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What are BIM Mechanical Shop Drawings?

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Mechanical shop drawings are a set of technical drawings, showing detailed information about HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) and transportation systems like escalators or elevators. The building drawings act as a powerful tool for analyzing complex building parts.

MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) engineers use shop drawings produced from the 3D model for generating pre-fabricated components, required by the manufacturers, fabricators, contractors and suppliers. BIM firms use HVAC shop drawings for accurate fabrication of the ductwork, saving time and money for the project.

BIM mechanical shop drawings facilitate MEP coordination services,  identifying all MEP components and installing them in the field.  The MEP drawings derived from the BIM model facilitate in creating an effective design build process.  

Let’s now take a look at the benefits of using BIM for mechanical shop drawings, types, the process of creating MEP shop drawings and the standards followed for creating these mechanical drawings.  

Benefits of BIM for MEP Services

Building Information Modeling (BIM) enables MEP engineers to enhance the accuracy of building designs through BIM clash detection procedures. Revit modeling services, Navisworks clash detection and other MEP BIM software applications help the project stakeholders to collaborate, share building data on a cloud platform and speed up project delivery from the stage of schematic design development to final construction.

Accurate mechanical shop drawings created through the 3d BIM model support different design development and coordination stages like conceptual, schematic, detailed design development and construction documentation.   

What are the Types of BIM Mechanical Shop Drawings?

Top BIM companies in USA create different types of BIM mechanical shop drawings and fabrication drawings. BIM engineers using the 3D BIM Model produce comprehensive mechanical shop drawings with various elevations, dimensions as well as annotations. Installation drawings developed by the BIM service providers in USA are accurate enough for workshop fabrication and installation on the construction field.

The construction drawings created from the 3d model match the requirement of the building codes and applicable project standards. Implementing Revit BIM services, BIM engineering firms generate accurate penetration, sleeve and hanger locations from the model before the onset of construction work. All mechanical shop drawings could be downloaded into GPS instruments for fast on-site layout creation. 

Let’s now explore the different types of BIM mechanical shop drawings:

  • Installation Drawing – Proficient BIM services in USA use the BIM Model to provide comprehensive installation drawings for mechanical services, encompassing HVAC, plumbing, fire protection and medical gas systems. Accurate creation of mechanical shop drawings for installation help MEP contractors to successfully make the building plan and execute the mechanical work process, saving construction time and cost. Mechanical service layouts created with reference to architectural walls as well as structural columns enable building contractors to easily locate mechanical members.
  • Block-Out Drawing – MEP BIM modelers provide a great priority to block-out drawing. This mechanical shop drawing helps the MEP BIM engineers to comprehend the significance of providing such illustrations before pouring concrete on the construction site. Block-Out Drawings are delivered after aligning with architectural grids.  Proficient BIM modelers know how to keep necessary clearances for the block-out following the construction contract documents and building codes. 
  • Hanger, Sleeve & Insert Drawings – Sleeve or Penetration drawing is significant for pouring concrete on-site. These mechanical shop drawings are also aligned with architectural grids. Produced through a BIM-based modeling approach, the designs facilitate  MEP coordination review and interference checking with structural modeling elements. The exact sleeve, insert and hanger positions created from the BIM MEP model help the structural engineering teams to make an accurate plumbing installation.
  • Spool Drawing – Spool drawings are another form of mechanical shop drawings that guide the plumbers in understanding what they are encountering. The MEP contractors create the plumbing components from the spool drawings generated from the model for accurate on-site and off-site prefabrication. The spool drawings are developed as the pre-fabricating standards, matching the requirements of contractors.
  • Equipment Pad Layout – BIM consulting firms in USA produce mechanical equipment details with sections and equipment pad layout. These mechanical shop drawings serve as a reference to the structural engineers for accurate installation of HVAC equipment from approved submittals in the right locations.

Process of Creating Mechanical Shop Drawings

Now, let’s check out the process of creating mechanical shop drawings.  All MEP shop drawings are generated directly from the 3D BIM model. Exact sleeves, hanger locations and penetration details are obtained from the BIM Model. Mechanical engineers download the drawings directly into GPS (Global Positioning System) device at the construction site for creating fast and accurate layouts.

BIM engineers consider all information from the architects and other specifications of the project stakeholders and finally create the drawings according to approved submittals. 

How to Create MEP Shop Drawings?

Produce MEP Shop drawing from single & double line diagrams, specifying dimensions, elevations, etc.

Prepare MEP coordination drawings or mechanical shop drawings with the right color code for easy and quick clash detection and elimination. 

Create fabrication drawings or sheet metal drawings for the duct fabricators and MEP contractors according to the SMACNA standards.

How to Create HVAC Duct Drawings?

  • Follow SMACNA standards for creating HVAC duct shop drawings
  • Consider fundamental linings, insulation thickness, beam height, drop ceiling levels
  • Ensure proper coordination between mechanical piping and sprinklers
  • Make sheet metal drafting according to sheet metal standards
  • Prepare the final duct fabrication detail mechanical shop drawings

How to Create Plumbing Shop drawings?

  • Produce plumbing mechanical shop drawings as per building contract drawings
  • Coordinate between gravity and sprinkler pipes, while making the shop drawings
  • Redirect drawings as per beam height & drop ceiling level for avoiding clashes
  • Place pipe trims in an accurate location as per the submittal

What are the Standards followed for creating Mechanical Shop Drawings?

Leading companies providing BIM Services USA for MEP contractors deliver intelligent BIM models and mechanical shop drawings, using various inputs such as the contract document, specification sheet, design documentation and equipment submittal. Top BIM modeling companies in USA serving several areas in Florida, Texas, California, Baltimore,  Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland and other regions follow:

  • SMACNA (Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association)
  • IPC (International Plumbing Code)
  • UPC (Uniform Plumbing Code) standards
  • Local building codes

Many BIM companies also follow ISO certified quality control process for documenting client standards and preferences, ensuring complete compliance to the MEP design build process. 

Place order for mechanical shop drawings from Best BIM Company

BIM mechanical shop drawings form the part and parcel of the building design process. If you want to validate your MEP design for constructability, building performance and maintenance, contact Tejjy Inc. – one of the top BIM service providers in USA at 202-465-4830 or [email protected]. Validate your design with BIM mechanical shop drawings and get the perfect constructability, performance and maintenance of your building, resolving clashes and eliminating rework.