Attention to detail – Revit for rebar detailing

Colorado-based Martin/Martin, Inc. is a consulting engineering firm providing civil and structural engineering and surveying services to clients throughout the United States and around the world. Within Martin/Martin, the Construction Engineering Services (M/M CES) group provides a variety of specialty engineering services to the firm’s contractor partners and projects, including the development of rebar shop and fabrication drawings. Both Martin/Martin and the M/M CES team use Autodesk Revit software for engineering design and documentation.

One of the firm’s most recent projects was the expansion of a semiconductor plant for Broadcom, located in Fort Collins, Colorado. During the past several years, the company invested approximately $1 billion in new construction on this 70-acre campus which included the addition and expansion of a new reinforced concrete manufacturing facility in 2014 and 2015. On both of these jobs, the extended project team—including Martin/Martin, M/M CES, and the general contractor JE Dunn Construction—used Building Information Modeling (BIM) processes and Revit software.

The major challenge on these projects was aggressive construction schedules. JE Dunn was engaged early in the projects and was actively involved in the design process to enhance constructability and keep the projects on track and within budget. “Close collaboration during the design phase of these projects resulted in higher quality buildings for the client,” says Shane Ewing, a principal at Martin/Martin and the manager of the M/M CES team. From previous experience with Martin/Martin and the M/M CES team, JE Dunn knew that one big opportunity for time savings during construction was concrete rebar detailing.

Revit for rebar detailing helps save time and money

“Rebar detailing typically begins several weeks after a contractor is awarded a project and is performed in isolation from the design team by a detailer working solely from 2D design drawings,” explains Ewing. “This situation forces a late start and often results in poor coordination with other trades, which further jeopardizes construction schedules.”

To help counter this situation, M/M CES used Revit to develop reinforcing steel fabrication drawings. “Instead of waiting until the construction documentation was completed, we started detailing during the design phase based on the structural designer’s Revit model,” says Grant Doherty, a BIM specialist at Martin/Martin. “By working closely with the design team, we could coordinate the rebar with the structure and other trades to improve constructability and quality.”

“Developing the steel reinforcement directly in the Revit structural design model, weeks before construction documents were available to anyone else, helped to provide significant schedule, quality, and cost benefits for the client—benefits that just couldn’t be matched using other detailing software.”

―Shane Ewing, Principal, Manager of Construction Engineering Services, Martin/Martin

In addition, when the firm issued final construction documentation to JE Dunn, it also issued approved fabrication documentation. “Working with the design team and using a common Revit model, we began and completed our shop drawings earlier than a traditional ‘third party’ detailer would have,” says Ewing. For example, on a traditional project, rebar drawings are usually delivered five to eight weeks after the release of the construction documents. But on the first Broadcom building, the M/M CES team delivered an approved drilled pier and foundation rebar package in less than two weeks after the release of the construction documents. “With support from BIM processes and Revit for rebar detailing, we were able to save three to six weeks on this project,” says Ewing.

Model-based detailing and fabrication ready

When working together on a project, the M/M CES team and Martin/Martin structural designers use the same Revit structural model, which often includes the architectural model as well as models from other building disciplines. On the Broadcom project, this enabled a level of project coordination what would not have been possible with traditional 2D detailing.

Beyond project coordination, using Revit for detailing also helped improve the overall quality of the firm’s rebar product. “Other detailing programs tend to ignore the experience and knowledge of the detailers by relying on software algorithms to add steel reinforcements,” says Doherty. “But more often than not, those algorithms don’t result in the best or most economical solution.” The Revit software and its 3D modeling environment helped the M/M CES team draw on their own detailing knowledge, as well as the experience of the Martin/Martin designers, to deliver the project’s fabrication package more efficiently and cost-effectively.

“Model-based detailing helps us work through complex design issues by using 3D views and live schedules to check the rebar,” says Doherty. “And because we work in tandem with the design team, we can see design changes as they happen and react more quickly. In fact, we can often release detailing revisions to the fabricator before the design team formally issues their changes.”

For its rebar detailing, M/M CES has created “fabrication ready” customized Revit rebar families. The rebar sizes, lengths, and bends in these families were all developed using industry standards and can be used by any North American fabricator.

