“I Will Find It”: Why the Disappearance of Revision Clouds Is a Problem Worth Tracking
In the 2008 film Taken, Liam Neeson’s character delivers a chilling line: "I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you." That relentless determination might feel familiar to engineers and project managers when they’re handed a set of design drawings with undocumented changes.
Revision clouds are a graphic symbol that visually highlights any modifications or updates made to the original drawing. These symbols act as a tool that enhances the communication between the architect, engineer, and contractors. It makes the changes easily identifiable and more comprehensive. The symbol is an outline shaped like a cloud, its color and thickness vary via project. Typically, Revision clouds are detailed with a tag that includes the revision number, date changed, description, and approval information. The major benefits of revision clouds are that they save time in the review process, enhance record-keeping, and reduce miscommunication by ensuring nothing gets lost in the translation.
Lately, these trusted allies have vanished. We have always looked at these symbols as an asset, a tool of efficiency so where did they go? Why did architects/engineers stop using them? After conducting a deep dive into construction industry forums and extensive thorough research, we have narrowed down the top four explanations for the disappearance of revision clouds:
Reduces Clutter: Some designers feel that utilizing revision clouds makes the plans appear messy and may argue that they make the drawing difficult to read and comprehend. This specifically pertains to drawings with many revisions.
Industry Practice Shifts: Revision clouds aren’t required; some clients no longer ask for them. Including them is an extra step for the designer so they may skip it to ease their workload.
Improved Platforms and Documentation Tools: Contemporary CAD software and Autodesk BIM 360 have detection features that log revision tracking, model comparisons, and markup histories.
File Management: Instead of highlighting the changes on the actual drawing, engineers have issued a separate log detailing the changes.
Either way, ECI can work with or without revision clouds. The effect of excluding revision clouds is that it will take longer to identify and locate the changes, as our engineers will have to overlay the new design over the old design. If there is a gap in communication due to not using clouds, there may be a risk of the changes being overlooked, which can lead to the designs not being built correctly.
If you are interested in learning more about revision clouds don’t hesitate to call 877-572-3414 or email info@eci3d.com with any questions or concerns!