What Technology Do you Use to Review Drawings Electronically? 25

[Logan82]

Hi!

I find that reviewing PDF drawings of my peers on the computer with Adobe Acrobat is slower or more clunky than just printing the drawing on a 11"x17" paper and reviewing it with a pen and highlighter. For instance, to write a weld symbol on Adobe Acrobat implies to put several lines and perform many mouse clicks, while drawing a weld symbol by hand is very quick. I also feel that printing the drawing enables me to see in a new perspective that makes me see some details that I would not have seen otherwise.

I was wondering if some of you annotate drawings with an electronic pen and a tablet? If so, what do you use?

 

[human909]

I have used Foxit Reader for over a decade. It is free. It is much faster and much more stable than Adobe Acrobat. (Maybe the have fixed their stability issue already.) Markingup drawings and measuring works though is clearly inferior to Bluebeam.

Though I do need to get Bluebeam. It is clearly better and worth paying for. For me, old habits die hard and paying for basic software wasn't something I did when I was poor and there were free alternatives!

 

[Agent666]

Bluebeam on surface Pro with surface dial/surface pen. Works well enough, I prefer using a pen when sketching, vs trying to draw using bluebeams tools. But have been transitioning to using more bluebeam clouds and text tools to do comments as it is easier to come back and amend comments as you work through a set.

Having a large monitor or multiple monitors with split document view in bluebeam is a crucial feature so you can look at multiple pages in the same document at the same time when flicking back and forth between assemblies, parts, GA plans, etc.

Bluebeam is one tool which if not provided by employer that I'd happily shell out my own cash to buy. One of those things you can't live without in my opinion.

https://engineervsheep.com

 

[Ron247]

I use Bluebeam and like it.

For about the same cost as an 11x17 printer you can get one that does 13x19 paper (called SuperB paper). For us older folks, that is better than 11x17.

Lastly, I bought a high resolution 65" monitor to reduce the multiple times I have to zoom in and out. I generalyl get paid by the job, not the hour so the monitor cost gets paid back fairly quickly. Low resolution is not worth it.

 

[271828]

I use Bluebeam also.

I have a question for the other Bluebeam users. Are you using Revu as a pdf viewer and mark-up tool only, or are you extending into the more specialized features such as replying to comments, Bluebeam Studio, etc.?

I'm asking because I only use it as a viewer/editor. It's expensive enough that I have considered moving to one of the many free pdf editors.

 

[Tmoose]

I mostly deal with component detail drawing and the related assembly/ General arrangement drawings.
Also documents like Inspection test plans and detail drawings adding critical dimension Item Identifiers, etc.
Brava DeskTop - then Microsoft print to PDF.
My Employer's older version of Brava's file saving options are poor. It opens a variety of different files. What is real nice is It can hop thru PDFs ( "next file") just by tapping the space bar.

Often I use Windows snipping tool to copy the entire drawing or view in an MS Paint png. It maintains detail pretty well. Better than most cut-n-past options
With The Windows snipping tool (superseded sort of by the more powerful clunky Snip and sketch) I can grab any symbol or note from any file or document and put it directly into the working png file.
When I'm done "print" the png file right out of Paint as a PDF using Microsoft print to PDF.


I don't feel like the software is slowing me down, but I need to check out Bluebeam.

 

[Aesur]

Speaking of Bluebeam, one thing to keep in mind is that when using on a tablet, make sure the tablet doesn't use an ARM processor (like those found in phones). The software as far as I know is not ported to work with those processors, hence the new Surface Pro X does not support Bluebeam. This is why I ended up going with an Asus Flipbook laptop instead (as well as it is much more powerful, has a larger screen and a much cheaper price).

Bluebeam on ARM

 

[ldeem]

I personally get tired of looking at my monitor so print and red pencil for 2D drawing markups. Whenever possible I like to review 3D models and make notes before the detiler starts drawing production. Tekla Connect works very well for this.