Accelerate project schedules

With Revit, every drawing sheet, 2D and 3D view, and schedule is a direct presentation of the underlying model. The parametric engine at the heart of the Revit software enables the automatic synchronization of the model and all the associated drawings, views, and so on. “The automatic change management inherent in the Revit software helped us to quickly incorporate design changes,” says Doherty. “We could change the rebar in the Revit model, and that change automatically appeared in our fabrication drawings. There was no need for us to spend time on manual updating or quality control.”

Control costs

The Revit software and its 3D modeling environment helped Martin/Martin minimize project costs by enabling the M/M CES team to draw on their own detailing experience to more effectively layout the rebar and locate bar splices. For example, the first Broadcom project included a large concrete ‘waffle’ slab that needed a lot of reinforcement. “Working with the design team, the contractor, and the rebar placer, we were able to quickly try out different options in the Revit model and estimate tonnages to optimize the layout and splice locations,” says Doherty. As a result, the team was able to cut the number of bar splices in half, and reduce the tonnage by 8 tons and the number of bars handled by more than 2,000—helping Broadcom save an estimated 5 percent in material and labor costs.

Reduce field issues

“Model-based project coordination combined with the completeness and quality of the fabrication drawings resulted in less field issues,” reports Ewing. In addition, the M/M CES team shared its Revit-based rebar model with the contractor and rebar installer to provide even more rebar information in a more accessible format. For example, the 3D rebar model enabled JE Dunn to coordinate the rebar with other trades and also use it as a starting point for its own concrete lift drawings.

The Revit rebar model was also used to easily create live section cuts through the rebar model and produce 3D perspective views of complex areas for visual clarification during construction. M/M CES even color-coded the rebar model to show the sequence of rebar installation. The ability to view the rebar model from any angle—either on a monitor in a trailer at the jobsite or even tablets in the field—helped the construction team visualize and better understand the rebar layout.

The results

“Using BIM processes and Revit software for rebar detailing helped us meet all of the project schedules,” says Doherty. “We delivered coordinated shop drawings earlier than would normally have been possible. And by relying on our own detailing experience, we delivered a higher-quality fabrication package that provided a better understanding of contract documents and helped minimize project costs.”

“Developing the steel reinforcement directly in the Revit structural design model, weeks before construction documents were available to anyone else, helped provide significant schedule, quality, and cost benefits for the client—benefits that just couldn’t be matched using other detailing software,” says Ewing.

Learn More

To learn more about Autodesk Revit’s features for structural engineers, including rebar detailing, visit Autodesk.com/products/revit-family. Or read these past blog posts on Revit’s features for rebar detailing:

• BIM for reinforced concrete: it’s in the details
• How to deal with rebar visibility in Revit
• Rebar shape images in Revit

The post Attention to detail – Revit for rebar detailing appeared first on BIM and Beam.

from my Autodesk source Bim & Beam: BIM and Beam at http://blogs.autodesk.com/bim-and-beam/2016/12/26/revit-for-rebar-detailing/
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AU 2016 Gives a Glimpse into the Future for Structures

When reflecting on my experiences at Autodesk University last month, it reminded me of how technology dependent we’ve become at telling stories in both the digital and physical worlds.  It also illustrated to me that the boundaries between digital and physical modes of communication are becoming less distinct.   I heard stories from customers, technology partners and Autodeskers that were weaved into a broader digital tapestry of industry knowledge online. This illustrates to me that the era of connectivity is upon us whether we believe it or not. As discussed in my last blog, there are a number of trends that will change the face structural engineering and they all relate to changes in how we connect with each other and the things around us.   The future interplay between technology and people is an important topic of conversation for all of us to have. So why not start that conversation now with AU being fresh in our minds…

We saw nearly 10,000 AEC professionals attending AU this year and over 500 alone attending the MEP & Structural Fabricators Forum.  The theme was again focused on the Future of Making Things with a focus on high impact trends like robotics, generative design, machine learning and the cloud (to learn more about AU 2016, please check out this recent post from AECBytes).   I saw a common theme emerging at AU where AEC professionals are starting to focus on higher value services, while automating out the lower value services. This is happening out of necessity in order to remain competitive and anticipate the trends discussed above and a few other emergence technologies.  I would like to go into a few of these shifts in more depth:

First, I see the adoption of computational design accelerating within engineering firms already using BIM. Computational design is a visual method of programmatically creating, analyzing and choosing model-based designs.  Traditionally being viewed as having niche applications for architectural design exploration, we have seen greater adoption by more mainstream engineering teams for “human-centric automation.” What I mean by this is that computational design is enabling teams to automate out routine activities like internal QA/QC processes and data interoperability challenges. This not only improves profitability but also improves the quality of design deliverables.

