In this article, we will consider advanced methods of automating the design of a master plan, which were shared at the PRO TEAM INFRA event by the head of the information modeling group Ksenia Gryaznukhina and the information modeling manager Evgeny Kustov from the S.23 design institute, part of the Samolet group of companies. They spoke about the practical tools of the Civil 3D and Dynamo programs, as well as about scripts developed within the institute, which allow for the automation of routine tasks, improvement of the quality of design documentation and reduction of project completion times.
S.23 is one of the leaders in the field of design automation in Russia. Until 2023, it was known as Samolet-Proekt, and after rebranding, it was able to reach a new level and expand its scope of activities. The company's specialists work with projects of various scales and complexity, from economy-class residential areas to premium facilities with a high degree of detail. They actively implement automation technologies and BIM processes, which allows them to complete projects efficiently and quickly.
Evolution of design tools
Historically, the design process began with a drafting device, a drawing board, on which engineers manually drew lines, made calculations, and prepared drawings. This approach was labor-intensive, required high concentration, and took a lot of time. Every mistake forced a significant part of the work to be redone.
The emergence of AutoCAD was a real revolution in the world of design. The program allowed the transfer of drawings into a digital format, which simplified editing and reduced the time for completing projects. However, despite this, it still provided tools only for manual drawing, albeit on a computer.
Therefore, to solve more complex problems, such as designing a master plan, specialized software such as Civil 3D was developed. This product made it possible to automate many processes: from creating relief and surfaces to calculating the volume of earth masses and vertical planning. However, an additional tool was required for an even higher degree of automation.
It was Dynamo, a platform for visual programming that allows you to create scripts and automate processes without deep knowledge in the IT field. Using Dynamo in combination with Civil 3D allows S.23 specialists to solve complex problems in a matter of minutes, performing routine operations faster and more accurately.
Optimization and acceleration of the process
The process of drawing up a master plan includes many routine tasks that require attention from the designer. For example, drawing up layout plans, applying dimensions, marks and marks, etc. can take hours or even days. S.23 has developed special scripts that automate these tasks. With their help, you can perform operations such as:
Automatic setting of coordinates at the intersection of axes
Mass application of dimensions on a drawing
Quickly place symbols and labels
These tools allow you to reduce the time it takes to draw up a master plan to just a few minutes, and also eliminate errors that often occur when performing the task manually.