eLearning – Upcoming Revit Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education.

Upcoming classes include: 

5.1.12::Revit 201: Impression in Revit

Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

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Carpe Vista!; or using View Templates in Revit 2013

My favorite new feature in Revit 2013 is the ability to persistently control views through the use of View Templates. In earlier versions of Revit there was a “Default View Template” field which didn’t do a whole lot. Sure, you could grab a whole bunch of views through the Project Browser and manually force them to update per your View Template rules, but who has time to remember?

Now in 2013 you can assign a View Template to a set of views and the elements within those Views will continually abide by the View Template rules! This goes a long way towards eliminating plotting errors by putting up a small roadblock for those who ponder setting overrides to a view’s display settings. When a View Template is assigned in 2013, the corresponding Visibility Graphics (VG) dialog will appear as grayed out per this image. Initially this may cause some minor heartburn but in the long run, returning the visibility control over to the BIM Manager can only be a good thing!

My colleague, Shruti Harve, made a great video on how to manage the View Template settings in Excel using Ideate BIMLink 2013. All views will not need a View Template assignment, but taking the time to assign your floor and ceiling plans will be well worth the effort when it comes time to publish your project. Set aside some time today to look closely at this new Autodesk Revit 2013 feature.

So with apologies my 8th grade Latin teacher – Carpe Vista!
Post scriptum: for all you Windows Vista™ fans (?!) that’s “seize the View” 
 

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Glynnis Patterson is a registered architect and the Director of Software Development at Ideate, Inc. In a previous life Glynnis spent many hours looking at blueprints with a scale, highlighters, and a scratch pad to develop detailed cost estimates.

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Classroom Training – Open Classes

Know It. Ideate Training.

Position yourself to land dream projects. Tap the full potential of your software solutions. Increase your facility, fluidity and capability to maximize the value of your precision software tools.

Here are a few of the training opportunities Ideate has to offer in the coming weeks:

4.30-5.2::Sacramento
Civil 3D Fundamentals
5.1-3::Portland
Revit MEP Electrical Fundamentals
5.7-9::Sacramento
Revit MEP Electrical Fundamentals
5.7-9::San Francisco
Revit Structure Fundamentals

Know your software. Sign up now!

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What's New in Autodesk Revit 2013 – It's a Material World! - Enhanced Properties for Building Performance Analysis

Autodesk Revit 2013 now provides the ability to add and modify the thermal properties of walls, floor, roofs, and windows in order to facilitate more integrated building performance analysis, heating and cooling load calculations and gbXML support. 

These improvements: 

• Allow for a single customizable deployment and a single content library. 
• Support and encourage multi-discipline workflows. 
• Give the user the ability to assign thermal and structural properties.
• Permit the thermal and structural properties to gbXML. 

Watch the video: Autodesk Revit 2013 – Enhanced Properties for Building Performance Analysis

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, Revit MEP, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, AutoCAD MEP, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2013

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Bill Johnson – MEP Solutions Application Specialist
Bill has over 20 years experience in applying AEC design solutions for large commercial companies. A graduate of Pasadena Institute of Technology, he has worked for TEECOM Design Group, GTE/GTEL, Greg LeDoux and Associates, and Scottish Power in England. Bill has also had the opportunity to act as Lead AutoCAD Designer for multimillion dollar communication sites which have included structural, electrical, HVAC, conduit, cable plans and equipment layouts. He has a Sustainable Design Certification from the University of California at Berkeley.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

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What's New in Autodesk Revit 2013 Holistically Better or We’re All Together NOW! – Multi-discipline Workflow Improvements

Autodesk Revit 2013 has some great enhancements; two of my preferred improvements are the workflow improvements and the Enhanced Building Analysis tools.

Autodesk Revit allows you to customize discipline functionality based on your needs, another benefit is instead of having different content library for each Revit vertical, there will be one single content library to help organize your company library.  With all the tools accessible within a single application, it improves the multi-discipline workflow for the industry.

