Are You Wasting Money Finding Revit Objects

If you've ever asked yourself this question or if you've never even thought about it, I suggest reading THIS ARTICLE from Dennis Neeley of Reed Construction Data titled "You are Wasting Your Money".  If this question seems like it's not for you, pass it on to your CAD/Revit/BIM Manager...or whoever you think would like to know the answer to this!

Reed has a survey out that has allowed them to get information about this very question. You can take the survey (Click here to start the survey) and help build the database.

Here is a very small snippet of the article, but you can see in the chart how quickly looking for and/or creating objects can add up!

The chart below translates the survey results into dollars, your wasted dollars. For these calculations, it is assumed the employee is costing you $40 and hour (fully loaded, salary, benefits, occupancy and taxes). Soon, Reed will have a tool on our Internet site where you can plug in your specific office numbers to see what objects and object management are costing your firm.

Now sure, Reed is going to use SmartBIM Library in this article because it's a product they sell and would help reduce some of these costs.  But the point (in my opinion) is that anyway you can decrease the time it takes to work with families (whether it's searching, creating or modifying) can save you money.  Maybe it's better organization using Windows Explorer?  Maybe it's an intranet site, or whatever you can use to share families with everyone in the office.  If a family is added to the library, why not send a notification to everyone so it doesn't get re-made?

Anyway you look at it, becoming more efficient and saving money now will not only keep costs low in the current economy, but will continue to save money for a long, long time...especially when the library get's larger and more and more users are in the mix!

http://www.reedconstructiondata.com/articles/read/you-are-wasting-your-money/

What's New in Revit Architecture 2010

**EDIT** Please see this post as the public download is now available! **EDIT**

I completely over-looked this info (somehow) in my zip file of goodies from the Autodesk Press release on Feb. 6.  This expands a little more on the new features from the previous post for the Press Release.

NOTE: This information was obtained through the Autodesk Press Release and cannot be discussed or explained in any further detail than the information I've already posted about.  As I've mentioned before, I will be posting an update once the confidentiality agreement has been lifted.

What’s New

Conceptual Design Enhancements

• New and innovative conceptual design features provide easier-to-use tools for freeform modeling and parametric design, and the ability to support the earliest design analyses.
• Sketch freely, create 3D forms more quickly and manipulate forms interactively.
• Prepare models for fabrication and construction with built-in tools for conception and clarification of complex forms. New tools to divide, pattern and panelize designs make forms more buildable.
• Autodesk Revit Architecture automatically builds a parametric framework around your most complex forms as you continue to design, offering you greater levels of creative control, accuracy and flexibility.
• Users can now take designs from concept model all the way to construction documents within one intuitive environment and user interface.

Improved User Interface

• New streamlined user interface helps users find favorite tools and commands faster, locate lesser-used tools more efficiently and discover new features more easily.
• Customizable Quick Access Toolbar allows one-click access to a user’s favorite and most frequently used tools.
• The ribbon feature is organized around the way designers work, enabling users to find the tools to accomplish tasks without searching all over the user interface.
• Consistent user interfaces between most Autodesk software applications allows users to move between programs more smoothly.

Performance and Interoperability

• New native 64-bit support enhances the software’s ability to handle large projects and improve performance and stability for memory-intensive tasks such as rendering, printing, model upgrading and file importing and exporting.
• Expanded API (application programming interface) support.
• Export to AutoCAD® Civil 3D® software and import from Autodesk® Inventor® , while preserving parametric data.
• gbXML (green building XML) improvements allow users to

Creating Revit Curtain Wall Mullion Profiles

Have you ever wondered how to get a Curtain Wall Mullion to display like the adjacent image?  I've had a few people ask how to accomplish this and it's really quite easy to do.

The first thing is selecting the correct family template for the profile that you want to make, which for Curtain Wall Mullions is Profile-Mullion.rft.  When you start with this template, it has some text that helps you figure out where to draw the profile.

 

As you can see in the image to the left, I've noted basically what the above mentioned template says...Curtain Panels are trimmed to where the profile sketch intersects the Center (Front/Back) Ref Plane.

 

 

 

So instead of placing the profile like the previous image, place the Panel portion of the mullion centered on the reference plane, it will break the panel at with that width instead of the overall width of the mullion.

Remember, the insertion point of the profile is where the two reference place intersect, so you'll have to utilize the Offset Parameter in the Type Properties to get the mullion in the correct location.  Also, don't forget to throw in some parameters of your own to the profile to create different types (sizes)...whether it's panel thickness, width, depth, etc.

Autodesk Press Release - Revit Architecture 2010

Autodesk conducted a virtual press conference on Friday, February 6, 2009 and announced new versions of its software products for the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industries.  If you weren't able to attend the webcast, here's some info they shared on Revit Architecture 2010...

NOTE: Under the terms of the non-disclosure agreement, the features that are about to be shown cannot be explained or discussed any further.  As soon as the confidentially agreement is lifted, I will explain some of the new features further!

Availability
Product availability will vary by country.  Details and purchasing options will be accessible starting March 24, 2009.

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 Software (BIM for architects and designers) enables customers to more accurately capture early design concepts with improved design functionality via:

• An intuitive conceptual design workspace to create complex geometry more easily.
• A new user interface (UI) that works the way designers think, providing a smoother and more continuous design workflow.
• Improved interoperability with programs such as AutoCAD Civil 3D 2010 software, Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2010 software and Autodesk Inventor software.

The new version (actually the entire Revit platform) offers a streamlined new user interface that optimizes workflow and increases discover-ability of new tools.

 

 

New conceptual design features allow you to sketch freely, create 3D models quickly, and take your design from concept to construction documentation all in one environment.

 

 

 

 

The new conceptual design features also help you to prepare models for fabrication and construction with built-in tools for dividing, patterning and panelizing complex forms.