Creating Standard for Company

[shood87]

Hello everyone first time poster here. Have a couple of questions that when searched I have not really found anything.

 

So I have been hired at a smaller company that is growing pretty fast and they want me to create a standard from what the previous guy started (title blocks, blocks, layers, etc.) I have created a DWT which has my layers and different title blocks, pretty basic start which I am fine with and can improve on later.

 

My main question is with the blocks. The previous guy (don't know him but was told he was a really drafter) he created a whole bunch of dynamic blocks but I cant seem to find where they are actually at my guess is he didn't use WBLOCK?

 

What I am trying to do is get them all in one central location to create a library so I would be able to create a tool palette so once we hire other CAD techs they'd be able to have it. Can I just insert the blocks into a drawing and wblock them to a folder? I kinda have something that works right now i just want to make it more streamlined.

 

Sorry for the long AF explanation.

Thanks for looking and your help.

[ReMark]

Maybe he put all the blocks in a master drawing?

[shood87]

I was thinking that to but it doesn't seem to be. I have kinda found them scattered thru out old drawings. I have gone looking and when I find some I copy them into a drawing so I can reference them there. When I find them can I make them into their own files?

[ReMark]

Have you considered creating a set of custom tool palettes and populating them with the blocks? Or....

 

...incorporating all the blocks in a master drawing and use the Design Center to drag/drop them into a new drawing as needed.

[shood87]

You are right and I have actually done both... I have a custom tool palette with what we use most and they are referencing a DWG in my folders on the server but I wanted to create a library of block drawings that way they are all on a central location and can be easily found.

 

I guess what it is that in companies from the past there was always a block library with each block DWG. I am not even sure which is better practice.

[ReMark]

Then create your library. What's stopping you? Time? IT? Other?

[shood87]

Sorry I guess my question is since they are already blocks can I just take them and and save them into their own DWG or is there a better way? Maybe I am just over thinking it?

[ReMark]

You're in charge which means you can do whatever best suits your needs and that of the company.

[shood87]

You are right thanks for your input. Just overthinking stuff.

[resullins]

I would find whatever you can, WBLOCK them to the own library, and make what you can't. There's also a good tutorial out there about writing macros to change your tool palettes. So for my company, I make custom palettes for, say, each manufacturer or whatever... then have macros to switch them.

[Ski_Me]

Have you tried opening a template and seeing if they are in the template. That's how I did mine. Makes it easier for me to manage my standards when everything is in one place.

[shood87]

There was no template file. What I am in the process of doing is taking what I find and WBlock(ing) them then putting them on a palette. Kinda what resullins suggested. its getting there its just a little tedious trying to find all the blocks I use.

 

I do thank everyone for their input.

[Ski_Me]

I had to make all my own blocks. I would start on a drawing and what blocks I didn't have I just made them, when I was done with the drawing I would save as a new revision the do a save as and make it my new template. Then I would delete all the stuff I didn't want, purge, then do a regular save. Delete all the geometry save again and close. Reopen the template then do a save as a dws drawing and now you have a set of standards to start from. Either way you choose to create your standards it will be tedious. But AutoCAD is funny that way. If you put a lot of work into all the stuff you need for you do your drawings then the drawing process will go much smoother.

[BIGAL]

You could search a lot of drawings using a script and find all the block names and say do a csv file open in excel and have a look but you will need to know what your looking for. Like wise could do a grid of all blocks and then a pdf out. Sort of thing you run at lunch time etc or overnight depending on how many at a time.

[chauncy274]

If you have access to the guys computer that he used while at the company, log on to it and look for the blocks on his hard drive. I've seen a number of guys over the years that stored the blocks that they made on their own computer.

 

Also, if the company gives each employee a storage folder on the network, get IT to look on his folder to see if that is helpful. We have a drive like that and I keep my own personal backups of blocks, lisps, templates and palettes that I've used/made over the years in case anyone messes with the copy on the network.

[ammobake]

Having a dynamic block library is great but there are instances where it starts to just get redundant and way overcomplicated.

 

Obviously, there are instances where you might standardize certain things like toilet blocks, lavatory sinks, etc.. What I did was create all the blocks and then group CAD drawings for each. So I have one DWG file you can open for different bathroom layouts, fixtures, ADA blocks, another DWG you can open for typical Electrical symbols/diagrams, etc.. It seems to work better for us because you don't end up with a million blocks (some with weird names).

 

If you need a specific block you can just copy it from there.

 

Stuff that I use more frequently, I group together at small scale in the corner of our drawing templates so you can copy/paste that stuff as needed in the DWG you're working in (text, mleaders, bathroom blocks, etc..).

 

There are some great add-ons if you're just getting started too like the one for Simpson brackets. They have their own Autocad add-on you can import with its own tool pallete and everything. Installing it is a little complex but isn't too bad. It includes tons of different bolts, screws, concrete fasteners, it's endless.. I've used it more than any other Autocad add-on.

 

I think when you're getting started like I did 12 years ago it's easy to try and overthink stuff. You obviously want a standard template file, titleblock, and layering scheme but you also want to add a unique feel to the layout. The easiest way to do that is to customize your drawing layout - something subtle that the customer will see on almost every sheet.

 

For us it was our standard drawing block. It's unique to our company only.

 

And always put your name on your drawings! It's a simple matter of loving what you do and putting pride in your work.

 

-ChriS

[RobDraw]

Having a dynamic [sic] block library is great but there are instances where it starts to just get redundant and way overcomplicated.

 

Obviously, there are instances where you might standardize certain things like toilet blocks, lavatory sinks, etc.. What I did was create all the blocks and then group CAD drawings for each. So I have one DWG file you can open for different bathroom layouts, fixtures, ADA blocks, another DWG you can open for typical Electrical symbols/diagrams, etc.. It seems to work better for us because you don't end up with a million blocks (some with weird names).

 

A good block library is not just a collection of blocks. It is well organized with folders and a naming convention, so that duplications and bloat are avoided.

 

Grouping blocks in files, as you suggest, is just as prone to the problems you mentioned.