Watch the video: Autodesk Revit 2013 – Multi-discipline Workflow Improvements

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, Revit MEP, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, AutoCAD MEP, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2013

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Bill Johnson – MEP Solutions Application Specialist
Bill has over 20 years experience in applying AEC design solutions for large commercial companies. A graduate of Pasadena Institute of Technology, he has worked for TEECOM Design Group, GTE/GTEL, Greg LeDoux and Associates, and Scottish Power in England. Bill has also had the opportunity to act as Lead AutoCAD Designer for multimillion dollar communication sites which have included structural, electrical, HVAC, conduit, cable plans and equipment layouts. He has a Sustainable Design Certification from the University of California at Berkeley.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

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Autodesk Revit Structure 2013 Reinforcement Enhancements

This video made by Shruti Harve, Senior Application Specialist at Ideate, Inc. goes over enhancements made to reinforcement modeling in Autodesk Revit Structure 2013. These include:

• Fabric Reinforcement has been added to Autodesk Revit Structure 2013. You can now place evenly lap-spliced Fabric Sheets in floors, walls or foundation slabs.
• Area and Path Reinforcement can now host rebar. You can now display rebar elements in floors, walls or foundation slabs in 3D views, schedule rebar and remove the area or path system to expose the individual rebar elements.
• Improved snapping and alignment to fillets and hooks. You can now avoid interferences and collisions with other rebar while placing a rebar/rebar set in the fillet or hook.
• Several new Structural Unit Types have been added including those for Structural Rebar: Reinforcement Area and Reinforcement Area per Unit Length. 

Watch the video: Autodesk Revit Structure 2013 Reinforcement Enhancements

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2013

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Shruti Harve,

LEED AP, AEC Solutions Application Specialist
Shruti holds a Master of Science degree in Architectural Computing from University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom and is LEED accredited. Her experience includes working in Architecture and Construction firms in India and the United Kingdom as well as Structural Engineering firms in the Bay Area providing design, 3D modeling and drafting services. At Ideate, Shruti provides training and support for Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, 3ds Max, Ecotect and AutoCAD Architecture.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

Read More

eLearning – Upcoming Revit Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education.

Upcoming classes include: 

5.1.12::Revit 201: Impression in Revit

Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

Read More

What's New in AutoCAD MEP 2013: Tag You're It! – Schedule Tag Enhancement

AutoCAD MEP 2013 has some great Scheduling tag enhancements to increase control over how tags and tag attributes are rotated to align with objects. New schedule tag properties-including Reference Text Angle, Attribute Angle Method, and Maintain Attribute Angle – are available to support functions such as rotating the entire tag instead of individual attributes. The tag can update and attribute rotation angles to maintain Right Reading or Force Horizontal when existing tags are automatically rotated in response to existing objects being rotated.

These changes will allow:

• Increased control of tag and attribute rotation
• The option to rotate entire tag instead of individual attributes

Watch the video: AutoCAD MEP 2013: Schedule Tag Enhancement

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2013

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Bill Johnson – MEP Solutions Application Specialist
Bill has over 20 years experience in applying AEC design solutions for large commercial companies. A graduate of Pasadena Institute of Technology, he has worked for TEECOM Design Group, GTE/GTEL, Greg LeDoux and Associates, and Scottish Power in England. Bill has also had the opportunity to act as Lead AutoCAD Designer for multimillion dollar communication sites which have included structural, electrical, HVAC, conduit, cable plans and equipment layouts. He has a Sustainable Design Certification from the University of California at Berkeley.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

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What's New in Revit MEP 2013: Take this Route! – Duct and Pipe Routing Preferences

Autodesk Revit MEP 2013 has some great enhancements, one of the best is the new Duct and Pipe Routing Preference dialog boxes.

The new Pipe Segments are used in the new Routing Preference. The segments are assigned a material and schedule type, which in turn is used to automatically generate the pipe segment name. You no longer need to be concerned about the connection type as it has been removed.

Duct fittings have been moved to the Routing Preferences dialog as well. Multiple duct and pipe segments and fittings may be added to a routing preference to allow more efficient design and modeling. The Constrain to routing preferences tool applies to duct fittings and pipe fittings. When checked, the list of parts in the type selector is filtered to only show what is contained in the routing preference.

