The MEP CAD Engineer

Valves and other Schematic Symbol/Model combination families...

2012-02-07T14:30:00.001-05:00

I'm starting up a support group...no, really...to work on tweaking the default Revit MEP libraries (starting with valves) that have to show a schematic symbol in large scale (re:1/8" and larger), and the 3D model in smaller scale (1/4" and smaller) views. I've got a few ideas - so if anyone wants to join in, send me an email at dbutts@gfnet.com. You can also join our group on Google plus, just follow this link:

https://plus.google.com/106095714132318767932

Working everyday to make Revit work better for you...so we all got more time to go fishin'...

thanks - David B.

Back to the blog...and Autodesk turns 30!

2012-02-03T11:00:00.000-05:00

Been taking a break from posting for a while, it's been a busy winter...had a few thoughts on the last several years...

Autodesk turned 30 a few days ago, and it's amazing the impact they've had on the design industry. It's definitely been an evolution. Who wouldn't miss the Carol Bartz days of ready, fire, aim...but that was part of the creative spirit that they needed to make the product as popular as it is.

And today, it's been run more like a solid business than most software companies and start ups. While some software companies (like facebook, google, etc. ) are all about the personal information, Autodesk has become the holder of the real world data for the places we live, work and play in. From the part design in Inventor, to the BIM models in Revit and ACAD Arch/MEP, right down to Navisworks and beyond...the early concept of the AutoCAD centric model has evolved into an optimum design platform.

And there's both good and bad in it - the early days of Autodesk fed the creation of many businesses, especially in the reseller channel. In my earlier days, there were over 400 resellers - from loss leaders just pushing boxes to true consultative businesses, like CADre - which I'm still proud to have been a part of and gave me my platform to grow. Unfortunately, businesses evolve...and things change. You don't hear a lot about companies selling drafting tables, triangles and t-squares anymore. And in the near future, I would expect Autodesk to change the reseller relationship even more. With today's internet and the evolving business model, it doesn't make sense for Autodesk to continue to push a part of their revenue into the channel.

Because of this, I expect to see more of the "new business" model - companies that are analyzing the data external to the design firm and owner, and working to make the designs more efficient. Companies like IES, and products like Vasari - these will help push new forms of business that become the support structure of the design world. It's no longer about the tool itself, but instead about the results generated from the tool.

And the channel has changed - we realized a long time ago that 30-40% margins weren't going to be the case forever, and worked hard to develop consulting services. In the future, even implementation services are going to become more scarce as the design industry learns that a) it's better to have an expert on staff and b) the methods used by applications like BIM become more common and expected.

So where does that leave that industry? I expect you'll continue to see them evolve into service providers for modeling, such as conversion from 2D to 3D models. The point cloud technology is pushing this as well, but sometimes, you just gotta model it. I'm still on the fence about the accuracy and overhead of that technology, but I could be wrong. Personally, I expect most to go the way of the Bentley reseller channel - a few service providers, but most going away - if the owners don't have the future goggles on, and evolve into the new business model, they've got no one to blame but themselves.

Training has evolved as well - the internet based training materials are becoming even more popular. I've been working with my buddies at CADLearning, and reviewing what they have coming - the level of detail, quality of materials, and relevance to the design industry is better than ever. In my day, we all learned best with 3-4 day classes - but today's generation doesn't need that. They are leveraging the internet, videos and over the shoulder mentoring - that's what's really working now. Even in the college environment, it's amazing how many online programs are out there - that's the future.

The users have to bone up on their education as well. Anyone who is planning on taking drafting courses or certifications - stop it. You're wasting your time and money. At minimum, a 2 year associates will be required to work in this industry. In fact, if I could wave a magic wand, I'd change most of those programs to focus on specialities - like energy modeling, sustainable material design, lighting analyst, etc. Just knowing how to put lines on paper just doesn't cut it anymore. We've seen it start in the rendering and animation field, but there's got to be more emphasis on today's technical tasks. I'm a firm believer that people are responsible for educating themselves - and it kills me to see good people resting and relying on what they did 20-30 years ago, instead of staying current with their skills and knowledge. Blame yourselves if you become one of the "no longer looking for work"...the opportunities are out there for employees that want to stay relevant in the industry, you've just got to put in the work. It sure ain't going to be just handed to you anymore...and anyone who wants to guarantee wages and work using old methodology is just milking the system.

The one thing I'm pretty certain about is that the return to 2D CAD days are gone. We still have some old-schooler's hanging on, but when I see guys like my intern in Harrisburg finish the tasks in BIM in a fraction of the time the CAD-based designer is taking, I'm convinced we're on the right path. If anything, Autodesk needs to take away one important piece of advice - get it all working together and working right.

We're going to still continue to have construction documentation going out in a similar fashion over the next generation or so, so paper will still be there (although it was really cool to see all the tablets at AU this year taking the place of paper handouts - the first real progress towards a paperless society). The model and data has to be ale to easily make the progression from part design, into the building and site, to the contractor for the build, and to the owner for operations and maintenance. It's better, but it's not there yet. The cloud is coming into its own, taking the place of FTP, email, etc. as the main portal where project data is stored, so companies like ours have to learn how to live and play in this world.

I remember some of my first experiences on CAD - watch VersaCAD on a mainframe draw a line - it took forever, and was on a 6" screen. I remember being amazed at the Bentley mainframe, working on big dual monitors (black and white, of course) with a drafting table sized digitizer, converting paper drawings to CAD files stored on tape. I remember paying $5000 for a 486 computer, taking out a loan from a benevolent business owner that helped me get my start.

And I look at where we are today. The design industry is on the brink of the chasm, and is preparing to leap across. The paradigm has shifted, and now we're all along for the ride. And guess what - it's going to be a blast. We won't need government regulations forcing us to be more efficient - our dads taught us well, but now we have the technology to really design better, smarter and more efficient structures and systems than ever before. It's expected now and accepted as common practice. And I get back to Autodesk - and I say thanks...and Happy Birthday. You've made a lot of this possible, and have been the catalyst to real change (sorry, federal government, but it's private industry that makes this really happen - in spite of all the posturing and regs that only serve to drive business costs up...my only politcal soapbox comment for today)...so don't stop - keep pushing the envelope, and keep helping us make this a better built world for all.

Have a great day - David B.

Are your lights in Revit MEP turned on...the right way?

2012-01-03T12:18:00.001-05:00

As usual, sometimes we do something thinking it's right, then you find out it's not. For example - my suspended fluorescent lights have a variety of types built in based on the shape and size...and we created the light source definition to have a specific rectangular shape with a hemispherical light distribution (and it's linked to the size of the light, so when the size changes, the light source changes):

Unfortunately, only the photometric web shape allows you to assign the IES data file to the light, so if you're planning on doing a more detailed light analysis, you need to change the light distribution to a photometric web:

Once it's changed, you can choose the source IES data file to use (in our case, we make sure it's using an associated parameter, so the user can edit it without editing the family):

Now that you've set your lights up this way, you can start to take advantage of a cool new program from the makers of AGI32 - Elumtools... http://www.elumtools.com/... but more on this later...

Light it up! And Happy New Year!

- David B.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

2011-12-19T09:14:00.001-05:00

Man, I'm actually flustered...I can't say thanks enough to the folks who hung out with me at AU this year. We (and I do mean we) won two awards this year - the top lecture for the Supercharge your Revit MEP session, and the top lab for Revit MEP: Systems? Filters? Layouts? I Need Help!

I've always tried to make the classes informative and fun - but I owe it to my physics/statics professor from college - who really engaged us as students, and made us think. He also took a tough subject, dragged us all over the county and put it all in context. Thanks, Frank - you're the inspiration I've had for years.

But it's the attendees that make the scores. You played along - you got involved in the class, engaged in the conversation, and put up with the technical glitches - and taught me as well. I can't thank you enough - and am even more motivated than before!

For all, have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - we'll see you in Vegas next year!

Thanks - David B.

I stand CORRECTED - Rise Drop Styles in Revit MEP...

2011-12-09T11:08:00.000-05:00

I sometimes get my software packages confused - in my class at AU, I made the comment that you could change the rise drop symbols in Revit MEP...and I was gloriously wrong. I've done in in ACAD MEP, since it's a block, but there's isn't a family or profile anywhere you can edit to change these...so I had to spend a little time figuring out how I would make this work for me.

Revit MEP comes with a variety of different rise drop symbols as their defaults - so they've got most of the range covered:

They've got crosses, slashes, slash and a half, solid fill...but check out the one on the right - they don't have that. I cheated...

I created a detail family that includes a solid fill, and add model lines around the edges so it could be aligned with the geometry in the rise drop symbol. It's not going to update if the duct size changes, but by the time you get to CD's to produce the documents, hopefully you'll know what the duct size will be. This is kind of similar to the pipe cut symbol we found earlier this year - it's not part of the model, and it's manual, but you can use this to get the results you want.

Keep in mind that in order for a rise drop symbol to appear, the duct has to cross to a higher level. Just stopping it doesn't produce the right symbol...so I'm working on a union that has the fill symbol nested in the family. It sort of works, but just like the one I directly use, it doesn't change size if the duct size changes.

Let me know if you want the annotation, and I'll email it to you.

Mmmm....humble pie....tastes a little funky, but when you earn it, you gotta eat it...

thanks - David B.

Back in the Wind - another AU in the CAN!

2011-12-09T10:25:00.001-05:00

Ok, I've had a week to recover and get back on east coast time...been a busy week, and haven't been able to post until today, but it's time to put thoughts into bits before they're blown away by age...

I didn't realize how many people came to AU this year until I went to get my t-shirt - and they told me they had already given out 8,000. Total attendance was around 8500 this year, up from the last two - which I think was mainly due to the change of venue (Venetian versus Mandalay? gimma a break!) but also people are starting come back out of their holes to learn something new. The last few years have been tough, and while it's still not back where it needs to be, the business climate is gradually starting to improve.

And you couldn't come away from this year's event without getting a real taste of what's coming in design technology, and see how far we've come in just a short period of time. The cloud, Revit on iPad's, watching half the group carrying around tablets instead of tons of handouts (are we finally moving towards the paperless society?), new technologies for industries such as lighting design...the list can go on forever. I'm even more motivated than before - and worried about keeping up. As a business, we have to continue to become lighter, nimbler and faster than in the pace without losing accuracy - and we still have to make sure we don't chase technology that may not pan out. But after seeing how much the vendors are investing in their own future, especially in the tools the next generation of designer will use, I'm more confident about taking those risks.

An example gets back the simple "phone" and other portable devices we all carry. It's not a phone, but a smaller, powerful computer. IT kept me in contact with emails and text prompts with the home office while I was in between classes (which I actually got to take this year). I watched someone run Revit and Design review on an iPad - and thought about my project manager that took his notebook to a client to show them our Revit model - and now, he can do it on a device that costs half as much, without risking taking the data with him.

From other technologies, I'm still a little skittish about the whole point cloud concept - but as its closer to being able to translate a million points into a single pipe object, then I'll keep watching...for now. But there were lasers everywhere, along with 3D printers producing content much faster and more accurate than the old cardboard and exacto knife days.

But the big thing for me was how many training vendors where at the event. Every one of them offered some form of online training - which is interesting in the fact that our current educational model, especially in universities, which are so bloated and full of themselves, is still lagging in understanding how today's student learns - and how different it is from how my generation learned. (By the way - I'm not talking about all professors - I had ones that were motivating and interesting to listen to - I'm mainly referring to ones that can't seem to get to the point, and make sure you learn what you need.) The fact that a user can take a series of sessions, that gets to the point and doesn't lose itself in a professor's conjecture or opinion, is what gets me excited. In the engineering and architecture world, that's critical - because our buildings and structures depend on us to come up with designs that are less likely to fail - and less costly to design.

And I think this is where, as a design industry, we're scared the most. We look at how technology has improved and streamlined the design process, and we worry about reducing revenue streams. But the true impact is for the forward thinking owner, who can look outside the box, and say "now that I have more time, how can offer more services to offset the changes in the stream, and offer more to my client?"

We have a huge responsibility as designers to educate our clients on the changes technology is bringing. We have to let them know that you can do more with a tablet, walking around a site that tracks where you are and can bring up relevant models of what's underground, behind the walls or above the ceiling, than you could printing out a massive set of drawings, which only represent a static point in the design. We have to educate them that it's OK for us to sit down earlier in the process, look at our models with us, and get a better idea of what's going on sooner rather than later - so we can dramatically reduce the need for major changes later.

And we absolutely must educate them on how they can leverage what we do with technology to save their own clients money and time later - whether it's a taxpayer that wants to get the best design for their local water treatment facility, and have clean water without having to have their children pay for it, or the fast food lover who wants to get their nuggets the same way at every chain - because we can do prototyping and consistent design better than ever. Everyone can benefit, but we've got be able to get outside of our box to do it. The successful learns how to communicate this to their client - and improve their status as the trusted advisor.

So, that's my takeaway from this year. I'm more motivated, more excited and equally nervous about the future - but we're all going to be okay. Thanks to all the attendees that put up with my jokes, video camera and home movies. I hope you caught some of my energy during the classes, and are carrying it back to your firms as well. It's an exciting time to be in the industry - so enjoy it - and have fun!

Have a Merry Christmas!

David B.

MP2503 Preview - AU Class - Workset Display Options

2011-11-17T17:54:00.000-05:00

Since we've all grown up in the fast food nation, sometimes an image is worth 57 words...Revit 2012 includes a new feature we're going to review at AU this year - the workset diplay options. When you're in a view, you can display worksets graphically in your view.

On the view control bar, pick the Workset Display option tool - you can pick from four options:

- Checkout Status
- Owners
- Model Updates
- Worksets

Here's an image that includes the display by workset option:

You can set these options to be any color you want - but Autodesk did such a lovely job picking them out for me...

If you want to see more, squeeze into my class MP2503, Supercharge Your Revit MEP 2012 - and if you can't it'll be available to download after AU is over.

Later - David B.

How deep do your Levels go in a Revit MEP model?

2011-11-03T13:56:00.000-04:00

Ran into an interesting problem...we're working on a couple of different ways to approach projects - one them involved several buildings that make up a single project. Originally, we have modeled all of the buildings in a single Revit project (yes, they were all small), based on a common coordinate at one building. For specific reasons, we had to break the project up so the buildings were in their own file.

Since the MEP project was already defined with the overall file linked in, and the levels copied and monitored from that file, breaking it down into several pieces created a problem. We also want to keep all of the MEP in a single model, so little things like schedules, panel schedules, electrical circuits, shared process systems, etc. all stay connected together nicely (since we still can't connect to items in linked files without a connector - hint, hint). There's two answers, so here's the easy one first.

Since the individual buildings (4 total) were all placed from a common origin point, all we had to do was create 4 copies of the original master, then open them up and delete anything not related to each specific building - that included levels, walls, views etc.

From this point, we could link each individual model directly into the MEP model - but now we had four links instead of one, and load times suffered. There's also a fear that a novice user could try to move or rotate the buildings to plan north and the original project base point (at which point, my hand would reach out of their monitor and wring their neck).

Here was a different tack - we kept the original composite model and attached all four buildings as linked files (not overlay - attach). Next up - copy monitor the levels from each building into the master. Once this was done, we can just load the master file in the MEP model. The levels that were copied and monitored into the composite can also be copied and monitored into the MEP model , and maintain all of the levels from separate models with one step. Imagine...copied and monitored levels being copied and monitored again...but it works, nice and clean - with all levels in the MEP file still coming from a single source.

I talked about using scope boxes to limit the extents of levels in an elevation or section view, and in this case, it's good idea to do this in the master file, so the levels coming into the MEP model don't stretch all the way across the project.

So - which approach do you think will work better for you?

Later - David B.

The Clock for AU 2011 is ticking...

2011-10-31T18:11:00.000-04:00

This will be my eighth (I believe) AU...but I'm nowhere close to some of the great instructors and leaders that have made this event the best anywhere for its software.

Shaan Hurley is one of these guys - and he's a great historian, too. A while back, he put together the AutoCAD timeline - now he's add the AU timeline. Check it out:

http://autodesk.blogs.com/between_the_lines/2011/07/autodesk-university-history.html

My first year, I got to be a lab assistant for Matt Dillon and Randy Burnette and caught the bug - the next year, I did my first class on my own, titled Interference? Verify and Analyze This, about checking for interferences in a project. And during the class, I tripped over the legs to the screen - twice...guess I didn't check for that interference first!

This year, I've got three labs - the two on Revit MEP 2012 filled up quickly, so as usual there will be a wait - but there's still a little room in my AutoCAD MEP lab (yes, I still love that product). And the annual tips and tricks class on Revit MEP (Supercharge your Revit MEP 2012) is approaching 200 - so let's get that one over the top!

What was your first year, and what do you remember the most?

Later - David B.

Transitioning to BIM - A Guide for MEP Firms

2011-10-27T17:42:00.000-04:00

Autodesk has published a whitepaper, Transitioning to BIM - A Guide for MEP Firms, that was written by Norb Howell and myself - it describes how our implementation has been progressing, and offers suggestions to those that are looking to implement BIM in their firm. Read it when you get the chance, and let me know what you think!

http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/transition_to_revit_mep_whitepaper_final.pdf

Thanks to Autodesk for initiating this, and to the entire design team at Gannett Fleming that is making this work everyday.

Later - David B.

