I've offered to review plans electronically for several years now, and I
like it more and more every time a contractor elects to do so. Using
Acrobat it allows me to not only mark electronically those things I see
that don't conform to the standard and show the designer/submitter where
those problems exist. Yes, I could certainly do those same things with
hard paper copies, and still do for that matter. The biggest advantage
to me is the money saved for my clients, and the space saving for me.
For one of my plan review clients the requirement is to submit six
copies of the plans and calculations, as well as two copies of the
material submittals. Add to that the single copy of both that I want
for my files if I ever have to discuss what I reviewed and recommended
for approval, and you're looking at a substantial amount of paper, all
of which might be completely worthless if the review comments are
significant. There are any number of inexpensive Acrobat clone programs
which install easily on a computer and can create PDF's as simply as the
plotters used by CAD systems, including plot color, linewidth, screening
and all the other graphic features allowable from the drafting
programs. Calculations and material submittals can also be prepared and
transmitted in this manner.
At that point it's no different than if I have prints and paper copies.
I work through the review process following my checklist in the same
method, marking up the plans electronically, making comments in a list
of items to be corrected, and then generating a revision requirement
list, then I call or e-mail the submitter and let them know it's done
and if they need revisions/resubmittal. If they need to make revisions,
the process is repeated until the plans are in conformance.
Scott, this is where I think you stopped short a step or two. At that
point it's their responsibility to bring me a hard copy of everything
I've been reviewing so that I can stamp them and send them along. That
does indeed generate an approved, stamped, physical set for use in
inspection and installation. I might also mention that they also need
to bring/send a "final" electronic set for my records. It doesn't cost
me a cent in plotting, printing or copying, and if there are a number of
submittals required it saves the contractor/designer the costs of
repeated plotting, printing and copying.
The great advantage for me is that I can keep a significant number of
electronic submittals without renting a storage facility. If I had to
keep all the plans/calcs/submittals I reviewed my office would be filled
to the ceiling with paper and there'd be no room for me.
I don't see the downside.
PARSLEY CONSULTING
Ken Wagoner, SET
760.745.6181 voice
760.745.0537 fax
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>e-mail
www.ParsleyConsulting.com <http://www.ParsleyConsulting.com>website
On 5/15/2012 8:49 PM, AKS-Gmail-IMAP wrote:
I've seen this done, done it myself, fooled with Windows to get the
image to show the screen properly and I've been involved in mounting
these things to a wall. The experience was awkward in every respect.
First of all with my eyes having to switch from focusing at different
distances is not desirable. I would need an extra hand to be
constantly taking my glasses off and putting them back on. So for me
that is a huge consideration.
Mounting these things on a wall is no easy task and you are guaranteed
to find out you have put it at the wrong height and distance for the
task you have in mind. I've never seen one at the right height,
which should be low enough so that your head is not cocked up at an
angle. It's not like your watching a movie at home or sports in a
bar. I've seen many an installation, incidentally by people who
should have known better, where the power and data outlets on the wall
or the monitor's mounting location had to be redone a few times to get
the bracket mounting hardware to work right.
The best wall arrangements I've seen involve actual ceiling mounted
projectors, but you are not going to be able to walk up to the image,
though I am not sure walking up to the image is a benefit.
I personally use a dual monitor setup when I have to view PDFs. In
that arrangement I'll use Adobe Acrobat which I keep setup with the
Loupe tool icon on the toolbar for this very task. The overall plan
would be visible on one monitor. The contents of the Loupe window
would be on the other monitor. Adobe's loupe tool functions well and
Windows seems to be able to remember to show the loupe contents on the
second monitor. It's not as good as as full size paper of course. I
could see using this method with dual ceiling projectors showing the
images on a bank wall.
I have seen whole sets of construction plans in PDF format presented
from an iPad onto large format wall mounted screens. Navigating
through the plans using the iPad's touch screen interface to zoom in
and out or to flick through pages was quite impressive compared to the
mouse fumbling one typically sees.
Allan Seidel
St. Louis, MO
On May 15, 2012, at 9:38 PM, Ralphy Henderson wrote:
--- On Wed, 5/16/12, Scott A Futrell <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Scott A Futrell <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: Projector for viewing PDF's?
To: "[email protected]"
<[email protected]>
Date: Wednesday, May 16, 2012, 1:52 AM
Agreed. If they don't submit paper copies of plans, calcs, and
product data it doesn't get reviewed. You can't perform inspections
without a plan, they need a copy back with comments, and I need a
copy for my files and there is no reason for me to pay for the cost
of plotting, printing and copying.
Scott Futrell
(763) 425-1001 Office
(612) 759-5556 Cell
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of
njarendt tds.net
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 7:49 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Projector for viewing PDF's?
If they do not submit blueprints at 1/8:1 I do not review them. If a
contractpor wants to buy us a wide screen and a plotter then we might
reconsider.
Norm
On Tue, May 15, 2012 at 6:57 PM, Ralphy Henderson
<[email protected]>wrote:
I'm considering something and want to get people's opinion on this.
Seeing how a lot of contractors these days aren't issuing a set of
blueprints and are instead sending out PDF files, and in an effort to
diminish printing costs, I'm considering purchasing a projector
connected to the computer to display PDF's full size on the office
wall above my monitor. Sure I won't be able to tab things, highlight,
or scale them out with my scales but PDF software generally allows for
all that stuff now in the software. Has anyone done this or purchased
a 52" (diagonal) flat screen to be able to view PDF's at 100% without
the need to pan around the screen to see everything at once?
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Norman Arendt, CHS III, CMAS, PhD, CFEII President Infragard Madison
Members Alliance Middleton Fire District Plan Reviewer and
Investigator PCII and CVI Certified
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