These new settings are:

• For either Duct or Pipe
• Can be constrained to routing preferences
• Have unique material and schedule type combinations

Watch the video: Autodesk Revit MEP 2013 – Duct and Pipe Routing Preferences

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, AutoCAD MEP, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2013

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Bill Johnson – MEP Solutions Application Specialist
Bill has over 20 years experience in applying AEC design solutions for large commercial companies. A graduate of Pasadena Institute of Technology, he has worked for TEECOM Design Group, GTE/GTEL, Greg LeDoux and Associates, and Scottish Power in England. Bill has also had the opportunity to act as Lead AutoCAD Designer for multimillion dollar communication sites which have included structural, electrical, HVAC, conduit, cable plans and equipment layouts. He has a Sustainable Design Certification from the University of California at Berkeley.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

Read More

Classroom Training – Open Classes

Know It. Ideate Training.

Position yourself to land dream projects. Tap the full potential of your software solutions. Increase your facility, fluidity and capability to maximize the value of your precision software tools.

Here are a few of the training opportunities Ideate has to offer in the coming weeks:

4.23-25::Seattle
AutoCAD Fundamentals
4.24-26::Seattle
Revit Architecture Fundamentals
4.30-5.2::Sacramento
Civil 3D Fundamentals

Know your software. Sign up now!

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What's New in AutoCAD MEP 2013: Get Your Ducts in a Row! – Duct System Routing Enhancements

AutoCAD MEP 2013 has some great enhancements to the Duct Routing Preferences which will help you to route and lay out duct systems per design specification. The Duct Routing Preferences may now be linked to Duct System Definitions. When the Duct System is changed on the Properties palette, the routing preference will change accordingly. You can apply the changes to all segments and fittings connected to the object, and it will continue until it comes to an MVPart, reducer, tee, or cross.

These changes to the system are:

• Linked to Duct System Definitions
• Changeable on the Properties palettes
• Can apply changes to all segments and fittings

Watch the video: AutoCAD MEP 2013: Duct System Routing Enhancement

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2013

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Bill Johnson – MEP Solutions Application Specialist
Bill has over 20 years experience in applying AEC design solutions for large commercial companies. A graduate of Pasadena Institute of Technology, he has worked for TEECOM Design Group, GTE/GTEL, Greg LeDoux and Associates, and Scottish Power in England. Bill has also had the opportunity to act as Lead AutoCAD Designer for multimillion dollar communication sites which have included structural, electrical, HVAC, conduit, cable plans and equipment layouts. He has a Sustainable Design Certification from the University of California at Berkeley.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

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Read This Before You Hit Delete…

(…or what you need to know about level hosted elements in Revit)

How could these (fill-in-the-blank) just disappear from the project? They were there yesterday, and now they’re gone!

We don’t see this happening too often, perhaps once per month, but when it does, it’s a disaster. The BIM Manager usually assumes that Revit has a serious defect and is responsible for trashing the project while our support staff is inclined to assume that some user, unbeknownst to the BIM Manager, decided to randomly delete things and then not fess up. The truth is typically halfway between the two.

The culprit is the lowly level line which, when deleted, will take with it any object that it hosts. The kicker is that Revit won’t even warn you. Losing elements in a project can create days of lost effort. This is why auditing your level lines is Tip #4 from our Revit Project Auditing process.

Training staff to not create their own level lines (this should be the domain of the BIM Manager or Project Manager only) will help avoid this problem in the first place, but if you do encounter extraneous level lines, watch this Ideate Explorer for Revit video before you delete any levels!

See all of our Top Ten Auditing Tips for Revit Projects.

Ideate Explorer for Revit is an essential tool for Revit BIM Managers and is the best way to audit your Revit projects. To learn more visit us at www.ideateexplorer.com

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Glynnis Patterson is a registered architect and the Director of Software Development at Ideate, Inc. In a previous life Glynnis spent many hours looking at blueprints with a scale, highlighters, and a scratch pad to develop detailed cost estimates.

