Unpopular opinion: I think the push for 100% 3D modeling is leaving some skills behind

Just finished a set of old school shop drawings for a steel fabricator in Tacoma, and the client said they were the clearest he'd seen in years... all done in 2D. Everyone says you have to model everything now, but that job made me realize we're losing the art of clear, simple drafting that someone can actually build from on the floor. Has anyone else had a shop actually thank them for a clean 2D detail lately?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_robin2mo ago

Wait, is this really a lost art or just a different tool? I mean @fiona_clark has a point about good 3D models having all the 2D info built in. That fabricator liking your 2D drawings is great, but was it the format or just that you did a careful job? Maybe the real skill is making clear instructions, not picking the software. Are we just getting stuck on how things used to look?

fiona_clark2mo ago

Honestly, I get where you're coming from, but I see it totally different. The good 3D models we make now have all the 2D views and cut sheets built right in, so the shop floor gets the same clear info but way faster. It's not about losing the skill, it's about putting that same careful detail into a smarter tool. The last fabricator we worked with loved it because they could spin the model around on their tablet right next to the beam.