Managing engineering, architectural, and cartographic drawings: because drawings will continue to be important information sources for most organizations, managing them will continue to be a great opportunity for RIM professionals.

Engineering, architectural, and cartographic drawings are graphical means of communicating information about objects, structures, or places that show how the subjects will look when completed, and thus play an important part in organizations' mission-critical processes and functions. Traditionally, the key factors in drawing practices that affect records and information management (RIM) methodology have been media, layout, quality, size, and use, each of which has corresponding national, international, and, often, internal standards with which to comply.

Because a drawing's core value lies in its graphical depiction of information, its layout and quality are of key importance. Some drawings include several views of the same object, structure, or place, either inset on the same page or spread over several pages. In the latter case, keeping all the pages together is important to preserve the drawing's context. This is fairly easy to achieve with bound hardcopy media, but in electronic format requires knowledge of all the pages (or views) available. To maintain context, each drawing page must be labeled with consistent identifiers as well as the sheet or page number. Other information factors that affect drawing management are:

* Notes: textual information specifying details not conveyed graphically, such as engineering notes, field notes, or parts specifications

* Accurate scale measurement: important because duplication, printing from electronic drawings, magnifying and printing from microfilm, and printing from scanned images can easily distort graphical dimensions and relationships

* Title block information: contains identifiers, such as drawing number, project name, object name, drawing author, and date, which serve as the source for capturing data used to index both original drawings and their microfilmed or scanned images [See Figure 1 on page 57.]

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

* Revision block information: shows revision dates, authors, and tracking references, which is important for tracking edits and for version control; may also be used for indexing in a document management system [See Figure 2.]

[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]

In electronic formats, data in the title block and the revision block provide the identification and tracking metadata for the drawing.

Good drawing quality is essential for accuracy. Difficult-to-read lines or figures can create chaos during construction, manufacture, natural resource location, or navigation. Thus, most drawing quality standards set requirements for line and character thickness, legible printing, consistent colors and ink tone and, for hardcopy originals, pen or pencil lead weight. [See "Drawing Quality Standards" on page 58.] Quality standards also play a role in creating legible printed duplicates as well as microfilm or scanned images.

From Paper to CAD

Drawings were produced in all-paper environments until the 1940s. The adoption of microfilm as a duplicating, distribution, and information access tool in the 1950s was considered a major technological improvement over paper systems.

In the 1980s, architectural and engineering firms gradually adopted computer-assisted design (CAD), a method originally developed for the aerospace, shipbuilding, and automotive industries. Using computers rather than manual processes to create, revise, and distribute drawings enables engineers to view a design from any angle and to zoom in or out for close-ups and long-distance views.

CAD systems display numbers and text as drawings, much like creating a pie chart from the text and numbers in a spreadsheet program. The foundation of a CAD drawing or model is a structured data file consisting of numbers and text with a set of instructions to display these values as a graphic. Most drawings or models consist of multiple data files. Changes to one file can be automatically reflected in all drawings that reference that file. The computer keeps track of design dependencies so that when one value is changed all other values that depend on it are automatically changed accordingly.

All CAD drawings are vector graphics (i.e., digital images created through a sequence of commands or mathematical statements that place lines and shapes in two-dimensional or three-dimensional space). Vector drawings must be converted into a raster image file--BMP, TIFF, GIF, or JPEG--in order to print or plot a hardcopy drawing.

For the most part, RIM methodologies for hardcopy drawings can be applied to CAD files and output. Some issues arise when determining what constitutes the record drawing. Because multiple files can represent one drawing and one drawing can produce multiple views (or pages), the electronic record drawing and its constituent files and data sets must be clearly defined. As with any electronic file, preservation issues for CAD files are a concern. [See "Preservation Techniques for Digital Drawings" on page 58.]

