My Wish List for Revit MEP...

Having messed around with this for a while, it's time to come up with the list...Autodesk is making progress with the app, but there are still things that really need to be addressed. Most of this stuff can be worked around, but if I was the product manager, this is what I would focus on...

1. Conduit, Cable Tray, Bus Duct, Flat Oval Duct...'nuff said.
2. Connectivity into linked files - ultimately, there's going to come a day when a project simply has to be broken up. The ability to read a connector's info through a linked file (without have to place a dumb connector in the current project) is vital. We've got that for the most part in ACAD MEP - at least in there we can pick up on pipe, duct, cable tray and conduit connectors...
3. Which leads to point 3 - ACAD MEP SNAPS!!! create connection point snaps -add this functionality to Revit- it works great in ACAD MEP and really helps clarify what the connection point is..
4. Make the undefined connector type (the general system) usable as a source equipment connection. I had a bizarre conversation with someone that tried to tell me that pumps are only considered inline accessories. Tell that to the base mounted pump. It can't be placed like an inline pump the way the connectors are defined - so autolayout freaks out when you try to treat it as any other device in a system. And in many cases, the pump is the primary source of fluid flow (see sprinkler system) - the valve is already treated as an inline component and behaves correctly. Our workaround has been to make a copy of the pump family, and then set the connector to a specific system, such as fire protection wet, hydronic supply, etc...
5. Which leads to point 5 - open up the systems to allow user-added options. There are so many subsystems under hydronic piping, "other", supply, return, exhaust...there has to be a better way to do it. If you can't open it up, then allow for a subsystem option that lets the user control the sizing and design parameters - not every supply duct will be sized the same way, and a subsystem would make it easier to control this.
6. Schematic Symbol improvements - try making a custom valve in Revit MEP, or editing an existing one...lots of fun here with no documentation. We're working on it, but getting some input somewhere from Autodesk would be really helpful. And having a riser/schematic diagram tool would be nice, but for now we're using the tools in ACAD MEP and importing the DWG into the project.
7. Excel links - bidirectional and in the program, not having to go through a DXF or DWG...'nuff said. Not every engineer is gung ho about using SQL, VBA, OBDC (or is that ODBC)....know thine audience...and keep it simple.
8. Panel schedule editing tools....that work easily...graphical interface perhaps? My ears get burned on this one by the EE's every day for both MEP applications - nobody does them the same way, every state has its own requirements for how these should look and feel, and what information goes in them - so we've got to be able to easily edit them. (side note for schedules - allow for a predetermined width and height in the formatting, instead of asking the user to drag the columns on every project).
9. I compliment the pace in which Autodesk is getting content together for the product - much faster than ACAD MEP...now make sure you have the parts such as toilet carriers, etc. that the plumbing designer never used to show - but beats us up about every day. If they're going to have to model it, then by God, let's model it right...
10. Copy/Monitor - wow, this one's getting hammered, but it's got to work right or be replaced. Either make constraints work through a linked file (such as using a placement constraint to get a light to stay aligned horizontally with a ceiling grid) or get the rest of the components to be copy monitored through a linked file (without flipping it around, changing alignments, breaking cleanups) - including ceiling grids.
11. Get the piping guys from ACAD MEP to come on over and help...it's vastly better in 2010 but still needs some work - these guys have got it nailed in ACAD MEP 2010 - build off of what they know needs to happen...and make it happen. It needs the right connectors (separate from the pipe and fittings), insulation, etc. but it doesn't need to be at the gasket/bolt/weld level - you're getting warmer... Single line and double line concurrently in plan display at the same time is a must.

I'm not all complaint - analysis and HVAC in the program are working great and just need a few tweaks here and there (did I mention oval duct?). Scheduling and coordination have always been hallmarks, I'd add soft interference and clearance detection if at all possible. Lighting fixtures rock in this release, and the realtime data analysis is always sweet...and now that I'm used to it, the ribbon is very cool, the interface looks much more professional than previous releases. Electrical is definitely getting better, but I'd love to see a right-reading setting for embedded annotations (as well as a separate grip for location options - again, AKA ACAD MEP devices).

If you have some things you'd like to see, comment on the post - I'd love to hear from others as well...

The workarounds? for now you'll need to attend this year's class at AU I'm doing to get them all in one document (Revit MEP: Powerful Tips and Tricks...this is my shameless plug) - see you there!



David B.

How Revit MEP calculates Wire Lengths

I'm not sure who wrote this (if someone knows. let me know and I'll update this post), but Emy in our Columbus office found this - it's a great explanation of how the wire length is determined and used in calcluating voltage drop.

Check it out!!!

http://sites.google.com/site/autodeskrevitmep/Home/frequentlyaskedquestions/wire-length-calculations

thanks - David B.

Revit MEP 2010 - Copying Hosted Elements, and continuing on from TYP...

After reading my own post (yes I do this once in a while), I got to thinking about the whole hosted element thing...and had a few more thoughts...scary, ain't it?

