Manufacturing | Suspended Ceilings - Automating Technical Section Detailing in AutoCAD
We engineered a high-performance drawing pipeline that transforms 3D ceiling geometry into fully detailed 2D cross-sections. Utilizing JSON-driven templates and polymorphic geometry clipping, the solution automates the creation, placement, and management of production drawings and layouts without user intervention.
- Client
- Private Client
- Timeline
- 2024 - 2025
- Service
- Production Automation→
The Engineering Challenge
While the Ceiling Design Automation tool successfully automated the 3D configuration of complex ceiling systems, the manufacturing process still required precise 2D cross-sectional drawings for installation. Manually drafting these sections was a bottleneck - technicians had to interpret 2D plans, select the correct components (tees, clips, panels), and manually draft them using a large catalog of block components, ensuring correct layering and masking.
The challenge was to build a bridge between the 3D computational model from the Ceiling Design Automation tool and the 2D documentation standard. The solution needed to cut the 3D geometry, assemble the correct 2D components using our Client's CAD blocks, and output them in AutoCAD - complete with intelligent cropping and standardized styling - without user intervention.
The Solution Architecture
We engineered the Section Details Tool, a sophisticated WPF AutoCAD plugin built on a custom "Drawing Generation Framework". Unlike standard "snapshot" tools, this system implements a multi-stage pipeline that generates intelligent CAD geometry, not just flat lines.
The Drawing Pipeline
The tool executes a five-stage generation process for every section marker:
- Marker Detection: Scans the document for section callouts and extracts cut-line geometry.
- View Region Projection: Projects the 2D cut line onto the 3D ceiling surfaces to define the intersection plane.
- Component Intersection: Executes a sequence of polymorphic algorithms to calculate exact intersection points for panels, tees, and perimeter trims.
- Assembly: Instantiates component assemblies (Blocks, Leaders, Dimensions) based on the specific product rules.
- Entity Construction: The "SectionDetailBuilder" generates the final CAD entities, managing draw order and visual layering.
UX Integration
Unlike standard AutoCAD scripts that rely on command-line inputs or legacy WinForms, we engineered a fully modern WPF application embedded directly within the CAD environment.
- Material Design System: The UI utilizes a standardized design language to provide a clean, intuitive experience that feels like a standalone product rather than a plugin.
- Live Visualization: An integrated Rhino Viewport renders the 3D spatial context of section markers, allowing users to verify cut locations visually before generation.
Configuration-Driven Flexibility
To support the client's evolving product lines, we implemented a JSON-driven Template System. Assembly templates define which blocks, dimensions, and leaders appear together for any given product. This separation of concerns allows the client's engineering team to modify section appearances via JSON configuration without requiring code changes or recompilation.
Advanced Geometry & Cropping
Converting 3D intersections to 2D drawings requires precise coordinate transformation. We built a "CroppableEntityFactory" to handle complex boundary clipping using polymorphic logic. Whether cutting a Block, trimming a Dimension line, or truncating a Leader leg, the system applies geometry-specific logic to ensure clean, professional section edges.
The Result
The tool transformed the detailing workflow from hours of manual drafting into a "Click and Run" process.
- Streamlined Workflow: A simplified two-page flow allows users to batch-process dozens of sections instantly.
- Standardized Output: Every drawing adheres to strict CAD standards (Layers, Colors, Linetypes) defined in the configuration templates.
- Stateful Regeneration: Utilizing an ObjectIdTag system and the Memento Pattern, the tool tracks every entity it creates. This enables precise updates - when a user regenerates a section, the tool selectively deletes only the stale entities before generating new ones, preserving the integrity of the rest of the file.
- 37,500+
- Source Lines of Code (Shared Suite)
- 100%
- Automated Drawing Standards
- 5-Stage
- Generation Pipeline
- JSON
- Configuration-Driven Architecture