Dassault Systemes Case Studies Efficient Structural Steel Fabrication Designs with DraftSight Professional Software: A Case Study of Bill’s Custom Fab, Inc.

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	Efficient Structural Steel Fabrication Designs with DraftSight Professional Software: A Case Study of Bill’s Custom Fab, Inc. Dassault Systemes

Efficient Structural Steel Fabrication Designs with DraftSight Professional Software: A Case Study of Bill’s Custom Fab, Inc.

Dassault Systemes

Applicable Industries	Cement Metals
Applicable Functions	Product Research & Development Sales & Marketing
Use Cases	Rapid Prototyping Structural Health Monitoring
Services	System Integration Training
Challenge	Bill’s Custom Fab, Inc., a family-owned business providing custom design and fabrication services for structural steel components since 1990, faced a challenge in supporting the 2D design requirements of their business more efficiently. The firm uses 2D CAD for fabricating structural steel for a variety of applications, including construction, handrails, and stair stringers. The management team, committed to quality improvements, periodically re-evaluates its design and fabrication tools to increase efficiency, boost productivity, or add capabilities. However, licensing changes with their former CAD provider led Bill’s Custom Fab to re-evaluate its 2D design solution. The firm needed a solution that was not only functional and provided a good return on investment, but also stable, compatible with major CAD formats, and capable of running LISP macros and routines, which the firm uses to create common structural steel features. Read More
About Customer	Bill’s Custom Fab, Inc. is a family-owned and operated business that has been providing custom design and fabrication services for creating structural steel components for a range of diverse applications since 1990. The firm has worked with a wide variety of clientele, allowing the fabrication shop to expand its knowledge, experience, and expertise into many industries, ranging from construction and heavy-machine clients to residential and walk-in customers. In addition to custom design and fabrication, Bill’s Custom Fab’s services include steel erection, plasma burning, steel sales, shearing, bending, aluminum and stainless steel welding, and in-house and portable welding. Read More
Solution	Bill’s Custom Fab, Inc. implemented DraftSight® Professional 2D design software to meet its design requirements more efficiently. The software was chosen for its stability, data compatibility with major CAD formats, and ability to run LISP macros and routines. The transition to DraftSight Professional software was seamless, with no downtime or training requirements, due to the software's user interface and capabilities being similar to their legacy CAD. This allowed the firm to maintain high levels of productivity. Furthermore, the ability to continue using LISP language macros and routines in DraftSight helped maintain efficiency and productivity through the use of automated commands, while also reducing costs. The firm uses DraftSight for structural steel fabrication and erection drawings, custom fabrication shop drawings, and also uses the DXF features for their plasma cutting table. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Applicable Industries

Cement

Metals

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Sales & Marketing

Use Cases

Rapid Prototyping

Structural Health Monitoring

Services

System Integration

Training

Challenge

Bill’s Custom Fab, Inc., a family-owned business providing custom design and fabrication services for structural steel components since 1990, faced a challenge in supporting the 2D design requirements of their business more efficiently. The firm uses 2D CAD for fabricating structural steel for a variety of applications, including construction, handrails, and stair stringers. The management team, committed to quality improvements, periodically re-evaluates its design and fabrication tools to increase efficiency, boost productivity, or add capabilities. However, licensing changes with their former CAD provider led Bill’s Custom Fab to re-evaluate its 2D design solution. The firm needed a solution that was not only functional and provided a good return on investment, but also stable, compatible with major CAD formats, and capable of running LISP macros and routines, which the firm uses to create common structural steel features.

About Customer

Bill’s Custom Fab, Inc. is a family-owned and operated business that has been providing custom design and fabrication services for creating structural steel components for a range of diverse applications since 1990. The firm has worked with a wide variety of clientele, allowing the fabrication shop to expand its knowledge, experience, and expertise into many industries, ranging from construction and heavy-machine clients to residential and walk-in customers. In addition to custom design and fabrication, Bill’s Custom Fab’s services include steel erection, plasma burning, steel sales, shearing, bending, aluminum and stainless steel welding, and in-house and portable welding.

Solution

Bill’s Custom Fab, Inc. implemented DraftSight® Professional 2D design software to meet its design requirements more efficiently. The software was chosen for its stability, data compatibility with major CAD formats, and ability to run LISP macros and routines. The transition to DraftSight Professional software was seamless, with no downtime or training requirements, due to the software's user interface and capabilities being similar to their legacy CAD. This allowed the firm to maintain high levels of productivity. Furthermore, the ability to continue using LISP language macros and routines in DraftSight helped maintain efficiency and productivity through the use of automated commands, while also reducing costs. The firm uses DraftSight for structural steel fabrication and erection drawings, custom fabrication shop drawings, and also uses the DXF features for their plasma cutting table.

Impact #1	The implementation of DraftSight Professional software at Bill’s Custom Fab, Inc. resulted in a seamless transition with no downtime or training requirements. This was due to DraftSight’s user interface and capabilities being similar to their legacy CAD. The firm was able to maintain high levels of productivity and efficiency, particularly through the continued use of LISP language macros and routines in DraftSight. This allowed for the automation of the creation of drawings for structural steel shapes, reducing costs. Furthermore, the firm was able to improve the return on investment on their 2D design software. The software was also used to develop production drawings for other types of design work, including planters, fire pits and rings, custom trailers, and a new ductwork system for a restaurant.

Impact #1

The implementation of DraftSight Professional software at Bill’s Custom Fab, Inc. resulted in a seamless transition with no downtime or training requirements. This was due to DraftSight’s user interface and capabilities being similar to their legacy CAD. The firm was able to maintain high levels of productivity and efficiency, particularly through the continued use of LISP language macros and routines in DraftSight. This allowed for the automation of the creation of drawings for structural steel shapes, reducing costs. Furthermore, the firm was able to improve the return on investment on their 2D design software. The software was also used to develop production drawings for other types of design work, including planters, fire pits and rings, custom trailers, and a new ductwork system for a restaurant.

Benefit #1	Maintained high levels of productivity through use of LISP routines
Benefit #2	Avoided need for any training
Benefit #3	Experienced seamless transition to new 2D solution

Benefit #1

Maintained high levels of productivity through use of LISP routines

Benefit #2

Avoided need for any training

Benefit #3

Experienced seamless transition to new 2D solution

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Overview

Efficient Structural Steel Fabrication Designs with DraftSight Professional Software: A Case Study of Bill’s Custom Fab, Inc.

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit