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Freeze Drawing Extension

This extension is a very convenient tool that can be used in any of the Revit products: Revit Architecture, Revit Structure or Revit MEP.

The Freeze Drawings Extension provides facilities for the user to unlink the drawing from the object model, so the drawing will remain unchanged despite any changes in the Revit® Structure model.

With this tool you can easily in a couple of clicks generate drafting views out of the model views so if the model changes then you can freeze your details and reuse them on the same project or even on a new project by transferring the drafting view.

This tool will take any view (plan, section, detail) and will export to DWG and re-import into a drafting view, all behind the scenes. So it takes a model view and makes it a 2D line representation.

So if you are refering to sections or details you know are complete and wont change, it is worth a shot. Just keep in mind that when you make chnages to the model and expect these “frozen” drafting views to change, they wont

Free download improves functionality with latest versions of Autodesk Inventor, SolidWorks, and others.

Adobe is offering a free download that delivers updated 3D CAD translators for Acrobat 3D v8. As a result, Acrobat 3D now supports the latest versions of many of the major 3D CAD file formats, the company states.

The file formats updated include Autodesk Inventor, CoCreate OneSpace Designer, JT, SolidWorks, and UGS NX and I-deas. The download delivers several updated dynamic link libraries (DLLs) that provide support for more recent versions of CAD file formats when using Acrobat 3D v8 and Acrobat 3D Toolkit v8. It also reportedly fixes a number of bugs related to CAD format import in Acrobat 3D v8.

The update is for systems that have Acrobat 3D 8.1.1 or later installed. The updated translators incorporate technology Adobe gained as part of its 2006 acquisition of Trade & Technologies France.

The download and additional information are available at Adobe’s Web site.

In 2003 the General Services Administration (GSA), through its Public Buildings Service (PBS) Office of Chief Architect (OCA), established the National 3D-4D-BIM Program. OCA has led over 30 projects in its capital program, and is assessing and supporting three dimensional (3D), four-dimensional (4D), and Building Information Modeling (BIM) applications in over 35 ongoing projects across the nation. The power of visualization, coordination, simulation, and optimization from 3D, 4D, and BIM computer technologies allow GSA to more effectively meet customer, design, construction, and program requirements. GSA is committed to a strategic and incremental adoption of 3D, 4D, and BIM technologies.

There is a progression from 2D to 3D, 4D, and BIM. While 3D models make valuable contributions to communications, not all 3D models qualify as BIM models since a 3D geometric representation is only part of the BIM concept.

Critical to successful integration of computer models into project coordination, simulation, and optimization is the inclusion of information—the “I” in BIM—to generate feedback. As a shared knowledge resource, BIM can serve as a reliable basis for decision making and reduce the need for re-gathering or re-formatting information. GSA is currently exploring the use of BIM technology throughout a project’s lifecycle in the following areas: spatial program validation, 4D phasing, laser scanning, energy and sustainability, circulation and security validation, and building elements.

For all major projects (prospectus-level) receiving design funding in Fiscal Year 2007 and beyond, GSA requires spatial program BIMs be the minimum requirements for submission to OCA for Final Concept approvals by the PBS Commissioner and the Chief Architect. At the same time, all GSA projects are encouraged to deploy mature 3D, 4D, and BIM technologies—spatial program validation and beyond—at strategic project phases in support of specific project challenges.

The following are highlights of the GSA National 3D-4D-BIM Program:

• Establishing policy to phase in 3D, 4D, and BIM adoption for all major projects
• Leading 3D-4D-BIM pilot application on current capital projects
• Providing expert support and assessment for ongoing capital projects to incorporate 3D, 4D, and BIM technologies
• Assessing industry readiness and technology maturity
• Creating GSA-specific incentives for 3D-4D-BIM
• Developing solicitation and contractual language for 3D-4D-BIM service (for GSA Internal Use only)
• Partnering with BIM vendors, professional associations, open standard organizations, and academic/research institutions
• Constructing GSA BIM Toolkit
• Publishing BIM Guide Series
  • Series 01 – 3D-4D-BIM Overview
  • Series 02 – Spatial Program Validation
  • Series 03 - 3D Laser Scanning
• Formulating additional BIM Guide Series:
  • Series 04 - 4D Phasing
  • Series 05 - Energy Performance and Operations
  • Series 06 - Circulation and Security Validation
  • Series 07 - Building Elements
• Establishing knowledge portal community
• Building a community ofBIM Champions