Working in Civil 3D - From Revit to the Site Plan

2011-10-25T12:59:00.002-04:00

Brett Settles from Hagermann added a post on the Revit Community blog (you have to sign up to read it) that takes the Revit model the other way (form my previous post). Check out his post here:

http://www.revitcommunity.com/feature_full.php?read=1&cpfeatureid=62530&page=all

Nice!

LOONNNNGGGG Datum Levels - Use Scope Boxes to Limit!

2011-10-25T10:54:00.000-04:00

We had a problem where we had imported some sites that were pretty spread out - so when my using maximized his levels to 3D extents, they went WAAAAY off in space. After a half hour of stretching the grips, it started to get pretty frustrating, so I did what I should always be doing - go to the Autodesk support discussion groups (support.autodesk.com). I found this solution from Cliff B. Collins, a Registered Architect/BIM Manager at Thalden Boyd Emery Architects in St. Louis, MO .....on the Revit Architecture page...go figure, an MEP guy looking to the architect page for help (thanks and kudos to Cliff, BTW).

He recommending using scope boxes to limit the extents of the datum levels. You'll need to do this in the file that the original levels are placed (in our case, the architectural model) From the view tab, pick the scope box tool:

Next, pick two points in a plan view around the building you want to restrict the levels to:

Once the box is placed, you can stretch and rotate the boundaries as needed. Before you switch to an elevation or section view, you need to make sure the scope box is visible. While it's still selected, go to the properties and pick the Edit tool for Views Visible:

Change the elevations from invisible to visible in the view you want to use (I'm picking South - Mech as the override).

Go to that view. You'll see the scope box, and can edit the boundary from here as well. Pick the level you want to pull back to the scope box - when the level is selected, go to Properties, and change to the Scope Box 1 as the extents.

Now the level matches the scope box boundary. This tool comes in handy when you have more than one building on a site, and want to just show the levels relative to the specific structures. If you have more than one structure, name the scope box after the structure so it's clear. When the MEP engineers get your architectural model this way, we'll promise to love you forever...until you ask us to make some other flaky change...

Now we can all play nice - David B.

Working with Sites in Revit...and avoiding Pain!

2011-10-25T10:17:00.000-04:00

This one's a pain no matter what you do...it's caused by a limit in Revit, which has a 20 mile radius of accuracy away from a project base point. If you are trying to bring in site files, and the site files are defined at their real-world northing/easting coordinates, you have to move the site to Revit. It's not the other way around, so here's what you need to do.

First, if you're in Civil 3D our AutoCAD, make a duplicate of your site model drawing. In the duplicate, turn on, thaw and unlock any layers you want to include or manipulate. We need to have the contours, TIN, surface, existing and proposed structures at the least.

You're not going to rotate the site (we'll take care of this in Revit model by rotating a view). You're also not going to flatten anything - make sure the surface, existing building layouts, etc. are at their 3D elevation (BTW - if you're a plain AutoCAD user, and you're flattening sites to have no elevation, you're not allowed to play in this park).

Second, you're going to have move everything (yes everything) to 0,0 (not 0,0,0). Use a known point - like the corner of a proposed building, corner of a lot, etc. so that the model is within 20 miles of 0,0. That's why you want to open up all the layers - so you don't leave anything stranded, and out in spaces. One of our users adds a location marker that he uses as a reference, so he knows where he's coming from and going to.

Third, if needed, run the export to AutoCAD command from the Civil 3D application menu - this dumbs everything down to 3D models and plines - this converts it to non-Civil 3D objects while maintaining elevation. You only do this if the geometry doesn't come into the model as expected.

Another option is to create a rectangle around your site, and use the AutoCAD trim command to get rid off long linework that runs out into space - you're doing this if you have long lot lines, roadway profiles, etc. Keep it focused on the area of the site you're working on,and keep the model small.

Once you do this, you can use the Link CAD tool to bring in the file as a reference - don't import it, as these still get changed over the course of a project. We're mainly doing this for sites that have more than one structure or building - if they're small, it makes it easier to keep all items relative. It also helps to do your project this way when you have a lot of connecting components in a model, and are running pipe, etc. between the buildings - or connecting power circuits to panels in remote locations.

The CAD file will come in at elevation - so it will help you add your levels at the correct relative elevation to the site.

I'd include images, but since a lot of these projects I'd use are active, I need to refrain...but hopefully this helps you to streamline your workflow.

Getting to the Penpoint in Revit MEP

2011-10-17T22:44:00.000-04:00

Got a call from one of my techs today saying he didn't like the way the architectural and structural backgrounds look in the MEP electrical/mechanical disciplines, when he printed them out.

I love the way the background is already lightened, but occasionally (ok, all the time), I gotta tweak the defaults to keep the higher ups happy. Two ways to do this.

1 - In the Print dialog, go to Setup - change the default for Replace Halftone with thin lines. One note - penweight settings for anything that was set to halftone in the VG dialog were disabled when this option is checked, so expect them to be thin.

2. Leave the print setup options - but go to object styles. Make sure you turn on the option for showing all disciplines - for each architectural or structural object that you want to make thicker, change the lineweight for projection to a heavier pen.

A couple of other plotting tips -

Set the object style display options to coarse in MEP views for architectural objects such as walls - that turns off the patterns.
Just want to turn off the patterns? Go to the VG settings (I also do this in my view template), under Projection/Surface > Patterns, uncheck Visible for any patterns in the walls - that leaves the boundaries but turns off the hatch.

Just helpin' my engineering peeps to keep making better quality sheets of paper...in a digital society...

later - David B.

Avoiding Conflicts - Duct and Pipe Routing Tip for Revit MEP

2011-10-04T16:04:00.000-04:00

Got a situation where you have ducts or pipe at the same elevation? The fix is easy -

Start by drawing your ducts as a single run:

Add a section and then change to the view:

Use the split command (on the modify panel to break the duct into three pieces (check the delete inner segment option) Note: the program will add a union if the duct type has it included – if it does, delete the unions):

Move the middle section to the elevation you want – and if you want to slope the duct or pipe, stretch the ends back to give yourself a little room:

Right click on the grip on the top duct, and then just draw the duct down to the lower duct – you can draw it at any angle as needed:

Once the layout is done, you can edit by changing the elevation of the flat runs of duct, or use the grips on the fittings to move.

You can also use Routing Solutions to create a connection between any two ducts:

You can add or remove control points, use the grips in the preview to move the connections, etc. as needed – when you’re ready, pick finish:

So the final result is that you avoid a conflict – and it only takes a few seconds in section view to fix.

Side note – if you’re using AutoCAD MEP, you can do the same thing – just make sure you check your duct routing options, and turn off the Automatic Create New Riser at elevation change option, and you can create sloped duct or pipe!

Get routing!

Managing panel schedules in a Revit Project

2011-09-21T11:55:00.000-04:00

Panel schedules in Revit MEP 2012 are more powerful than before -

- you can tell the circuit table to use either load or current as the value in the table (amps vs. vA);
- you can can now tell the schedule to place as many rows as you have circuits assigned in the general circuit settings;
- you can freeze the size of the row or column so that the schedules are consistent sized when placed on a sheet;
- you can also go to electrical settings and change the general settings for capitalizing the load names.

But here's the part we don't always teach - how do I apply these changes to the panel schedules I already have?

Simple - on the manage tab, choose Panel Schedule Templates, and then pick Manage Templates. On this tab, pick the Apply Templates tab.

All you have to do is pick your template and then pick the schedules you want to apply it to.There's a couple of limits with this - you can only apply template to panels of the same type (i.e., you can't apply a switchboard template to a branch panel template), but you have to do this if you make any changes to a template - since the adjustments are not automatically applied.

So tweak the daylights out of your templates until you get them looking and running the way you want!

later - David B.

Jumpy Parts in Revit...

2011-09-20T09:14:00.000-04:00

This one comes from Norb and Emy...when you select some parts in Revit (i.e. light fixtures), they shift in different directions. This is a known issue from the Press and Drag tool (located on the view control bar). If this happens, uncheck the Press and Drag option so it's not available.

Autodesk has this as a documented issue, and it just happened here yesterday. Here's the link to the issue -

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=14997251&linkID=9243099

SNAP!

2011-09-14T08:49:00.000-04:00

Since Greg gets to post his opinions, I thought I'd add my two cents worth...and this opinion does not reflect the views of anyone but myself.

Having a little problem with mice in the garage, so I went out and bought a couple of those snap traps - the ones you put a little peanut butter on. I've used them in the past, they're pretty quick...and this morning, I got my first one in 15 minutes...before anyone complains, I've fed them well (the boys left a couple of bags of deer corn in the garage they bought this summer...now they have a mess to clean up), and this was the most humane way to get rid of them (no matter how much I pleaded, and reasoned with them, they wouldn't move to the neighbor's house).

And it got me thinking, I need a super-size trap for some old school, 2D CAD users, managers, engineers, etc. It's the only humane thing to do at some point...

AutoCAD is much faster than Revit or AutoCAD MEP...

SNAP!

You can't draft in Revit...

SNAP!

I can write a lisp routine to do the same thing as Revit...

(start with Windows 2000 workstation)...SNAP!

I can't produce good construction document set with Revit...

(bait with a set of Kohinoor pens) SNAP!

Revit's too hard to learn...

(Leave a trail of floppy disks to the trap)...SNAP!
Ooooh....look...AutoCAD on a MAC!

SNAPSNAPSNAPSNAPSNAP...

Now, if someone can model this up in Inventor, I'll put it in one of my labs for AU this year...

SNAP!

later - dab

Duct Connections - In or Out?

2011-09-13T13:44:00.001-04:00

I had made a couple of duct mounted exhaust grills that I could attach to a duct tap...thinking logically, I told the airflow direction on the connector that it was "in" instead of "out", since the exhaust system pulls in air instead of distributing it. After placing the part in a project in RMEP 2011, I discovered I could not connect it to a system...it would show up under the default exhaust system, but would never let me define an exhaust system. After several head scratching attempts that served only to contributing to my bald spot, I changed the connector back to "out"...reloaded the family, and "voila" - I can create the exhaust system.

One more note - when I tried to add my Loren Cook fan to the system it wouldn't let me - until I changed the connector to Bidirectional (an extra option that's available with duct connectors in equipment, but not in air terminals).

Check 'em both...

Hope you haven't run across this...but the logic defies me...

later - David B.

Using Frogs for Design?

2011-09-08T09:10:00.000-04:00

Got my ASHRAE email newsletter, and saw where GE has made an investment in a design and construction firm called Project Frog...they using something (not sure what) to create sustainable designs with little to no waste, to design high efficiency structures.

I'd love to know what they're doing and using to define the designs - the site claims it's using parametric design tools...check it out:

http://www.projectfrog.com/systems/technology/

If you still think 2D is the way to go, this is another example of how improvements in technology such as BIM can streamline and improve the design process...

later - David B.

Getting Aligned in Revit MEP

2011-09-01T15:03:00.000-04:00

As I'm starting to get ready for AU, I'm practicing my family creation for fittings, etc. and came across a really helpful tip - did you know you can use the Align command to extend a line, pipe, duct, etc. to another reference plane or object and then lock it to that plane?

This works great when you're making families that need to have a reference line locked perpendicular to a reference plane, or a pipe to a wall face, etc.

Start by picking the align command - then pick the reference plane you want the line or pipe to extend to:

Next, pick the end of the line or pipe - you'll see a point appear, so pick it -

When the line or pipe is extended, pick the lock icon - this pins the endpoint of the line or element to that reference plane.

So you can use align for more than just parallel geometry - try it out!

thanks - David B.

I'm all a-Twitter..

2011-08-30T13:37:00.001-04:00

Just started using a Twitter feed, with AU approaching...you can follow me by looking up #dabutts7...

I'm all registered for AU 2011 - can't wait to see everyone there!

later - dab

Coming soon...AutoCAD MEP 2012 virtual training on CADLearning

2011-07-19T12:06:00.000-04:00

Just wrapped up some consulting work with 4D Technologies and Matt Murphy's group - I helped them with the AutoCAD MEP 2012 tutorial series. A lot of after hours and weekend work, but I think you guys will really like it. The lesson includes about 12 hours of material, from fundamentals to advanced topics, including project navigator for MEP, schematics, modeling MEP systems, creating custom content and more.

Keep an eye on the CADLearning website - the sessions will be posted soon. For more details, go to http://www.cadlearning.com/.

They have packages for individuals and businesses - so check them out!

later - David B.

AU...2011...He's back....

2011-07-07T09:15:00.000-04:00

Batter up - it's time to start working on AU 2011. Got 4 classes this year:

Class ID: MP2503

Title: Supercharge your Revit MEP 2012
Type: Lecture

Class ID: MP2531-L
Title: Revit MEP - Fast Families for Engineers
Type: Hands-On Lab

Class ID: MP3724-L
Title: HVAC in AutoCAD MEP - New and Improved
Type: Hands-On Lab

Class ID: MP3726-L
Title: Revit MEP - Systems? Filters? Layouts? I Need Help!
Type: Hands-On Lab

I had to do the tips and tricks things again - working on some new ways to do the templates...and the labs were based on areas that were constant issues we cam across in our firm. So, hopefully, these will help you in these areas, too.

And we're back at the Venetian - so I'll see you in Vegas!

Shared Parameters - I learn something new every day...

2011-07-07T09:09:00.001-04:00

Ever have this happen - you create a shared parameter, such as voltage for an electrical connector that you want to include in a schedule...then you add it to a family. Then, somewhere else, you wind up creating another shared parameter for the same value. In the scheduling dialog, you wind up with more than one parameter with the same name...in my case, I had 3 voltage parameters - but who knew which was the right one?

Here's a little secret about the shared parameters (thanks, Norb, for reminding me). It's not the name of the parameter that Revit remembers, but the GUID number:

*PARAM GUID NAME DATATYPE DATACATEGORY GROUP VISIBLE

PARAM 36abb100-7229-462d-afc8-9b0148c51bb6 Panel Source TEXT 11 1

PARAM 43632901-7736-4250-a30e-4af2329dbc2c Boiler EWT NUMBER 19 1

So, everytime you make a new parameter - they each have a unique identifier. If you're not working from the same shared parameters file, you could wind up with duplicates. Make sure you clearly define what you're going to use - for example, our new MEP shared parameters file only has values that are actually used in schedules...and common ones such as electrical load values - voltage, phase, apparent load - that are used by more than one schedule, are only created once.

So if you ever get one that shows up more than once, this is why...

Data's the truth...nyuk, nyuk, nyuk...

later - David B.

Make sure you do it this way - Editing pipe libraries

2011-07-07T09:01:00.000-04:00

This is short and sweet...but I've been editing a lot of piping libraries lately...make sure you follow these steps:

Select existing fittings that match desired parts - creating from scratch is not only painful, but foolish..for my buttweld pipe, I started from standard and went forward from there...
Make a copy of the fittings you need to a new location - preferably, where you plan on storing these when they're added to a project or template.
Select Corresponding Lookup tables - edit the fittings family to see what the referenced lookup table is - then make a copy.
Rename Tables to match your standard - don't use the same names, especially if you're editing the values.
Edit tables for correct sizes (again -review each fitting family and determine what dimensional parameters correspond with the correct ##values##).
After editing, copy the Tables to default pipe lookup table location.
Next, edit fitting to correctly located the lookup table (this must be in the final location – otherwise, the table may not find the correct file)
Copy edited fittings to shared location, or load into your template.
Create a test project, and define the pipe types, setting the fittings.
Verify the pipe size material used matches the standard used to define the fittings, so OD, flange diameter, etc. match - don't forget about this, it's stored under the Mechanical Settings, under pipe sizes - we use the ones we purchased from CADworks, with some modifications to add pipe sizes.
Flex/Test fittings and pipe types to make sure they work right!

I've tried this both ways - making from scratch, and working from copies - and it's a heck of a lot easier to work from the copy.

Now - go make those pipes right!

Electrical parameters - what's your preference?

2011-06-22T14:49:00.000-04:00

So I'm doing a little tweaking on our templates, and wanted to ask the question - what's your preference for assigning voltage/phase and load?

Right now, we're doing it by taking the voltage connection in a family, and setting it equal to a shared parameter named voltage. This makes the parameter editable on the type or instance properties (based on what option you select when you define the parameter).

I was thinking about making this a project parameter instead - that way, all schedules that need voltage in a schedule could already be defined, so when the part is added, you shouldn't have to edit the family for it to be available.

The question is, who's tried this out - and does it work any better than the shared parameter method?

The reason for asking is that we're getting multiple parameters showing up named voltage (with identical properties) when we go to create the schedule. We wind up adding all of them, then picking the one that actually shows the correct values, then removing the wrong ones from the schedule.

Thoughts?

Update on the MCC's and panel schedules in Revit MEP -

2011-06-15T21:47:00.000-04:00

First up - thanks to David May at Eaton, and Martin Schmid at Autodesk for their help on this item...sometimes having extra eyes helps you to change perspective.

So how do you work with an MCC, and create a panel schedule? My confusion started by using the out-of-the-box MCC components, which represent groups of sections in one part of an MCC. We had been trying to figure out how to tie all of these to one panel schedule, but weren't getting it right - so we asked for help.

The problem was my approach - in a water treatment plant, you can have a wide variety of motors and values that are hooked up to a single MCC - so the right solution is to treat the MCC as one panel, and ignore the sections. Our buddies at Eaton provided us with a Revit family for each MCC, once we used their BID Manager tool (http://www.eaton.com/EGDRCUS/US/OrderManagement/BidManager/index.htm) to layout how the components would be connected - then they built the MCC's for us and sent back the model (to which we added our own conduit surface connectors, to run the conduit out to the main sections). All we needed to do from this point was connect the motors to these panels so the load was tracked, and associated with the correct sections. We're also working on from-to parameters for the conduit runs as well, and I'm looking into how we can create this association automatically.