Interaction with Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

CAD drawings have become a basic component of geographic information systems (GIS). GIS collect, manage, and analyze large volumes of spatial data, allowing users to query or analyze the data and receive results in the form of a map. Geographic information can be explicit geographic coordinates or implicit terms such as street address, postal code, or forest stand identifier. GIS translates implicit geographic data into an explicit map location. Mapquest (www.mapquest.com) and Microsoft[R] Streets & Trips are popular examples of GIS.

GIS databases, which consist of tables covering different topics related to a common theme, rely on attributes to create accurate maps. An attribute is a characteristic of a geographic feature that may be described by numbers, characters, images, or CAD drawings typically stored in tabular format and linked to the feature by an identifier. For example, attributes of a well might include its depth and gallons per minute. Each attribute can be coded to depict it on the map. For instance, all raw water pipes are purple, all treated water pipes are light blue, and all utility-owned land is green. GIS are programmed based on elements, or defined shapes that are used to define an item and its location on the resulting map. GIS generally rely on vector graphics to define map elements.

GIS are increasingly considered essential to effective engineering, planning, and emergency management operations.

CAD and GIS Challenge RIM

The multi-layered, multi-dimensional output of CAD and GIS systems is a RIM challenge. It is easy to save the drawing or map as an Adobe[R] Portable Document Format (PDF) file or to print it to paper and label it as the official record. Unfortunately, the various layers--databases, themes, elements, attributes, metadata--are an integral part of the record content. The output does not automatically depict the entire data set that comprises it. This raises issues with many RIM practices, including retention scheduling, vital records programs, validity of sources, distribution and sharing of CAD and GIS records, and preservation. For example:

* When including CAD or GIS records in a retention schedule, does retention include only the output, or all the layers and source files, or all the layers and some of the sources?

* If the output is declared a vital record, are any or all the data components of the system that produced it also vital?

* Is more than the output required to establish validity of sources for responses to discovery or subpoena?

* Must the metadata and other sources be included?

Distribution and sharing of CAD and GIS records are currently hampered by incompatibility among software products and between some software versions, raising further issues with drawing access such as how to

* distribute CAD and GIS records data and outputs electronically

* accept electronic CAD and GIS records data output from external sources

* establish standard terminology and compatibility between software and software versions, which currently does not exist

* establish preservation guidelines for all the electronic layers and their sources so the drawing or map can be reconstructed in the future

Drawings Repositories

Drawing size is a major factor in how and where hard copies are housed. Most organizations have either a central repository or subsidiary repositories to provide drawing access, Central repositories feature special housing and racking for oversize paper documents, while subsidiary repositories use less-specialized housing for folded or rolled drawing prints. Microfilm drawing files require the availability of readers and reader-printers for the film format used, whether jackets, aperture cards, rolls, or fiche. Both paper and microfilm media rely on manual or automated indexing to locate the appropriate drawing.

Digital drawings require appropriate electronic access, including adequate hardware and licensed software. In most organizations, wide-format copiers and plotters for electronic drawings are centralized to reduce expenditure and floor space. Access to digital drawings relies on accurate electronic indexes. As in most electronic applications, inconsistent data input and unverified data entry can lead to chaos. However, inconsistent data entry can be overcome with data conventions such as required fields, accepted abbreviations, controlled vocabularies, and file-naming conventions.

Drawing duplicates, sometimes referred to as prints or print files, are necessary for work in the field. While laptop access to digitized drawing repositories has revolutionized field use of drawings, some work still requires the use of paper prints. For example, most users who need to compare several drawings find it more convenient to work by placing prints side by side. It is "also difficult to reference laptop screens when standing on a steel girder or inside a water distribution access shaft. In addition, field notes on materials and actions, as well as discrepancies with dimensions or coordinates, are frequently written on the prints at the construction site. As a result, many organizations must maintain and track the original drawings as well as all printed duplicates, at least until the field notes have been used to correct data or revise the drawings.