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What's New in Revit MEP 2013: This Fits Perfectly! Enhanced ASHRAE Duct Fitting Database

Revit MEP 2013 has some great enhancements; one of the most useful is the updated ASHRAE Duct Fitting Database. Revit now uses the latest 5.00.00 version of the ASHRAE duct fitting database. Many of the ASHRAE tables have been updated based on the latest standards. The new tables increase the coverage of pressure loss data for duct fittings.

In addition, oval fittings, taps, and tees where all of the ports are the same size are now supported.

With this enhancement MEP engineers can design duct systems with fittings based on current ASHRAE standards.

Watch the video: Autodesk Revit MEP 2013: Enhanced ASHRAE Duct Fitting Database

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, AutoCAD MEP, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2013

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Bill Johnson – MEP Solutions Application Specialist
Bill has over 20 years experience in applying AEC design solutions for large commercial companies. A graduate of Pasadena Institute of Technology, he has worked for TEECOM Design Group, GTE/GTEL, Greg LeDoux and Associates, and Scottish Power in England. Bill has also had the opportunity to act as Lead AutoCAD Designer for multimillion dollar communication sites which have included structural, electrical, HVAC, conduit, cable plans and equipment layouts. He has a Sustainable Design Certification from the University of California at Berkeley.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

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AutoCAD for Mac 2013, Project Manager Script

What’s New in AutoCAD for Mac 2013? Here’s a quick preview of the new Project Manager in AutoCAD for Mac from Ideate’s Derek Wielkopolski. 

Watch the video: AutoCAD for Mac 2013, Project Manager Script

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2013

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Derek Wielkopolski
Technical Support Manager/Application Specialist
Derek holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Roger Williams University, Rhode Island. He is experienced working within the AEC industry from concept design through construction administration for both small and large scale projects. As Ideate’s Support Manager he ensures a timely and quality response to support requests and questions. Follow Derek on Twitter: @dwielk

Get it. Know it. Use it.

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eLearning – Upcoming Revit Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education.

Upcoming classes include: 

4.18.12::
Revit 201: Rapid Detailing
5.1.12::
Revit 201: Impression in Revit

Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

Read More

Autodesk Navsiworks 2013 Feature Focus - Clash Detective

This feature presentation by Ideate’s Senior Application Specialist Teresa Martin, discusses the changes to the Clash Detective interface in Autodesk Navisworks 2013.  Some of the topics covered are the new API, user interface enhancements, support for level and grid locations for clashes as well as additional selection options provided by the new interface.

Watch the video: Autodesk Navsiworks 2013 Feature Focus - Clash Detective

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, AutoCAD and more: ideateinc.com/2013

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Teresa Martin
AEC Solutions Application Specialist
Teresa is a graduate of Cornell University and has over 20 years experience in the architectural and construction industry. She has spent her career pursuing her interest in 3D modeling and computer-aided-design having worked alternately as a designer, project manager, CAD manager, 3D modeler and educator. Teresa currently develops curriculum and customized content as an Revit Implementation Expert. As a trainer in Revit, Navisworks, and Ecotect, Teresa brings her real-world experience to the classroom.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

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Autodesk Navisworks 2013 Feature Focus - Revit Switchback

This short presentation by Ideate’s Senior Application Specialist Teresa Martin, discusses the new native support added to Autodesk Navisworks 2013 for Autodesk Revit RVT files. Autodesk Navisworks can now import RVT files directly into the interface without the need to export from Autodesk Revit as an NWC file. This will greatly enhance present workflows, especially for big room meetings and on-the-fly field coordination sessions.

Watch the video: Autodesk Navisworks 2013 Feature Focus – Revit Switchback

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, AutoCAD and more: ideateinc.com/2013

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Teresa Martin
AEC Solutions Application Specialist
Teresa is a graduate of Cornell University and has over 20 years experience in the architectural and construction industry. She has spent her career pursuing her interest in 3D modeling and computer-aided-design having worked alternately as a designer, project manager, CAD manager, 3D modeler and educator. Teresa currently develops curriculum and customized content as an Revit Implementation Expert. As a trainer in Revit, Navisworks, and Ecotect, Teresa brings her real-world experience to the classroom.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

Read More

Classroom Training – Open Classes

Know It. Ideate Training.