One other important note - with VFD controls on some motors (like pumps) the VFD acts as a panel - so you need to go through the VFD to the MCC to make sure it's circuited corrrectly.

The next part I'm working on is using the Revit DBLink feature to associate data from their exported MDB file that was provided with the panel - so that over current protection, circuit breaker, and other additional data we might include in the panel schedule for each section can be associated back to the MCC. I'll make another post when we get this worked out...

I may be a little slow, but I'm getting there with a lot of help from friends...

thanks - David B.

I'm a little behind...

2011-06-15T21:35:00.000-04:00

Sorry that's not a pun on my last name...had a loss in the family, and needed a little recovery time.

up on the Labs - there's a nice little tool for migrating families for new releases of Revit - getting ready to try this one out, and see how it works. I've already done it the old fashioned way (open - review - save) but am looking at cleaning up some manufacturer's content this way.

It's the Plugin of the Month - download it and try it out....

http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/ADN_plugins/

thanks - David B.

Application Virtualization for Revit Deployments

2011-06-15T21:22:00.001-04:00

We've got some pretty cool IT guys...one of the things we're trying out is Novell's applicaiton virtualization -

http://www.novell.com/products/zenworks/applicationvirtualization/

This allows us to build an executable for the application (like Revit) with everything preset and controlled by the exe - so it's technically not installed on the workstation, but simply runs from the EXE. I've been using a version over a VPN using network licensing, and it works pretty well, without a lot of fuss. We're going to be trying out on other applications as well (including AutoCAD). If it stays seemless, I'll put more details up here and let you know if it's worthwhile...much easier to copy a file and add a shortcut than installing the apps...with all the options and settings...and it works with both standalone and network licensing (didn't I already say that?)....

Check it out - and let me know if you're using it and like it...

thanks - David B.

Interesting article on a BIM failure

2011-05-19T15:16:00.000-04:00

Got this link from my boss about a life science building that wound up in litigation.

http://enr.construction.com/buildings/design/2011/0523-ACautionaryDigitalTale.asp

After going through what little details were provided, there was one thing that struck me about the project - the lack of communication was singled out as a key reason why the project failed.

So what the heck does that have to do with BIM? This ain't no magic wand - and designers can easily go blindly into a project with the same bad habits they had in plain AutoCAD. The tool doesn't matter - if you fail to communicate, have clear goals and objectives, and knowledgeable leaders involved on the project, you will still fail just as you did in the 2D world.

One of the comments was that everything fit in the chase in the model...well obviously, it didn't - so were they using generic piping, duct without insulation, no conduits, etc. What was missing? Did it not line up from floor to floor? I'd like to know more...there's a reason why we've invested so much time in our libraries, getting as close to industry standards and specs. Reminds me of an architect that not long ago told me that every wall should be 4" wide in the model, and dimensioned to the center...give me a break. If Revit can model accurately, then you should draw it the way it is - which I suspect didn't happen here.

It boils down to this - bad habits easily translate between CAD and BIM packages - and the tools and models are only as good as the information you put into it. IT's like saying the car made me drive home drunk, 'cause I didn't know any other way to get home...geez...

Hey - anybody working on 2012 yet?

AutoCAD MEP 2012 - Unable to Execute Tool Error for Palette tools

2011-04-21T10:53:00.000-04:00

Been running across this error for several releases, all the way back to 2005. Usually it occurs when specific tools (such as the AEC Callout command, that creates sections, elevations, etc.) are not properly registered when the program is installed. Some users have success fixing this using a repair, but I didn't...and here's why I think that happened.

- ALWAYS install Autodesk products as an administrator. A quick way to do this is instead of just double clicking on the setup.exe file, right click on it and choose "Run as Administrator". Even though I've got admin rights on my Win7 notebook, it doesn't always work - so this guarantees it's installed with the correct rights.
- ALSO - use a CUSTOM install - to do this in 2012, you have to pick the AutoCAD MEP 2012 install package on the new installer - this expands the window to give you your options. I always do a custom install, adding Express Tools, and more importantly, the AutoCAD Architecture profile - that way I have all of the AutoCAD Architecture tools.

After wiping out my initial, "typical" install, and reinstalling, everything works fine...even an old dawg like me needs the shock collar once in a while...

Happy CAD'ing!

David B.

Tips on Creating Panel Schedule Templates

2011-04-01T17:00:00.000-04:00

Here's a couple of quick tips to start the month off. Doing a little work making new panel schedules, and found there's a couple of things you need to do before you get rolling along.

- Create project parameters for anything you want to add to the panel schedule fields first. I used project parameters, but mainly assign the data to electrical circuits or electrical equipment. Our MCC needed to included circuit breaker ratings and horsepower, so I added the parameters first. It's important to note that only electrical circuit parameters can be used in the body of the panel schedule.

Next, make a duplicate of an out-of-the-box schedules and edit the copy, so you're not messing with the defaults. I needed an MCC schedule, so I copied the switchboard schedule and started from there:

After making a new schedule, use the Edit Templates command on the Manage tab > Settings Panel > Panel Schedule templates tool. Pick your panel - the template editor will open. To edit a column, you either select the column header or a field in the column. This lets you change the parameter to another value, or add additional columns. In this case, I added a column for the overload current protection values and then chose the project parameter for Auxiliary Devices:

That sets the default values for the column and header, which you can click on and edit the text, the alignment and the formatting for the text.

Next up - I'll try to get a post about running calcs in the panel schedule.

Have a great weekend!

David B.

Only today - NEW technology from Autodesk Labs:

2011-04-01T14:43:00.000-04:00

Wish I'd had this years ago...

http://labs.autodesk.com/technologies/love_maker/

Try it out!

And have a great day!

David B.

ASHRAE Journal - Article on BIM Test at ASHRAE HQ

2011-04-01T11:44:00.000-04:00

Got my digital copy of the April 2011 version of ASHRAE journal, with an article written by Steven Bruning, a PE in Atlanta that worked on the project and is a past chairman of the TC 4.1 standards committee on load calculations and procedures. (here's a link, if you're an ASHRAE member - http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ashrae/ashraejournal_201104/#/32)

I'm glad someone is actually trying this out, and testing it - without real-world feedback, it's hard for software developers to really get a handle on how the software is being used. It was pretty obvious from the graphics that Revit was being used. So, let's talk about the article.

The project starts by utilizing IFC imported files. I'm going to be the first one to get up and rip IFC - this technology simply doesn't work as it should. There isn't support for MEP objects across all platforms, and all of the programs have issues with imports that are well documented. So, my first thought was, who's advising the author? It should be the reseller, and without that strong and correct relationship, it appears they're on their own to figure out what to do and what not to do. I would have been the first one to pipe up and say, DON'T - recreate the model in Revit, if you're going to use Revit as the analysis tool. If it was created in an earlier version of Revit, it should have never been exported - but if it was something else, this was a known issue, and the author should have been pointed in a different direction early in the work. When you start off with problems, it has a tendency to make you doubt what else could be happening. All this did was reinforce my belief in the value of training from qualified instructors - this isn't AutoCAD, where you hand someone a book, and say "go mess around with this" - the users HAVE to be trained by someone who knows how the software works, and how it's supposed to work from an engineering standpoint.

Moving on into the article - once the architect rebuilt the model, that saved a lot of headaches - which goes back to a comment I've been making for years - model ACCURATELY - if you can't create it the way it's going to be built in the field, then you're missing the point of BIM. And the system works best when everyone is on the same software. I keep hearing from managers and engineers that they're model the architecture but the engineer will use AutoCAD - that's a cop-out - the program will produce the right results when properly used.

Which gets me to the next section. The author points out a few flaws - he had a problem with the program's assumptions for how the loads are assigned for walls, doors and windows (the materials) and he had to manually input light data. First up - all of the construction settings for the values for walls, include SHGC values for windows, etc. are stored in the constructions.xml file (which can be easily edited with Notepad), and default ASHRAE 90.1 values based on space type (which are easily edited via a dialog under the Manage > MEP Settings panel > Building and Space Type tool). A user can select multiple rooms at once to change these default values.

One item I absolutely agree on is the lack of documentation. Aside from my own chapter in the Revit MEP 2011 book, there is very little offered up other than the help files. Making sure a user knows where these settings are, that cause him to question the validity and accuracy of the results, should be a front and center document or training class. We offer that training internally to any engineer on a project, so they know just how detailed and accurate a report can be - and the 2012 version exposes even more of this data, giving the engineer much more control. The Help files do document the basis of design most areas, but when you're talking about the 30 year engineer, he's not as comfortable conducting that search - give him a written book or article, and that would have helped.

I'm curious to know if the engineer attempted the gbXML export to Trace or other applications that can read this data, and compare the results. We've come up with similar results with the initial calcs being undersized, but that was mainly due to the modeler/user not assigning the correct properties to the space/zone or energy settings.

So, I'm going to go out on a limb and apologize to Steven - in the reseller channel, as a long term Autodesk user, and as a BIM specialist at my firm. Somebody didn't do you the justice of making clear how important it is to know how this program works, what its limitations are and how to get the most out of it. I agree with him on his pleasures, and mostly agree on his pains - although I believe the right guidance would have helped him overcome some of this, and have a better experience. And you're right - the potential is here, given the right direction from users such as yourself, that are willing to try it out. But I don't think we're that far off from giving him what he needs.

My key areas of agreement:

- Don't use IFC - at this point, it's still not the best way to use these models, and it simply doesn't work as well as advertised;
- Make sure the users know how to model correctly so that tweaking is at a minimum;
- Get a defined workflow that establishes where items should be schematic and/or detailed, so the results are correct;
- Clearly define what files and settings control how the analytical model is controlled;
- Make the documentation for energy analysis a detailed, front and center publication. We can write our own stuff, but if we don't know or understand the intent behind the developer's thoughts, then we're just guessing;
- I'd like to see a report editor in future releases, instead of just 3-4 options (as well as an editor for the constructions.xml data that's easy to use) - the output is worthless unless it's easy to follow, and the user has control over the published results.

Steven - I'd love to chat about this with you, so if you're ever in the Raleigh, NC area, give me a call - I value your opinion on this.

Thanks - David B.

Understanding the Limits of using Software in Design

2011-03-29T14:08:00.000-04:00

I was following up on one of Greg Arkin's posts about licensing, and after reviewing the new license agreements, I came across a section that refers to limitations. Since I know everyone actually reads and understands their software license agreements, I thought I'd elaborate on this:

"Functionality Limitations. The Licensed Materials (except for Licensed Materials designed for non-commercial use, such as Autodesk Materials designed to be used for household or other consumer purposes or licensed only for purposes of educational or individual learning) are commercial professional tools intended to be used by trained professionals only. Particularly in the case of commercial professional use, the Licensed Materials are not a substitute for Licensee’s professional judgment or independent testing. The Licensed Materials are intended only to assist Licensee with its design, analysis, simulation, estimation, testing and/or other activities and are not a substitute for Licensee’s own independent design, analysis, simulation, estimation, testing, and/or other activities, including those with respect to product stress, safety and utility. Due to the large variety of potential applications for the Licensed Materials, the Licensed Materials have not been tested in all situations under which they may be used. Autodesk will not be liable in any manner whatsoever for the results obtained through use of the Licensed Materials. Persons using the Licensed Materials are responsible for the supervision, management, and control of the Licensed Materials and the results of using the Licensed Materials. This responsibility includes, without limitation, the determination of appropriate uses for the Licensed Materials and the selection of the Licensed Materials and other computer programs and materials to help achieve intended results. Persons using the Licensed Materials are also responsible for establishing the adequacy of independent procedures for testing the reliability, accuracy, completeness, and other characteristics of any output of the Licensed Materials, including, without limitation, all items designed with the assistance of the Licensed Materials. Licensee further acknowledges and agrees that the Licensed Materials form part of Licensee’s total unique hardware and software environment to deliver specific functionality, and that the Licensed Materials provided by Autodesk may not achieve the results Licensee desires within Licensee’s design, analysis, simulation, estimation, and/or testing constraints..."

There's a great misconception that using tools like Revit, AutoCAD MEP, Bentley, etc. that optimize the design process by eliminating redundant tasks, are "easy buttons". I had an architect (who tried Revit 4 years ago, and did not have a successful project) complaining to me that Revit users had to be designers...duh. Even in plain AutoCAD, or on the board, people that produce the documentation needed to construct a building still need to know what they are drawing...hence the above verbiage. The reality is that all employees working on a project have to understand what they are creating, and why.

Even now, we're going through the same discussion - where do you use Revit and where do you use AutoCAD 2d, etc., using the excuse that my techs don't know design. So the idea is to break a project up (and lose money because of it) because we're unwilling to spend the time training someone not just how to do BIM, but how to design.

A great example was Greg's comment about 2D DWG still being a part of a project. Let's use Fred as an example - he's been with the company for 25 years, never learned more than he really needed in terms of technology, and has a crappy attitude about learning anything new. The company, trying to find something for Fred to do, has him creating 2D details and then either sketching them up on paper and handing off to a CAD technician to model. The other case is Fred actually doing the work in AutoCAD, but not enforcing little details...like following CAD standards. The cost for this attitude is staggering, all for the sake of not ruffling feathers.

And the reality is - our industry needs their feathers ruffled now more than ever. In a global environment, we've got to be more competitive, leaner, faster and smarter to survive. When other countries are paying their engineers and designers a fraction of what we do, we have to be able to produce better and more defined work to compete - value to value, per se.

Autodesk recognizes this, as does Bentley and other CAD/BIM applications developers. These are the same tools we started with...the hammer, the chisel, the pen and the paper...it's just the modern version. What separates us are the ideas and concepts we create...and the tools, when used properly, give the project room to explore these ideas - to make the building more interesting, more efficient and more sustainable. Don't come back to me with the excuse that the tool doesn't work for me...until you've pushed it to the point where it can't do what you want - then we'll talk...and stop blaming the software for your own inadequacies - and go back to learning something new every day...whether you're using plain AutoCAD, Revit, Ecotect, 3D Studio Max, Inventor, etc., the reality is that YOU are responsible for your success. Learn how to fit these tools into your design process and leverage what they have to offer - and you WILL be successful.

Thus endth the soapbox for today - David B.

Locked elements in Revit MEP families....

2011-03-25T08:35:00.000-04:00

I was working on our family templates this week, and came across an "undocumented feature"...just goes to prove you never stop learning.

If you create work planes, solids, dimensions or other components in an RFA file, then rename the file extension to .RFT for use as a template, the original items you create cannot be deleted. We're working around this by creating a startup families folder underneath our family templates, so the user can simply open this file, and then use Save as to create their new family.

Chris Aquino at Autodesk helped me out on this one - they put a post on their blog as well:

http://revitclinic.typepad.com/my_weblog/2011/03/delete-is-unavailable-for-some-elements-in-a-revit-family.html

The day you know everything is the day you retire...or when your kids have children of their own - that's when they figure out you were right all along...

later - David B.

For more information on 2012, check out this post

2011-03-23T17:26:00.000-04:00

Greg's on a roll...I put up what I liked, but this is the ultimate info page on 2012 - nicely done!

http://bimboom.blogspot.com/search/label/Blog-2012

Later - David B.

Revit MEP 2012 - First Observations...

2011-03-22T18:50:00.002-04:00

It's that time of the year...spring is in the air, the mackerel are starting to run, pollen...and Autodesk is ready to start releasing their 2012 product line. Today the product embargo is lifted, so I can offer my early impressions of this release...It's been an interesting progression from the BIM standpoint over the last few years. Revit MEP has been turned on like a light switch - 2010, we were still in the dark, but 2011 started connecting the circuits and turning on the lights. Now it's time to add more to the panel...and load that puppy up.

First up - we worked with Autodesk to create the 2012 Revit MEP dataset for the Audubon Center, in Ohio. Designed a few years ago by Heapy Engineering, this design demonstrated several different ways to create a more efficient structure, and gave us a great opportunity to demonstrate how the project might look if it had been created in Revit MEP. So, in conjunction with Autodesk, we converted the model to Revit MEP, using the original AutoCAD MEP model and construction documents to create the HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems for the project. So - if you don't like the model, blame me - but if you do like, note that a lot of the things I've talked about in our AU classes are embedded in this dataset. The Autodesk reseller channel will be using this dataset, so it won't be available to the general public, but you can get a lot out of it - so ask the resellers questions about filters, systems, parameters and more - that's where we spent quite a bit of time.

Next up - the new stuff...key items I really liked in the beta were the systems tools. We've been teaching users to follow a four step system for years, and use it ourselves. While we're going to continue to follow this workflow, the program is more forgiving now. You don't have to define the systems first - but if you connect a duct or pipe to a piece of equipment or terminal, the system is created by default. That saves a step in the process, and allows a user to place a source, draw the duct or pipe, connect to a target and the system is created. I would still review the system to make sure items such as the name of the system are defined the way I want, but this pushes the user to create the system. I like this because we had a majority of our users being lazy, and not taking the step of defining the system - so now it's forced, which is good.

Added to the view filters are the System Classification and System Abbreviation options - you can use this to control the entire connected run's color and linetype, which helps reduce some of the filter rules. Since a lot of users employ labels for their systems, that makes this step a heck of a lot easier. And now, you're not restricted to just the default supply/return/exhaust or default pipe types - you can create and edit primary system types for duct and piping systems - YEAH! Look for these settings under the families section of the project browser. You can create a new version by picking an existing system, right mouse click and then picking Duplicate. All of these settings are now moved out of the MEP settings area of the Manage tab.