 

[StrucPatholgst]

Bluebeam rules. Been using it for 10 years.

 

[Boiler106]

we use bluebeam, too. an added bonus is bluebeam studio that lets multiple people markup a drawing at once.

we've used this to markup our own redlines for designs, to review shop drawings and to even mark up our standards.

 

[sandman21]

Bluebeam with a pen display

 

[JLNJ]

@JoelTXCive

We do flatten the files, but we had one set of shop drawing marks just last week where the person's markup boxes extended beyond the drawing format. Everything beyond the limits got cut off when it was flattened. About half their marks were lost.

We have also had issues where the reader doesn't handle 3D pdf files. The person on the receiving end thinks the file is blank or corrupt but it's just because their reader isn't suited for 3D.

 

[Logan82]

Bluebeam with a pen display

What is the model of the pen display that you use? Does it go well to annotate pdf drawings?

 

[Logan82]

Lastly, I bought a high resolution 65" monitor to reduce the multiple times I have to zoom in and out

That's a really good idea. Do you use it on a computer desk? Do you use a pen tablet with it?

 

[Logan82]

Bluebeam is what I have seen a lot of too. The problem (at least IMHO) with it is: I see people C&P a lot of code into it.....

Why is there a lot of code being copied into PDF annotated using Bluebeam? Is there a specific feature to add code into Bluebeam?

 

[Logan82]

Bluebeam. It’s light years ahead of acrobat.

Why is Bluebeam lightyears ahead of Adobe Acrobat?

 

[phamENG]

Because bluebeam was designed for architects, engineers, and contractors. It has been set up for a 'typical' AEC workflow. Adobe is a generalist application that will work, but it's like trying to use a Leatherman multi-tool to cut down a tree. It'll get the job done, but you'll get really pissed off and waste a lot of time. (In this example, Bluebeam is a chainsaw.)

Pretty sure WARose is talking about copying and pasting sections of the building code.

I use Bluebeam exclusively. My only complaint is that their only functional mobile version is set up exclusively for iPads. Last time I saw somebody using it, they were able to take a plan set and turn it into a photo key plan by snapping a picture with the iPad and dropping an icon on the PDF. When you click on the icon, you see the picture.

There were quite a few other nice features - I worked with a contractor a few years back who had a fully digital job site. All the foremen had iPads with a cloud based master drawing in Bluebeam. Whenever shop drawings were approved, RFIs answered, sketches released, etc. an icon would appear on the drawings (iPad or desktop) and you could click on it and see the content right there and in full context. Really pretty slick. Then of course there's the suite of markup tools and the ability to make your own. So if you have symbols you use frequently you can create stamps or other markup tools with what you need and have it right there. It's more expensive, but worth every penny.

 

[MotorCity]

Before the pandemic started and I was in an office setting, I was a red pen and paper guy. After I started working from home and could not print out reams of paper, I was forced to mark things up electronically. I must say that I have been converted into an electronic markup guy. I will add another vote for Bluebeam. Super easy, super efficient, have not seen another software that comes remotely close to it.

 

[sandman21]

What is the model of the pen display that you use? Does it go well to annotate pdf drawings?

Pen display we use is XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro. Its an artist display, people with talent can draw impressive art so detailing is not even testing the display. It will take some getting used to as it is not designed for our type of drawing. You can also try the Microsoft Surface studio, which I have not used, but the price is vastly more expensive.

 

[JoshPlumSE]

My old company used Bluebeam and Bluebeam Revu exclusively. There were things about it that I loved. Things that I found frustrating. It's certainly a little buggy.

I even bought a copy for myself when I was doing some side work. I find it better to use than Acrobat.... But, not quite as easy to use.

 

[WARose]

Pretty sure WARose is talking about copying and pasting sections of the building code.

yep. We use to just cite the section/formula #/table # in the calcs....now we C&P entire sections.