Fabrication drawings, also known as steel detailing, are an important part of any project, as they cover the intricacies of how steel components are designed, built, installed and visualised.
Using quality 3D steel detailing provides contractors on-site with all of the information they need for the steel structures. This includes precise measurements and the number of components required for the build. If you have incorrect or poorly designed fabrication drawings, your project could quickly slip into a cycle of delays and setbacks.
With this in mind, we’re going to look at the importance of fabrication drawings for your project, as well as the problems that appear when improper or poor steel detailing is provided.
The types of fabrication drawings
There are three main types of fabrication drawing used across projects, each with its own purpose. Large scale projects might use all three types of steel detailing, depending on what the work consists of. The three types of fabrication drawings are:
Single part drawings
Single part drawings provide intricate detailing across the project, with information that includes weights, dimensions and the procedures in place for the structural steel components.
Assembly drawings
Coded welders use assembly drawings to accurately join steel components together in the right position. They are also useful tools for steel finishing.
General arrangement drawings
General arrangement drawings are used to show how all of the steel components fit in place together, which offers an excellent representation of the final project.
When fabrication drawings go wrong
Sometimes, errors and miscalculations might make their way into fabrication drawings. When that occurs, there is a range of challenges that might appear across the project.
Incorrect structure scales
If things like steel beams are incorrectly scaled and not caught until the components make their way to the job site, the construction itself might not be structurally sound. Vague or poorly implemented drawings leaves site managers with a lot of guesswork which can impact the project negatively. In the worst-case scenario, the structure may need to be disassembled entirely, which will cause the project to run over budget.
Incorrect material quantities
One of the key roles of steel detailing is mapping out the components required for the build. If this is done incorrectly, then the quantities will come back wrong too. This can cause backlogs in work, materials running out and projects running past their allotted schedules.
Quality assurance issues
Quality checks are an integral part of steel detailing and fabrication drawings. If these take too long to finish, then project managers may forego the drawings entirely and get started to meet deadlines. This is a catastrophe waiting to happen, as problems will quickly develop without accurate fabrication drawings to reference.
Issues with safety on-site
When dealing with heavy steel components, there is always a risk of accidents and injuries. This risk is dramatically higher when using incorrect steel detailing, which could result in unsafe buildings and severe damage.
The importance of fabrication drawings
Avoiding the above risks is crucial to a successful project running safely, on time and under budget. With professional fabrication drawings, a project is much more likely to operate smoothly throughout its lifespan.
Fabrication drawings are useful tools, but the context of a job site needs to be taken into account too for success. That is why most services that offer fabrication drawings also provide on-site inspections and visits. This allows for a survey that can double-check things like measurements and potential issues in the build. It can also be a good opportunity to do iterative re-designs and iron out any discrepancies.
If you’re looking for a reputable fabrication drawing solution for your next project, get in contact with our specialists at Restoric Design today.