CADD Centers of Florida Celebrates 25 Years as Autodesk Value-Added Reseller Success Built on Industry Insight and Autodesk Technology Innovation

Fort Lauderdale , Florida 2008 — CADD Centers of Florida today marked its silver anniversary as an Autodesk Value-Added Reseller (VAR) providing sales, service, training and technical support to the building, civil, gis and media and entertainment industries. As one of the first resellers to earn Autodesk VAR designation in 1982, CADD Centers of Florida has maintained a sterling track record of quality customer service and expertise that meets Autodesk’s high standards.

CADD Centers of Florida has grown faster than the industry average and is the largest independent CAD system integrator in the state of Florida. CADD Centers is committed to continue that growth by building on a reputation of quality and exceptional performance and has a proven track record of implementing, training and supporting companies in Florida for these 25 years.

CADD Centers of Florida has helped thousands of customers make the most of their Autodesk software investments over the years. That includes the introduction of forward-thinking approaches such as building information modeling (BIM), an integrated workflow built on coordinated, reliable information about a project from design through construction and into operations.

“From the outset, CADD Centers of Florida and Autodesk have shared a vision for technology’s potential impact on the business of design and a commitment to put customers’ needs front and center,” said Steven Blum, Senior Vice President, Americas Sales, and Autodesk. “Our shared approach has created a successful, long-term partnership and played an important role in the evolution of building information modeling for the architectural community.”

CADD Centers of Florida provides comprehensive solutions to companies just like yours. Many companies today are feeling the pressure of deadlines, having too much work or not having the proper tools or expertise to complete a task. Time is always of the essence. Whether you are a consultant, small to large firm, or even a government agency - we offer a wide variety of CAD-related services.

Autodesk is the world’s leading 2D and 3D design Software Company for the manufacturing, building and construction, and media and entertainment markets. Autodesk brought sophisticated design capabilities to the PC with AutoCAD software in 1982 and continues to build on that principle of innovation to help customers improve productivity throughout the design, construction, manufacture and management of projects. In addition, its developer partners offer thousands of niche applications that complement Autodesk products. Autodesk designates VARs based in part on their proficiency in promoting, demonstrating, installing and supporting Autodesk products, and provides VARs with business guidance, training, marketing support and incentives to deliver consistently high-quality service for the latest Autodesk applications.

It’s been awhile since my last post as I had some problems with my Tablet PC and an offline blogging tool. Long story…I’ll explain in a future post. In the meantime, I have been working very hard on a conversion process for one of our Revit-based projects. As I discovered through conversations with others at Autodesk University, it is not uncommon (from the Architect’s perspective) to convert a Revit project to AutoCAD (DWG) for the construction phase of a project. The following will highlight some of the reasons why one would convert a project, aspects of DWG export from Revit and things to beware of in Revit if you might be exporting it later.

Why Convert?The reasons are few, but simple and compelling. First, if a thorogh design development has been completed using Revit, very few design changes should be required during the course of construction. Second and probably most compelling is the staff during construction phase services. In many design firms a different - most often, more senior - team will handle a project in construction. These team members may not be familiar with Revit at all.Aspects of Revit’s DWG ExportRevit has the ability to export DWG, DGN, DXF and some other formats with a decent level of consistency; however, there are a few aspects to note before embarking on converting an entire project.

• Revit does not export DWGs in STB plot style format. If you require this format, be prepared to use some scripts or custom programming to assign your standard named plot styles.
• Revit assigns lineweight and linetype overrides at the entity level. Although there are other options to assign overrides to new layers or exclude overrides completely, they are not very useful. If you don’t use overrides, you lose all lineweights and linetypes anyway and using new layers for overrides only complicates a clean conversion by creating layers such as A-WALL-1, A-WALL-2, A-WALL-3, etc. If your standard use of CAD dictates using a plot style table for defining plotted lineweights, again be prepared to do some work.
• Using the “Shared” option for coordinates on exported files has no effect on plans when you’re exporting sheets. Data in model space of exported sheets is positioned only in relation to the paper space viewports.
• Lines within blocks are not on layer 0; they are on the layer of the category or sub-category of the entire component. This is particularly troublesome if families are made with confusing categorization. For example, an elevator door was made as a Specialty Equipment family, but with a sub-category called “Doors”. When exported, the lines within the block were on A-DOOR, but the block itself was inserted on layer A-EQPM.
• Text and Dimensions all export into the “Standard” style. There is no setting in Revit to modify this.
• Hatches for columns are exported onto the same layer as the column.

