dODDS and ENDS

Join the the Autodesk Virtual Event

Join us for the Autodesk Virtual Event on March 29, 2012. See how Autodesk BIM solutions are transforming the building and construction industries.

With tight budgets, project complexity, and short timelines, the building and construction industry is under pressure. It’s time to move forward or risk falling behind. Building Information Modeling (BIM) and new technologies are changing what’s possible. With our latest software releases, Autodesk^® helps you lead the way in transforming your business now and into the future.

This year’s event features sessions from Autodesk executives, as well as building and construction experts, including:

• Review of Strategic Initiatives for Autodesk by Carl Bass, Amar Hanspal, and Lynn Allen
• Building a Better Architecture Business with BIM, by Joy Stark
• BIM for Building Engineering, by Sarah Hodges
• Implementing BIM in Construction, by Anthony Governanti

Register now: http://experience.autodesk.com/build/

Autodesk Construction Solutions Videos

Often we create these great informational videos and place them on You Tube. So I thought it would be a good idea to pull a few of them together and share. There are also additional webcasts and videos located on the Autodesk Construction landing page (http://www.autodesk.com/constructionsolutions)

Preconstruction Modeling w/ BIM:
Preconstruction modeling is one of the fastest-growing practices in the field of construction today. Contractors, owners, designers, and consultants are all rapidly adopting the technique of building a virtual model of the project, either in whole or in part, before it's built in the real world. In this webcast we will look at what preconstruction modeling is, why it's so popular, and how you can use it on your projects

Top 5 Ways Your Project Will Benefit from BIM Execution Planning:
In the following video, "Top Five Ways Your Project Will Benefit From BIM Execution Planning," you will learn about the key components of a BIM Execution Plan, and what it can do to improve your business. In addition, you will hear from a construction professional who will share real-world experiences in implementing a plan.

Autodesk Construction Solutions w/ BIM:
Less risk, less rework, less delay. More predictability, more accuracy, and more confidence. Watch this free screencast to learn how less is more with BIM.

Become More Efficient and Effective with Autodesk BIM Solutions for Construction Professionals:
Build with confidence, and do more with less. Watch this on-demand screencast to learn how to harness the power of Autodesk® building information modeling (BIM) solutions to better determine constructability and derive insight into cost, schedule, and coordination issues before work begins—and throughout a project

Autodesk Navisworks 2012 Released

This is always such an exciting time of the year with all the new Autodesk technology coming out!

We just announced QTO being released and now I am pleased to announce that Navisworks 2012 has also been released.

This release introduces a set of new features that really hit the mark with our construction, plant and engineering customers, highlights include:

• 2D DWF support integrated with the 3D model, including the introduction of a multi-sheet Project Browser.
• Numerous Revit interop enhancements including Revit Switchback, support for construction modeling, linked files and enhanced property support.
• Numerous clash detection improvements such as enhanced reporting capability and workflow tools (export directly to Microsoft Excel, see Figure 1).
• Integration of the Gantt control to allow editing and review of the schedule during playback (see Figure 2).
• Support for Autodesk Consistent Materials when using the FBX format.
• Integration with Vault Collaboration for data management.
• Introduction of the Appearance Profiler to visually differentiate project systems and components

  Figure 1

 Figure 2

 

Just Released: Project Vasari Technology Preview Now Available at Autodesk Labs

What would it be like to have access to conceptual modeling and analysis via the cloud. We are pleased to announce the release of Project Vasari. Check out the quick you tube teaser for a snapshot of what's to come.

Project Vasari: You Tube Teaser Video

So what is project Vasari really? Autodesk® Project Vasari is an easy-to-use, standalone application built on the same technology as the Revit® platform, aimed at architectural designers and building energy analysts.  Vasari is focused on conceptual building design using both geometric and parametric modeling and supports performance-based design via integrated energy modeling and analysis features.  This new technology preview will be available as a free download and trial on Autodesk Labs.

