Using Revit as a Team. Use Same Builds.

When using Revit on a project, make sure everyone on the team is using not only the same version, (2011, 2012, etc), but the same build number as well.  The build number can be found by clicking on the question mark pull down in the upper right corner, and click the About button….

From there, you’ll see the splash screen of the version, and the build.  The first 4 numbers in the year the build was released, (2010) The next 2 are the month of the release, (09-September), the next 2 are the day of the release, (03-third).  The last four are the actual build number 2115, and the service pack number is new to the newer versions.  Might not be shown for earlier versions.

 

I’ve seen fatal errors in Revit when teams are using the same version, but different build numbers, and users are syncing their builds local file to the central file, and the central file is receiving updates from multiple builds, when there have been some changes to the software code, and there is a discrepancy  between two items, one new version, one old version, and Revit doesn’t know what to do. 

In order to make sure everyone is using the same build, everyone should be using the latest build.  For 2011, its build 20100903_2115 Web Update 2 Service Pack.  For 2012, it’s build 20110916_2132 Update Release 2.

Book Review: Mastering Autodesk Revit MEP 2011

Revit MEP has been out since August 2006, or almost 5 years now.  And new versions are usually released in mid-April.  This coming version will be the 7th release.  While the software has been around for a while, there hasn't been any good advanced documentation or books on the software.  In 2008, while attending AU, I was approached by a book publisher to write a Revit MEP book because so many people were asking for one, and none existed.  While I was excited about the opportunity, I couldn't find time in my schedule with a two year old and a newborn.

Over the last year, I've started to see some new books come out on Revit MEP.  But the one that is above the others is this one by Don Bokmiller, Marvin Titlow and Simon Whitbread.  I've done Revit MEP training with the AOTC courseware since the software was first released in 2006, and I wish that I had a resource like this book to train from.  While there is a learning curve of the basics, this book takes users to the next level and shows how Revit MEP is used in real world projects from start to finish, and not just showing you how to do a couple simple tasks that are part of a smoke-and-mirrors dataset.

I always say there are two types of people looking for knowledge on Revit MEP, and you must adjust your training accordingly.  There is the end user, who wants to know how do connect equipment, duct, pipe, lights, etc and read the engineering data that is generated from those connections.  Then there is the BIM manager, who wants to know how to get the equipment and connections to display correct for construction documents, and the engineering data to calculate correctly, and get projects to run quickly and efficiently.  But sometimes knowledge of how Revit works in the background is helpful for both types of end users of the software. And this book accomplished that.

While some books only apply to one type of Revit user, I really recommend this book for all users of Revit MEP.  It's in depth, and applies to all types of Revit users.  Even when a new Revit software version is released, this book will still be relevant.

This paperback book can be purchased directly from the publisher here:

http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470626372.html

or an Adobe E-Book can be purchased and downloaded from the publisher here:

http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1118006909,descCd-ebook.html

or a paperback book from Amazon here:

http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Autodesk-Official-Training-Guides/dp/0470626372

AutoCAD Revit MEP Suite

• VER      BUILD                NAME     
• 1.0       2006 04 01    (Revit Systems 1) (1)
• 2.0       2006 09 01    (Revit Systems 2) (2)
• 2008    2007 04 12    (Revit MEP 2008, AutoCAD MEP 2008) (3)
• 2009    2008 04 15    (Revit MEP 2009, AutoCAD MEP 2008) (4)
• 2010    2009 04 16    (Revit MEP 2010, AutoCAD MEP 2010) (5)
• 2011    2010 04 16    (Revit MEP 2011, AutoCAD MEP 2011) (6)  

Dependent Views, Matchlines, and View References in Revit: by Reid Addis

Dependent Views, Matchlines, and View References in Revit

Author: Reid Addis, Microsol Resources
Date Published: March 24, 2009

Autodesk University Article Link

Dependent Views were added to Revit in Release 2008. The concept behind Dependent Views is to allow you to maintain consistent annotation and View Scale among the main and dependent views while permitting independent crop regions for each view. A secondary result is that Dependent Views allow you to place different cropped portions of the overall View on different sheets while maintaining consistency of annotation and scale across sheets.

Normally when you simply Duplicate a view with Detailing, all of the annotation (text, dimensions, tags, etc.) become independent from the original view along with the View Scale. Thus if you change the value of the original object (adjust a dimension or edit text or delete a Room Tag) in one view, it has no effect on the duplicated object in the independent duplicated view.