Pre-Conversion Tips for RevitIf you happen to be working on a Revit project and know (or even think) you will be exporting to CAD format, be aware of these potential pitfalls.

• Don’t use solid white Fill Regions to mask model elements in any views. The latest versions of Revit have the new Masking Region tool which will behave as expected (like a wipeout) when exported.
• Don’t coverup unwanted text or dimensions with opaque background text. AutoCAD does not have an analogous object, so you end up with two, overlapping text elements in the exported CAD file.
• Use appropriate sub-categories for custom families. If you have many custom families all under Generic Models, they will most likely be exported onto one layer.
• Try not to ‘fudge’ a design by drawing it with Model Lines or Detail Lines. These will export as line layers, not as building layers such as walls, doors or windows.
• Because unreferenced view tags cannot be hidden or removed during the exporting process, make it a habit to hide all temporary sections, callouts or elevations during your project. Hopefully, Autodesk will soon develop a way to mitigate this problem - perhaps by allowing visibility (on/off) access to the various view types within a project.
• Protect your export layers template file. Every time you use it to export CAD formats from Revit, it is appended with any additional data which may be in the Revit file at the time - including all linked and imported CAD files. This is an additive process ONLY. The export template will not ‘clean’ itself when it is needed for the next project. I usually create a clean master template then ZIP the file so no one can accidentally use it in a live Revit project.

Subscribed Links, formerly known as Search Add-ons offer a way for you to add information from additional sources or services to your Google search results. If someone is signed into their personal account that they set up on any google domain, then they could subscribe to a subscribed link offering under that account.
A subscribed link help users to see the top search results for various search subjects from his Search Engine Roundtable blog. When you search using queries that match your Subscribed Link, information from the provider will appear in your search results. Subscribed Links provide a means for web publishers to add information to the top of Google search results based on relevant search “triggers”. Web publishers do this by submitting a Subscribed Link URL or uploading a Subscribed Link file to Google, and by getting their users to “subscribe” to their Subscribed Link.  For example, if a user likes to travel and they find the content from certain major travel web sites to be particularly helpful, they would subscribe to those sites. By subscribing, they insure that the content of these sites will be brought to the top of search results when searching on relevant keywords.
One can display links to his services for the customers, provide news and status information updated in near-real-time, answer questions, calculate useful quantities, and more. To view a list of available Subscribed Links with example queries, visit the Subscribed Links directory.
Best Practice
Google does provide some guidelines for “best practices” when creating Subscribed Links. Perhaps the most important guideline is that Subscribed Links should only trigger on queries that are relevant to their content. Google feels very strongly about this, going so far as to say: “if your results flagrantly violate the principle of triggering only on relevant queries, Google reserves the right to disable their display entirely…”, per their Terms of Service.
 

Other guidelines include:

• The title of your output (Output name=”title”) should be in proper sentence case (first word capitalized, only proper nouns capitalized thereafter).
• In outputs, you should not make excessive use of capital letters and non-alphanumeric ASCII characters.
• Output body text (Output name=”text1″, Output name=”text2″, and Output name=”text3″) should provide information that is immediately useful and relevant to the defines queries. The output should not simply contain generic advertisements for your goods and services.
• Again, “If your results flagrantly violate these guidelines and produce a bad user experience, not only will users tend to remove them, but Google also reserves the right to disable your results entirely, as described in the Terms of Service.”
   

What you can do with Subscribed Links

• Create search results specific to your product, service, or expertise.
  Design a basic version in minutes to see how it works.
• Build a dynamic version using XML, TSV, or RSS files or feeds.
• Include images in your Subscribed Links.
• Include Google Gadgets in your Subscribed Links.
• Test your Subscribed Links interactively and get debugging messages.
• Define query patterns using lists of keywords or regular expressions.
• Invoke the calculator to help construct your results.
   

