Where is CAD harmonisation???

[oldcadfart]

In my last job and current, I have been frustrated by lack of CAD protocol discipline in my workplace. My colleagues seem to use their own preferences with their personal layers, plotstyles, dimstyles, textstyles and so on carried on from their previous jobs. On a few occasions I had to tidy up a few drawings full of overridden objects, all drawn on single layer with different colours etc! While I know there are standard layers e.g. AEC, nobody seems to like using them because AEC layer names are not friendly enough to understand where they belong to. However I have come across US National CAD standard for construction disciplines e.g. A-WALL and they seem to be user friendly for manual cadding and various disciplines (architect, elec, mech etc). I wonder if any of you have your own office CAD protocol to adhere to at all times. If so, which standard and where from to import. I hope to persuade my architectural colleagues to adopt office protocol for increased productivity and ease of cadding one day! Your comments would be appreciated.

[ReMark]

And here I though architectural offices were THE most disciplined when it came to following CAD standards! Guess I was wrong.

Since the majority of the work we do is strictly for in-house use we developed our own CAD standards. There are only three of us using CAD and we all are responsible for different types of drawings although from time to time I'll dabble in the other two fields (electrical and structural).

I was the person responsible for setting up our templates so as to encourage the use of certain standards.

[oldcadfart]

Thanks ReMark for your comments. Well, I suppose I'll have to call for a meeting with my colleagues and go from there. Apart from the useful US National CAD standard, I have been thinking of using NBS worksections as prefixes for layer names e.g. L20-DOOR for doors. By using NBS, it would help CAD users remember NBS codes at same time for specifying and referring to NBS products. However it can be rather complicated as far as layer management goes for single discipline. I thought US CAD standard as simplified yet user friendly format for all to use and share with, and layers can easily be separated from other disciplines by switching off certain prefixes if host drawing carries several x-refs from other disciplines e.g. M-XXXX for mech elements. What do you reckon?

[SLW210]

I believe Architects use the AIA CAD standards. Beware that some clients will want their standards to be used.

I set my own standards.

[Jeff H]

NCS uses AIA

[ReMark]

When I took a course in architectural drafting and design we worked strictly by the AIA standards. Kind of drove me crazy because they can get quite finicky about what goes on what layer. A door, the hinges, lockset, strikeplate, etc. could all be depicted in the same color but not necessarily be on the same layer. Put a window in the door and add a self-closing mechanism and watch out! More layers! Personally, I think the motto of the AIA - One can never have too many layers!". LoL

[CyberAngel]

While working on a recent project, I asked one of the architects why the objects in their floor plan seemed to be scattered across several layers without regard for what the object actually was. She said that the designer put everything on one layer and that she would go behind him and try to clean up.

One argument for standards (as the OP pointed out) is the increased productivity. Ideally, any drafter should be able to take over any project from any other drafter without missing a beat. I've seen people spend hours just trying to figure out what another drafter--at the same firm!--was trying to do. Of course, these situations only come up when there's a deadline breathing over your shoulder.

Another argument is that the firm's plans will all have the same "look and feel." That makes the firm look professional.