This is not the case with Dependent Views. The annotation and view scale are identical across all the views. Change the view scale in ANY dependent or parent view, and it changes the view scale in ALL the dependent and parent views. In addition, the annotation is identical as well, so a change in ANY view again affects that same object in ALL views.

Using the “Getting Started” tutorial that comes with Revit Architecture 2009, I’ve created some Dependent Views of the Lower Level:

View 1

For clarity, I’ve turned on the Crop Region in the Parent View and added some Filled Regions to show the Dependent View Crop Regions. The “purple” area in the center indicates where these two regions overlap. This is where we will add a Matchline and View References in the Parent View to help coordinate locating these adjacent views when placed on different sheets.

Below are the two Dependent Views with the Matchline displayed that was added in the Parent view from the Drafting rollout of the Design Bar:

View 2

In the Parent View, from the Drafting rollout on the Design Bar, I will place a View Reference on each side of the Matchline.

View 3

Notice that as you place the View Reference, the Option Bar gives you the ability to specify which Dependent View is being referenced. Thus the View Reference placed in the West view will target the East view, and visa versa.

Equally critical is making sure that you actually have a Tag loaded from the View Reference Family. By default, this is set to and thus will fail to work.

View 4

The final step is to place these Dependent Views on Sheets, then watch how the View References update to include this information.

View 5

Notice that the View References now show which View and Sheet number the Matchline adjacent view is on.

View 6

I hope this clears up any confusion you may have had about Dependent Views, Matchlines, and View References.

Family Jewels Blog - Creating Quality BIM Content for Revit MEP

A new Autodesk Website dedicated to BIM Content.  Familiy Jewels - Creating Quality BIM Content

I've talked to a lot of users who have dabbled in Revit MEP, and have quit saying they will try again when Revit gets more family content.  I don't remember AutoCAD coming with blocks back in the day.  We ended up creating all of our AutoCAD blocks to match our company standard.  It was a 25 year process.  Every company seems to have their own standard which varies from the National CAD Standard, or even the National BIM Standard.  If people end up waiting for someone to create all the content needed for for Revit MEP, you'll be waiting forever and never use the program.  The idea of waiting for someone else to make my content didn’t seem to be a proactive approach.  It's going to be another 25 year process of creating BIM content.  A job that will never be complete.  So getting started as soon as possible seems to be the best approach before falling behind.

People who have been using Revit Architecture or Revit MEP for a long period of time have either modeled from scratch or heavily customized nearly every family that is used in their projects. This means every piece of mechanical equipment, valve, air terminal, electrical device, lighting fixture, plumbing fixture, annotative tag, schedule, parameter and view reference.  These users have done this not because they want to work with Revit, but because they want Revit to work for them.  So how do you get Revit MEP work for you? One way is to seach for content directly from the manufacturer like Greenheck Fan, or by using Autodesk's Seek website.  But the other way is by creating your own families. The families you create can be as simple as a box, yet still provide information about a mechanical system and help with coordination of your BIM model.

This blog will feature some tips and tricks of creating quality content, some free content, some links to manufacturer Revit content, and all sorts of information related directly to BIM content.

Autodesk Publishes Framework to Help AEC Professionals Implement BIM Process

The Autodesk BIM Deployment Plan is a Free, Web-accessible Resource Offering Tools and Guidance Based on Real-World Practices for building industry professionals interested in implementing Building Information Modeling (BIM). Tools offered in this resource provide a practical framework for AEC stakeholders, and can be used by individual organizations on specific projects. The BIM Deployment Plan includes:

• BIM support materials for owners, architects, engineers, and contractors
• Templates to streamline multi-discipline communications
• Recommendations for roles and responsibilities
• Best business process examples
• Software suggestions for an effective BIM environment

DOWNLOAD the BIM Deployment Plan Here

SAN RAFAEL, Calif - Autodesk, Inc has announced the availability of its Autodesk BIM (Building Information Modeling) Deployment Plan: A Practical Framework for Implementing BIM, a new web-accessible resource for building industry professionals. Aimed at all AEC stake-holders, including owners, architects, engineers and contractors, the free guide includes support materials and a framework based on real-world applications of BIM. Tools offered include templates to help manage multi-discipline communications within a BIM project, as well as suggestions for the roles and responsibilities of each party in a BIM process-based project, best business process examples and suggested software to support an effective BIM environment.



