What the Levels Mean
| Level | What it represents | Manufacturer relevance |
|---|---|---|
| LOD 100 | Symbolic placeholder, no real geometry | Rarely useful as a deliverable |
| LOD 200 | Generic size, shape, and location; approximate | Useful for early-design placeholders |
| LOD 300 | Specific product, accurate size, shape, and location | The right target for most manufacturer content |
| LOD 350 | LOD 300 plus interfaces with other systems | Valuable for MEP and assemblies needing coordination |
| LOD 400 | Fabrication-level detail and assembly information | Usually excessive for design-phase distribution |
Why LOD 300 Is Usually Right
At LOD 300 the architect gets an accurate footprint, correct clearances, real connection points, and complete data – everything needed to design, document, and specify. That is the decision point where your product wins or loses, and it is reached long before anyone needs fabrication geometry.
When LOD 350 Earns Its Cost
Products that must coordinate with other systems (mechanical equipment, plumbing fixtures with service clearances, curtain wall components, anything with a mounting interface) benefit from the extra interface information at LOD 350. It reduces clash resolution work, which is a concrete reason for an engineer to prefer your object.
The Case Against LOD 400 for Distribution
Fabrication-level geometry is enormous relative to its usefulness in a design model. It is the direct cause of the file-bloat deletions described in our companion piece on why architects remove manufacturer families. If a fabrication model is genuinely required, it should be a separate, clearly labeled download, not the default file the architect grabs first.
A Practical Rule
Model to the detail your specifier's drawing set needs; populate the data to the depth their schedule needs. Detail beyond the first is waste, and data short of the second is a lost specification.