Tying into the systems are the system check tools - we've had a couple of these in 2011, but the new feature is the Show Disconnects - this little switch places warning icons everywhere a system is not properly connected. This becomes important for several reasons - you can't use sizing tools if the program doesn't recognize a component as connected, and it also shows me where users cheat - for example, a duct runs to an air terminal, but the the terminal is at a different elevation, and the duct is "sort of" drawn to it. This gives me the ability to quickly check the work of our users, and make sure they're following our guidelines. You can find these tools on the Analyze tab (BTW- the interface is largely unchanged - so don't tell me you can't find anything - you've had a whole year to get used to the ribbon).

Speaking of the Analyze tab - there's a new panel for energy analysis tools. First up is the analyze mass model tool, that lets the program link directly into Conceptual Energy Analysis tool - make sure you have an account define for Autodesk when doing this, and it only works if you're on subscription. Also included are more detail energy settings, including new Energy Modeling settings. These allow you to choose if you want to create an energy model, set the core offset values, divide perimeter zones, set conceptual constructions for mass elements, set target percentage glazing and skylights, sill height, and glazing shading options. Building operating schedules, the default HVAC system, and outdoor air information is also included in this palette, so they're easier to find and edit.

One other key feature I found out about from our architecture team is the ability to take a central file back to a non-worksharing environment. I haven't been able to test this yet, but as soon as I can try it, I'll let you know how it works - but this should make file sharing between firms much easier.

For duct and pipe, you now have a single line placeholder, to create fundamental layouts without worrying about fittings, sizes, etc. For early designs, this is what most of our guys are used to showing, so this gives them an intermediate step before actually creating the main layouts. Again, I'll post more on this later.

Parallel conduit and pipe tools are now included - this kind of goes against my system workflow policies of modeling, but I'm sure there's going to be times when we'll want to use this. Another one to try out, and come back for more detail later.

Electrical settings have added a panel schedule setting that includes the default text values for spaces and spares, and where or not to include spares in the load totals for a panel. There's also an option for merging multi-pole circuits into a single cell. Load names in a panel can also be controlled in the schedule, using presets from source parameters, or forcing initials, sentence case or upper case for the load names...nice....circuit name control by phase is also a new electrical setting.

Mechanical settings include more schedules and types for piping, so this has been expanded for 2012, with more accurate and up-to-date tables. An option for setting default slopes in a project is also included. Since the rise drop symbol setting has been moved to the new systems option, the size for the annotation is now located under Pipe Settings.

There's a lot more going on - but these are the ones I really got worked up about while working on the beta project. Kudos to Dave, Armundo and the MEP gang to make Revit MEP even more powerful and user friendly - for more details, go to www. Autodesk.com, and sign up for the upcoming product release seminars - these start in April, right around the product shipping date. We're going to upgrade as soon as we can - so I'd be looking at this closely...

Next up - the AutoCAD MEP 2012 updates...IFC support!

Tip o' the day...Levels...

2011-03-16T16:58:00.001-04:00

Working on a small treatment facility, we ran into a small annoyance that prompted us to make a change.

Currently, the architects working on the model would use the 1/4" radius circle level head for all levels in a project - which included floor levels, working levels, top of wall levels, etc...the list goes on. It became clear that this would cause a problem for the engineers that were copy/monitoring the levels to create plan views. Our default view templates are set to use the level above for the view range, so all these short levels were playing having with what we were seeing.

The solution - we edited the level types, so they are a) clearly named and b) visually different. The engineer didn't need to copy every level, just the main floor levels (and ceiling levels if they were included and clearly marked). So here's what we have:

1/4" Radius Level Head is now Primary Floor Level
Copied 1/4" Radius Level head - created Working Level (for top of wall, etc.), which is also a different color and linetype
Plenum Level - already existing, but changed the color and linetype, and dropped the level head
Ceiling Level - similar to 1/4" radius level head, but with a smaller datum, different color and linetype.

Now when the engineer goes to copy monitor the levels, it's clear which ones should be copied - since we're all such "visual" people...now go update your templates!

Later - David B.

Getting on the bus, Part 2...Carmel Software apps!

2011-02-14T16:45:00.001-05:00

Got my ASHRAE Journal today, and found an ad from Carmel Software (http://www.carmelsoft.com/). I knew about these guys from days gone by in the AutoCAD MEP content days, so I thought I'd check their site out. And if you still think you're only going to keep doing things the same way you have for the past 50 years, here's a couple of neat new apps.

First up is the HVAC Duct Sizer app for phones that are using the Android OS:

http://www.carmelsoft.com/Software/Software_Mobile_Android_HVACDuctSizer.aspx

This app calculates the duct size for a single run, so it's similar to Trane's ductilator. Sizing is calculated by airflow or dimensions.

Another cool app for the iPhone is the HVAC Ultimate Toolkit - which contains a ton of apps for load calcs, duct sizing, pipe sizing and more...it's the aggregator of a group of several HVAC apps:

http://www.carmelsoft.com/Software/Software_Mobile_ListAll.aspx

So now, you can do your calcs on the run...and if you need a custom family, they can make it for you, too!

Nice...BIM goes another step towards mobile...and for those who don't know, Carmel Software is who writes the same apps that are built into Revit MEP 2011!

later - David B.

What drives a successful BIM project...?

2011-02-09T21:49:00.000-05:00

I've spent the past few weeks developing a project that Autodesk will be using for the 2012 release of Revit MEP. It's always an honor to be asked by Autodesk to contribute in various ways to help the cause, and have done so over the past several years. This year was different, since it was the first project since I'd left the reseller channel. And there were definitely some things that I learned - while most of what I used to advise people about in regards to implementing the software, take on a different perspective when it's your company doing the work.

The first thing I learned was how quickly you can get outside of how Revit works, to try to get work accomplished. The instant response to go with what you know, and what worked for you in the past. I should have know better, but I caught myself making mistakes I used to fuss at my clients about...and that was an eye opener.

It happened when we were working to layout one of those common things that Revit doesn't handle well - placing air terminals directly against a main duct. Automatic layouts work best when you have both a main duct and a branch - but don't work at all without them...so instinct had us skip the step of defining the system before we added the duct - and it caused us a little havoc. Without getting into trouble with my NDA, I would say that Autodesk handles this better in the next release. But the point is that I didn't follow my own rules, and it bit us.

The other aspect of a BIM project that is absolutely critical is communication and coordination. Without this on any project, it's a disaster when it happens. The tendency is to blame the software when it's really our own bad habits that cause the problem. If you don't understand how something works, don't be afraid to ask - I'm having to do that every day as I re-learn design practices and techniques. I understand users being embarrassed if they can't do something, but not asking and doing something wrong is far worse. Swallow your pride - it's a lot cheaper that overrunning a budget. Believe me - I'm learning to put my hat in my hand...

The original design was a great example of how communication can also get boggled - the original design was done in an earlier release of Revit, and the engineering in AutoCAD MEP. We also had PDF's of the construction documents, and the biggest problem were differences between the architect's locations for MEP fixtures and the engineer's locations. We wound up going by the PDF's and not the CAD/BIM model...which demonstrates that no matter how good you may be at either of these programs, if you don't communicate and review your doc set, these errors can bite you on a project. It helped us develop some new methods of creating our models and sharing our work, even beyond the single model idea - and how important it is to assign a task such as a lighting layout to one person. That person owns that aspect - and it should not be split between an architect and engineer...one person does the model and the work, and you don't have this type of error.

But the most important thing I've learned is that doing your homework is absolutely essential. When we had a friendly debate a piece of equipment that was part of the original design, but one of my team members didn't know it existed. At least I had the PDF's of the technical specs and dimensional data to make my case. There was time spent changing a design that didn't need to happen, all because of an unwillingness to accept that something might be different than what we know.

And in BIM, everything is. You have to be willing to get outside the box - do things differently - ask questions - be humble, but be motivated...to learn, to change your ways. It doesn't matter if you're a newly graduated intern or a 40 year engineer. The day you stop learning is the day you need to retire, so don't be afraid to challenge yourself.

And the project? It turned out pretty cool - with a few exceptions (lights being different between the engineer and the architect, a few discrepancies in how the project was to look and feel, etc., the building is a great representation not only of a good BIM model, but a nice efficient design that works. I'm looking forward to getting some feedback once the dataset is released - just another way to learn!

Now get out there, talk to your co-workers and partners...and starting improving your BIM techniques and communication today!

Later - David B.

Time for an update...

2011-02-09T14:56:00.000-05:00

Hope you like the changes...trying out the Template Designer for Blogger - nice little tool that gives you a lot more options...nice!

Later - David B.

How do you turn off that default zone in a schedule?

2011-02-08T11:03:00.000-05:00

I was working on my spaces and zones, and wanted to do a zone summary schedule. Moving along at my normal pace, I created the schedule and noticed the default zone was still listed. I posted this as a defect, but then got a suggestion from one of the Autodesk folks - use a filter...duh...should have known that one.

I edited the schedule, and set the filter for Name, and then told it to include zones that did not contain the word Default. Bang - no "default" zone in my schedule.

Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees...

later - David B.

By gosh, get on the bus...

2011-02-08T10:40:00.000-05:00

Working on my project for Revit MEP - first it's good to see just how many fabricators have gone out and made their Revit MEP content, and are finally getting on the BIM wagon.

To the rest of you - what are you thinking?

Here's my shout-out today - went looking for a small, under the sink tankless water heater - checked out Seek and the big boys...and nothin'. So I changed my search to instant water heater, and found these guys,
Chronomite -

http://chronomite.com/Chronomite-Tankless-Electric-Water-Heaters/Good-Instant-Flow-SR.html

Easy to use - go to the product page, and there's the link to download the RVT file. And it's not just a converted SKP or SAT file, but a real honest-to-god RVT model with MEP connections. And I didn't have to spend a half hour scrounging through 50 links to find the Revit models, as I did with several other "mainstream" manufacturers.

Somewhere in the middle, the industry is making the moves - but when the smaller companies like this, which can be "fleet on the feet", and make their product easily accessible to the next generation of designers (which will be the Revit users of the future - and now) - the big guys better watch out.

Just because you were successful doing things before the recession doesn't mean you'll still be successful in the next paradigm. The engineering product companies that understand how to take advantage of the "green" movement will be the successful capitalist of tomorrow...

Off my soapbox and back to the model -

Later - David B.

Getting panels to include patterns in a plan view in Revit MEP

2011-02-03T13:16:00.011-05:00

We like for our 120/208 panels to have a crosshatch pattern, and the 277/480 panels to be solid...so do this:

Open your panel family - from the Family Types dialog, add a new parameter named Panel Voltage. Set this to the main voltage (120V or 277V).

Load the family into the project, then go to Visibility Graphics for the electrical view. Create a view filter that looks for a specific property of the panel, such as the Panel voltage parameter you made in the family - set it to look for an exact value that matches what you set in the family pick the 120v or 277v subcategory. Once you define the filter, add it the view - under the Patterns column, select override - make sure you check the box for visible, and then set the color and pattern you want to use so the equipment is "hatched". You might have to adjust the space of the pattern to get what you want, so make sure you duplicate an existing pattern and work from the duplicate.

later - David B.

Too many Revit Sections Views...can give you heartburn!

2011-02-03T13:00:00.000-05:00

Don't create a ton of sections in your Revit model if you're trying to just work out layouts - instead, create a few working sections, then move them around the model as needed to help you see what's going on vertically. This will help with system performance, and keep the model from having too many views - that get a bit confusing...only keep section views that you're going to use in your construction documents.

Also, make sure that you create view templates for your section view that matches your plan views - and keep them in your template for safekeeping!

later - David B.

Hosted versus non-hosted families...really...

2010-12-21T21:43:00.000-05:00

So I've been spending a lot (I mean, a lot) of time creating families, and have discovered some nasty little secrets...

- I always knew that you couldn't use fill regions in a model - that they had to be in a detail component family. And most ceiling mounted, hosted families work fine with a combination of 2D families to be the plan representation.

What I've struggled with are the wall mount families. Since the "wall" is actually a flat plane, and a nested 2D family can only be placed on the flat XY planes, I'm having issues getting the 2D representation to work right. Some of our symbols require fill (which I'm not keen to using linework instead of a region), so using symbol lines can be used in some cases but not in others (i.e. I need fill).

And it's really inconsistent. The duplex receptacle families seem to work fine, so I applied the same logic - but didn't get the same results with a light family.

So my answer for now is not to use a hosted family for a wall mounted (or vertical face) family. The non-hosted element works fine, and it can still be alignment or dimensionally constrained.

- Why don't the family templates include all identity data - i.e. where's the label or type mark parameter? And if I add these, they still don't pick up the data. Once the family is in a project, you can add/edit this fine, but we really need to be able to define this in the .RFA file.

- Had a great sustainable design session with a couple of guys from Autodesk today - a couple of items I got out of it - our engineers need to understand that the world is changing, and that the families in Revit can include data such as the U-Value, R-Value, etc. - and that's OK. When we get to a point where the wall/opening/enclosure elements can transfer this data either directly out to gbXML, or better yet, have the space recognize the wall type/window type/etc. (re: AutoCAD Architecture) and work through linked files, then we can start providing even more data to the engineer in an electronic form. I understand where the engineer is coming from as well - traditionally, we'd rather control that information and offer the options back to the architect, but in this new BIM paradigm it's all about the interoperability of data between platforms. I can't wait for the day that data can be edited/transferred between linked files...and the future for better energy modeling is brighter than ever. Now - if someone can just produce some decent written documentation on Green Building Studio and Ecotect (and IES, too)...

Christmas is just a few days away - get your shopping done soon!

Later - David B.

A little side story...my trip to the Camo Mecca...

2010-12-16T22:18:00.012-05:00

Doing a little work at the home office in Camp Hill, PA, and having a great week...so I decided while I was here, I needed to make a trip to the nearest Cabela's - if you're not familiar with the store, it's the outdoors mecca for hunters and fisherman - which I do poorly but still love to do. It became an amazing quest, so let's take the journey.

Wrapped up my last meeting at 3:00pm, got some directions and headed out - to discover a little snow blowing...beautiful, just before Christmas. Being the good southerner, I'm inclined to drive in the snow in my 4WD pickup, but this week, we're in the company "clown" car...tiny but reliable, thank goodness. Dusting off the snow, I headed out 11/15 to the hotel to change...and found out Yankees can't drive in the snow any better than us. Facing a several mile backup caused by construction and god knows what else (since there was a snow glaze on the road), I made a little side jog through the local country club. I'm also thankful for my GPS, although it's getting a little cranky.

Got out on the highway finally - along with all the trucks - headed north on 81. Beginning to wonder who names these little towns - Shartlesville, Upper Tulpehocken, Swatara, Lickdale, Linglestown...at least we name ours in the south after easily pronounceable names. At least I'd have a hard time tell AAA where I was...and I won't forget the pitstop at the truck stop - for god's sake, don't touch anything...but I finally made it to PA 61, where my GPS got totally confused by a revised interchange. No worries - the Cabela's store was clearly visibly from outer space.

You have to understand, we rednecks love our toys...heck, we build these great shrines to them. Bass Pro Shops - love em...Gander Mountain, always have some unique stuff...but Cabelas...

Somebody had us rednecks in mind while I was taking the winding driveway round to the mount, where the long driveway lead to a huge bronze statue at the front door - a trapper and indian in a canoe, a massive beacon that clearly shouts, "you can spend lots of money and be us...". after luckily finding a spot in the 50,000 space, 20 acre parking lot, I entered the facility...along with a thousand other rednecks of all breeds. What made it really funny was that we're all on redneck Christmas hunting safaris...and Cabela's didn't let me down. Pausing briefly at the t-shirt gallery (funny how they all beckon rednecks as souvenirs to say, I blew a grand here), I move to the camo section.

You have to understand - camo isn't clothing, it's a way of life. And you could have several of them here, half the main floor was covered with camo for all walks of life - heavy coats, pants, shoes, hats, gloves - and in the ladies section, "delicates" that screamed "you can't see me!" Moving across the aisle to the fishing section (and marveling at the thousands of lures with names like "baby cowbell" and "hunker lunker"), found a few interesting pieces of underwater art - and made my investment.

Wrapping up the wet side, I cruised over to the hunter's section. You never have to worry about our second amendment rights, 'cause they've got us covered. My favorite? Not just the camo guns (yes - even snow camo), but the 50 caliber assault rifle ( a steal at $5k) was drawing a crowd of oohs and aahs...put that one under the tree, we're goin' squirrel huntin'...along with every known brand and style of rifle, pistol and shotgun. But you have to visit the collector's section - guns from old times, wars, treated with a reverence and white glove saved for rare books and the constitution. Some of these were works of art, with all the scrollwork on the barrel and chamber. Don't plan on getting one of these without mortgaging the doublewide...

Speaking of museums, walked down a narrow hall behind the gun hall... and beheld the Deer museum. We're talking buck tributes to the greats - all mounts with a story to tell on each one. There's a reason why we all love to hunt deer so much. There's so much inbreeding, you get some of the wildest arrays of racks you've ever seen (a Bullwinkle rack....really?) After wandering through the museum, I felt like I should have left a salt lick or deer corn as an offering...but leave the doe urine out in the other hall, we don't want these boys coming back to life...

