The Integration of CAD & AudioVisual (AV) Design

Audio Visual (AV)

It is undeniable that the professional Audio Visual (AV) industry is one of the most prominent and ever-evolving sectors across the general overarching ‘Engineering’ industry and its constituents. It is today a multibillion-dollar industry comprising a complex hierarchy of participants across the chain – not limited to: manufacturers, dealers, systems integrators, design consultants, engineers, programmers, sales consultants, presentations professionals and various specialist purveyors of audiovisual products and services.

Following its humble beginnings, the AV industry in contrast today is the primary provider of technological solutions to sound, lighting, video, digital display and projection systems, control/automation systems and IP-based networking and interfacing solutions. Where AV systems were once possibly regarded a luxury commodity – and only taken seriously by the few who acknowledged its potential – its relevance today however is irrefutable.

The application of AV systems are vital to the day-to-day operations of most social, government and educational institutions. AV systems can be found in collaborative audio/video conferencing presentation rooms, auditoriums, university lecture halls, command and control centers, corporate boardrooms, digital signage, prison systems, hospitals and healthcare facilities, training centres…and the list goes on and on. Put simply, it is an indispensible proponent of modern day communication, interaction and inter-connection.

However, the point here is not to pinpoint the division between adopters and rejectors of CAD designs for AV integration. Rather, it is about cultivating a Standard across the industry. This is particularly salient for the Asian AV industry. I’m not too familiar with AV design practices in countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia or Thailand. However in Malaysia (where we reside and operate), it appears that the integration of CAD and AV are in its stages of infancy – especially in contrast to design practices in the West.

Upon observation in the last year, it appears that only a small handful of local AV companies utilize CAD as an integral component of their design workflow process. And these are usually the larger players in the industry (tied to multi-engineering groups, corporations etc.) that possess the resources and pressing requirement – due to the complex nature and size of their typical projects – to appoint an exclusive, full-fledged in-house CAD design team.

Smaller to mid-sized companies on the other hand appear to be a mixed bag. Some adopt a
‘Purist’ approach (usually older veterans in the field) and find CAD to be totally unnecessary – or in some cases – a hindrance. This group prefers a more old-school and intuitive ‘on-the-go’ approach to system design and configuration. Some others on the other hand see the inherent value of CAD and how it could be useful. However, they also find the shift towards a CAD-based design process to either be (mistakenly I might add) too expensive, an added luxury or just not worth the time/trouble to explore and instead, stick with what they’re comfortable with. And finally, the group I feel most for are those that realize the inherent value that CAD will bring to their business processes and efficiency but genuinely can’t afford CAD services (in-house or external) due to operating on tight budgets that are only sufficient for core internal business expenditures. This group is usually comprised of startups and/or businesses that are still in the early stages of expansion.

So the final question(s) to reflect upon are these:

Is CAD necessary for AV system design and integration?

If so, what are the benefits of utilizing and integrating CAD for AV design?

What types of CAD documentation specifically would be invaluable towards a typical AV design workflow?

We shall explore these further in our next post, stay tuned.

Warmest Wishes,
The LD CAD Lab Team

The Integration of CAD & AudioVisual (AV) Design

Audio Visual (AV)

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