Position yourself to land dream projects. Tap the full potential of your software solutions. Increase your facility, fluidity and capability to maximize the value of your precision software tools.

Here are a few of the training opportunities Ideate has to offer in the coming weeks:

4.11-12::Portland
Revit Architecture Beyond the Basics
4.23-25::San Francisco
Revit Architecture Fundamentals
4.23-25::Seattle
AutoCAD Fundamentals
4.24-26::Seattle
Revit Architecture Fundamentals

Know your software. Sign up now!

Read More

AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 Rail Enhancements

In this video, we take a look at some of the new Rail design enhancements that are included in the 2013 release of AutoCAD Civil 3D. Among the enhancements are a new Rail Alignment type, a new Cant calculation tool, a Rail Standards Design Criteria file and Rail Parameters that are now accessible through the Alignment Properties dialog box. 

Watch the video: AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 Rail Enhancements

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure, Navisworks, AutoCAD and more: ideateinc.com/2013

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Matt Miyamoto, P.E.
Infrastructure Solutions Application Specialist
Matt is a licensed Civil Engineer in the state of Hawaii. Matt obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and has 7 years of private sector design experience which he applies in his role as an application specialist with Ideate, Inc. His project experience includes residential and commercial site development, private and public sewer, water and drainage systems, harbors improvements, and roadway improvements. While in Hawaii, Matt was involved in multidisciplinary projects for City and County agencies, State Departments, the Army COE and private developers. @MattM_PE

Get it. Know it. Use it.

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Autodesk Navsiworks 2013 Feature Focus - Grids and Levels

This short presentation by Ideate’s Senior Application Specialist Teresa Martin, discusses the new support in Autodesk Navisworks 2013 for grid objects and level  imported from Autodesk Revit. This new feature will improve workflow as users will no longer have to make their own 3D grids for use in Autodesk Navisworks 2013.  Further, when creating clash reports, the clash object’s level and grid location is now included in the report for ease of use by the project team.

Watch the video: Autodesk Navsiworks 2013 Feature Focus - Grids and Levels

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, AutoCAD and more: ideateinc.com/2013

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Teresa Martin
AEC Solutions Application Specialist
Teresa is a graduate of Cornell University and has over 20 years experience in the architectural and construction industry. She has spent her career pursuing her interest in 3D modeling and computer-aided-design having worked alternately as a designer, project manager, CAD manager, 3D modeler and educator. Teresa currently develops curriculum and customized content as an Revit Implementation Expert. As a trainer in Revit, Navisworks, and Ecotect, Teresa brings her real-world experience to the classroom.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

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Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2013: Directly Import Revit Architecture Files

This video by Shruti Harve, Senior Application Specialist at Ideate, Inc. goes over the new feature added to File Link Manager in Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2013 that lets you directly import Autodesk Revit Architecture (.rvt) files. This eliminates the need to Export the Autodesk Revit Architecture file as a .fbx file to import into Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2013.

Watch the video: Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2013: Directly Import Revit Architecture Files

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2013

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Shruti Harve,

LEED AP, AEC Solutions Application Specialist
Shruti holds a Master of Science degree in Architectural Computing from University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom and is LEED accredited. Her experience includes working in Architecture and Construction firms in India and the United Kingdom as well as Structural Engineering firms in the Bay Area providing design, 3D modeling and drafting services. At Ideate, Shruti provides training and support for Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, 3ds Max, Ecotect and AutoCAD Architecture.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

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eLearning – Upcoming Revit Classes

Join the Ideate Tech Experts for eLearning – live online classes that provide your entire organization with easy access to premium education.

Upcoming classes include: 

4.10.12::
Revit 201: Making Title Blocks
4.18.12::
Revit 201: Rapid Detailing

Each class is designed to give you specific, improved results in a particular topic. You can interact with the instructor right from your own office, while eliminating travel time. Because the class schedule rotates, you can easily select your topics of interest and choose the day which best meets your schedule.

