As service providers at Cadwork Solutions, we must recognize the value we offer our partners and clients beyond the cost of the service. In many cases, we become an extension of our client's services or skill sets, which means we must meet or exceed their internal standards and acclimate to their professional culture. In many other cases, we support clients who look to us for our knowledge and experience in areas they no little or nothing about. We love sharing our tools, ideas, methods, and experience with them, especially when they can please their clients too.
So, what exactly should you look for when choosing a CAD services firm? If you're not technically proficient with the "ins and outs" of CAD/drafting, what should you look for regarding prerequisites and quality? Whether you're a seasoned CAD professional or a little green, we've compiled a comprehensive list of questions to ask and details to look for that should help with your decision to begin with the provider or continue working with them.
Here are some things to consider when working with an outsourced CAD services firm:
PRE-SELECTION:
References- A good firm should have references relevant to your industry.
Samples- Ask for a few samples of their work. Often, samples will be generic due to non-disclosure agreements and the visibility of proprietary information, but they should have examples of what they can do for your review.
Delivery Time- Make sure the estimated completion time is reasonable and within your required timeline. Depending on the complexity of the project and unavoidable revisions from stakeholders, this ETA can vary significantly.
Branding- Will the provider work "transparently" using only your logos and company information as a sight-unseen representative of you or your company?
Workload- Can the firm handle multiple, simultaneous projects for you while meeting deadlines?
Archiving/Rights- Will the CAD services firm archive your drawings for you? Also, be sure they explicitly state the ownership of completed drawings is solely yours.
Collaboration/Document Exchange- Do they have a simple system for markups, communication, and document exchange?
QUALITY REVIEW:
Does the drawing meet your company standards specified at the kick-off meeting? (Standards should include layers, fonts, line types, colors, line width, and dimension styles)
Organized, clean layout.
Proper line weights (thickness and darkness)
Consistency (within the drawing and throughout all drawings)
Accuracy (Perhaps the most important QC of all)
Annotation (Annotations must not crowd over or block the intended drawings. Text and dimensions must be readable and at least 1/8" in height when printed at full scale. All measurements, texts, and notes must be in capital letters).
Symbol legend
Appropriate scale
Appropriate sheet size
Title block with all pertinent data (Drawing name, your firm name, logo, dates, revision number, references to other assets, and so on. The more complete, the better).
This should be a solid foundation to help you make the right choices. If you have any questions or would like to chat about these points with us, please get in touch with hello@cadworksolutions.com or call (323) 989-3363. We'll do our best to help; hopefully, we're a good fit.
Cheers!
Cadwork Solutions Team