alt Hacker NewsWe parse symbols using a mix of vector geometry, OCR, and learned detection for common architectural/MEP symbols. Cross-discipline checks are a big focus as we already flag mismatches between architectural, structural, and MEP sheets, and we’re expanding into deeper electrical/mechanical spec alignment next. Would love to hear which symbols matter most in your workflow so we can improve coverage.
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We're in a similar space doing machine assisted lighting take offs for contractors in AU/NZ, with bespoke models trained for identifying & measuring luminaires on construction plans.
Compliance is a space we've branched into recently. Would be super interested in seeing how you guys are currently approaching symbol detection.
What do you mean when you say "vector geometry"? Are you using the geometry extracted from PDFs directly? I'm curious how that interacts with the OCR and detection model portion of what you're doing
I do electrical so parsing lighting is often a big issue. (Subcontractor)
One big issue Ive had is drafters use the same symbol for different things per person. One person's GFCi is another's switched receptacle. People use the specialty putlet symbol sometimes very precisely and others not. Often accompanied by an annotation (e.g. 6-15R).
Dimmers being ambiguous is huge; avoiding dimming type mismatches is basically 80% the lutron value add.