Why Use EC Fabrication for AutoCAD MEP
User story #2 – R. G. Harrington Plumbing and Heating Contractor
Name: R.G. Harrington
Type of firm: Plumbing and Heating Contractor
Locations: Ware, Massachusetts
Primary services: Serving Western Massachusetts
User: Robert H. Quigley, Owner and Master Plumber
Robert Quigley has always stayed one step ahead of his competition by hard work and innovation. In 2005, Quigley saw an AutoCAD MEP demo at the annual SMACNA Conference and immediately recognized the benefits of designing models for coordination using the powerful tools within AutoCAD MEP.
Quigley remembers the time before CAD, when everything was
drawn by hand. His detailers would draw systems without breaking
up the drawing. They would only break up the drawing when it was time to fabricate. This was done primarily because it was simpler and faster to draw and when it was time, make the changes. At the coordination stage there was really no need to have your drawing broken up for fabrication. “At the time”, according to Quigley, “systems
were not all that complicated and it was near impossible with
the tools we had to determine the best way to fabricate the
system before its final location had been approved?
When new computerized downloadable CAD systems entered the market the entire process changed - everything was drawn piece by piece. There certainly were benefits gained from using CAD but for Quigley’s business there was a cost. The entire process was time consuming and the expense was sometimes tough to swallow. Drawing piece by piece made initial design slower and changes more difficult.
Quigley has seen it all. He is a true believer in AutoCAD MEP. With his draftsmen all trained in AutoCAD MEP his firm is now reaping the benefits of seamless design to fabrication and to be able to design systems for coordination using basic fittings and single duct runs. When a coordination change is required his team simply uses the grips to stretch and drag systems to coordinated locations. Once coordination is completed, the user electronically and automatically converts the system to fabrication using EastCoast’s fabrication tools. Robert Quigley has a grin from one side of his face to the other when he talks about how easy it is to optimize the fabrication of the systems. According to Bob, “there is nothing more satisfying than to see how far this industry has come in the past 25 years, being able to take design all of the way to fabrication, so seamlessly and efficiently is something I never imagined would ever happen in my lifetime.”
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