Significance of Fabrication Shop Drawings for Building Safe, Sustainable & Compliant Structures

If you’re involved in a construction project, you’ve probably worked or engaged in the creation of the fabrication shop drawings. These resourceful diagrams play a vital role in the design and construction of high-quality components by enabling engineers, architects, and contractors to visualize the different structural aspects of a building. They offer a clear picture of the dimensions, sections, welding details, and elevations to greatly minimize the chances of errors and rework, resulting in improved construction quality.

Unlike conventional shop drawings that are created with software solutions such as SolidWorks, AutoCAD & Tekla to ensure high levels of accuracy and safety in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) projects.

Let’s dive deeper into the different types of fabrication shop drawings, their benefits, and also understand their importance in the safety, quality, and sustainability of structures.

Different Types of Fabrication Drawings

1. Mechanical Drawings: It comprises all the details that are essential for the designing, manufacturing, and installation of prefabricated sections planned to be assembled by the contractor, vendor, and fabricator.
2. Metal Fabrication Drawings: These blueprints are inclusive of metal components to be used in building structures. They include all the details about the manufacturing, assembly, and installation of structural steel and sheet metal components.
3. Single Part Drawings: It focuses on the complex details of a structure. They typically include all the details about cutting materials, their different dimensions, and the weight of all the sections.
4. Assembly Drawings: After the single part illustration is prepared, they help the assembly drawings to the welder for assembling the parts.
5. General Arrangement Drawings: These are master plans that contain all the information on how the different components will fit each other to form one unit.

The Benefits of Shop Drawings in Construction

Accurate Execution

Fabrication shop drawings represent all the details of key components that are to be used in the structure. These steel drawings provide accurate information for fabricating and installing all the components correctly. This helps the fabricators and installers assemble all the components according to the specifications.

Compliance with Fabrication Standards

The AEC industry must ensure strict adherence to the QA checks and standard tests applicable to fabrication shop drawings. If the QA tests are not conducted and the construction work starts, it can invite a lot of issues like costly rework, delays, and wastage of materials at a later stage.

Safety & Consistency

Lack of materials can derail the construction work. This is why fabrication drawings should be accurate to facilitate precise scheduling of construction materials. Structures that are constructed on basis of accurate shop drawings that are compliant with industry practices and standards are essentially safe, sustainable, and have a reduced risk of accidents.

Improved Responsiveness

Shop drawings include several data pointers for architects and engineers to gain an end-to-end view of the overall building structure. This clarity helps them compare the specifications and make modifications immediately, keeping the project timeline on track.

Two Different Subsets

Detailed engineering drawings of components typically consist of two sets. These two drawing sets include the details of shop drawings and erection drawings. While the former incorporates the manufacturing of steel sections, the latter depicts the installation of all the sections on the construction site.

Foundation

A framing plan depicts all the details related to the number of columns and beams essential for creating a sound structure of steel sections. It helps in knowing minute details like angles, drill holes, and much more.

Conclusion

The construction industry is subject to several hindrances ranging from longer schedules to a slow supply of materials. But there are specific elements of the architectural process that can make the construction process smooth and speedy for all the parties involved.

Companies offering stress analysis services take a meticulous approach and exercise great caution in the quality of services they offer and the fabrication & shop drawings they create. Backed by structural analysis experts proficient in analyzing the effect of external elements on static components, their modules meet all the safety regulations.

Their advanced software solutions and experience in conducting stress analysis enable them to propose a design plan that forms a strong foundation for your structure. If you want to avoid product malfunctioning, costly rework & improper use of materials, you can count on their capabilities.

Judith Morrison is an expert in the field of industrial engineering and writes articles related to piping, civil, equipment engineering related articles.