3rd Party Programs

AutoCAD Revit MEP 2010 API - Design BIM to Manufacturing BIM. Autodesks new 2010 API opens the door for Estimating and Manufacturing directly to CAM-Duct and other TSI integrated solutions. Working with Autodesk development team we have bridged the gap between Design BIM and Manufacturing BIM by providing a direct path from design files created with AutoCAD Revit MEP 2010 HVAC, Pipe, and Plumbing to truly integrated database solutions CAM-Duct, CAD-Duct, EST-Duct, CAD-Mech, EST-Mech using new FAB-Duct and FAB-Mech software provide by Technical Sales International (TSI) 866-493-6337.Thanks Erik Lewis for pointing this out. This will be very interesting.http://whosafraidofthebigbadbim.blogspot.com/2009/07/revit-mep-to-fabrication.html

Autodesk Ecotect can measure how fundamental criteria, such as solar, thermal, shading, lighting, and airflow, will affect building performance in the conceptual and detailed phases of design. This capability to forecast building performance over time better equips architects and engineers to deliver more energy efficient and sustainable building designs.

Autodesk Ecotect is a separate program and is not integrated into AutoCAD or Revit. It does the calculations using the gbxml analysis data that is exported from the BIM model. So you need to setup your model with rooms if you're using Revit Architecture, and with spaces if you're using Revit MEP.

Below is a white paper on how to prepare your BIM model for the export to the gbxml file.

Building Performance Analysis Using Revit Whitepaper

Over the past eighteen months engineering teams from Autodesk and EastCoast have collaborated to develop the first fully embedded fabrication toolset for HVAC and Piping inside. AutoCAD MEP software, the version of AutoCAD software designed specifically for mechanical, electrical and plumbing designers and drafters Working together, AutoCAD MEP has been enhanced with spool drawing, real manufacturer content and duct fabrication. The end-user benefits include 100% software compatibility with Autodesk products, a single design and fabrication user interface, elimination of object viewers and a full life-cycle sustainable design process flow.

Click below to see their video demo
AutoCAD MEP Fabrication workflow demo, Dave Derocher

Click below to see their video demo
Power of AutoCAD MEP for drawing and modification for Sheet Metal, Randy Swaim

Click below to see their video demo
Power of AutoCAD MEP for drawing and modification for Piping, Randy Swaim

Whether you share Revit files across town or across the world, waiting has become a part of your day. Slow file access means lower productivity. Redundant files lead to accidental save-overs and lost work. Between the coffee breaks and costly re-work, the hidden costs are unimaginable...and we haven't even begun to talk about security or back-up.

Overcoming the challenges of multi-site collaboration
GlobalSCAPE WAFS allows users from all locations to access and share files over a WAN at LAN speeds. File replication ensures the same files exist at all locations while real-time file locking keeps users from overwriting files in use. As files are modified, changes are mirrored instantly using revolutionary byte-level differencing.

• Instant access to remote files with minimal bandwidth consumption
• File coherence with real-time file locking, file release, and synchronization
• Continuous back-up at the central server
• Instant access to newly created files anywhere on the WAN
• Offline availability with automatic sync upon re-connection
• Secure encryption keeps your sensitive data safe
• Completely transparent to end-users, no training required
• Easy installation, browser-based management, and firewall friendly(tunnel through HTTP/S)

Get started todayGlobalSCAPE WAFS can be set up and operational in a matter of hours. They want you to try it free for 30-days to see how well it can work for you. If you have any questions at all, please call them at 1-800-474-0116 (U.S.) or 978 474-9116 (international).

• Request a free trial
• Schedule a live demonstration
• Read our Frequently-Asked-Questions (FAQ)
• Contact our sales team

Vico Software announced that its 5D Virtual ConstructionTM solutions and services will be integrated with Autodesk's leading technology and solutions for the AEC industry. With the adoption of BIM accelerating, it is advantageous for General Contractors and Owners to have the combination of Vico's integrated 5D capabilities within the Autodesk solutions environment.

