Due to the fast-paced nature of the industry, engineers are oftentimes working on multiple projects simultaneously. For every project, whether mechanical, electrical, plumbing, or civil, engineering professionals are usually tasked with curating construction documents, specifications, and engineering reports to highlight project scope and details. The accuracy of these documents is crucial as they present facts and conclusions about a particular job and are used by others on the design team to ensure all aspects of the project come together.
Many times, when an Engineer of Record receives these documents or drawings to sign and seal he/she may encounter a number of errors, from spelling and grammar to more complex issues such as text not lining up, inconsistent text size, missing text/cut off from viewports, and inconsistent line-weights. Because of this, it is highly recommended to print a FULL SIZE – HARD COPY set of drawings for final coordination and quality control. To ensure accuracy on all fronts, engineers shouldn’t rely solely on design software, such as Revit and Bluebeam, or PDF files when making final revisions and quality checks. Don’t worry about the cost of printing; it is far less than the cost of making avoidable mistakes on the job.
The reasons to review in varying formats include:
1: You cannot QC properly when zooming in and out within a software.
2: You cannot mark off what you’ve reviewed and revised. With a hardcopy print out, you can use different color highlighters and a red pen to keep track of edits.
3: You cannot see how the final drawing quality will look to the client, until you print the drawings and view them in the same format in which the client receives.
4: MEP engineers must coordinate with members within all disciplines. By crosschecking documents across disciplines, engineers are more likely to spot errors or missing details.
Note: Quality checks can be optimized by ensuring electrical engineers review mechanical drawings and having mechanical engineers review electrical drawings—mechanical engineers can assist the electrical team to QC items such as kitchen equipment cutsheets, plumbing equipment and other items that require power.
RTM becomes a partner to our clients by aligning with the goals, processes, and people at each organization. By providing consistent, innovative, and reliable designs, our partnerships ultimately improve each client’s business beyond a single-project scope.
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