“The BIM Deployment Plan is helping us develop a BIM implementation process best suited for the technology needs of the project and tailored to the abilities of the players involved. It is also helpful in defining clear roles and responsibilities for the execution of workflows on our jobs.”



As the building industry continues to evolve, technologies such as visualization, simulation and analysis are fundamentally changing how projects get delivered. Now more than ever, collaboration and transparency are essential and effective for anticipating and reducing problems related to cost overruns, schedule, scope and quality. Autodesk has been at the forefront of BIM technology adoption including the creation of a portfolio of software products that facilitate a BIM solution.



“New technology is creating enormous opportunities for the building industry to improve processes and outcomes, and many organizations still need guidance on how to share information as well as streamline project communications,” said Phil Bernstein, FAIA, Autodesk vice president of building industry strategy & relations. “The Autodesk BIM Deployment Plan was designed to help companies navigate the entire process via one collaborative framework and subsequently deliver projects faster, more economically and with reduced environmental impact.”



“As strong advocates of BIM, we can develop building design strategies that are extremely well integrated and coordinated, substantially increasing our efficiency and lessening the building time – all of which allow us more time to create inspiring designs for our clients,” said Dick Thomas, vice president at SHP and executive director of 2enCompass. “Now taking this a step farther, The Autodesk BIM Deployment Plan has helped us further advance BIM project implementation by better documenting stakeholder roles and responsibilities and most importantly, helping us deliver the right information from the project model to the right people at the right time to drive our project forward.”



“Communication and collaboration amongst strategic team players is vital to the success of our projects,” said Mark Konchar vice president at Balfour Beatty Construction, Washington division. “The BIM Deployment Plan is helping us develop a BIM implementation process best suited for the technology needs of the project and tailored to the abilities of the players involved. It is also helpful in defining clear roles and responsibilities for the execution of workflows on our jobs.”

Download the Revit Model Style Guide V2.1

From Autodesk's Seek Manufacturers website, you can find the latest Revit Model Style Guide.

Autodesk has put out another revised version of the Model Style Guide. The purpose of this guide is to define Autodesk guidelines and standards for model content creation in Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, and Revit Structure. Model content refers to the two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional standard component families that are used to create elements that represent manufactured content (for example, windows, furnaces, heat pumps, and structural steel members).

By following the guidelines and standards in this guide, content creators will ensure the portability and performance of their content, and fulfill the necessary distribution requirements for the Autodesk Seek web service. The Autodesk Seek web service requires:

• the uniform display of products offered by a single manufacturer
• complete, consistent, and accurate presentation of product data across manufacturers
• the full use of Autodesk Seek search capabilities

Go with the leaders. Working with industry experts and standards organizations, Autodesk has developed the Revit Model Style Guide to help you develop consistent, useful Revit models that design professionals can use with confidence.

Revit Model Style Guide
(zip - 3910Kb)

Implementing Autodesk® Revit® MEP: A to Z

Implementing Autodesk® Revit® MEP: A to Z


Event Year: Autodesk University 2009
Class ID: MP322-1

Primary Speaker: Todd Shackelford

Class Information
Class Type: 90-Minute Class
Expertise: Intermediate
Industry: Building
Primary Track: MEP Design and Engineering
Primary Software: Revit MEP

Class Audience
CAD managers, IT managers, and engineering professionals

Class Description
This class will outline a framework for transitioning to Revit MEP. From setting expectations and defining goals for Revit, building information modeling (BIM) and integrated project delivery (IPD) to plotting the construction documents, we will walk through the checklist of elements required to help Revit really work in your office. Along the way, this class will demonstrate how to defuse the landmines of a Revit implementation, and some clever Revit tricks will be exposed to smooth the transition.

Key Learning

• Understanding the role of Revit MEP in BIM and IPD
• Creating a Revit MEP template for success
• Creating MEP Families that work for you
• Revit MEP transition tips
• What not to do

Autodesk Revit Model Review

From Subscription Only...

Automate the process of reviewing and auditing building information modeling (BIM) projects in Autodesk® Revit® Architecture 2010, Autodesk® Revit® MEP 2010, or Autodesk® Revit® Structure 2010 software with the Autodesk® Revit® Model Review plug-in:

• Check the accuracy and consistency of a model against standards set by your firm, your clients, or industry best practices.
• Correct inconsistencies with a single click or with instructions provided when manual fixes are required.