According to Clay Freeman, chief product officer at Vico, the initial focus of the partnership has been integrating Vico's Virtual Construction Suite with Autodesk Revit for Building Information Modeling. "We have a growing number of customers requesting that our virtual construction solutions work in conjunction with an Autodesk Revit model," says Freeman. "Today we are happy to announce that the integrated solution with Revit is demonstrable, and our intent is to support a wider range of capability offered by multiple Autodesk products in the future."

Together the solutions from Vico and Autodesk will enable building owners, general contractors, and construction managers to produce:

• Constructability and Coordination
• Model-derived quantities and location-based quantities
• Optimized project schedules
• Model-derived cost estimates

Vico has not announced a date for general availability. Freeman adds, "Integrating our virtual construction solutions with Revit is a very high priority, and we will be going to customer beta test soon. Importantly, our internal Virtual Construction Services team is already contracting work on projects using Revit models in conjunction with our software, so we are quite confident in the quality of the integrated solution."

Vico will publicly debut the integration of its Virtual Construction solutions and Autodesk Revit at the Autodesk University Conference next month. To see the Revit-based Virtual Construction in action, visit Vico at Booth 397 at Autodesk University, December 2-4, in Las Vegas.

Vico Software's award-winning Virtual Construction™ software and services help building owners and general contractors reduce risk, manage cost and shorten project schedules.
Vico Software’s 5D technology provides unprecedented integration of design, construction and management processes, thus improving project predictability - providing early identification of constructability problems; and synchronizing design, cost and schedule. With over three hundred customers and more than two hundred projects completed, Vico Software has a proven track record of delivering results.

1. Inputs for HVAC system characteristics such as supply cooling and heating temperatures, ventilation rates, fan characteristics, cooling and heating setpoints, duct sizing, and safety factors
2. Inputs for HVAC area (room) characteristics such as wall, window, roof, door, skylight, and partition areas. In addition, there are inputs for # of people, electrical appliances, infiltration, lighting, miscellaneous, exhaust, and plenum loads
3. Weather data from over 800 cities throughout the world
4. A complete u-value database for common wall, roof, window, floor, and door types
5. A complete appliance list for determining internal electrical equipment load contributions
6. Many reports including summary, detailed, psychrometric, wall/window breakdown, 24-hour load breakdown, and graphical reports
7. A feature that allows the user to export all inputs and outputs to custom Microsoft Word and Excel documents
8. Equipment selection
9. Support for both English (IP) and Metric (SI) units

CADaptation released the newest version of its CAD management software utility AecBatchStylesEditor 2009. The software brings its capabilities for editing multiple AEC styles and definitions in a single batch process to the Autodesk AutoCAD Architecture 2009 and AutoCAD MEP 2009 software platforms. The simplified workflow of AecBatchStylesEditor allows companies and individuals to configure, implement, maintain and upgrade their AEC CAD standards more easily.Features Summary

Most batch style edits performed by AecBatchStylesEditor generally begin with the workflow of: selecting an Object Type, a Source Style, and one or more Style(s) to Edit. Once this step is completed, Users may then configure a batch-edit scenario to be applied to the current Drawing by utilizing the controls of the various tabbed-windows, or "Editor Tabs", that are available in the user interface.

• Add Style-Based Property Sets, found in the Source Style, to the selected Style(s) to Edit.
• Remove Style-Based Property Sets from selected Style(s) to Edit that do not exist in the Source Style.
• Copy individual (Manual) Property Values from the Source Style, to the selected Style(s) to Edit.

Materials

Classifications

Display Properties

• Copy selected Display Properties from the Source Style, to the Style(s) to Edit.
• Copy selected Display Properties between Display Representations within each Style to Edit.
• Add Style Display Overrides found in selected Source Display Representations to the corresponding Display Representations in each Style(s) to Edit.
• Remove Style Display Overrides found in the Style(s) to Edit, not found in corresponding Display Representations in the Source Style.
• Select individual Entity & Hatch Component Properties to be included/excluded from the batch edit.
• Customize the copying of display settings across Display Representations.

Preferences

• Configure optional startup/close options
• Configure event logging options

Three editions of AecBatchStylesEditor software are available for purchase and download, starting at $175 per user. A free evaluation edition of AecBatchStylesEditor 2009 (EVAL) is also available for download to Web site users who register.