Benefits of subscribed links :

• Subscribed Links helps web publishers for easy availability of their contents to users. Additionally, it benefits them for placing their content at the top of Google search results above “generic” search results.
• It provides end users with a powerful means of enhancing their search experience and results, providing them with content from “trusted” sources and helping to filter out or push low value content down in search results.
• It should allow Google for supply of much more powerful and relevant search results to users over time, further enhancing the user search experience.
• Subscribed Links also gives end users the ability to “vote” on sites that they find to be valuable or authoritative. By going through the process of subscribing to a site, they are in essence casting a vote attesting to the value of that site.
• A distinctive benefit of Subscribed Links is that the content of low-value or spam web sites will be placed down in search results as high-value content is brought to the top. Web publishers who offer sites of little of no value, or who abuse Subscribed Links by using irrelevant search triggers to bring up their content, will be “punished” by end users who will not subscribe to their sites or will unsubscribe once they realize that the publisher is not providing any value.
   

How to Create a Subscribed Link
To enable Subscribed Links, click the “Preferences” link next to the main search box on the plain or Google home pages. Web Publishers create Subscribed Links by creating a Subscribed Link file. Google provides web publishers with three ways of creating Subscribed Links:

1. By creating a tab separated value (TSV) file
2. By submitting an RSS/Atom feed that has been augmented with special tags that define the keyword (search) “triggers”
3. By submitting a Subscribed Links file in XML format

Subscribed Links are submitted to Google in one of two ways:

1. By submitting a link feed URL. This is the method for submitting links for dynamic content   or for content files of over 500KB in size.
2. By uploading a Subscribed Links file. This is the method that is recommended for static content and content under 500KB in size.

Your Subscribed Links will appear in the fourth search result position. You can identify your Subscribed Link by the link that appears next to this result that reads “Manage my Subscribed Links.”
 

Subscribed Links has several new features:
Management from the Google Preferences page
New look and feel in the search results
Improved directory content
 

What does the Subscribed Links section of the Preferences page do?
This section of the Google Preferences page allows you to manage your Subscribed Links, which are specialized results that you can choose to display on your Google search results page. From the Preferences page, you can see a complete listing of the providers you’ve subscribed to, get more information about these Subscribed Links, or remove them from your account. You can also visit the Subscribed Links directory for a complete listing of available Subscribed Links.
 

Some drawbacks :

• When multiple Subscribed Links from different providers are triggered for the same query, only one of them will be displayed in full, with single links summarizing the others.
• If you’re searching for something that doesn’t trigger your Subscribed Link, it will not appear in your search results. Try reviewing the example queries that the Subscribed Link provider listed on their descirption page, which is accessible from the Subscribed Links directory.
• Make sure you’re signed in to your Google Account. You need to be signed in for your Subscribed Links to return in your search results.
   

Broken or spammy Subscribed Link :
If a Subscribed Link isn’t working properly, please report the issue on Google Subscribed Links group or try contacting the provider.
 

unsubscribe from a Subscribed Link :
You can manage your subscriptions from the My Subscriptions section of the Subscribed Links pages. To remove a Subscribed Link from your account, click the “Unsubscribe” button next to its logo.

Shop Fabrication Drawings are very similar to 2D drawings and are used for machine shops and contractors to build from.  The difference is Shop Fabrication drawings are created by using the actual 3D parts that are contained in the model.  The model should always be correct so the parts produced from the model will be correct in the “real life size” world.

In today’s fast paced construction fabricators are finding themselves facing tighter construction schedules and longer material lead times. Shop drawings are the backbone any fabrication industry. Obtaining architectural approval is only a small part of what a quality shop drawing provides. The drawings are a roadmap utilized by project managers and installers and can greatly affect the profitability of any project. Shop drawings includes plans, elevations, sections, installation details and notes.

Shop fabrication drawings provide the following pieces of information:

• A  2-D or isometric view of the spool piece to provide enough detail for manufacturing. Sections are provided where necessary
• A bill of materials for fabrication
• Field installation information, where required, such as a line tag number and field tie-in numbers
• Recommended support spacing and flange torque

Today’s demanding business environment is driving toward greater efficiency and integration in building industry supply chains. Owners are demanding better built buildings for less money in less time. Generating good quality building performance information at the early stage of the design process makes it easier to design sustainable, low-energy buildings. Revit MEP is the design and construction documentation solution for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineering.  

