In the world of architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AECO), timely and accurate documentation is the backbone of successful project delivery. Within a Common Data Environment (CDE) like ProjectWise, design files evolve constantly, and providing up-to-date PDF renditions for review, approval, and transmittal is a non-negotiable requirement. Yet, for many firms, this essential process remains a significant bottleneck, particularly when dealing with native files from tools like Autodesk AutoCAD and Revit within ProjectWise.
The reality for countless AECO professionals is a tedious, time-consuming, and often frustrating rendition workflow. While ProjectWise offers built-in rendition capabilities, these tools can struggle with the complexities of non-Bentley native file formats. This often leads to automated outputs with frustrating quality issues – think exploded layers, incorrect scales, or missing elements – rendering them unsuitable for critical project milestones and client deliverables.
What’s the typical workaround? Falling back on manual processes. This means engineers, BIM managers, and document controllers spend hours, sometimes days, painstakingly checking each one for errors, generating PDFs outside the automated system, and then manually uploading them back into ProjectWise. For every submission, if issues are found (a frequent occurrence due to the initial unreliability), the cycle of correction and re-upload begins anew. This isn't just inefficient; it’s a massive drain on valuable resources, diverting skilled professionals from high-value design and management tasks. It introduces significant risk into project programmes, especially during crunch times when large volumes of documents are needed quickly for handover or construction mobilisation.
Consider the scale: on a single large infrastructure project, the number of required PDFs can easily reach into the thousands, or even tens of thousands. If generating and checking just 100 PDFs takes two days manually, the cumulative time loss across a project is staggering, translating directly into increased labour costs and potential delays. This manual "check-and-fix" cycle isn't just a productivity killer; it's a source of stress and a significant operational risk.
This is where modern automation solutions become essential. Imagine a world where high-fidelity PDF renditions for your AutoCAD and Revit files are generated automatically, directly from ProjectWise, without the need for manual checks because you can trust the output quality. Solutions that leverage native design tool engines for processing can ensure the accuracy and integrity of the final PDF, faithfully reproducing complex details, layers, and scales.
Automating this core function doesn't just save hours; it gives back valuable time to your project team, allowing engineers to engineer, designers to design, and managers to manage. It removes a significant bottleneck, accelerating document cycles and helping to ensure critical deliverables are met on time. It reduces the risk of human error inherent in manual processes and provides a consistent, auditable record of rendition creation within your CDE.
The "rendition headache" is a real and costly problem in the AECO industry. Moving beyond unreliable manual workarounds to intelligent, automated solutions is not just about efficiency; it's about de-risking projects, empowering your team, and focusing resources where they deliver the most value. In future posts, we'll delve deeper into how the Arc platform provides this trusted automation and other solutions to common CDE challenges.