Contact Information

Email: info@cadaptation.com

URL: http://www.cadaptation.com

The import gbXML (Green Building XML) feature will import data into a TRACE 700 project file based on building dimensional information exported from a CAD drawing. The CAD software must have the capability of generating a XML file that meets the Green Building XML requirements such as AutoCAD MEP.

The generated TRACE file will have the rooms defined (floors, walls, windows, etc). Note that users have the option of selecting what data to import from the CAD model into TRACE. The user will then need to define the template information for the file (internal load information, construction types and ventilation airflows) to refine the room inputs. After running the simulation, output information from the TRACE program can be exported back to the CAD model (space airflows, heat/cooling loads, etc.).

The gbXML standard is in the process of being accepted by most CAD vendors. Autodesk and Bentley will likely be the first two vendors to use this feature. The import has been implemented in TRACE for a few years now (leading the industry) and the export functionality is available in version 4.1.5 or greater.

C.D.S. has completed similar development with VariTrane Duct Designer. VDD can now import files using ddXML. Analysis can then be performed on the duct design and sizing/pressure detail information can be returned directly to the CAD model through an export feature in the program. For additional information on VariTrane Duct Designer or ddXML call the C.D.S. support center at 608-787-3926 or e-mail at: cdshelp@trane.com . For additional information specific to gbXML go to http://www.gbxml.org/ .

Exporting gbXML data from AutoCAD MEP

1. Open the drawing file in the AutoCAD MEP in this case.

Note: Verify that the latest version of AutoCAD MEP is installed before beginning this process. Autodesk products are updated with Live Update, which downloads patches to your product using Communication Center. Users can use Live Update to check for updates when a web connection is established. If a product patch is available, notification of its availability is received on the AutoCAD status bar, and the patch can be either downloaded directly from an Autodesk server or modified first before being copied to users' workstations.

2. Go to the File drop down menu and select Export to gbXML.

3. Select the location to export the gbXML data to, the number of zones to export, input the building type and zip code, then press the Start button to begin the export process.

4. When finished, press the Close button and exit out of AutoCAD MEP.

5. Using Windows Explorer, place the gbXML export file into the TRACE 700 Projects directory, typically this will be C:\CDS\TRACE700\Projects.

Importing gbXML data in TRACE 700

1. Open TRACE 700 and start a new file. This can be done by going to the File drop down menu, clicking on New, then TRACE 700, then entering a name for the file, and clicking on Open.

Note: Verify that the latest version of TRACE 700 is installed before beginning this process. Updates can be downloaded by going to the Help drop down menu, selecting Trane on the Web, and choosing Check for Updates or visiting the Download Center at http://www.tranecds.com/.

2. Go to the File drop down menu and select Import gbxml…

3. Navigate to the .xml file that was created during the export from AutoCAD MEP and click on Open.

Note: If errors occur during the import process please install the latest MSXML from Microsoft from http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;sp

4. Select the desired information to import from the gbXML file and click OK.

5. Note any error messages that occur during the import process and click OK. Make sure to verify the inputs that relate to the error messages in TRACE input file. In this case, ventilation airflows were input in two ways in the CAD file, therefore one of the methods was selected to be used in the import.

7. Verify/refine the inputs in Create Rooms and/or use Templates to make changes in mass (see How to Use Templates.doc for details on how templates work).

Note: Due to the gbXML import, the vast majority of inputs for Create Rooms will have been filled out during the import process. Also, note that 75+ percent of the time that it takes to input a file is typically spent in Create Rooms and the gbXML import can reduce this time by more than two thirds.

8. Add additional details to the airside systems in Create Airside Systems.

Note: For details on how to model different airside systems, please refer to the TRACE 700 Modeling Guide.

9. Reassign the rooms to the refined systems in Assign Rooms to Systems (see the document Zoning in TRACE.doc for details on how to zone rooms in TRACE). From this point on, the TRACE project file will function as a typical TRACE 700 file.

Note: For details on creating cooling and heating plants please refer to the TRACE 700 Modeling Guide.