Click here for class descriptions, times and registration link. Questions? Contact education@ideateinc.com

Get It. Know It. Use It.

Read More

What's New in AutoCAD MEP 2013: Connect the Dots! – Universal Connector

AutoCAD MEP 2013 has some great new design benefits. One such addition is the New Universal Connector. The Universal Connector will improve collaboration between MEP, plant and civil design professionals. By using the ‘Universal Connector’ it will provide the much needed connectivity between piping systems created in AutoCAD® MEP, AutoCAD® Plant 3D and AutoCAD® Civil 3D® software.

This new enhancement will allow:

• Improved collaboration between the different disciplines.
• Seamless communication of design intent

Watch the video: AutoCAD MEP 2013 – Universal Connector

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2013

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Bill Johnson – MEP Solutions Application Specialist
Bill has over 20 years experience in applying AEC design solutions for large commercial companies. A graduate of Pasadena Institute of Technology, he has worked for TEECOM Design Group, GTE/GTEL, Greg LeDoux and Associates, and Scottish Power in England. Bill has also had the opportunity to act as Lead AutoCAD Designer for multimillion dollar communication sites which have included structural, electrical, HVAC, conduit, cable plans and equipment layouts. He has a Sustainable Design Certification from the University of California at Berkeley.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

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Autodesk Revit Architecture 2013 – Construction Modeling

Autodesk Revit 2013 extends the capability to support construction modeling by allowing further customization with parts. Parts can now be merged, excluded and restored. Two or more parts can be merged into a single part. Exclusions will remove parts from the project similar to the way elements can be excluded from a group, and finally excluded parts can be restored at any time.

Watch the video: Autodesk Revit Architecture 2013 – Construction Modeling

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit MEP, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2013

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Ron Palma
AEC Solutions Application Specialist
Ron has 23+ years of experience in the AEC industry as a designer, lead project designer, trainer and CAD manager. His instructional background includes Autodesk Certified Instructor, trainer, support technician, educator at Portland Community College and Clackamas Community College, and a U.S. Army certified instructor. Follow Ron @RonPalmaAEC.

Get it. Know it. Use it.

Read More

Classroom Training – Open Classes

Know It. Ideate Training.

Position yourself to land dream projects. Tap the full potential of your software solutions. Increase your facility, fluidity and capability to maximize the value of your precision software tools.

Here are a few of the training opportunities Ideate has to offer in the coming weeks:

4.10-12::Seattle
Revit MEP Mechanical and Plumbing Fundamentals
4.11-12::Portland
Revit Architecture Beyond the Basics

Know your software. Sign up now!

Read More

What's New in AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013: Under Pressure - Pressure Pipe Network

AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 has some great additions that save you time by making mundane tasks simpler and faster. Perhaps one of the most sought after features in AutoCAD Civil 3D has been pressure pipes. People had to jump hoops; make the best use of existing features of AutoCAD Civil 3D to create a water line. With AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 it is now very easy to create a pressure pipe network. This video will show you how to create a water line using the AutoCAD Civil 3D pressure pipe network feature.

Create the pressure pipe layout including the:

• Pipes
• Bends, tees, and other fittings
• And valves, fire hydrants and other appurtenances

Display the fittings and appurtenances in profile with a relative ease.

Watch the video: AutoCAD Civil 3D 2013 Pressure Pipe Network

Don’t forget to look through other great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2013 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure, AutoCAD, Navisworks and more: ideateinc.com/2013

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Gaurav Bagga
Infrastructure Solutions Application Specialist


Gaurav is a well rounded Application Engineer and Project Manager for Infrastructure Solutions at Ideate based out of San Francisco. He has over 15 years experience in construction industry and has been helping numerous small, medium and ENR 500 firms maximize their CAD investment for the last ten years. Gaurav is an Autodesk Certified Instructor and Autodesk Civil 3D Implementation Certified Expert. He has taught at several conferences, CAD Camps and Autodesk University. He has taught AutoCAD, Civil 3D, Land Desktop and Map 3D to thousands of students and helps Ideate develop the Infrastructure Services curriculum and courses. With his extensive CAD technology background he helps Bay Area engineering and surveying firms analyze and improve their design and drawing production process thereby improving productivity and the bottom line. Follow Gaurav on Twitter: @BeGeez

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A Point Cloud Is A Point Cloud... Or Is It?