And they even had a bargain barn - get your miscellaneous and useless stuff here, clothes, shows, etc. all piled up. But you had to move upstairs around the stuffed critter mountain in the middle of the store (all 4 stories of it) to get to the fun stuff - the redneck gift shop. That's where I found what prompted me to write this story...camouflage toilet seats. I ain't kiddin'...and not just one kind! Padded, wood grain, silent hinged (so you can sneak up on that terd before you drop in your hook and bait)...I was shaking quietly, as I didn't want anyone else to see me laughing. Along with other redneck gifts (ornaments of deers holding up the hunters they'd bagged, duck lamps, camo beanbags, couches, chairs, etc.) and even more serious redneck art - really, some sculptures and paintings had lots of zero's on the price...

Walking out through the restaurant and decided to decline the elk meat dinner, I decided I didn't have enough money to stay here much longer. I started the long trek across the half mile store to the checkout stand (no, I didn't buy the camo lighter or "who farted" camo hat). I bought my "souvenirs" and Christmas presents (even got one for the wife - she can't stand the stuff in these places, so I hope my choice isn't too misguided). I've learned a few things from my journey:

- Rednecks are keeping the economy running, as witnessed by the massive crowds;
- Yankees got rednecks, too;
- You really can get lost in a camo section and no one will find you;
- The story of the redneck defense league lives alive and well in the hunting section;
- There's some big daggum deer out there - and even if you take it illegally, it might wind up on a wall or display;
- My inner redneck is alive and well for me to travel 125 miles on a snowy evening to join all my redneck friends - but you won't catch me stocking up on $30 elk sausages and jerky anytime soon...it wouldn't fit in the luggage or make it through airport security...

Guess I'll have to drive up in my truck sometime and bring my clan..they'd have loved this place...BTW - here's the link for the store:

http://www.cabelas.com/stores/store_info.jsp?pageName=009

Have a merry Christmas - and don't forget to buy for the redneck you love! Next stop - the "Hap, Hap, Happiest place on Earth"!

David B.

News from IES Virtual Environment -

2010-12-15T22:39:00.000-05:00

Got these updates in a post AU email from the folks at IES - I'm downloading these as we type...

The Future of LEED modeling is here...

This year we announced the launch of our exciting new LEED Energy modeling tool, the VE-Navigator for ASHRAE 90.1 (LEED Energy). Designed by experts in the field and already live project tested by users, it streamlines the calculation and submission process. Don’t be left behind, offer your clients more competitive offerings! If you work in this field you can’t afford not to check out the technical, commercial and time-saving benefits this tool provides. If you haven’t already, sign up for your free trial today by logging on to www.iesve.com/Software/VE-Pro/ASHRAE90-1. This product will be available to purchase from early December 2010.

Trelligence Collaboration Enables Unique Early Sustainable Analysis!

We were also excited to announce our partnership with Trelligence Affinity. Imagine a world where space programming and planning, can be integrated with schematic design and early sustainable analysis, all within one platform. Factors such as square footage, % glazing, layout, and orientation make surprising differences in the cost and energy efficiencies of a building – especially when they could all be easily tested in conjunction with one another – this is the future we envisage from the integration between our two software platforms!

For more information on our partnership and how it will benefit you, visit http://www.iesve.com/.

New VE-Gaia updates!

We hope you got the chance to check out our new VE-Gaia early stage analysis additions with double capabilities for architects at no extra cost!

VE-Gaia now provides in-depth sustainable analysis across the following:

• The Architecture 2030 Challenge

• Climate Interrogation/Bio-Climatic design

• Energy Use/Carbon Emissions

• Peak Building Loads

• Low/Zero Carbon Technology Feasibility

• Solar Shading/Daylight

• Natural Resources/Water

• Building Metrics/Materials Review

Want to know more? Contact us...

Contact enquiries@iesve.com call +1 617 426 1890 or visit www.iesve.com/NAmerica for further information. Or alternatively you can email one of our experts who were at AU directly:

Michelle Farrell: michelle.farrell@iesve.com

Kendra Milton: kendra.milton@iesve.com

Dimitri Contoyannis: dimitri.contoyannis@iesve.com

Give these folks a call!

later - David B.

Updates and Links

2010-12-14T18:24:00.001-05:00

It's always good to stay on top of the blogs...

- Greg Arkin included a post about the new extension for Revit Architecture - Roombook - if you're on subscription, download and add this tool - this comes from Simon Gillis, read about the extension here:

http://thesustainabledesigntoolbox.typepad.com/blog/2010/12/revit-architecture-roombook-extension.html

- A very nice thread from William Spiers at Autodesk about file size for families - we were noticing recently that just because a family includes a lot of detail, it doesn't necessarily mean the file is getting that much bigger - and then I found this post on Family Jewels:

http://familyjewels.typepad.com/blog/2010/11/dont-judge-me-by-my-size-im-pretty-on-the-inside-smart-family-file-quote.html

Another note of families - we've created a custom template just for owner provided equipment, that goes with a spreadsheet we give the client. That way, they can fill out any pertinent data, then we turn around and add it back to our family. One item - make sure you create a custom subcategory for the geometry, even if you leave the family as a generic model - that way you have more visibility control over the family in the MEP model.

Also following up on a couple of items:

- checked out the new Energy Modeling Analysis extension for subscription - note that this is mainly an early SD tool for architects, and does not replace the more detailed analysis models engineers use such as VE Pro, Trace, etc. although the use and influence of Green Building Studio is obvious...
- Project Dasher, which was first widely discussed at AU, is the Autodesk attempt to link real-time building analysis data back to a Revit Model file - I'm keenly interested in trying this out, as we had a discussion about linking building controls back to the Revit model just a few weeks ago...can't wait to see how it works...see more at http://www.autodeskresearch.com/pages/dasher.

Last note - AU 2010 content files from my classes are available from Google docs - if you'd like to review a couple of sample templates I created earlier this year, send me an email or message and I'll send you the links. You need to have a Google account to download, so sign up first!

have a warm day!

David B.

Revit MEP for Water Treatment - Part 1

2010-12-08T17:15:00.000-05:00

Now that I've had a few weeks to digest what we do and how we've been doing it, I've started to develop an approach to process jobs. Here's a few key things I've learned to get started:

1. Structure Leads! Since most water treatment plants are simple structures, getting the WWTP guys to produce the structure isn't that complicated, but it is essential. In this case, you can start with some prelims in Revit MEP (generic walls, levels, floor slabs and roofs, stairs and railing, openings and rooms) created at elevation - with the project base point at a specific corner of the building. I'm liking working at elevation but will be developing the model from the project origin - we'll worry about true NE points later.

2. Content - be prepared to develop your own! CADworks has got a nice little DI pipe library and is working on PVC, so I' recommend looking at their content

3. Don't expect the model to be a dead-on replica of the plant - the parts just aren't there yet. Expect to use a lot of generic solids and families, since most concrete structures are formed onsite. I've added an industrial equipment and WWTP family template to our library that contains the electrical/mechanical parameters someone might want when creating their connections.

I'm working on a new section for training that follows the WWTP process within a plant, and having the training material follow that process...should be interesting to see how it turns out.

Stay tuned....BIM for WWTP....

AU 2010 -- Wrap up!

2010-12-08T17:05:00.000-05:00

So I thought I'd post a few pics here, and let you know the videos are being edited as we speak.

Lab Rats from ME419-1L - Fun Bunch!

The usual last class sunglass brigade - becoming a tradition,

you don't want to leave AU without yours!

The next generation Tesla...I'm impressed....

And last but not least...my new crew (sans Kurt - he was fashionably

late to dinner) - From left, me, Norb (the boss!) Dave Fellows and

Le-Thanh Nguyen - plus Kurt Ferrari, who arrived after the pic - we

ARE the Gannett Fleming BIM Team!

Notes from AU - Days 2 and 3

2010-12-02T20:41:00.000-05:00

I would have posted last night, but it was definitely a bear of day. AUv has some promise, but with technical glitches in all four classes yesterday, (including the wrong video playing in the first session), I understand the frustration. There were two areas Autodesk has got to get right:

- make sure whoever is running the stream starts the sessions on time, and doesn't cut the video off until the presentation is actually finished. If it's the technology there were using that did that, then get other technology. It was embarrassing to me on behalf of the attendees. Also, the lack of good, consistent, real time communication with the attendees (aka Goto Meeting), where I'm not having to restart moderator panels, constantly refresh would definitely make this a smoother event.
- do a better job of QA on their own work - there's no excuse for editing in the wrong video. All I could do was laugh, because I was too big to crawl under the table.

Don't get me wrong - I love the idea of Virtual training, but based on the comments I got, and the fact that I had absolutely no control or ability to fix the glitches, makes me want to personally apologize to those that had to sit through it.

Back to AU live - what keeps me coming back and wanting to present are the people that attend, It's very humbling to see the same people coming back year after year, and taking the time to sit in on my sessions, Yeah, they can get hokey (one person said to lose the gimmicks), but the idea is to separate what you do from other instructors - and 99% of the students get engaged and participate. I never wanted to be the teachers I had - boring, dry, and detached - those classes drove me nuts. This stuff is not the most entertaining stuff to listen to - add a deadpan, monotonic instructor, and you've got students sleeping their way through your class.

So, with this year's scores on the Revit MEP classes and my highest score ever on a lab, those will continue to be my main focus for AU 2011 (if they'll have me back). 6 virtual and 6 live was too much, but I like one student's suggestion to run a progression series - I like that, so maybe next year we'll run a process stack of sessions. Also, I do take to heart the idea of breaking up classes by discipline, although the classes have to have enough to register to get them to make, so that's a reason why having just electrical or just HVAC only in a class may not work.

Some great tips that came from the students and other instructors:

- create an area schedule that sets program area versus actual area - if you get over, the schedule reports it (I'd add a conditional format to the data to make it jump out).
- Same instructor also uses areas in Revit Architecture to define cube names and numbers, as opposed to using rooms for these parts of a building. They use the room to define the overall area or conditioned area, so the space in the MEP links to that instead of hundreds of cubicle spaces.
- If you need to export parameters from a family to a shared parameter, you can do this from the family editor - parameters tab - there's any export option I hadn't tried, but I'm going to.

Got several others I'm trying out - as I can get some to work, I'll get them posted here.

Long day, but good event - and I'm excited, because we're headed back to the Venetian next year - woo-hoo!

have a great evening - David B.

Posts from Vegas - AU 2010, Day 1

2010-12-01T01:25:00.000-05:00

Well, it's not really day one for me, got here Saturday to do my virtual recordings. Eventful flight - before takeoff in Nashville, plane had to go back - cracked windshield...that's a problem you don't want to have at 38,000 feet.

Spent about 14 hours prepping for 3 hours of recordings. There are three AUv sessions that I had (for the first time this year) - one for AutoCAD Architecture, one for AutoCAD MEP and one for Revit MEP. Managed to hit Revit and ACAD A right on the time frame, but was a little short on ACAD MEP. Interesting note - these sessions are recorded in one take, so you have to a) own (not know) your material, and b) don't be afraid of mistakes - dwelling on them only points it out, so it's best to just keep moving. The hard part was watching final part - man, I gotta lose some weight...

Hats off to Autodesk and the AU staff - the speaker social was actually a great event, sponsored by Ford. There are awesome views from mIX at theHotel, took a few pics. Matt Dillon, good friend and mentor,got recognized for his years on contributions and classes at AU. I worked for him as a lab assistant at my first AU, and learned a lot from his style and rapport with the students. He's coined the perfect description of AU - "it's the running of the nerds..." - man, that cracked me up. As for the AEC mixer, watched the Autodesk Employee band - not too bad, but guys, "Comfortably Numb" is a party killer...

Had 5 classes total today - 2 virtual (of which the first one was cancelled - server issues - got to the Speaker Ready room at 6:45am, they said "didn't you get the email?" - had to laugh) and 3 live sessions, on Plant, Revit MEP and AutoCAD Architecture. And the Arch crowd was the best, followed closely by the RMEP group - but I got two more shots at that crowd on Thursday and Friday.

The exhibit hall is a great reflection of the current economic times. Met countless people that had changed jobs, left the channel for the design market, left Autodesk...but the real tell was how many fewer exhibitors there seemed to be. Not as many third party developers, and a much smaller crowd (looking like about 1/3 less) that AU 2008 at the Venetian. But the positive aspect was the determination of those present to take their current tools and process to the next level - they're all finally understanding that you have to stay on top of technology if you're going to survive as a business. Those that can't or don't evolve will be left behind...as well as those using outdated techniques and business practices.

Had a little dinner at House of Blues with a great house band, and got to finally meet some fellow bloggers in person. And for those that came to the classes - thank you so much for being there, and taking the time to attend my classes and participate - you're what makes doing this worthwhile!

So, that's the first report from the floor at AU 2010 - I'll try to do updates tomorrow and Thursday as well.

Happy modeling! David B.

AU Virtual - Get ready for a whole new experience!

2010-11-21T22:56:00.000-05:00

For the first time, I'm participating in AU Virtual, an online version of Autodesk University. Spent a little time cruising the site tonight - all I can say is, wow...the slick interface, dashboard, and ease of use blew me away...now if I can just get my classes to live up to the professional level of the site (ugh...none of my usual jokes will fly on this...)

The lobby is slick on the level of detail - here's an early preview (umm, yes, I'm asking for permission - but I'm also promoting the site - ok?) - when you're ready to hit a class, join a chat or register, just pick a tool on the dashboard at the bottom of the screen. You can also navigate the lobby to visit keynotes, lounges, etc.

Only a week to go - see you in Vegas!

And have a happy Thanksgiving this week!

Plumbing fixture connections...who hates this?

2010-11-19T14:28:00.001-05:00

Okay, I've heard enough - plumbers, and plumbing designers, ya'll are the crankiest people I've ever met. We know - you can draw a line faster, it's all figured out in the field, the program doesn't work, yada-yada...

So what does the plumber really need (besides a belt)? Rough in connections! He doesn't need connections on the bottom of a sink, or on the side of a urinal - all of that really does get worked out in the field...so how do you help these guys get into BIM?

There are two big things:

1 - Change the location of the connections to inside the wall (thank you Melania Sibley at Enfinity Engineering in Nashville, TN). She had a sink that was giving her fits - so we made a new family. All of the connectors sit 2" inside the wall. They are controlled by vertical and horizontal work planes - the water connections can be 4" or 8" apart, you pick - and the waste connection, centered, can be moved up and down vertically in the wall to the stub-out location. this maintains the system - and eliminates the need to draw out the p-trap, trap primer (call these out in a shared parameter for scheduling).

2 - Check the fitting families - for annotation scale sizes, most fittings that show a tick have a "Tick Size" parameter - check the default, it's a formula - change the scale factor to something smaller if needed (i.e. 0.4 to 0.2) and see if it makes you symbols look better. Do the same thing with the ride drop symbol scale - and the drawings will look better! (BTW - I posted this tip earlier, but we still had people asking, so here's an image)

You now have my permission to whip your plumbers into shape...and get them BIM'ing...

See you at AU!

David B.

Content, Content, who's got the content?

2010-11-19T14:09:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I've been here a month, and one of the first tasks I've taken on is getting as much relevant Revit content as possible as it pertains to MEP and what we do...and man, it's been interesting. In my Revit MEP Tips class, I talk (briefly) about leveraging the Internet to go out and find what you need. I found a few things:

1 - Manufacturers for the most part are still lagging behind, especially in the industrial and process equipment sectors. Most of what I found was either a) overmodeled or b) non-existent. There are some manufacturers that are really ahead of the game - I've talked about them in the past (i.e. Victaulic, nicely done - Bell and Gossett - awesome, but got to consolidate a little).

There are two aggregators I want to give a shout out to - CADWorks, where my buddy Bernie Duncan (formerly with Autodesk) landed. He's got the piping library I need - so we're moving forward towards purchasing his product. He's also got a really nice library control front-end, so it'll be interesting to see how and if we implement this across the board. Check it out - http://www.cadworks.com/ - they'll have a booth at AU this year.

Another one that we used to sell (or tried to) is the SmartBIM library (http://www.smartbim.com/). Lots of good content, some of the more random pieces - I really like the space portion, where you can download whole rooms. I have hard time justifying paying an annual subscription for this unless they're actually helping us produce content that can't be found anywhere else - but they at least have the foundational pieces I'd be interested in using.

As always, you can find tons on Seek (seek.autodesk.com) but it needs to have its categories expanded. The quick look is a bit too generic, and the front end is starting to get dated. Better search capabilities and results would really be helpful.

2 - I went ahead and made a few families for our water treatment team as a way to prove concept (added a mud valve from scratch, used some ACAD MEP parts to temporarily get me a representative part for Revit, and made a UV Unit with just connection points and engineering parameters). Each one of these types required a different approach, so keeping it simple is the best practice.

We also created an industrial equipment family template. We use this to define owner provided equipment, where we need to see a model of their content, but the connection points may be a receptacle, a nozzle, or a drain that we engineer and provide. In this case, make sure the template includes what the load data, fluid requirements and air requirements are - and then create an equipment schedule to replace your spreadsheet. It's always good to have this in one place.

3 - Organization - if I can offer one good piece of advice - separate what you download and create from the out-of-the-box content. If you edit a OOTB part, then don't put it back in the default folder - put it in a custom folder. There's some debate whether you start a new folder completely separate from the default content, or create custom folders under the default content structure. What you don't want - if you're a full service firm - is duplicated content. Take the MEP items out of the architectural folder - have the architects use your content, so you can take advantage of the copy/monitor functionality for these fixtures. And I stay away from anything MEP that is wall, ceiling, floor, roof based - and even sometimes face-based. Any non-hosted object can still be constrained to another - for example, a non-hosted light to a ceiling grid - so I'm moving away from using any hosted that has to be shared or edited by others. The KISS axiom applies...

