Why AV Designers Struggle with Non-Specialized CAD Platform

XTEN-AV stands at the forefront of modern AV design, offering tools tailored specifically for audio visual professionals. While general CAD platforms have become essential in architecture and engineering, they often fall short when applied to AV system design. AV designers face unique challenges that traditional CAD tools were not built to solve. From the absence of AV-specific libraries to inefficient workflows, these limitations can slow down projects, introduce errors, and impact overall design quality. In this blog, we’ll explore why AV designers struggle when using non-specialized CAD platforms and why switching to purpose-built tools is often the smarter choice.

Step 1. CAD Platforms Are Built for AEC Workflows

Most popular CAD platforms are designed for architecture, engineering, and construction industries. They excel at drafting floor plans, creating structural drawings, and modeling mechanical systems. However, AV system design is different. It involves detailed equipment placement, complex signal routing, and performance simulations that standard CAD platforms do not support. AV designers often spend extra time creating custom elements or working around these gaps, which reduces productivity and increases frustration.

Step 2. Lack of AV-Specific Libraries

One of the biggest struggles for AV designers using non-specialized CAD platforms is the absence of AV-specific components. AV projects require elements like projectors, speakers, microphones, racks, displays, switchers, and control systems. In a general CAD environment, these components must be created from scratch or imported manually, which is time-consuming and prone to inconsistencies. XTEN-AV solves this issue by providing ready-to-use AV libraries, ensuring accuracy and saving valuable design time.

Step 3. No Native Support for Signal Flow Diagrams

Signal flow is at the heart of AV system design. Designers need to map how audio, video, and control signals travel across devices, rooms, and networks. Traditional CAD platforms focus on physical layouts, not on signal connectivity. This forces designers to rely on separate tools or manual drawings to represent signal flow, increasing the risk of errors and miscommunication. Specialized AV design platforms integrate both spatial layouts and signal flow, ensuring that every connection is clear and accurate.

Step 4. Inefficient Rack and Equipment Design

Rack layouts are critical in AV projects. Designers must account for rack space, power distribution, ventilation, and cable management. Standard CAD tools do not include features to automate or validate these layouts. Designers must calculate rack units manually, arrange equipment piece by piece, and double-check power and thermal requirements. This process is not only slow but can lead to installation challenges later. XTEN-AV simplifies this by automatically optimizing rack designs, making the process faster and more precise.

Step 5. Manual Documentation Takes Too Much Time

AV system documentation involves a combination of floor plans, equipment lists, rack layouts, signal flow diagrams, and technical specifications. With non-specialized CAD platforms, generating this documentation is a manual, repetitive process. Designers must export data, create schedules separately, and compile documents by hand. This is both time-consuming and error-prone. Specialized AV tools automate documentation, ensuring consistency and freeing up designers to focus on the creative aspects of their projects.

Step 6. Poor Collaboration Features for AV Workflows

AV projects typically involve integrators, consultants, architects, and project managers. Real-time collaboration is essential to avoid delays and miscommunications. Traditional CAD platforms may allow file sharing, but they lack AV-specific collaboration features like version tracking for signal changes or equipment updates. This can result in outdated information being shared between teams. Purpose-built AV software integrates collaboration into the workflow, enabling teams to work together more efficiently and maintain accurate project records.

Step 7. Limited Simulation Capabilities

AV designers often need to simulate system performance to ensure optimal results. This includes tasks like speaker coverage analysis, display visibility calculations, and acoustic modeling. Non-specialized CAD platforms are not equipped for these simulations, requiring designers to rely on separate tools or manual calculations. This fragmented approach slows down the design process and makes it harder to catch issues early. XTEN-AV integrates simulation features, allowing designers to evaluate performance within the same platform.

Step 8. Steep Learning Curve and Workarounds

Adapting general CAD platforms for AV design requires a lot of customization. Designers must build custom templates, create symbol libraries, and develop workarounds to handle signal diagrams or rack layouts. This not only adds complexity but also demands significant training. New team members may find it difficult to adapt to these makeshift systems, leading to inconsistencies and inefficiencies across teams. In contrast, AV-specific platforms are designed with AV workflows in mind, reducing the learning curve and ensuring standardization.

Step 9. Lack of Integration with AV Workflows

Modern AV design involves integration with other tools like project management software, inventory databases, and installation checklists. Non-specialized CAD platforms are not built to handle these integrations efficiently. Designers must export and import data manually, increasing the chance of discrepancies. XTEN-AV is built to integrate seamlessly with AV workflows, enabling smooth data transfer and reducing redundant tasks.

Step 10. Slower Project Turnaround

All these challenges add up to one major issue: slower project delivery. Every time a designer creates custom symbols, draws signal flow manually, or compiles documentation by hand, valuable time is lost. Projects take longer to complete, revisions become more complicated, and errors are more likely to occur. Specialized AV platforms streamline these steps, allowing designers to work faster without compromising quality.

Conclusion

Using non-specialized CAD platforms for AV system design creates unnecessary challenges. From missing AV libraries and lack of signal flow support to inefficient documentation and collaboration, these tools are simply not built for the unique demands of AV design. XTEN-AV provides a solution tailored to AV professionals, with built-in libraries, signal flow integration, rack optimization, and collaboration tools. By adopting specialized software, AV designers can eliminate workarounds, improve accuracy, and deliver projects more efficiently. As the AV industry continues to grow and evolve, relying on purpose-built platforms is not just a convenience but a necessity.