Revit 3D Modeling Optimizes Substation Design

Designing substations and generating drawing packages using 2D software is a mainstay in the power industry. However, the engineering services market is pushing companies to explore options for 3D modeling software to remain competitive. 3D design has the possibility to drive a more integrated process and eliminate inefficiencies that arise during manual 2D drafting. This method could streamline design changes and communication across disciplines, cut down on drafting workload, and change how engineers have approach even boilerplate designs for substations.This paper reviews a 3D substation pilot project developed using Revit software, a software widely used in architecture that was adapted for engineering purposes. Instead of creating a drawing package, this software focuses on creating a design from which individual components can be broken out. The benefits, lessons learned, and potential industry-wide impact of adopting 3D software for substation design will be further explored in this paper.