanical) Standards

Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing

Industry standards for defining PMI, a 3D extension of GD&T, include ASME Y14.41-2003 Product Data Definition and ISO 1101 Representation of specifications in the form of a 3D model.

Geometry Quality

VDA 4955

Product Data Quality

PDQ is a field of PLM relating to the quality of product data, particularly the geometrical and organizational quality of CAD data. Checkers, software that analyze CAD data formats, are often employed before and after data translation.The checkers can check the organization and quality of the data against internal company standards and international or industry standards.These checkers can be built into specific CAD packages or work on a number of .

In 2006/2007 Part 59 of STEP ISO 10303-59 "Product data representation and exchange: Integrated generic resource: Quality of product shape data" is under development. It defines how to represent quality criteria together with measurement requirements and representation of inspection results.

ee also

* Construction Project Information Committee
* Uniclass
* "ISO Standards Handbook - Technical drawings", a broad collection of all basic ISO drawing standards
** Vol.1 "Technical drawings in general", ISBN 92-67-10370-9
** Vol.2 "Mechanical engineering drawings, construction drawings, drawing equipment", ISBN 92-67-10371-7
* ISO 13567 "Technical product documentation - Organization and naming of layers for CAD"
* ISO 16792 "Technical product documentation — Digital product definition data practices", for the presentation of 3D models and GD&T
* [http://www.zoomcad.com CAD Standards / CAD Blocks and Training] (DWG/PDF available)
* [http://cadstandard.net Engineering National CAD Standard with Autodesk]
* [http://books.dougseidler.com/downloads/autocad_standard_layer_name.asp AutoCAD Layer Names for Architecture / Interiors] (PDF available)
* [http://eatyourcad.com EatyourCAD] CAD Manager site containing guides on implementation of AEC(UK)CAD Standard plus downloads of ready to use standards