The operational approach for using BIM technology to generate 2D views should be tailored to the specific delivery requirements at each design stage, as the objectives and standards for 2D views vary throughout the process.
1. Scheme Design Phase
During this phase, design outputs primarily serve to review and compare different schemes. With BIM technology, the visualization capabilities make it easier and more intuitive to conduct these reviews and comparisons. BIM models become the primary deliverable, while traditional 2D drawings play a supporting role in conveying design intent. The 2D views generated directly from BIM models fully satisfy delivery requirements. Therefore, these 2D views can be used as official deliverables during the scheme design phase. This approach not only ensures high-quality delivery but also significantly boosts design efficiency, highlighting the clear benefits of BIM technology.
2. Design Phase
The preliminary design focuses on finalizing specific technical solutions and laying the groundwork for construction drawings. BIM enables higher quality design, optimization, and coordination at this stage. Strict adherence to 2D drawing standards is less critical, so 2D views generated from BIM models can be used as formal deliverables after applying necessary annotations and adjustments. This ensures consistency between the model and drawings, facilitating design changes during the construction drawing phase and reducing subsequent workload.
Since 2D views generated by BIM may not fully comply with drafting standards at this stage, negotiations with project owners are necessary to adjust delivery requirements accordingly and accommodate the realities of BIM-based drawings.
Specific considerations include:
• For densely packed pipelines, text annotations can be used during preliminary design, with further detailing handled during construction drawing preparation.
• Mechanical and electrical disciplines should choose appropriate drawing scales without altering the actual dimensions of the BIM model.
• Key 2D views to generate at this stage include overall plans, elevations, and sections.
• For complex drawings like system diagrams that are difficult to produce within BIM, traditional 2D drafting methods remain acceptable.
3. Construction Drawing Design Phase
Construction drawings provide detailed guidance for the building process and must comply with 2D drafting standards. Currently, BIM-generated 2D views often fall short of these standards, making it challenging to use them directly as deliverables. At this stage, thorough coordination among disciplines is essential to identify and resolve any design conflicts that could impede construction.
A practical workflow involves completing coordination and error checks within the BIM model, updating the design accordingly, and then exporting 2D views to a traditional drafting environment for further refinement. This process ensures construction drawings meet required standards while reducing the drafting workload within the BIM environment.
Given the extensive follow-up work needed to meet 2D drafting standards, companies may consider appointing dedicated BIM draftsmen responsible for generating and exporting 2D views from BIM models for subsequent processing.
4. Future Delivery of 2D Views in Full BIM Mode
As BIM design tools continue to evolve and localization improves, secondary development toolkits based on BIM platforms are expanding. Design firms are gaining more experience and capabilities, and standardized BIM resource libraries and professional templates are becoming more widely available.
In the future, 2D views automatically generated from BIM models are expected to largely meet drawing standards. Designers or BIM draftsmen will only need to make minor adjustments to efficiently complete construction drawing requirements and produce print-ready documents.
Once delivery standards for the BIM model are established, the model itself will become the primary medium for design communication, reducing the reliance on 2D views to convey design intent. Until official BIM drawing standards are released by relevant countries or industries, companies may deliver design results following their own enterprise standards as stipulated in contractual agreements.
That concludes the overview of BIM technology roles at each design stage. I hope this article has been helpful!
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