Marriott Takes 3-D Planning to the Next Level

I believe such technology enables those less capable to appear capable.

Design away, young computer-generated design and imaging wizards. I know you will specify a laundry machine that is 44-1/2" wide, and forget the only door to the laundry room is 40" clear. You will specify a window too small for compliance. The list goes on and on and on and...

There is no substitute for knowing what to do, and then doing it well. A software program such as this enables the appearance of having considered the problems and solutions of construction. I actually dislike projects done this way... it almost always means more work for me, and most of the other trades as well.

But, the images for presentation are very pretty.

RVZ717, I'll give you a GA for that, for a number of reasons. In no particular order:

I was trained, among other thing, as a technical illustrator. I learned to draw with mechanical pencils, true-pointers, triangles, paper and erasers. Today, I use TurboCad, a light version of AutoCad LT.

"I provide... none of our competitors are doing this yet... yet." CAD drawings for our electrical installations, riser diagrams, logic blocks, and point-to-point drawings are an absolute necessity, and we are the only game in town today... today. In the market I work today, there is sort of a 'Wow' factor when an architect/engineer gets my submittals.

And I agree with you 100%, "...cad reduces errors, reduces design time (100 fold), and increases the quality of the documentation." and "Absolutely, every company worldwide WILL adopt this method at some point."

However, the elements of drawings I generate are actually DRAWN by me. They are not selected from some symbol library by someone who has no idea what a PLC is, or a delayed-egress lock system, or a limited access device, or what any of them do or why some engineer says he wants one.

Yeah, I have found that the software and new technologies are quite hard to keep up on. I do my best to stay current with the latest tech, although at some times it seems impossible.

I still use 2D CAD almost every day for Schematics, wiring diagrams etc. 2D CAD is here to stay for those markets, but 3D for mechanical design cannot be beat, even if for the simple fact that you can then do a failure analysis of your component through FEA.

I have to admit... sometimes i do wish i could just pick up my pencil, paper, and templates/squares/triangles and draw, I miss it at times, especially when the computer decides not to play nice.

In the end, a shoddy designer can mess up a design to the point of complete failure regardless of his drawing platform. It's all still all left to a competent designer. It goes the other way as well, a great designer can design something to work perfectly regardless of his platform... I'd take a hand drawn print by a known proficient designer over a fancy 3D model from a wet behind the ears in most cases.

I liked your answer

So you guys think that this will save Marriott money?

It will help them spend more.. and charge more..

More people doing the work of their interior decorator.

What did their vendors do to deserve this?