Next up - tackling process projects - and getting old dawgs to learn a few new tricks....see you at AU!

thanks - David B.

First things first...Starting up the implementation...

2010-10-28T13:31:00.000-04:00

Now that things have settled down a bit, it's time to start posting...the first things I've been working on since moving to Gannett Fleming is to get an understanding of where we are, compared to the industry. First thing - we're fortunate to have an executive team that believes in getting the most from technology, and making it work for the people in the firm. As we start looking at how to bring the team up to speed in BIM, I can't say enough about how valuable that support is. If the owners and executive believe, then it makes it easier for the team to believe.

One comment - I've heard from companies all over the company how about important moving to BIM is, but most firms only give it lip service. Building Information Modeling isn't just about drawing in 3D or adding data to parts - it's mainly about a process, an approach to how we design buildings, structures and systems. In order to be successful at BIM, you have to be willing to change your design process. The training we're working on emphasizes that concept. If you have an engineer that's fixed in the way they've been doing things for 25 years, we have to demonstrate how the BIM process benefits them - in earlier design decisions, in better visualization, and fewer field conflicts. It's all about doing a better job in design - not just making CAD better or faster.

Which is why it's so critical to train management and engineers at the same time - just training CAD and BIM users won't cut it if the pilot, the captain and the coach don't understand how the plane flies, the ship sails and the game is played.

Which brings me to the first thing I've found that will help. Autodesk seek has a document set called the
Autodesk Revit Model Content Style Guide (http://seek.autodesk.com/revit.htm). This document can help manufacturers and in-office content creators find common ground on items such as templates and parameter files. It's my first big tip of the game - read the docs first, and then work on creating your content. If the manufacturers are following this standard, then it makes it easier wen we develop our own content.

By getting to a common baseline, and making adjustments to how we read and produce data (such as what's added to schedules) we can make the incorporation of this data much easier to do.

Next up...new Revit Family tips and a sneak preview of AU...

later - David B.

Changes Happen...My Last Day at ASI!

2010-10-15T10:45:00.000-04:00

After 13 years of selling, teaching, consulting, cajoling, convincing, listening and helping, I'm hanging up my shingle and leaving the reseller channel...but I'm not going away. I've taken a position as a BIM analyst with a large engineering firm based on the east coast, and will be helping them expand their presence in the southeast.

I'll still be teaching at AU, but more importantly, I'll finally have to chance to post observations and what I've learned from the other side of the fence. My intention is to become more active in regards to the training and consulting environment from the client's perspective, and hopefully continue to help Autodesk make their products the best on the market.

Thanks to Donnie and Paul for giving me my start, the folks at ASI for helping me to expand my world, and the best damn tech and sales team on the planet!

So stay tuned...there's a lot coming down the pipe real soon - see you at AU!

Updates and Advantage Packs

2010-09-29T20:53:00.000-04:00

So there's been quite a few posts about the subscription advantage packs that Autodesk released:

- Use the AutoCAD Advantage Pack for AutoCAD, AutoCAD MEP, and AutoCAD Architecture

- Revit MEP, Revit Structure and Revit Architecture have their own packs

- don't forget about Navisworks, too...

Get all of these by logging into your subscription center - but be aware, thar's some biggums up thar..200-300mb...

Also posted are updates for Navisworks, Revit MEP, AutoCAD MEP, Revit Architecture and AutoCAD Architecture:

AutoCAD MEP 2011 Update 1
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=15757045&linkID=9240938

AutoCAD Architecture 2011 Update 1
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=15756945&linkID=9240658

The AutoCAD 2011 Update 1.1 is also included with both of the above updates.

For Navisworks Manage 2011 Update 1

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=15689177&linkID=10382102

Revit MEP 2011 Update 2 is on the product download page:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=14973660

Revit Architecture 2011 Update 2

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=14973244

Make sure you get these downloaded and loaded - and check the version to make sure you pick either 32 or 64 bit.

Start your downloads...

later - David B.

3 Helpful Posts on Inside the System for Revit MEP - Check them out!

2010-09-28T08:58:00.000-04:00

An update to the Duct Fitting K-Factor Database:

http://inside-the-system.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/09/update-revit-mep-error-invalid-duct-fitting-k-factor-database.html

Helpful tips for Connecting Circuits to a Panel:

http://inside-the-system.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/09/connecting-to-a-panel.html

Controlling Workset Visibility in Revit 2011:

http://inside-the-system.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/09/workset-visibility-in-revit-2011.html

All good stuff - check it out!

thanks - David B.

Creating Plenum Spaces in Revit MEP 2011

2010-09-23T13:55:00.000-04:00

While I was working on my classes, ran into this little undocumented feature. Autodesk added a new level type to 2011 (if they did in 2010, I never found it). When you want to create plenum spaces, you have to change the level to plenum - if you don't you won't see your spaces that you added - which, of course, I did about 20 times before I stopped and read the help file.

So, to do this correctly:

- Copy/Monitor your levels from the linked file - if the architect didn't add ceiling levels, you can add your own levels.
- Pick the ceiling level
- Go to the properties palette - change the type to Plenum
- Create a ceiling level view
- Add the spaces - make sure you change their energy analysis settings to plenum.

IES, Ecotect and Green Building all are a lot happier when you fill in the voids - so don't skip this step!

Later - David B.

IES Version 6.1.1 is available

2010-09-23T13:51:00.000-04:00

Working on my AU class on energy analysis, and got an update from IES - they've release an update to version 6.1 - which I hadn't loaded yet...so go get it!

http://www.iesve.com/Support/Download-Centre

What's New in VE6.1.1?

Here's a summary of some of the major new features we've introduced in VE6.1.1.

ApacheHVAC Enhancements

We've added a whole host of enhancements to ApacheHVAC including improvement of modelling of DX cooling coils, air source heat pump multiplexing & sizing and fan data mapping for performance curves & auto-sizing.

Apache DHW Profile

Enhancements to Apache DHW (hot water) include optional operation on a separate profile to the
space occupancy and definition of incoming and supply water temperatures.

gbXML Import Enhancements

gbXML import from sources such as Autodesk Revit and Graphisoft ArchiCAD has been improved to give the most robust quality import yet.

To find out more and to read all about the great new features check out the New Features document and Release Notes.

Upgrading to VE6.1.1

It's easy to upgrade from previous versions to the latest one. If you have an active licence for VE6.1.0 or VE6.1.0.1 all you need to do to is visit our online Support Centre to upgrade to VE6.1.1.

If you have an active licence for versions earlier than VE6.1.0 head over to our online Download Centre to upgrade to VE6.1.1.

If you have any problems just drop an email to our team at support@iesve.com and we’ll help you get upgraded as quickly as we can.

Coming Soon!

We're working hard on our next major release which will be with you in the coming weeks. Watch this space for further details!

Man - I can't wait....see you at AU!

David B.

The 100th Post - whew! Miscellaneous Ramblings...

2010-09-09T10:24:00.000-04:00

So I finally hit a hundred...I'm not as prolific as some of my fellow bloggers (Greg, yer wearin' me out) but hopefully some of these have been helpful.

First things first - the Revit MEP 2011 Advanced training courseware will be available in a couple of weeks. Emy and I have finished the write up and revisions, and she's in proof mode now. Expect to start seeing some classes and the book available on our website soon. We've added a few new exercises, and included items on custom panel schedules, etc. that address new features. for more info, check out http://www.advsolinc.com/.

Second - AU is slammed this year, there are a ton of good speakers...I'm going to try to hop into a few, but this year will be my busiest - 6 live classes (including a two hour lab - the Revit analysis class is back!) and 6 AUv events (yes, it will be weird watching my own presentation on the web while answering questions in the background - can't wait to get in front of the green screen...). Here's the schedule (anything that ends with a V in the course number will be an AU Virtual class):

Tuesday – Nov. 30th
7:00am AB214-1V
Building Better in AutoCAD® Architecture 2011
7:00am - 8:00am

10:00am PD220-1
Taking a Quick Spin Through the Autodesk® Plant Design Suite
10:00am - 11:00am

11:30am ME223-2
Rockin' Hot Revit® MEP 2011 Tips
11:30am - 12:30pm

3:30pm AB231-2
Building Better in AutoCAD® Architecture 2011
3:30pm - 4:30pm

5:00pm AB234-5V
Building Better in AutoCAD® Architecture 2011
5:00pm - 6:00pm

Wednesday - December 1

7:00am ME314-1V
Rockin' Hot Revit® MEP 2011 Tips
7:00am - 8:00am

8:00am ME316-1V
Smokin' Hot AutoCAD® MEP 2011 Tips
8:00am - 9:00am

10:00am ME320-1V
Smokin' Hot AutoCAD® MEP 2011 Tips
10:00am - 11:00am

1:00pm ME326-1V
Rockin' Hot Revit® MEP 2011 Tips
1:00pm - 2:00pm

4:30pm ME333-1
Smokin' Hot AutoCAD® MEP 2011 Tips
4:30pm - 5:30pm

Thursday - December 2

9:30am ME419-1L
Maximizing Autodesk® Revit® MEP 2011 for Design Efficiency
9:30am - 12:00pm
This class will include a 30 minute break

1:30pm ME427-1
Lessons Learned from a BIM Coordination Consultant
1:30pm - 2:30pm

Some of these (i.e. Revit MEP and ACAD MEP) will fill up fast - sign up early! We had some pretty long lines last year - we try to cram as many in as we can, but you don't want to miss your chance for cheap sunglasses or mardi gras beads...

And last but not least - we're welcoming some new people to the ASI team on the technical staff:

Columbus Office - Genevieve Jerome MSD TE – Genevieve is a recent Youngstown State University Mechanical Engineering graduate and her most recent work experience Invacare Corporation where she worked with the seating and positioning team for the world leading manufacturer and distributor of manual and powered wheelchairs.

Cincinnati Office - Dan Fluegeman BSD TE – Dan is a Mechanical Design Engineer with training experience, and over twenty years experience in the Mechanical/HVAC Design field. Manufacturing design experience includes Architectural Building Products, Controls, and Residential Heating/Cooling products. Particular strengths in system layout and design, heating and cooling load calculation, and equipment selection. Dan has prior Autodesk reseller experience and will be a great asset to the team.

Louisville Office - Jeff Maffeo Technical Support –Jeff comes to Advanced Solutions with 5 years of Help Desk experience. Jeff’s passion for customer service and experience working in high volume call center will be a great asset to our technical support team.

Louisville Office - Kyle Daugherty Technical Support – Kyle comes to Advanced Solutions with over 10 years experience in the Architecture industry working with AutoCAD, AutoCAD Architecture, and Revit Architecture experience. Kyle will be focused on delivering best in class support to our BSD clients.

And we're still hiring - looking for some Plant3D consultants, so if you're interested, please don't email me directly (that won't help) but go to http://www.advsolinc.com/ and apply online - that will get you in touch with the right people.

Have a great day!

David B.

How do get the #$%#@$ Revit drawings to look right....Lineweights and Object Styles!

2010-08-27T11:46:00.000-04:00

I'm an old school kind of guy - I started in the "chalk on a rock" days where we were putting ink on mylar. In those days, you had to know everything...before you put the pen to paper. AutoCAD, for how much I love it, made us a bit lazy, since we could make all kinds of changes quickly. Even getting the documents to look right has a couple of ways to do it (CTB vs STB, layer colors mean a specific penweight - ever get into a fist fight about this?).

Now Revit comes along a while back, and all of our MEP engineers are finally starting to move forward...albeit begrudgingly. One of their big gripes is that they want the same visual printed quality that they had using ACAD and the board. Out of the box, Revit has a bit of an unusual set of lineweight settings that I'm still not really sure where they came from (when was the last time you had a 1/2" lineweight), so I went back to my old penset (Kohinoor - remember them?). We used 4 penweight as industry standards - .25, .35, .50 and .70. When we got CAD, we got a little more sophisticated and started using .15, .18, .40 and .60 weights - because our old HP 7585 supported using 8 pens (woo-hoo! technology is so cool...).

So I had to make up a little chart that helped me understand what the conversion where between the old metric and my new best friend Revit MEP. So here's my table of penweights I used to satisfy all my old school engineering buddies (yes it's in spreadsheet form - send me an email and I'll send you the file):

Anything that's highlighted is pretty close to what we used to use as an industry standard. And I gave us a few more options, so the only thing to do now is go to your objects styles, and make the adjustments accordingly.

So if you still think Revit can't produce the same quality document that you're used to, all you need is a little knowledge - and a handy calculator...and a old school geek...

Later - David B.

The Z Man is online...with a new Blog!

2010-08-27T09:31:00.000-04:00

One of my longtime co-workers, Michael Zeeveld, our technical engineer in Charlotte, NC has jumped into the blogging fray. He's posting tips and info about Revit, BIM and other architectural sundries. Check it out!

http://zeeveld.blogspot.com/

Later - David B.

Two from Dave Kaldy - Revit Tips - Reduce File Size and Workset Visibilty

2010-08-25T11:21:00.000-04:00

One of our technical Engineers, Dave Kaldy, came up with a couple of tech solutions I thought were worthy of the post...if you like these, send him an "attaboy" email to dkaldy@advsolinc.com.

Reducing Revit Central File Sizes

A lot of times we get calls from clients that are trying to reduce their Central file size. The typical response is to audit, purge , and then compact the file, and if that doesn’t bring the file size down, consider breaking the model into separate files. Here’s the new thing to try before breaking into separate files:

Open the Central file with the “detach from Central” box checked, and then save as a new Central file with a different file name, or to a different location on their server. What this does is it rewrites the database associated with the file and can dramatically reduce the file size.

For example I received a Central file today from one of our clients that was 117 mb. After I detached and saved it as a new Central file to my computer the file dropped to 64mb. I then did an audit, purge, and compacted the file and it dropped to 63 mb. This particular client had been making new local file every day, but they have not touched the Central file directly in about 6 months. Just something to keep in mind...

Workset Visibility in Views
There is a difference in how this works from 2010 and 2011. In 2010 when the Workset is first made there is a check box to make that Workset “Visible by default in all views”. If this box was not checked when the Workset was made then that Workset will not be visible by default in any new views made in the project, and you will have to change this visbility setting in the VV of each view. To fix this you will have to make a new Workset, check the “Visible by default in all views” box, and then move everything in the model from one Workset to this new Workset:

This issue was addressed in 2011. If you look at the Worksets dialogue in 2011 there is an additional column for “Visible in all views”. Worksets with this box checked will be viewable in new views (such as sections).

Kudos to Mr. Kaldy - thanks!!!

Happy BIM'ing - David B.

Updates for Revit 2011 are available...

2010-07-20T13:12:00.000-04:00

Revit MEP 2011 Update #1:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=14973660

Revit Architecture 2011 Update #1:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=14973244

Download and install these when you get a minute - several fixes are included. These are not full versions, but install as service packs, so make sure your installation source is handy.

thanks - David B.

AU 2010 - Coming soon...

2010-07-20T11:43:00.000-04:00

Here's a note from Joseph Wurcher - Registration for AU Las Vegas will open early September, Registration for AU Virtual and AU Extension will open on September 14. Get your internet access ready...those are going to be crazy dates!!!

And for the first time, there's going to be AU events in China (Nov. 16-17th) and Japan (Nov. 19th) - check out au.autodesk.com for more details.

Later - David B.

Tips o' the Day....Plant3D 2011!

2010-07-18T22:28:00.001-04:00

Just installed the new Plant 3D 2011, looking forward to rifling through this the next few days...while reading the README (there's a novel thought), found a couple of things the users should know (this is not a complete list, so read the file for more detail)...

- Don't use the RECOVER command with Plant3D - use the command PLANTAUDIT instead.
- When tagging equipment, tags are case-sensitive - so p-100 would be read as a different pump than P-100...
- Line Designation Table configurations do not transfer from project to project...interesting....
- When you have multiple drawings open, and you create an iso from the drawing, you may get a fialure or incomplete drawing - so close and reopen if you're using xref's to generate iso views...I would expect a save beforehand should also help, but better to err on the safe side.
- Polyface meshes don't translate well to ortho drawings, so check the properties of your custom equipment - and avoid using them for the content, or convert to a plain mesh first.
- Flip grips on a pipe may cause the program to crash, so use the rotate grip instead.
- When creating a new project from an existing project, the first time you select the Layer and Color Settings node you may get an unhanded exception error...ignore it, the warning is an "undocumented feature".
- make sure you set the block units to Unitless before using it to create a custom part.
- And for the last one, when using Plant3D models in Navisworks Manage, make sure that the Navisworks Clash Detective is set to examine surfaces only, not lines...I wonder if the same is true for other ACAD platform based modeling apps (such as AutoCAD MEP).

Have a great evening - download your new version today!

Later - David B.

Navisworks Exporter for Revit 2011 Products

2010-07-09T09:55:00.000-04:00

Since I've had a couple of people ask, to get the Navisworks Exporter for 2011, go to this link:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/item?id=13947462&siteID=123112

Fill out the form and then you can download the 2011 version that works with Navisworks 2011 and Revit 2011 releases.

thanks - David B.

