AU is over and I realized that I did not attend a single AutoCAD based class. Does that mean I have foresaken AutoCAD for the likes of AutoCAD Architecture and MEP and Revit products? Well I have been thinking about it and reflecting on another class I took about working in a dual workflow environment, which is really where I am at my firm. We deliver a ton in AutoCAD, we deliver more and more in AutoCAD MEP and Revit MEP with a focus on moving exclusively to Revit MEP. In the mean time, however, we have clients using everything else including Bentley products, which means somebody here has to have the low down on switch from almost anything to something else.
One tool I find very helpful is Autodesk's free viewer TrueView
True View can view, plot, and publish DWG and DWF files. And translate any AutoCAD or AutoCAD-based drawing file for compatibility with AutoCAD Release 14 through AutoCAD 2008.
For translation from AMEP to ACAD I use the Export to AutoCAD command under the file pull down.
For translation from AMEP to Revit Architecture I like to use IFC. See an article I wrote for my CAD Shack Blog.
Autodesk has incorporated the import and export of DGN with the DGNimport and DGNexport commands. Keep in mind the original DGN has to be V8 or newer to work.
As a CAD Manager I think you need to standardize on how you get from one to the other and communicate that to all of your users that will be translating files. Document everything and let them know where to find it. More on documentation later.
Happy New Years everyone.
2 comments:
Funny, these topic have been on my mind recently.
1. What industry aside from CAD Management has its main convention based on a single tool from a single provider? AU is finally moving outside of the constraints of AutoCAD, but is it far enough?
2. A recurring theme of my CAD Managering career has been how do you convert from one format to another preserving the best information possible. It isn't just an issue with CAD varieties, but any 3D, Vector, Raster, and even text processing programs. Preserving the essence of data across programs is almost an art by itself.
Todd,
I'm with you, I don't think I've taken an AutoCAD class at AU in over two years.
I've been taking CAFM and BIM (mostly MEP) courses and loving every minute of it.
Of course, that doesn't mean I don't peruse the AU site for some AutoCAD handouts to pick up a few things that I can apply in ABS and ACA.
Cheers!
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