Why BIM Will Enhance, Not Replace CAD Drawing Services
In a recent article, we discussed how Building Information Modeling (BIM) is becoming an increasingly important technique in planning and designing new and existing buildings. In short, BIM as a process provides a more thorough overview of any construction process, allowing stakeholders to plan any variable ranging from thermal modeling to the physical materials needed for construction.
Based on that structure, it’s tempting to consider BIM as a technique and design philosophy that’s poised to replace cad drawing services in the near future. But in reality, that is not actually the case. In fact, a closer examination of both processes shows how BIM will enhance, not replace the need for CAD in both the near and long-term future.
Understanding BIM and CAD
The National Building Information Model Standard Project Committee defines BIM as
a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility. A BIM is a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life-cycle; defined as existing from earliest conception to demolition.
Compare that to Computer-Aided Design (CAD), a common architectural term defined by Techopedia as
a computer technology that designs a product and documents the design’s process… It can be used to produce either two-dimensional or three-dimensional diagrams, which can then when rotated to be viewed from any angle, even from the inside looking out.
On their surface, these definitions are temptingly similar, giving rise to the idea that BIM is in essence a more in-depth version of CAD that will ultimately (or has already) replaced the need for CAD drawing services. But in reality, that’s far from the case. In fact, the former enhances, instead of replacing the latter.
Engaging Clients With CAD Drawing Services
If BIM represents the evolution of CAD, why are we still talking about the latter? Because a simpler way of modeling your designs, which describes the traditional use of CAD, still finds application when looking at the audience for which the design is created.
Looking at both concepts simultaneously allows you to consider one internal, and the other external. BIM can be invaluable in helping you design and lay out the structure of a construction project of any time, helping you calculate the materials needed, and keeping in mind all additional variables that are crucial to the success of the building itself. As such, it becomes a vital part of your own planning process in building and structural planning and design.
CAD, on the other hand, has a more external focus. While it still gives architects and clients a better understanding of the structure of the building itself, it also creates rendered designs that are ideal to showcase to stakeholders and decision makers through every step of the way.
The continued benefits for CAD drawing services, and the software used to accomplish them such as AutoCAD, is laid out in this case study. A number of architects are continuing to successfully use CAD software rather than the more BIM-specific Revit, thanks to better customizability and flexibility. Especially 3D modeling is accomplished easier and more quickly, giving rise to the importance of using CAD alongside your BIM efforts.
The Evolution of BIM in a CAD Environment
The internet is full of professionals arguing for BIM to replace CAD. But in reality, the two are not mutually exclusive. CAD, ultimately, is a general principle, allowing architects and other professionals to design their ideas in a comprehensive, digital format. BIM builds on that same technique with more comprehensive information.
In other words, as we have detailed in a previous article, BIM is a natural part of the evolution of CAD:
Intelligent graphics will now hold the type of materials used, but also thermal properties, structural properties, HVAC component information, power node data and much much more. The end result is the construction of a building complete with wireless sensors which automatically track and regulate major building energy functions, such peak electrical usage, water flow, heat and cooled air regulation.
Distinguishing between BIM and CAD, then, becomes a dangerous fallacy. If the latter is a natural evolutionary step instead of a revolutionary replacement, the continued benefits of CAD drawing services become more clear. CAD will be needed, both now and in the future, for anyone looking to enhance their design and building planning.
A Design Emphasis in a Technical World
A more traditional use case for CAD drawing services also enables our clients to look at their project with a larger emphasis on design. Building information modeling is vital, but will often result in getting bogged down with technical details. These details are undoubtedly crucial when it comes to planning the specifics of materials, thermal properties, and more. But especially in the initial phases of the planning process, design matters at least as much.
In fact, keeping an emphasis on common design principles even as the more structural details enter the foreground is often crucial to a successful architectural project. It is these elements that make architecture as much as an art as it is a science.
Engineers will benefit from and need BIM models to succeed in their work. Ultimately, so will architects. But by using more traditional CAD drawing services and tools, your firm can ensure that this emphasis on art will not be lost, either.
Future trends further emphasis the importance of this design emphasis. Just as BIM represents an evolutionary step of CAD, so does virtual reality–emphasized by many as the natural next step of any type of building design modeling. In many ways, VR is becoming the new frontier in architectural design, helping your firm better plan and highlight its designs both internally and externally. As VR enters the foreground, the continued need for a design emphasis (accomplished by CAD) becomes evident.
The Importance of a Firm With Dual Capacity
Given these reasons, it’s crucial to work with a firm that understands both the traditional use case for CAD drawing services and the necessary evolution of BIM in specific situations. This dual capacity will allow you to create a comprehensive design of your project, maximizing your effectiveness as well as your persuasiveness as you plan and communicate your project.
Finding such a firm, then, is key to your success. First, that means understanding what their mention of CAD Drawing Services represents. Will they work only in traditional CAD programs like AutoCAD, only in BIM alternatives like Revit, or use a mix of both? Of these three options, only the last represents a true ability to jump between both concepts.
Another important step is to ask for samples of both approaches. Firms with dual capacity tend to have projects in both areas, and might even have larger projects in which both types of modeling were used on the same model. These are the references and case studies that will be invaluable to finding a partner that can help you accomplish your planning and communication goals on both internal and external fronts.
In short, don’t believe the chatter that BIM has or will replace Cad drawing services anytime soon. It is an outgrowth of a larger general concept, which continues to be crucial in serving its own functions. Understanding this evolution not as linear growth from CAD to BIM but a cycle to serve all design and modeling needs will give you a better understanding of what your project needs to succeed.