In today’s blog post, Ideate’s Application Specialist Matt Miyamoto discusses the differences between a Point Cloud created with the POINTCLOUD command and an AutoCAD Civil 3D Point Cloud object.

I recently had the opportunity to do a Lidar presentation at the Land Surveyor’s Association of Washington (LSAW) Conference at the Tulalip Resort a few weeks ago. During the presentation, the attendees and I had a great discussion on a few of the different laser scanners out there on the market and I was able to get some great feedback on their opinions of each.

The main scanners in use appear to be from Trimble, Leica, Faro and Topcon.  Different scanners may use different methods for data collection and also may come with different tools for processing, reviewing and editing the raw data from the scanner. Most of the users appear to be using Trimble and Leica scanners along the Point Cloud related software that is available from each manufacturer. Trimble has Trimble Link and Trimble RealWorks software, and Leica has CloudWorx and Cyclone that can be used for quickly reviewing and processing data. FARO scanners were also mentioned based on the speed of scanning, which produces large amounts of data in shorter time.

The discussion on different manufacturers also brought up a very important point. A Point Cloud in Civil 3D is not the same as a Point Cloud in AutoCAD. Civil 3D Point Cloud objects include different properties and capabilities that are tied in to the Civil 3D application. The ability to control its display using Styles, and add Points to a Surface only appears if the Point Cloud is a Civil 3D object rather than plain Point Cloud object. There are also two different commands used to create each in a drawing file.

The POINTCLOUD command is a base AutoCAD command that allows users to Attach, Index, control the Density or Lock a Point Cloud in the drawing file. Due to the limited Attach or Index options, only a handful of file types are available (.PCG and .ISD for Attaching and .LAS, .XYB, .FLS, and .FWS for Indexing).  Civil 3D uses a different processing engine with its Create Point Cloud command, so a raw data file can be processed into an external .ISD database file that Civil 3D will use for the Point Cloud’s definition. Because of this process, a larger variety of file formats can be used, including GIS data, existing database information, pre-defined manufacturer specific formats, and plain text format files.

With Trimble, Leica and Topcon, the manufacturer specific file formats are part of the default file type list available in Civil 3D. These files can be selected directly when used with the Create Point Cloud command. 

For FARO scan files, the .FWS and .FLS format files must first be indexed using the POINTCLOUD command, and then converted to a Civil 3D Point Cloud object. Although this is an extra step, Civil 3D does a good job of simplifying the process by providing access to the convert command through the Point Cloud’s contextual ribbon tab.

When requesting data from an outside source, it’s best to include specifics on what information and what file format you wish to receive data in. For example, many scanners may include color information, intensity values, and normal values for each point. If you wish to use the additional Point Cloud Styles that are linked to color or intensity information, that data should also be requested.  If you want to simplify your dataset to just what is necessary to generate a point cloud in your drawing, all that is required are X, Y, and Z (or N, E, Z) coordinates.

So as you can see, a Point Cloud isn’t always just a Point Cloud. Depending on where the data came from and what format it’s in, it may be an AutoCAD entity or it could be a Civil 3D Point Cloud object.

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Matt Miyamoto, P.E.
Infrastructure Solutions Application Specialist
Matt is a licensed Civil Engineer in the state of Hawaii. Matt obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and has 7 years of private sector design experience which he applies in his role as an application specialist with Ideate, Inc. His project experience includes residential and commercial site development, private and public sewer, water and drainage systems, harbors improvements, and roadway improvements. While in Hawaii, Matt was involved in multidisciplinary projects for City and County agencies, State Departments, the Army COE and private developers. @MattM_PE

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