Download Project Vasari via Autodesk Labs

Project Vasari is compatible with Revit in that files created by Project Vasari can be opened using Revit 2011, and Revit files can be opened by Project Vasari. There are some limitations in that, as a conceptual modeler, Project Vasari does not support some features (e.g., detailed model elements such as walls, windows, doors, etc.) The thinking is that you would start with Project Vasari and then continue with Revit 2011 to make more detailed models - not the other way around.

So please give Project Vasari a try. Let us know what you think at labs.vasari@autodeskcom

QTO Takeoff Property Problems? How to get Height and Thickness to Assign at Takeoff

Was working with a few customers the other day someone asked me why Height and Thickness always had to be manually changed for things like walls (see below image) after doing a Model Takeoff.

 

So I stopped and thought about it for a second and came to the realization that maybe I should share how to change the Publisher Mapping. This way you don't have to set the Height and Thickness for Revit based objects manually every time you complete a Model Takeoff. Here are the quick steps:

Edit pulldown menu > Preferences > Mapping tab
Change the Publisher dropdown to Revit Based

 
 
Now change the Height to Unconnected Height and Thickness to Width (as shown below). 

 

Select OK. The next time you perform a Model takeoff, your Height and Thickness should populate.
 
 

Problems getting 2D views\sheets to cross reference 3D models in QTO?

Sitting with Michael Smith at CW Driver the other day, we discovered an interesting thing about how QTO cross references the 2D with the 3D DWF files. We ran into a fun problem when some of the sheets\views would not cross reference after a model takeoff, see image below. Has this ever happened to anyone before?

Upon further investigation of the DWF files we noticed that they appeared as more of a raster type of image than as a vector type of image. The lines could not be selected and it was not much better than a PDF at this point. Very frustrating

What we soon discovered was that the problem is not coming from QTO, but from Revit itself. It has to be do with which Visual Style was used when creating the DWF file. When anything other than Wireframe or Hidden Line mode are used out of Revit, it will create a raster image instead of a vector image (see Revit help file for under topic "Viewing Object Data in a DWF file" for more info). The DWF files that were created in this case were created with Shaded with Edges, causing Revit to export the information as raster images.

The quick fix, change the afflicted views to either Wireframe or Hidden Line. Then create a new set of 2D DWF files. Please note that Shaded Visual Styles are acceptable for 3D views, just not for 2D.

After the new DWF files are created (changed to Hidden Line in this example) and Model Takeoff was performed, all of the items now show up on the corresponding sheets.

Notice that all of the views (or sheets if I would have exported the sheets) now have items cross referenced and the 2D plan also shows the corresponding color mapped information.

Hope this helps to solve an interesting problem out there for some of you.
 
 

"Ask Jason" Now Live on the Autodesk Construction Resource Center!

The doctor is IN: Now you can send me your questions about Autodesk construction products right from the Autodesk Construction Resource Center, on the new Ask Jason (actual link: www.autodesk.com/askjason) page.

Just choose your topic (if you don't see your topic in the drop-down list, choose "other" and enter your own topic), and submit your question. I'll do my best to answer your question within a week. Over time, I'll also post the most frequently asked questions to the Ask Jason page so you can quickly browse the knowledge base for answers to your most pressing issues. I'll also try to post topics to the blog as well!

If you need more in-depth technical support questions on any of our products, the page also features a direct link to Autodesk Services & Support.

Looking forward to receiving your questions from the Ask Jason page!