Man, I just can't get here enough...AU 2010 Update

2010-07-06T21:52:00.000-04:00

Got a full load for AU this year:

SID: 2227
Title: Building Better in AutoCAD Architecture 2011
Type: Lecture
Length: 1-Hour
Expertise: Intermediate

SID: 776
Title: Building Better in AutoCAD Architecture 2011
Type: Virtual Class
Length: 1-Hour
Expertise: Intermediate

SID: 6343
Title: Rockin' Hot Revit MEP 2011 Tips
Type: Lecture
Length: 1-Hour
Expertise: All Levels
SID: 8094
Title: Smokin' Hot AutoCAD MEP 2011 Tips
Type: Virtual Class
Length: 1-Hour
Expertise: All Levels

SID: 5660
Title: Rockin' Hot Revit MEP 2011 Tips
Type: Virtual Class
Length: 1-Hour
Expertise: All Levels

SID: 7271
Title: Smokin' Hot AutoCAD MEP 2011 Tips
Type: Lecture
Length: 1-Hour
Expertise: All Levels

SID: 8312
Title: Lecture
Type: Lessons Learned from a BIM Coordination Consultant
Length: 1-Hour
Expertise: All Levels
SID: 1910
Title: Maximizing Revit MEP 2011 for Design Efficiency
Type: Hands-On Lab
Length: 2-Hour
Expertise: All Levels

SID: 7331
Title: Taking A Quick Spin Through the Autodesk Plant Design Suite
Type: Lecture
Length: 1-Hour
Expertise: All Levels

This will be my first time in front of the green screen for the virtual classes. I've been able to do this with some marketing presentations but not with a class, so it should a good learning experience...call me DB the "CAD Weatherman" (there's a little high pressure along the Revit front, along with storms chasing the Bentley crowd... a little snow on the AutoCAD line should make for a good Christmas...get it?).

Getting one on Plant3D was really nice - there's a lot of buzz around this product, and the way it leverages a variety of software across the Autodesk spectrum. Registation starts in late Auguest, so be prepared and sign up early - it should be an interesting show this year!

talk to you soon - David B.

Starting Projects - Ecotect verses IES VE Pro

2010-06-03T01:12:00.004-04:00

My first post on this topic is in regard to how projects get setup and defined by these two applications. You gotta start somewhere, so let's start with how these two applications approach this area.

Ecotect - after starting the program, the user selects a project tab. From this tab, they can input project information, including address, site location, terrain, etc. A nice touch is the incorporation of Google Maps (which also happens to be a site location option in Revit 2011):

Once the project information has been input, the user goes to the data manager to set up project specifics - then the building conditions tool, then the model settings tool. While some of these settings can be predefined, having them scattered throughout several pulldowns and windows can make winding your way through these settings, and making sure everything is set as needed, a bit difficult.

For IES VE 6.0.6, the project is started by selecting New Project, then choosing a template that sets up a wide variety of project specific settings:

The templates can save the user a tremendous amount of setup time, covering building regulations, room conditions, the air system, internal gains and exchanges, as well as default analysis type data. The fact that the user is pointed to these specific settings at the very beginning, instead of having to dig through the program to find these setups, gives the startup leg to IES.

Next up - importing geometry and data into the project...

Ain't technology cool...

2010-06-01T21:24:00.001-04:00

I'm flying on an airline (it'll go unnamed for now since the flight is packed and little rough)...flying at 32,000 feet...somewhere over Kansas at the moment, according to the pilot. And I'm updating my blog - who said technology ain't cool? Pretty fast internet connection considering...

So what in the technology world fascinates you?

Me, right now it's the building analysis software. I'm not a dyed-in-the-wool scientist, engineer, or researcher...but it's amazing to me what the design software packages will accomplish today. So here I am, cruising along, and gathering some thoughts...and now it's time to start talking in more detail about the main two applications I have an interest in - Ecotect and IES Virtual Environment.

At first glance, you would think that with Autodesk backing Ecotect up, it would have a distinct advantage in the marketplace, but right now both packages are just begining to head up that technology curve. But, IES has a much broader product base and is being more widely accepted, with a nicely designed add-in tool for Revit. So what is it that makes one package preferred over another?

First up - Ecotect Analysis 2010 (with Green Building Studio) - followed by IES Virtual Environment, with a new release set to work with the Autodesk 2011 product line....

IES VE Updates available for Revit 2011 Products

2010-05-14T12:03:00.000-04:00

IES has released their version of the Revit Plug-in for VE. Here's the notification:

Offering performance analysis and BIM within the same platform, the IES VE plug-in to Autodesk Revit Architecture and MEP offers powerful functionality for sustainable building design.

We’re pleased to announce we’ve got a fresh new version of the plug-in for you! Revit 2011 users can now easily export models into any of our Virtual Environment (VE) environmental building performance analysis tools and undertake sustainable performance analysis. This new plug-in now supports Revit 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

What does the plug-in offer?

The great thing about the plug-in is you don’t need to rebuild any models – a clever interface takes you through the ‘Setting Model Properties’ process step-by-step. All you need to have is basic information on building type, construction materials, and heating and cooling system types, at either the whole building or room level depending on what stage you are at in the design process.

Once you’ve set up your model you can access our performance analysis products by clicking the relevant button. Each product offers different levels of functionality; so whether you are an architect or an engineer, want top-level information or want to explore in much more detail, there is a solution for you.

Get your free copy of the plug-in today!

Simply visit http://www.iesve.com/Software/Model-Building/Revit-plug-in and click on ‘Download plug in’ to obtain your free copy.

For existing Virtual Environment VE Pro 6.0 users, download and install the hotfix 6.06 - this will update your version 6 software to support the 2011 products, as well as add some new features and improvements. Here's the link:

http://www.iesve.com/Support/Download-Centre/?aType=103&aSType=328

Go get 'em - the best analysis tool on the market is now even better.

Have a great weekend!

David B.

Bummer...gotta take a cool stuff back - Surface Connectors are for Conduits!

2010-05-13T11:26:00.000-04:00

Put in my "cool new stuff" post a while back for Revit MEP 2011 that pipe and duct can also be placed with a surface connector, similar to conduit...but I was WRONG...thus the bummer. When creating the conduit connector, look at the options bar, and you can pick between individual and surface connector...hey, this should be on the wish list...but I'm not complaining too much, just glad to have the conduit and cable tray.

BIM on, guys...

David B.

Quick - can you tell me where this photo was taken - and when?

2010-05-12T17:45:00.000-04:00

This is for the old school crowd - I took the picture, so I know the details, but am curious to see who else recognizes it...

New BLOG - Family Jewels - Creating Quality BIM Content

2010-05-12T09:11:00.000-04:00

Got Greg Arkin's daily blog update today, which included a link to a new blog, that includes some great authors, including Scott Brisk, Martin Schmidt and William Spier, among others - the first article I read was on creating BIM content, and hits the nail on the head - so I'm adding the link to my site as well.

Nicely done - here's the link:

http://familyjewels.typepad.com/blog/2010/04/the-watershed-event-that-birthed-the-family-jewels-blog-site.html

Thanks for the heads up, Greg - have a great day!

David B.

Revit MEP 2011 Duct Routing Behavior - Undocumented Feature #1...

2010-05-11T21:55:00.000-04:00

While working on exercises for the 2011 release of our fundamentals book, I ran across a neat little behavior...not sure if it was in 2010, but it's cool just the same.

Run an oval duct main out at an elevation, 16x12 is size, at about 12'. Leave the end hanging out in space. Run the air terminal command, and place the air terminal over the main - without selecting, watch for a duct centerline to be highlighted and an extension snap to appear (make sure you have this snap on). With the new properties dialog on, set the elevation for the air terminal at 8', and then place the terminal directly under the duct using the extension snap.

The branch to the air terminal will automatically connect into the main, complete with tap or take-off as specified by the main duct type. Try it out - it's really a time saver...and we'll have pictures of it in the book. This one may even make it to video...!!!!

Later - David B.

Slow Performance in ACAD MEP 2010 and 2011

2010-05-05T10:23:00.001-04:00

After loading ACAD MEP 2011 on my new Win7 64 bit system, I noticed performance in ACAD MEP 2010 really slowed down dramatically. After checking a few posts, I ran a repair on my 2010 installation, which has fixed the problem. Other solutions beyond this (with reference to comments from Martin Schmid on the discussion groups) include recreating the user profile in Windows, if the repair doesn't improve it dramatically.

One other item I strongly recommend has to do with file maintenance. We've had a few firms experience problems with files that have xref's loaded, as well as issues when a server is swapped out. Anytime there's a new release, do one of these two things to improve performance

- open, audit and save all drawings on a project starting from base files (constructs if you're using Project Navigator) all the way up to your sheets. This helps make sure you don't have an older version base causing problems in an upper level view or sheet - which has happened regularly over the years). DWG convert only changes the release number, so I don't recommend using it - spend the time and do this right to avoid the issues later.

- if the file is still slow, start a new drawing from one of the out-of-the-box templates (you should update your templates with every release as well, by using one of these templates to create a new template, and copy your styles/layers, etc to this new template). Cut and paste all of the geometry from the old into the new drawing, and re-attach reference files from scratch. This full-service cleanup should help dramatically with file specific performance issues. And remember - work from the bottom up - from bases to sheets.

Here's a link to the thread on the MEP discussion groups -

http://discussion.autodesk.com/forums/thread.jspa?messageID=6373139?

thanks - David B.

Revit MEP 2011 - more cool stuff

2010-04-12T16:25:00.000-04:00

Surface connectors - if you want to add a connector to a surface (for example, a conduit connection to a panel), use the surface connector - a dialog opens up along with a surface tool that allows you to use dimensions to locate the connection on a surface - and as soon as you add the connector, the pipe/conduit creation tool kicks in. It also works with duct, where you can use the surface locations to control how something that runs along a duct is placed.

Cable tray fittings have a new instance parameter that lets you change the radius of a curved fitting...nice....doesn't work yet with pipe/duct/conduit, but that would be a good wish list item....

Someone asked me in a support case if conduit will be able to be shown with true cut lengths - and my answer so far is yes...in both Revit MEP and AutoCAD MEP.

After seeing the MEP object copy monitor that allows you to map lights, air terminals, plumbing fixtures and mechanical equipment from an architectural mode to MEP specific types in your project, I'm impressed...and it lets you know that are any new fixtures that weren't previously copied or monitored.

With the new panel schedule templates, if you started a panel in a release prior to 2011, you can update these panels using one of the new panel templates - and you can customize panel schedules from the examples provided. The template options for the panels allows you to also set the size of the schedule itself, making page layout much easier. Load summary items can also be added and edited to the schedule as well, based on what types of power are used (i.e. lighting, receptacles, etc.) or you can show them all. Headers can be set to be horizontal or vertically oriented. Calculated values can be defined to add date for local/regional code requirements. Load classifications can also be created so the name matches the demand factor, and can easily be edited.

In the panel schedule, when balancing loads, if you don't want a circuit to move, you can lock it in place - and it shows up highlighted in the preview. Spares and Spaces can be added to a schedule, along with setting the default size for the circuit spares (i.e. 15, 20 amp). Rebalancing will not push loaded circuits into locked slots, whether it's assigned a load, or labeled as spare/space.

Armundo/Dave/Martin - you guys are my hero today!!! You've come to the product chasm, and leaped over it...I'm impressed!!!

More coming soon...

thanks - David B.

Revit and AutoCAD 2011 Product Launches

2010-04-10T21:52:00.000-04:00

Man...Greg Arkin beat me to the punch...I'm gettin' slow...

2011 products are going to be available for download April 16th. ATC sites and resellers can already download Arch and Struct products, but they'll all be available next week. Look for a 2.5-2.7gb download, so plan on doing it off-hours.

AutoCAD and AutoCAD-based vertical products such as AutoCAD Architecture and MEP are already available through your subscription center. Pay attention and make sure you grab the right OS version (32 vs. 64-bit). I also got a message that the AutoCAD MEP install failed when running it under Win 7 64-bit, but I think it was an error. AutoCAD MEP ships as an EXE and associated compressed .RAR file, which I think confused Win7. I just ignored the message, ran Setup.exe, chose Custom for my install type so I could add express tools, then ran the install - so far, so good.

Pay attention, and get ready...!!!

David B.

The Promise Fulfilled - Part 2 - AutoCAD MEP 2011

2010-04-09T15:14:00.001-04:00

Man, how do you improve on this application - and where can you go with it? A lot of people have been asking this question, especially with the push towards BIM becoming that boulder rolling downhill. Toby Smith's AutoCAD MEP team has been hard at it with the 2011 release, and have come up with some neat new stuff.

Conduit - new to the program is a conduit routing preference, which behaves similar to the pipe routing preference - use it to set what fittings you want to use - so it's more flexible than it has been in the past. Placement settings are no longer a separate dialog, with Autodesk pushing the old dialogs out in favor of utilizing the properties palette to control size, bend angle, etc. There's also some improvements in routing with a parallel routing option, including concentric and fixed radius bends.

Piping - there is some new content for sanitary drain, waste, vent and sewer/storm drainage systems. To keep the flow direction working correctly in sloped pipe, the user can spec male and female ends as it related to flow - resulting in a more accurate representation of a drainage pipe layout. These were features that were added as an extension to 2010 and are now improved/incorporated into the main product. Tees are now accurately created when adding branches, and offset wyes now connect correctly to sloped pipe (including eccentric and concentric reducers). Some good tweaks here to make the program run smoother.

Overall updates include tweaking of justification of connecting geometry, such as duct or pipe) so that when a system is mirror, the justification is mirrored correctly - this helps keep the eccentric items maintain layout rules.

MvParts - In one of my recent classes, we attempted to replace some of the side view blocks in an MvPart to use a more detailed 2D block as what the user sees from that point of view - which didn't work, and in a response from support, had been taken out of 2010; it looks like the behavior is back in 2011, so the user can edit a side or symbol view block to allow for more detail...nice.

Rise drop symbols have also be improved, allowing a user to specify how a rise or drop symbol is displayed in the drawing; this works specifically for MvParts, endcaps, or fittings(including elbows, tees, and takeoffs).

Platform enhancements for the AutoCAD and AutoCAD Architecture that run under AutoCAD MEP include tools such as the Renovation mode. Released as an extension for 2010, and now incorporated, new/existing/demolition conditions are quickly identified. Existing objects within a single drawing automatically display as existing objects. When an object is deleted, it automatically changes its appearance, showing hidden lines to represent it as a demolished object. While in renovation mode, anything added to the drawing appears as a new object. For the folks doing as-built conditions and retrofit, this tool should help consolidate the tasks.

A couple of new tools have been added for walls - "intelligent" cleanup allows a user to grab a group of wall objects, then run the tool - the same rules apply as before (justification lines must touch, or cleanup radius extended, priorities still count, etc.) If you run this and still don't get the cleanup you want, the new Edit in Place feature allows you to draft what you want the conditions to be.

One of the big things I was hoping would implemented in this release was the constraints feature, which is more up-to-date method of using the anchor tools. Some (but not all) AEC objects can use a 2D constraint to align and lock objects together: for example, you can constrain a wall to a column grid line - if the grid line moves, the wall moves. I don't believe this works with MEP objects just yet, so let's see where this tool goes in the future - but it be really neat of we can constrain items like pipe runs to a wall or column grid line in the early design phases. Inferring constraints do not work with AEC objects as of this release, but who knows...

Column grid layout and numbering has been improved, as well as door/window/opening placement. You can use a column grid line with Dynamic Dimensions to locate openings in a wall - before you have to use wall ends and intersections.

The AutoCAD underneath includes several new 3D modeling enhancements, which should help users that are trying to create their own 3D solids representations for conversion into MvParts. Chamfer and Fillet commands are added, and existing tools such as extrude, loft and revolve are tweaked and improved. I also like the new transparent hatch feature, allowing a hatch to be a little see-through....kinky. Having grips on non-associative hatches is also very useful, allowing a user to use a grip to stretch, move, etc.

The drag and drop feature for materials that's been in AutoCAD Architecture is now passed down to platform ACAD - interesting they're treating this as a new feature, as we were doing this a few releases ago...I'll have to play around with that one to see what's really different about it.

Finally, the help system got an extreme home makeover, with web-based support being at the forefront - and be prepared to provide your serial number when dealing with either the reseller or Autodesk, as it's going to be required this year to get support help. they also added several videos that explain basic features, addressing the need of youger generation users that myself...but I still think are cool.

So, are we closer to fulfilling the promise of BIM? I've always believed that the AutoCAD Platform was more mature but is now hiding in the rock star shadow of Revit. It's sort of like one of my boys dating the older sister, then the younger sister...you get the idea. There's a lot of stuff here that still works better than Revit (anchors, connections through reference files, the detail component manager, etc.), and there's still areas where Autodesk could get it more like Revit and keep it moving (such as aligning interfaces - they still are not task and process related, which irks me). It's such a simple change that could really help put the user in control of the software, and learn it much more quickly. Oh well, I guess I'll have to keep creating process-based interfaces on my own...and make some money off of it...

OK, so this was a lot - I'd love to hear from some of you about what you really like, or maybe have found something that is an obscure change that wasn't documented (think of it as Autodesk's version of "where's waldo"). Send it up and I'll try it out - if it works, we'll post it right here, and you get all the credit...

Have a great weekend - David B.

Autodesk 2011 Products are Shipping!

2010-03-26T18:04:00.001-04:00

And we're putting on a series of seminars, webcasts and hosted events about the new product line. First up is the Autodesk Sieze the Opportunity event. Scheduled for April 19th, 10:00am-5:00pm EDT, this is the "what's new" presentation that gives you the lowdown on what's been added to the programs.