Note: For details on inputting utility rate information see How to Create Utility Rates.doc.

Exporting gbXML data from TRACE 700

1. Open TRACE 700, open the project file (filename.trc), and calculate at least the design section.

2. Go to the file drop down menu and select Export gbxml…

3. Select the existing .xml file that was used during the import process

4. When the export is complete, the information for the rooms plus zones will have been exported to the xml file.

Importing gbXML data in AutoCAD MEP

1. Open AutoCAD MEP and open the drawing file.

2. Go to the File drop down menu and select Import from gbXML…

3. Select the xml file to import that data from and click on Open.

4. TRACE 700 calculation data should now be included with the drawing file.

GbXML Results Exported From TRACE 700

• Room
  • Space Loads - These loads can be found in the space loads section of the Room Checksums Report.
  • Cooling Skylite Solar
  • Cooling Skylite Conduction
  • Cooling Roof Conduction
  • Cooling Glass Solar
  • Cooling Glass Conduction
  • Cooling Wall Conduction
  • Cooling Partition
  • Cooling Exposed Floor
  • Cooling Infiltration
  • Cooling Lights
  • Cooling People
  • Cooling Miscellaneous Equipment
  • Cooling Ceiling
  • Cooling Ventilation
  • Cooling Over-sizing
  • Total Cooling
  • Heating Skylite Solar
  • Heating Skylite Conduction
  • Heating Roof Conduction
  • Heating Glass Solar
  • Heating Glass Conduction
  • Heating Wall Conduction
  • Heating Partition
  • Heating Exposed Floor
  • Heating Infiltration
  • Heating Lights
  • Heating People
  • Heating Miscellaneous Equipment
  • Heating Ceiling
  • Heating Ventilation
  • Heating Over-sizing
  • Total Heating
  • Coil Loads – These values come from the System Component Selection Report.
  • Main Cooling Coil Tonnage (if main cooling coil is at the room level)
  • Auxiliary Cooling Coil Tonnage (if auxiliary coil is present in system)
  • Main Heating Coil Mbh (if main coil is at the room level)
  • Preheat Coil Mbh (if preheat coil is at the room level)
  • Reheat Coil Mbh (if reheat coil is at the room level)
  • Humidification Coil Mbh (if humidification coil is present in system)
  • Auxiliary Heating Coil Mbh ( if auxiliary coil is present in system)
  • Fan Airflow – These values come from the System Component Selection Report
  • Primary Fan (if fan is at the room level)
  • Auxiliary Fan (if system required)
  • Room Exhaust Fan (user specified)
  • Diffuser

Additional questions regarding TRACE 700, gbXML, Varitrane Duct Designer, and/or ddXML should be directed to the C.D.S. Support Center - cdshelp@trane.com or 608-787-3926.

Subscription customers can download Autodesk Impression for free from their Autodesk Subscription website.Impress your colleagues and clients with compelling presentation-ready graphics created directly from your DWG™ and DWF™ files. Autodesk Impression software is easy to use, saves you time, and recognizes data from your CAD files. Autodesk Impression 2 software is available to AutoCAD®, AutoCAD® Architecture, AutoCAD® Civil 3D®, AutoCAD® Map 3D, AutoCAD® MEP and AutoCAD® Revit Architecture Suite software products’ subscription customers.Benefits of Impression include:

• Generate Great-Looking Images—Fast. Presentation graphics are about winning business. Your images have to sell your projects. With Impression you can easily apply graphical styles to your CAD files using prebuilt styles or customized styles that you create—from pencil styles to watercolor fills.
• CAD Compatible - Because Impression understands CAD data, the illustration process is much faster than with general-purpose graphics applications. Open any DWG or DWF file in Impression. Impression recognizes blocks, layers, hatches and other CAD-specific data.
• Easy to Learn and Use - Impression is designed so that anyone in the office can learn the application in minutes and can get great results right away.
• Quickly Create Multiple Design Iterations - Quickly update your presentation graphics when designs change or apply your signature style to all the drawings that you produce.
• Integrate Into Existing Workflow - Impression fits easily into your existing workflow and is interoperable with many popular graphics applications.

