Expert: Bob - 1/25/2009

Question
I am a Quality Assurance Professional. I do not use AutoCad personally, but work for a company that uses externally generated drawings.  We are currently hand copying all dimensions onto another form in order to submit first article inspection results to our customers.  As you can imagine, this presents innumerable opportunities for error.  Is there a way for AutoCad to generate a simple list of dimensions, separate from the drawing, that can then be transferred to our form?

Answer
Hi--

AutoCAD does not have the capability of listing dimensions, as there is little call for that. In quick check via Google, I saw that someone had developed a customized routine to list dimensions, and I might imagine that someone has created an "add-on" program for sale (if this is commonly needed).

My thoughts-
I am guessing that you are dealing with some kind of mechanical or electrical parts???
Since you dont really explain your process clearly to me, I can only give you these to think about:

1-- a "list of dimensions" seems almost silly to me, since the dimension is only useful in a list when the name of the object measured is given (I can't imagine software being that smart)
2-- dimensions can be fudged, accuracy set to low to cover errors, and the dimension text can be over-ridden --- thus, dimensions are
"what it says on the page", not "the exact size", unless you did them in-house with your control.
3-- if you are looking at a drawing which is meant to give specs, then measuring the item after it has been manufactured, I can see the value in what you ask. But then, I would ask if the drawing was made according to pre-determined specs (normal), you would already have the  spec'ed sizes listed.
4-- IF I WERE assigned to check actual objects against drawings, I would prefer not to do so with list, but to have AutoCAD or use a free AutoCAD viewer that allows markups. I would then make notes right on top of the drawings, where I found inaccuracies. This seems much more normal to me: your way is bureaucratic, rather than tecnical. Normally, one marks up drawings for correction.

THUS >>> SORRY, I DON'T GET IT, FROM THE INFO YOU GIVE --- so please write out the steps of the whole thing in a way I can understand, and I will try to see if I have a suggestion.

BOB