Construction Site Visit - New Marlins Stadium, Miami

Last week I had the chance to visit with Hunt\Moss JV (http://www.huntmossjv.com/) to see how they were using technology and understand a few things about this pretty cool project. First a thank you the Hunt\Moss for taking the time out of their hectic day to share a little with us (and for sharing the renderings included in the post), it was a great experience. Second, a little background on the project:

The new ballpark's footprint will have a south-east orientation, with unobstructed views of Miami's skyline made possible by six operable glass panels. The ballpark will be located on the parcel of land bordered by NW 6th Street to the north, NW 4th Street to the south, NW 16th Avenue to the west and NW 14th Avenue to the east. With a capacity of approximately 37,000 seats, the retractable roof, air-conditioned ballpark will be built on 928,000 square feet on the former Orange Bowl site. The ballpark will celebrate Opening Day in April 2012 and will attract a wide variety of events throughout the entire calendar year. (Excerpt from Marlins Site)

As for the actual project, I have to say that I was impressed with the efforts that they are going through on this job to leverage BIM (Revit), Clash Detection and Coordination (Navisworks), Document Control (Buzzsaw) and the support from the Field team.

Walking through the jobsite was a real treat, its not something that I get to do a lot of and I am glad this is one project that I had the chance to really see. I think it may have been one of the cleanest sites ever and maybe the hottest of course (but I suppose that is what you get when your in Miami right?). Some of the shear size of things like the ductwork and the track the operable roof will sit on are pretty amazing. One of the interesting construction facts that they pointed out was how everything is constructed from Home Plate, so they have that area protected and take all survey points from that position

I took a few pictures and thought I would share:
This one was taken as you walk into the out field. It shows the fixed roof in the background, luxury boxes and some of the seating. 

 More seating and the track for the operable roof. When you get up close to the precast, this is some pretty neast stuff with all the angles.

 My favorite view: standing behind home plate looking at the entire downtown skyline. 

If your interested in following the construction yourself, the Hunt\Moss JV team has a webcam that you can access anytime. Here is the link: http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/fla/ballpark/webcam.jsp

2D and 3D Composite Models in QTO

Ever received different models on the same project (Arch, Structural, MEP) and wondered if you could assemble that information into a single composite model for taking off in QTO? Of course you can but there are few things that have to be done, like exporting out the 2D DWF sets from each model independently (if you want the 2D information of course), and then creating the composite or linked model in Revit. Let's explore a few of the steps below.

• Create a 2D sheet set (or views) of each of the models that you will be using. Use your standard DWF export tools to create. Don't forget to check the Properties and Rooms and Areas check Boxes.
  
• Open one of the Models. When it comes to the 3D model, at some point in time, these models have most likely been linked in the past, so this should go smoothly.
• In the Insert Tab locate Link Revit. This will allow you to path to the individual files, you may have to do this a few times. From here you should have the models loaded. Create your 3D DWF as you normally would. Don't forget to check the Properties and Rooms and Areas check Boxes. Feel free to use Manage Links to check what models have loaded or not and how they are displayed.   Note: I usually start with opening the Arch or Interiors model (or which ever contains the room data) because room data does not seem to export through linked models.
• Start QTO and import your newly created 2D and 3D DWF files. When you perform the model takeoff it will not actually tell you the name of model, its simply lists them as links, but at least you have all of your information from all 3 models in 1 composite QTO takeoff, and the correct 3D information is linked to the corresponding place on the 2D sheet (or view). See image below.

Active Jobsite - Inside?

Have you ever driven by a construction project and thought to yourself "wow, I bet it would be cool to be run the crane?"

Well, while on a recent visit to Mortenson Construction in Minneapolis, MN, I had that chance. Mortenson Constructionis one of Autodesk's customers that is demonstrating skills through their use of Building Information Modeling and really utilizing Revit and Navisworks.

But operating the crane was a little different than one might think. They’ve simulated an active jobsite inside the lobby of their office, complete with equipment, jobsite trailer, concrete truck, steel supports, decking, and a working tower crane. How cool!

The crane itself actually works, and you can put yourself at the controls and see what it’s like for just a minute to "build" part of a building from the driver’s seat. I have to say that it's not as easy as it looks.
 
 

Watch out for the people as you’re placing the equipment, because the loads you’re moving swing easily and the risk of injury is high.

 

 

We did manage, with great effort, to move the loads to and from the building and place them back on the truck. But I think there might have been some lost time accidents with us at the controls. We may need to go back for more training. It sure was fun!