Version Control

All engineering design is never stagnant. Improvements to the structure, system, or product are necessary over the long term. Often, mistakes are noted during construction, inspection, or fabrication and must be corrected on the drawings. Minor revisions are sometimes made directly to the original drawing, although this can cause legal and regulatory problems if the originals have already been approved for construction or fabrication. Major revisions always involve a redraw.

Revisions to a particular drawing must be tracked for legal, safety, regulatory, historic, and future construction or fabrication purposes. Ideally, an approved drawing becomes the baseline and is retained unchanged for historical purposes. Any revision requires a new drawing whose identifier is tied to the original, usually by using the same drawing number with an alpha or numeric extension to indicate revision sequence. Occasionally, older versions may have ties to multiple referenced drawings, and these ties must be maintained. In cases where all revisions are tracked electronically but data entry is sporadic or incorrect, users will find themselves referencing the wrong version of a drawing, so tight version control must be maintained and indexes updated promptly.

To prevent confusion and possibly disastrous consequences, superseded versions of a drawing should be pulled from the active access repository and retired to an archive of some kind. In addition, procedures must be in place to notify users of the new version and ensure its appropriate distribution and access. Organizations that achieve ISO 9000, 9001, or 14000 certification must meet stringent version control requirements, including maintaining original baselines unchanged, tracking and documenting every revision, and following strict procedures for retiring old versions.

Electronic Document Management Systems (EDMS)

The most effective way to manage electronic drawings is to include them in an electronic document management system (EDMS), which typically consists of scanners for document capture, printers, storage devices, servers, and programs for managing databases. An EDMS allows users to create documents or capture hard copy in electronic form and to store, edit, print, process, and manage documents in image, video, audio, and text formats.

An EDMS can aid in version control, indexing conventions, centralized access, controlled vocabularies (also know as thesauri), retention control, and advanced searching capabilities. While an EDMS designed for office documents can suffice for drawing management, most engineering environments require additional specialized functionality such as

* managing the engineering content to provide adequate inter-relationships between the drawing graphic, datasheets, calculations, geophysical data, analysis results, and financial projections

* making all current drawings available for viewing and editing in a secure environment while simultaneously protecting the integrity of the original image

* raster-to-vector and vector-to raster conversion ability

* redlining or revision draft capabilities coupled with approval workflow processes

* auto-indexing from images to populate pre-defined property fields in the index

* providing a launch mechanism or a gateway into the CAD application

* providing thumbnails of images as part of the drawing property screens

* compatibility with multiple CAD applications to allow the import, index, and viewing of drawings from different sources

* interaction with work order and GIS to allow access to the drawing repository from these systems

Long-term Drawing Preservation

Because they depict structures and infrastructure, most drawings are long-lived--a period that may span decades or centuries--and a drawings longevity has implications for its active usage.

Preservation of drawings should ensure continued usefulness with regard to both legibility and dimensional stability of graphical and textual information. Preserved drawings are primarily used for viewing and printing but are considered the final record and are not to be edited.

The most stable preservation medium for paper drawings is paper stock that meets the permanent-record paper requirements of ANSI/ISO Z39.48 "Permanence of Paper for Publications and Documents in Libraries and Archives," with the drawing image printed by electro photographic dry toner technology. The paper should be stored according to the requirements of ISO 11799 "Information and Documentation--Document Storage Requirements for Archive and Library Materials." Microfilm that meets the requirements of ANSI/ISO 1060 "Processed Silver-Gelatin Type Black and-White Film--Specifications for Stability" is considered preservation film. Film manufacture, exposure, processing, and storage must meet appropriate requirements as set forth in the 15 or more U.S. and/or international standards for permanent-record microfilm.

As might be expected, preserving digital drawings and their underlying data sets is complex and requires some conversion effort. [See "Preservation Techniques for Digital Drawings" on page 58.]