Subscription users can download from their subscription website, this plug-in provides Electrical design engineers with a tool for importing lighting configurations made using DIALux; one of Europe’s leading lighting design, calculation and analysis tools. This plug-in exports spatial geometry facilitating model production in DIALux and imports lighting fixture layouts, assigning manufacturer specific information, via exchange file. This facilitates the design and layout of lighting configurations for AutoCAD MEP 2009 subscription users.DIALux Plug-In CommandsThe DIALux plug-in is designed for AutoCAD MEP 2009. As such, it loads and executes with this release only. The plug-in provides two, command line tools:

• DialuxExport - This command exports AutoCAD MEP 2009 spaces as rooms to an external file that can be imported into the DIALux application.
• DialuxImport - This command imports lights from DIALux, by reading an external file into AutoCAD MEP 2009.

Exporting Spaces from AutoCAD MEPTo begin exporting spaces from AutoCAD MEP to DIALux, you must first open a drawing containing valid spaces objects (or create these as required). Next, follow the steps outlined below to export spaces to DIALux as rooms.

1. Type DialuxExport at the command line. This action prompts for space objects,as illustrated in Figure 1. Select one or many spaces to export, using standard AutoCAD selection methods. Once complete, press Enter to continue – this action displays the Select Export STF Files dialog box.
2. In the Select Export STF File dialog, specify an export filename and click Save. This file has an STF (Setup Information Files) extension and can be imported directly into the DIALux application, sharing AutoCAD MEP spaces as DIALux rooms. This process helps speed the production of room objects in DIALux.

Importing Rooms into DIALuxThe STF file exported from AutoCAD MEP can contain one or many spaces. When imported into DIALux, DIALux uses the data to create a series of rooms. Each room has the same name as its corresponding space in AutoCAD MEP. The following lists the steps necessary to import this file into DIALux and create rooms.

1. Open the DIALux application
2. From the File menu, chose Open. In the dialog that appears, ensure the file type is set to STF Files (*.stf) and navigate to the location of your file, as illustrated in Figure 3. Figure 3 – Open STF Files in DIALux
3. Click Open to open the STF file and read all spaces into DIALux into as rooms. Please refer to the DIALux documentation for information on creating and opening projects and using this application.

Using DIALuxA key feature of the DIALux application is its ability to link to manufacturer databases of lighting fixtures. These databases can be downloaded locally as plug-ins or accessed across the internet. Lighting fixtures can also be loaded into a current project through manufacturer specific portals, such as that illustrated in Figure 4.Figure 4 – Manufacturer Specific PortalsLights can be inserted individually into a project, or as groups of lights in lines or arrays. Figure 5 illustrates a typical view of a room in DIALux with the ‘3D Light Distribution Display’ and ‘False Color’ options enabled.Figure 5 – Lighting Layout in DIALuxImporting Lights in AutoCAD MEP 2009Once the lighting analysis has been completed in DIALux and all lights positioned, the project can be exported back to an STF file. To export DIALux data, and import it into AutoCAD MEP:-

1. From the File menu choose the Export option and Save STF File (Figure 6).
2. In the dialog presented, enter the name of the STF file for export. Figure 6 – Exporting STF Files from DIALux
3. This file can now be imported into AutoCAD MEP 2009.
4. At the AutoCAD MEP command line, type DialuxImport
5. In the Select Import STF File dialog that appears, navigate to the saved STF file.
6. Select this file and then click Open to import lighting fixtures, as illustrated in Figure 7.

Each light defined within the STF file will be inserted as an AutoCAD MEP lighting device. Devices can have view dependant display representations, allowing them to appear differently in plan or model view. The devices used for DIALux lighting fixtures have a simple representation, as illustrated in Figure 8.Each light imported from DIALux has its manufacturers name and model information automatically attached through a standard property set. This information can then be scheduled using AutoCAD MEP tables, or devices added to circuits to aid with load calculations.Figure 8 – Lighting Devices in AutoCAD MEPAppendixThe DIALux application does not need to be installed to prepare an export file from AutoCAD MEP. An export application is available from DIAL Gmbh, Germany. http://www.dialux.com/