Now that we've had a chance to start teaching the 2010 release, a few things are coming out of the engineers. A common thread is related to the AutoCAD way of doing things. When a client wants the RVT file as a deliverable, it usually will mean the engineer will have to place more obejcts in a project. Since I was already thinking about typical layouts, I asked the firm I was teaching how they did it - and all of their "common layout" jobs meant they used typical to layout common rooms, and did not place receptacles, lights, etc. in every room...but you can't get away with that when the deliverable is the model file.



So, a couple of points came out of this -first, you CAN copy hosted elements - for example, select all of the receptacles in a room (the OOTB ones are hosted elements), and then use the copy command. Make sure you select a common snap point (such as endpoint or intersection) that appears in every room. If the rooms aren't 100% identical, that's not that big of a deal - you simply select an object, then use the modify tools to re-host it to a new face. What doesn't work is putting hosted elements into a group - once in a group, they can't properly place into other locations in a project. We've also toyed around with just placing a connector per the last post, but I think the main point we need to make sure that all Revit MEP users understand is that you don't do it or quote it the same way you did an AutoCAD job. Be prepared to allow for more time to get the common objects placed in every room - and once you get proficient, you'll be buying that time back with time savings made in other areas - like using the schedules, autolayouts for duct, pipe, wire, etc.,...

And there's still more to follow...

My plan is TYP...but these are just TIPS...for Revit MEP 2010

For those of you that have to use Revit MEP, but have been using AutoCAD forever, and like how it works...

- Revit likes hosted families, but putting them into a group and copying them around a building can produce some rather interesting results. One workaround (from Emy in our Columbus office) is to create your common layouts in a few rooms (say you have 4 typical dorm rooms, which all have the same layout). You can either use non-hosted families (but then lose the coordination value of having hosted items move when the architect changes the plan - which we all know never happens), or you can place a connector to represent the objects in the room. Revit MEP has all kinds of connectors for HVAC, electrical and plumbing. You'll lose the benefit of being coordinated, but if the architect and/or owner isn't looking for the RVT file, you can still create an object that can have load assigned to it, and assign these items to systems.

- Another tip for 2010 is to make sure everything in the project is assigned to some form of a system - whether you're routing connecting geometry through it or not. Not everything needs to be routed from an automatic layout, either. Jonathan from the Indy office noted that the piping layout behaves better when fewer devices are connected in a system - so rather than connecting everything at the beginning, go ahead and work out one side of a chase, rather than expecting Revit to properly connected when both sides are part of an original systems. With back-to-back fixtures, the program behaves much better when you route one side, then use the grips to convert a tee to a cross - adding the pipe to the fixtures on the other side after the fact. You can always come back and add fixtures to a system later, but don't leave them unassigned.

- And another one for piping - when working with sloped pipe, work in a section view - draw to a point in plan, then switch in section to show the sloped pipe. This works especially well in tight areas. Jonathan came up with a very simple exercise in this year's book for adding the P-trap to a plumbing fixture - do it all in a section, then copy it around as needed.

- Working sections also is the way to top or bottom justify duct - I've been through the new justification tool, and gotten some pretty wild layouts. Draw the duct by centerline, then add a section view. Pick the duct run using the tab key, and then re-justify it in the section view -it works really well this way.

More to come, stay tuned....

thanks - David B.

Revit MEP 2010 classes have started at ASI

We've finished the books for the newly titled Fundamentals class, including 4 to 4 1/2 days of training. The courses follow a learning path that should guide the user through what they need to know get up to speed as quickly as possible in 2010. For a table of contents, send me an email at dbutts@advsolinc.com. Class registrations are now online at www.advsolinc.com.

The Advanced version for Revit MEP 2010 is still in the works, and we're shooting for a September time frame. The new book is looking like it's going to be 2 days, with a lot more content on family editing and template/project customization (and possibly a few things that nobody else has written manuals for). Keep your eyes open - if you want these books to be available for purchase or for site license, send me an email and let me know, we'll add you to the list.

Thanks to Emy McGann, Jonanthan Weinhold, Paul Sills, Doug Greenwell and Kristen Fierro for contributing to this year's book...and to Norb and the executive team for putting up with us while we wrote it!

Thanks - David B.

AU Classes for 2009

Here's the class list for me for AU 2009 -

Taking AutoCAD® Architecture to the Next Level - 90-Minute Class, Intermediate

AutoCAD® MEP 2010 Advanced Tips and Tricks - 90-Minute Lab, Power User

Revit MEP 2010 - Powerful Tips and Tricks - 90-Minute Class, All Levels

Working in a Dual CAD Program Environment (Revit MEP and AutoCAD MEP) - 90-Minute Class, Intermediate

Blue RIbbon Editing for AutoCAD MEP and Integrated Project Delivery - 90-Minute Lab,
Power User

All of the course descriptions are available online during registration - sign up early and sign up often, got a lot of new material this year!

thanks - David B.

The History of the World - Part ACAD

While checking up on some ADSK news, I found Shaan Hurley's Autodesk history page - if you an aficionado of this stuff, check out this link:

http://autodesk.blogs.com/between_the_lines/autocad-release-history.html

Thanks, Shaan - Great Stuff!!!

David B.