It is evident that the management of architectural, engineering, and cartographic drawings falls under the domain of records and information managers. Unfortunately, many R1M functions deal only with inactive drawings ready for archival storage, while engineering functions manage active drawings. Drawings will continue to be vital, important information sources within most organizations, and the application of evolving technological innovation to drawing management will continue to be a huge opportunity for RIM professionals.

Drawing Quality Standards

ANSI/ASME Y14.24M   1989   Types and Applications of Engineering
                           Drawings
ANSI/ASME Y14.5M    1994   Dimensioning and Tolerancing
ANSI/ASME Y14.34M   1996   Associated Lists
ANSI/ASME Y14.35M   1997   Revision of Engineering Drawings and
                           Associated Documents
ANSI/ASME Y14.100M  1998   Engineering Drawing Practices
                           (replaces DOD MIL SPEC 100)

Profession or Business     References Old Drawings in Order to

* Utilities                Find underground infastruture

* Architects               Restore and improve older structures

* Manufacturers            Improve product safety or performance

* Archeologists            Locate in ground or underwater sites

References

"CAD: A Guide to Good Practice." U.K. Arts and Humanities Data Service/Archaeology Data Service. Available at http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/project/goodguides/g2gp.html (accessed 8 March 2004).

"GIS: A Guide to Good Practice." U.K. Arts and Humanities Data Service/Archaeology Data Service. Available at http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/project/goodguides/g2gp.html (accessed 8 March 2004).

Managing Cartographic, Architectural and Engineering Records in the Government of Canada. Ottawa, Canada: National Archives of Canada, 2001. Available at www.archives.ca (accessed 8 March 2004).

At the Core

This article

* examines drawings and RIM

* discusses the RIM implications of computer-assisted design systems, geographic information systems, and electronic document management system

* explores the long-term preservation of drawings

Preservation Techniques for Digital Drawings

Preserving the Graphic

Several steps must be taken to preserve digital drawing data. Because computer-assisted design (CAD) software does not automatically keep metadata for drawings, metadata derived from the drawing's title and revision blocks must be copied into separately established metadata fields that are part of the data set ("embedded"). All related base files, font files, and shapes must be bound, all colors converted to black, and all fine lines thickened so they can print visibly. The resulting CAD file should then be converted to Adobe[R] Portable Document Format (PDF), thereby becoming viewable and printable to various scales from any computer that has the free Adobe[R] Reader[R] program. Sampling the converted files to ensure correct completion is essential.

Preserving the Vector Data Sets

Preserving the vector data sets ensures the continued usefulness of the graphic and its underlying data files important for later updating and possible analyses. Over time, the value of the data sets may equal or exceed that of the graphic.

Metadata for datasets must be keyed into separately established metadata fields that are part of the data set. Again, related matter such as base files, font files, and shapes must be bound. The resulting CAD file should then be converted from its proprietary file format to the ISO 10303 Industrial Automation Systems and Integration--Product Data Representation and Exchange file format using the appropriate application protocol. This conversion should result in a digital file that can be imported into most existing and, it is hoped, future CAD programs. It has been proposed that microfilm could be used to preserve a CAD drawing's graphic, data sets, and metadata. The proposed method, which has not yet been tried and is, therefore, unproven, involves converting the graphic to a raster image format, preferably TIFF 6.0. The metadata, data sets, and raster image would all then be output to 35mm silver gelatin microfilm in an optical character recognition (OCR) font. Future users could theoretically scan the metadata and data sets from the microfilm, convert them to characters using OCR software, import the data sets into the then-current CAD program (using the metadata to interpret the meaning of the data sets), construct a new drawing, and verify the accuracy of the newly constructed drawing against the raster image of the original drawing.

Virginia A. Jones, CRM, is Records Manager, Information Technology Division, at Newport News Department of Public Utilities in Newport News, Virginia. She may be contacted at vjones@)nngov.com. Frederic J. Grevin is Director of Records and Archives Management at the City of New York Department of Environmental Protection. He may be contacted at [e-mail].