Revit MEP provides an interface where the user can assign construction and room-type properties for the building. Within the same interface, there is a new, built-in feature to calculate ASHRAE heating and cooling loads for the building. These loads are used to size HVAC plant and possibly ductwork sizes in the proposed design. IES provides the core engine for these calculations. 

Seamlessly collaborate with architects using Revit Architecture software in an intuitive design environment. Minimize coordination errors with architects and structural engineers using the Revit platform and building information modeling (BIM) workflows. And with BIM, provide better decision making and building performance analysis support for the engineer.The success of BIM for building design–as evidenced by the rapid adoption of BIM solutions such as Autodesk Revit Building–is redefining clients’ expectations of their MEP consultants. Similar to BIM for building and structural design, BIM for MEP is a design and documentation methodology characterized by the creation and use of coordinated, internally consistent computable information about a building’s MEP system in design and construction.

CAD outsourcing services and CAD Drafting have been a major sector where Indian outsourcing firms have proved their efficiency. Documentation, design and AEC  firms in the United States, United Kingdom and European countries are outsourcing their architectural & engineering projects at a regular basis. These firms are enjoying the benefits of not only the cost effective  production but the expertise that India has developed in over 2 decades of  experience.

In late eighties computerization of mapping data from land usage to tele-communication and road networks to risk management studies started globally for better analysis and reporting. In this way the importance of Geographic information system or GIS came into existence. While this GIS conversion or digitization was on peak, Other sectors as building industry, building services, architectural records and mechanical engineering documents were next to look to India. The raster to vector technology was used vastly for quicker production. Not later than this, the 3D parametric services were outsourced too in early nineties. The whole CAD industry was growing with better profits to their western counterparts. The industry went on peak by year 2000 an never looked back again.

According to CEO of 3Dcities India, the present situation is that engineering document is being drafted in India. The architecture design and detailing sector is developing dramatically. The major architecture firms have started accepting design assignments from American and European architecture firms. The intangible designs are provided to Indian architecture firms to involve and produce the complete set of design documents. Even services and presentations are being prepared in India. Architectural rendering firms in India have their parallel existence. It is most likely that soon the complete architecture services would be available under single roof in the near future.  The future looks promising for CAD firms in USA and European countries and the Indian CAD sector. Everyone seems to be enjoying better business and fruitful profits.

3dcities India, A leading and well known CAD Outsourcing company in India since 1999, clients from US, UK, and European countries. 3Dcindia has three experienced Department in CAD Sector, viz: Architecture, Civil Engineering and MEP.

Eastman Designs India, A leading and well known CAD Outsourcing company in India, clients from US, UK, and European countries. It has three experienced Department in CAD Sector, viz: Architecture, Engineering and 3D Modeling and expertise in Web Designing and Graphics Designing.

With the increasing complexity of designs, Product information modeling is regarded as a key enabling technology to achieve higher efficiency in the development of complex products. As a key participant in the design process, PIM play an integral role in a projects success. And, with Product Information Modeling (PIM) support manufacturers can focus on creating new products. PIM can be used as a frame of reference for the general problem of managing design data.

The model distinguishes between five orthogonal dimensions, which are each, when considered separately, quite simple.  In practice, however, two or more dimensions must be handled simultaneously to solve real-world problems. This turns out to be nontrivial because multiple fundamentally different solutions exist for each combination of two or more dimensions.

PIM can contribute to the creation of better quality solutions in the area of Design Data Management. In virtual enterprise companies, a wide variety of software systems are used at geographically distributed locations. In this environment of heterogeneous computer based systems, a crucial issue is the data communication and exchange between these systems. STEP offers an efficient mechanism of product data exchange between heterogeneous CAD/CAE/CAPP/CAM/CAx systems.

First, an architecture of this system is established using a three-layer architecture (application, logic and physical layers)recommended by STEP, and a new information model using database implementation approach is defined using STEP’s EXPRESS language, this model include GIM(General Information Model), SIM(Structure Information Model), SCM(Shape Construction Model), PFM(Physical Feature Model), MIM Management Information Model. Then, the database implementation method to information model is analyzed thoroughly, which include how to build data dictionary, how to transfer EXPRESS entity to base table in relational database and how to access product data in database. The information model and its application can make heterogeneous CAD system integrate more convenient.