Shop Drawing Dimensions

Overview

MeasureSquare Stone offers two approaches to dimensioning shop drawings: auto-dimension, which labels every edge automatically at generation time, and manual dimension lines, which let you place and control specific dimensions yourself after generating.

For most jobs, auto-dimension is the right choice and requires no additional work. For specific layout types — complex angles, dense notched pieces, or drawings where certain dimensions carry more fabrication weight than others — turning auto-dimension off and placing manual lines produces a cleaner, more usable result.

This article covers: when to use each approach, how to configure auto-dimension, how to place and manage manual dimension lines, and the known limitations of the dimension system that affect how certain piece types must be handled.

Auto-Dimension

What It Does

When auto-dimension is enabled in the shop drawing template, MeasureSquare automatically places dimension lines on every edge of every piece in the drawing at generation time. This includes countertop pieces, splash pieces, laminate pieces, and any other drawn elements included in the output. The program measures each edge from the takeoff geometry and renders the dimension string adjacent to that edge.

No user action is required after generation. The drawing is complete and fabrication-ready as produced.

When to Use Auto-Dimension

Auto-dimension is the correct choice for the large majority of jobs. Use it whenever the piece geometry is clean enough for the auto-generated lines to render without overlap.

What Auto-Dimension Does Not Cover

Auto-dimension labels all piece edges. It does not place dimension lines for the following — these always require manual handling:

• Cutout position from corner. There are no auto-generated dimension lines from piece corners to cutout edges. This is a known limitation. Use the Set Cutout Position tool to define the cutout location precisely, then add a manual dimension line if the drawing needs to show the distance explicitly.

• Seam position from corner. Seam lines are shown on the drawing, but no auto-dimension line is placed from the piece corner to the seam. Add a manual dimension line if the fabricator needs a called-out seam distance.

• Elevation dimensions. Heights, splash heights, and elevation-specific dimensions are not auto-dimensioned. Add manually if required on the shop drawing.

• Notes and callouts. Fabrication instructions, material notes, vein direction indicators, and any text-based annotation are always manual.

Manual Dimension Lines

When to Use Manual Dimensions

Manual dimensioning is needed in three distinct situations. Each has a different workflow implication.

Placing a Manual Dimension Line: Step by Step

Manual dimension lines are added in the drawing view, not in the generation dialog or the generated PDF. Add them before generating, or regenerate after adding them to include them in the output.

1. Activate the dimension line tool from the drawing toolbar. The cursor changes to indicate dimension placement mode.

2. Click the start point of the dimension — typically a corner, an edge endpoint, or the edge of a cutout.

3. Click the end point of the dimension. The program measures the distance between the two points and displays the dimension string.

4. Click a third point to set the offset — how far from the piece the dimension line sits. Pull it away from the piece far enough to avoid overlapping with edge labels, adjacent pieces, or other dimension lines.

5. Review the placed dimension. Confirm the value matches the expected measurement. If it does not, the start or end point may have snapped to an unintended location — delete and re-place.

6. Repeat for each additional measurement that requires a manual dimension line. 

Positioning Dimension Lines for Readability

A dimension line placed too close to a piece overlaps with edge profile labels, material labels, and other annotations. A line placed too far from the piece is hard to associate with the edge it measures. The following guidelines produce clean, readable output.

• Offset from the piece edge: Pull dimension lines far enough from the piece that the dimension string sits in clear space. For standard countertop pieces, an offset of roughly the height of the dimension text is usually sufficient.

• Stagger multiple parallel dimensions: When two or more dimension lines run parallel to the same edge — for example, an overall width and a sub-measurement to a notch — offset each line a different distance from the piece so the strings do not overlap.

• Do not cross dimension lines: Crossing dimension lines are difficult to read and are a fabrication error risk. Route lines around each other rather than crossing.

• Avoid placing lines over other piece elements: Edge profile labels, cutout markers, seam lines, and material labels all occupy space on the drawing. Place dimension lines in the open space between pieces where possible.

• Group related dimensions on the same side: Overall width dimensions on the top of the piece, depth dimensions on the right. This matches standard drafting conventions that fabricators expect.

Editing and Deleting Manual Dimension Lines

• To move a placed dimension line: click to select it, then drag the offset grip to reposition the line away from or toward the piece. The start and end points remain fixed.

• To reposition the start or end point: select the dimension line and drag the endpoint grip to a new snap location.

• To delete: select the dimension line and press Delete on your keyboard. The dimension is removed from the drawing.

Different Dimension Tool Options Dimension Lines

• Quick Dimension: Allows you to select an edge and apply a linear dimension to it with one click

• Horizontal Dimension: Allows you to place a dimension between any two points and only measure the horizontal distance between the two points

• Vertical Dimension: Allows you to place a dimension between any two points and only measure the vertical distance between the two points

• Radius Dimension: Give the radial dimension of a selected curve/arc

• Diameter Dimension: Give the diameter of a selected curve/arc

• Auto Dimension: Allows you to select a piece and apply a linear dimension to the entire piece, including the positions of any cutouts, with one click

• Select All Dimensions: Does what it says on the tin and selects all the dimensions

Dimensioning Specific Elements

Certain piece types and layout features require specific dimension handling that differs from the standard approach for countertop pieces.

Cutouts (Sinks, Cooktops, Outlets)

Auto-dimension does not place dimension lines from piece corners to cutout positions. This is a known limitation of the current version. Two tools address it:

• Set Cutout Position tool (primary method). Before generating, select the cutout and use Set Cutout Position to enter the exact distance from the piece corner to the cutout edge. This encodes the position in the drawing geometry so the cutout is placed correctly even without a visible dimension line on the printed drawing. This is the preferred approach for most jobs.

• Manual dimension line (supplementary). If the shop drawing needs to show the cutout distance explicitly — for client approval drawings, for inspector reference, or for complex cutout positions — add a manual dimension line from the piece corner to the cutout edge after using Set Cutout Position. This makes the distance readable on the printed drawing.

Seam Positions

Seam lines are displayed on the shop drawing automatically when auto-dimension is on or off — the seam itself is always shown. However, the distance from the piece corner to the seam is not auto-dimensioned.

• For most fabrication handoffs, the seam location is sufficiently communicated by the seam line on the drawing alongside the overall piece dimensions.

• If the shop requires an explicit called-out seam distance — particularly for directional or vein-match materials where seam placement is critical — add a manual dimension line from the piece corner to the seam line

• Place the seam dimension on the same side as the overall piece width dimension, staggered outward so the two lines do not overlap.

Pieces with Angles or Compound Geometry

Pieces that are not rectangular — angles, diagonal cuts, notched corners, or compound shapes — produce a larger number of short auto-generated dimension strings that frequently overlap. For these pieces, turn auto-dimension off and place manual dimensions only on the edges that drive the fabrication cut:

•   Overall bounding width and depth (the largest dimensions the fabricator needs to source a blank from the slab).

•   The angle or diagonal cut distance, measured along the cut edge.

•   Any notch dimensions: width and depth of each notch.

•   Distance from the piece corner to the start of the angle or notch.

Label what is needed to cut the piece correctly. Do not replicate all edges — the piece outline itself communicates the shape; the dimension lines communicate the specific measurements.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them