Next up, Advanced Solutions will be hosted several events - and I'll be hosting our first Revit MEP event on April 20th, at 1:00pm EST. This event, which will be simulcast between most of our training centers, can also be viewed from the comfort of your own home through our online webcast. Since space and capacity are limited, sign up early - but don't worry if you don't make the first one...if it fills up, we've got another going on April 29th, May 5th...you get the picture. Sign up early and often - we'll be covering a little bit of the Revit MEP platform, then launching into new features in this information-packed event, which will go nearly two hours - so you'll be getting a lot out of it!

We'll also be hosted events on every other Autodesk product, with AutoCAD Architecture/MEP events being added later, but look for sessions on Navisworks, Revit Architecture/Structure, Ecotect Analysis and more - so go to our website and sign up today - http://www.advsolinc.com/, and follow the links on the main page!

See you soon!

David B.

The Promise Fulfilled - Part 1 - Revit MEP 2011

2010-03-26T17:55:00.001-04:00

Okay, the first four years are always the fun ride...you never know what's gonna happen, and sometimes things don't always live up to your expectations. Working with Autodesk software has been like that - it takes a while for things to warm up and get going, as evidenced by the progression of applications like AutoCAD MEP.

So, in my earlier series of topics on the promise of BIM technology and the future, the 2011 release of Autodesk products brings us to the next phase...but are the programs fulfilling the promise of better, faster, more accurate, easier to use, etc? Let's start by taking a look at Revit MEP 2011.

First things first - the issue of conduit, cable tray and flat oval duct has been addressed by Autodesk. All of this items are defined by project specific type families, where fitting families can be added to a project, and used with a type. One nice feature I saw was how a conduit can be constrained to a cable tray - so if the cable tray moves, the conduit moves - very nice. No more using pipe and duct to respresent these objects, which will make coordination in Revit and Navisworks much clearer. So, this part of the promise is nearly complete - getting real world representations of objects into the hands of the Revit designer.

Second item up - panel schedules - these are customizable in Revit MEP 2011, which should stop some of the bickering about the look and feel of the documents. With the RDB Link add-in now part of the program, other database applications can be used to control the flow of data both ways - from an external table into Revit and back out again. There are also improvements to control items such as demand factors, so the designer can edit their behavior to get more accurate results.

Third item - a big one - is the "always on" properties palette, which allows instance property input during placement...very nice....although not everything is included, it's definitely a step in the right direction.

Fourth item - and the jury is still out on this one. Additional items have copy/monitor functionality such as light and plumbing fixtures, but I haven't seen anything on improving interoperability with an architect's ceiling grid element in a linked file - what I wanted was a horizontal constraint for a light referencing a linked grid. I didn't see this in the betas, but will check again when the shipping release comes out around the second week of April.

Fifth item - a new analysis display tool to show building analysis and space properties...haven't messed with this much yet, so as we get into updating our manuals, I'll try to get some additional information posted here.

So, how far does this go towards fullfilling the promise of a true BIM model? Well, it's not 100%, but it's not a baby step either. Just getting items 1-3 are enough to get me excited, especially since I've spent the past few months working as a BIM coordinator on a large medical project. I've heard all of the pros and cons, and am working up something for AU this year about the experience, but I'm even more convinced that Autodesk is going down the right path. Good job to Dave Pothier and the crew at Autodesk - I'm very pleased, and ready to move these guys forward...

Next up - The Promise Fulfilled - Part 2 AutoCAD MEP, and the new Promise - AutoCAD Plant3D...talk to you soon!

Later - David B.

The Promise - Fulfilled?

2010-02-22T09:51:00.002-05:00

Stay tuned - new article coming in early March - get ready!!!!

thanks - David B.

AutoCAD P&ID Training - Are you Ready?

2010-02-05T11:24:00.000-05:00

We are - we are now offering two courses for training on AutoCAD P&ID 2010 - a 2-day fundamentals course and a 2 day administrator course. Design for use in fluid engineering systems, this application gives the user the ability to build process and instrumentation diagrams quickly, while concurrently building a database inside of the project. And you don't have to have a SQL administrator to use it...if you're interested, call 877-438-2741, x1895 - we'll get you hooked up!

Later - David B.

New Content Link - Lochinvar

2010-01-27T18:28:00.000-05:00

Scott Brisk added a link to some new Revit MEP Content on his blog - so of course, I had to add one too:

http://www.lochinvar.com/products/documentation.aspx?mode=filetype&filetypeid=22

Got some nice boilers and water heaters up there - check it out?

Tell Scottie thanks -

Later - David B.

Project Structure and Following Process in the Revit Platform

2010-01-14T21:55:00.000-05:00

Starting on a new project, I'm coming to realize just how important the structure of the project is, especially if the project is headed for a lifecycle management situation, or even something as simple as coordination.

My first observation is this - all disciplines, consultants, etc. need to set their worksets up exactly the same, from the architect down to the last specialty consultant for fire protection. For example, in a multi-story, mutli-quadrant building, each discipline should make each workset follow the following structure, in order:

- Shared Levels and Grids (default)
- Floor Level
- Level Spanning Building Elements
- Horizontal Work Areas

The first two are pretty easy to follow - even the architectural model should be broken up into level based worksets, to make visibility by level much easier to accomplish. If a wall, curtain wall, column, etc. spans more that one floor, then a workset of the spanning region should be used - and their could be more than just one spanning region of a building.

Horizontal work areas should especially be separated if part of a building is being renovated while another section is new. I'd even venture not to include a renovation area of the building in the same project, but on especially large jobs, breaking the renovation section out to another project, and using shared coordinates to line things up. Some of this passes back to earlier post I have made about the importance of elements being able to connect through linked files, or at least having some level of connection - that's my new favorite wish list item.

I would also consider breaking interior upfits out into a separate project on a core-shell type of job. With file sizes in Revit rapidly approaching breath-taking proportions, breaking up projects into logical horizontal areas just makes more sense.

MEP projects should also be approached the same way - break up objects by level, to make coordination easier. It creates a mess on a job if one department breaks a job up by level and another doesn't - each MEP related area should ALWAYS have identical level- and quadrant- based worksets, breaking down each discipline. Even sub-disciplines, such as low voltage communication, fire alarm, telecom and security systems should have their own level based worksets (and even separate projects in some cases).

WHY? Because when the time comes to build a project, if the Revit model is a deliverable, whether it's for coordinaton or life-cycle management, a well-organized and well-formed project structure makes these tasks much easier for both the contractors and owner. Architects and Engineers - make yourselves aware that the work you do in a BIM world is NOT the same thing as what you produced in the 2D CAD world. You have to think outside of the box, and work as though all players involved are in the same room, on the same team - you don't work in a vacuum. Communicating and following these methods saves all involved time and money.

And one last vent - use Revit correctly - don't skip steps!!! MEP Engineers, you have to create defined systems and circuits, especially in electrical. I could care less if you don't like the panel schedule - that's not the point of BIM. It's every bit as important as the tag you place on your old CAD files. By not placing lights and other power devices on logical circuits, you're forcing the electrical contractor to go back to the "chalk on a rock" method of referring back to paper docs to see how items are circuited - which is insane. Take the time to create panels, assign then distribution systems, and add your lights and other power receiving devices to a circuit. It's not a matter of whether or not the load is correctly being calculated - it's because that when BIM is required deliverable, the EC needs to know quickly what devices belong on what circuit quickly (by selecting or highlighting a device, and pressing the TAB key). This helps with the correct placement of junction and pull boxes, and the routing of conduit and cable tray.

Okay, I'm done - enough soapbox for one night...enjoy the weekend!

David B.

In case you haven't heard - Content Extensions for ACAD MEP and Revit MEP!

2010-01-04T22:22:00.000-05:00

If you are on subscription, Autodesk released a couple of content updates - one for Revit MEP 2010 and one for AutoCAD MEP 2010 - last month. To download these, log into your subscription center site (http://subscription.autodesk.com/) and browse to the Product Add-ons Section - you can choose to download either file (both are ZIP exe files, so make sure your firewall allows the download of executables). Run the EXE by double clicking it.

The RMEP file is 27mb and adds electrical content for low-voltage systems; the ACAD MEP file is 110mb, and includes "300 new pipe fittings to help mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) professionals create pipe design models and drawings for projects in the United States", which includes Cast Iron (Bell and Spigot, Hubless), Ductile Iron (Flanged, Mechanical Joint, Push On), HDPE (Fusion), Plastic (Hub) and Steel (Grooved).

There is also a Revit Structural Library download as well, for guys that hold the buildings up...

Later - David B.

Back to the Grind - January Tips!!!

2010-01-04T22:12:00.000-05:00

Came across a few good ones over the last couple of months, and I can't say all of these were my ideas, but damn I think they were cool ideas...

Bottom of Pipe Elevations

RMEP 2010 doesn't have an "out-of-the-box" tag that reads the bottom of pipe elevation, but a suggestion I found was in the AUGI discussion groups. On the annotate tab > dimension panel, pick the spot elevation tool - under the type selector, I chose the No Symbol(Relative) option, which sets the elevation from the current level.

For display elevations, you can choose between actual selected elevation, top, bottom or both. I chose the bottom elevation option, and the spot elevation was placed. Once the elevation tag is placed, you can go back to the element properties of the tag (you can also adjust this when placing the tag). Edit the type properties - at the bottom of the dialog, you can add an "elevation indicator" string of text (such as BOP:) that acts as the prefix or suffix text. You can also adjust the text formating, size, etc. as needed to match your drawing standards.

The nice thing about this symbol is that it works with sloped pipe to show the actual invert elevation at that point - which is extremely helpful when checking elevations for coordination.

Grouping Disconnected Pipe Elements

In our Revit MEP courseware, we discuss how the system name for a piping system can be used as a filter to control how piping appears in a view (for example, name a domestic cold water system in a bathroom beginning with "DCW-" followed by the room name or number - then create a filter for pipe, fittings and accessories that looks for a system name that begins with DCW- ). But there's going to be times when certain pipe systems will not be connected or defined to a system - for example, roof drain leaders or sanitary vent.

One of our clients had an interesting solution - they created a instance based project parameter that applied to the same elements (pipe, fittings and accessories), and then edited the parameter for these components. To do this, start by selecting Project Parameters from the Manage tab. Choose Add, and then add the project parameter with the following settings:

- Name: DisconnectedPipeSystem
- Discipline: Common
- Type of Parameter: Text
- Group Parameter Under: (Other)
- Choose Instance
For categories, select Pipe, Pipe Fittings and Pipe Accessories:

Select OK to continue. Next, choose the pipes, fitting and accessories you want to edit. Under the type properties, edit the parameter value using an abbrevation that can be read by a filter (i.e. DSV for disconnected Sanitary Vent). Next, create a filter that is specific to pipe, fittings and accessories, and use the new parameter to control the filter.

While this takes a little manual editing, it gives the user more flexibility with the appearance of the piping.

Adding Subcategories for Extended Visibility Graphics Control

Came up with this one at AU right before my last class - a couple of us where talking about different approaches to controlling the visibility of mechanical equipment. Since this category relates to all types of equipment, including pumps, AHU's VAV's and more, we added subcategories under mechanical equipment for each item the user wanted to have appear differently in their views:

Next, they opened their most commonly used families and added the subcategory to each family, editing the value to match the name in the project. They assigned the category by selecting the solids, and then edited the element properties of the object to match the desired category (note - a quick way to do this after opening the family is to use Transfer Project Standards from the Manage tab to copy the object style settings from the project to the family).

Once the settings for subcategory have been edited, load the family into the project, making sure you overwrite parameters as part of the load. The user can now edit the view properties to allow for different colors, lineweights, etc. as needed, and store the view settings as a view template.

This is pretty much all can think of in the post New Year' s "back to work" mode - if you've got any other suggestions in regards to these items, let me know.

Happy BIMM'ing!

David B.

Finally back on the bus - AU is in the Can!

2009-12-22T23:10:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all the folks that came to my classes this year at Autodesk University earlier this month. It's been a tough year for a lot of folks, and that makes the fact that people were willing to spend the money and attend this year's event in person makes it more special. You took the time to sign up and show up, and hopefully you weren't disappointed. The last class was especially fun - here's a picture to prove it.

How many people are willing to put on our special 3D glasses, and stand up and join the fun? Thanks to all that take their fun and games in training so seriously!

A favorite recent quote was sent to me by Nancy Tremblay, a good friend and Autodesk employee on the Autodesk Learning side - it's from Benjamin Franklin:

"Tell me and I forget....teach me and I remember...involve me and I learn"

Again, thanks to all for a memorable AU, and have a safe and Merry Christmas!

Cheers - David B.

Revit MEP Piping Content For Sale from Andekan

2009-11-23T12:16:00.002-05:00

Found a content provider (Andekan) that has a library of plumbing piping fittings - these are NOT free, but are available for purchase. I haven't downloaded any of this to test for accuracy, but if you're looking for this content and are willing to pay for it, here's the link:

http://www.andekan.com/revit-families-buy-and-download-content-packs

These guys were formerly with Broutek, and founded this company a couple of years ago. They have content for Charlotte Pipe cast iron and plastic, Nibco, American Standard and more.

If you purchase any of this, please let us know what you think -

thanks - David B.

AU and Certification

2009-11-20T14:19:00.000-05:00

Autodesk is planning on offering free associate and professional level certification exams at AU this year, for the following products:

AutoCAD
Inventor
Civil 3D
Revit Architecture
3D Studio Max Design

There will be exams for both 2009 and 2010 available. If you're not going to be able to make AU, you can still take the exams at any one of our ATC sites (for a nominal fee). If you're trying to add to the resume, and make yourself more marketable to potential employers, this is an easy way to do it. And if you're an employer, a certified professional in any one of the products gives you a good idea of their skill level, whether looking for new employees or testing existing ones.

At the ATC Summit at AU this year, I'll be speaking for a few minutes during the first part of the meeting about how ASI is taking advantage of this program to help our clients, so if you're in the ATC program, I'll see you there!

later - David B.

Editing the Size of the Tick Marks on Pipe Fittings

2009-11-20T13:57:00.000-05:00

While messing around trying to create my pipe flanges, I've been opening and editing the generic fittings family. One of the parameters in these parts includes the tick mark size. By default it's a formula:

Tick Mark: Fitting Outside Diameter * 0.4

To make the tick mark smaller, change the mutliplier to a smaller value, i.e. 0.2 - this will make the tick mark shorter than what shows up by default. You'll need to make this change on any of the fittings you're using, so edit each type - to change, use project browser, go to families, go to pipe fittings, right mouse click on the fitting family and pick Edit. When the family is open, select Type on the far right side of the ribbon. Change the value in the formula and then pick OK. Next, use Load into Project to load it into your current project or template, and make sure you choose the Override family type and parameters option, to make sure the value is updated.

Try it out - and see if it makes your plumbers happier!

thanks - David B.

Revit MEP - Victaulic Pipe Library

2009-11-19T15:32:00.002-05:00

I'm all for more accuracy in the Revit MEP model, and Victaulic has made this much easier in regards to creating grooved piping layouts. They've created Revit .RFA families and lookup tables for fittings, valves, etc. and posted them on their website. So if you're looking at grooved piping for IPS, fire protection and more, check out this website:

http://www.victaulic.com/content/autodeskrevit.htm

I've downloaded the whole thing, and will be testing them out on my next project.

Check it out - David B.

Having Fun with Flanged Duct

2009-11-18T15:18:00.009-05:00

Been working a bit with contractors that need a more accurate representation of duct. One client is needing flanged duct system, so I ran a little experiment. I created a union from scratch (since the one that came with the program didn't really represent a true union - no union is solid, it's a void). I created a simple solid rectangular form with a void in the middle. Next I added reference planes for the height, width and thickness of the the connection. After these were defined and dimension parameter labels added, I added a flange dimension parameter. All of these were instance based.

So here's what it looks like in the family:

So, in a plan view, you get this - the union breaks the duct, and places the flanged fitting in place of the split, provided the duct type specifies this fitting:

And since the fitting has a void in it, the end of duct or section through duct shows the rise drop style correctly:

Thinking beyond just a union, you should be able to add the same solid and void geometry to a copy of the plain end fittings the program has included, to create a better representation of the duct - which shoudl substantially help when it comes to coordination and interference issues in tight spaces.

Next - parametric duct and pipe hangers....

Thanks - David B.

Location for the Revit MEP Books...

2009-11-11T18:05:00.000-05:00

Since I've been getting some requests for the new advanced book, I needed to make sure it was easy to find, so here's the link:

http://www.clickhereforsolutions.com/estore/asi/c-7-publications.aspx

This will open our publications page, where you can order either the Revit MEP 2010 Fundamentals or Advanced Books. The Advanced book purchase price is $75.00 for single copy. Site license is also available.

thanks - David B.

Found some cool stuff...two good blogs on Revit and IPD, and more...

2009-11-05T09:33:00.001-05:00

Gregory Arkin from CADD Centers of Florida has a nice little article on Revit history I found while doing some research for a meeting today:

http://bimboom.blogspot.com/2007/02/revit-history_11.html

He also had a link to the Tony Isenhoff's BIM and IPD blog, which has a link to the Penn State BIM Execution Planning Guide...very interesting reading, nicely written - thanks to both of these guys for these informative posts!

Tony Isenhoff's Blog:
http://bimandipd.blogspot.com/2009/10/bim-execution-planning-guide-developed.html

Penn State BIM Execution Planning Guide:

http://www.engr.psu.edu/ae/cic/bimex/index.aspx

Happy Reading!