At the same time, we see computational design adoption helping engineers focus on higher value services. For example, we see engineering firms connecting Dynamo to a range of products like Revit, Robot Structural Analysis and even Advance Steel to explore and refine the best design options for their clients. We also see it helping firms further differentiate their services. .  A great example of this was presented by Ben Osbourne, P.E. with Stanley D. Lindsey Associates. I encourage you all to watch this presentation because it is a great example of both computational design’s practical applications in traditional design and novel applications to differentiate extended services.(see Link).  Down the road, I expect engineers to offload simpler engineering tasks to computers supported by generative design and machine learning tools.  This will empower engineers to tackle more complex problems, especially those dependent upon stakeholders outside of the structure.

Second, I expect to see growing interest and adoption of Level of Development (LOD) based collaboration to automate the verification of BIM data at different stages of the project. The term LOD was created several years ago by the BIM Forum in the US. They created it tohelp create a common language for defining and exchanging model-based deliverables at the BIM object level.  As LOD-based model checking technologies like Invicara BIM Assure emerge in the industry, we see engineers and fabricators adopting them to automate QA/QC processes and improve the quality of design deliverables. In the future, we can predict that LOD-based industry standards will help fabricators and contractors accept validated design deliverables.  An example of how the structural steel industry is embracing LOD was presented at AU by Will Ikerd, PE, SE with Ikerd Consulting and memberof the BIM Forum (see link).

As LOD-based model checking automates the quality checking of design data, it will also empower engineers to focus on higher value problem solving.  Structural engineers will spend more time optimizing their designs not just for code compliance but for constructability factors such as material availability and relative “total installed” cost data. Forest Flager, PhD, with Stanford University’s CIFE program, presented the results of pilot projects that showed significant benefits by optimizing steel frame systems using structural steel availability and cost data (see link).  In the end, I see LOD being an important part of the structural design optimization process, both in early design or later when a fabricator is brought on board to deliver greater insight into the fabrication and installation costs. LOD will help establish clear expectations about what level of design information is delivered at different stages of the project.

Third, I see engineers and detailers automating out routine code-based design decisions that also impact detailing and documentation.  We saw two examples of this presented at AU by Autodesk technology partners SOFiSTiK and Graitec. Both these companies provide design-driven detailing automation for concrete rebar all within a common BIM environment.  As engineers spend less time addressing routine calculation tasks that can be automated, they can focus on more advanced structural analysis methodologies and complex design solutions as presented by ARUP and Autodesk technology partner IDEA RS (see link).  Graham Aldwinckle with ARUP discussed the benefits of using advanced computational methods to optimize and analyze complex steel connections. What is novel about  IDEA RS Statica Steel is that it allows engineers to more quickly analyze the behavior of complex, non-typical steel connections using researched and validated computational methods. When such technology is connected to BIM, computational design and the cloud, I see engineers in the future able to run more “what if” scenarios of their overall steel frame design that also captures the complexities and impact of the steel connection design.  Using a more integrated and iterative process for structural design will free up engineers to spend more time defining what the real problem is and less time crunching through what the possible answers are.

Graham Aldwinckle (Director, ARUP London office) presents an application of IDEARS Statica Steel to analyze existing steel connections as part of forensic engineering services.

Fourth, with the access to greater cloud computing and the adoption of more standardized data models, engineers and detailers will be empowered to automate more of their structural detailing tasks for connection modeling and shop drawing production. As workforces become more global and integrated, we will see more automation in how models are exchanged between regional locations.  Doing so will free up detailers to focus on providing higher value services like BIM-centric trade coordination and competence in managing culturally and demographically diverse teams.  The development of these skill sets were discussed by steel construction leaders at AU in relation to managing globally dispersed steel detailing teams.  Joel Hicks, President of the National Institute of Detailing (NISD) and his peers discussed what NISD is doing to help prepare future steel detailers to work in a growingly more diverse and complex construction industry (see link).

Fifth (and last), the examples above all focus on how software automation is impacting the office. However, we are seeing machine automation on the factory floor as well.  Even though the steel fabrication industry has made great strides in becoming more efficient, there is still a great potential to leverage more modern manufacturing technologies like robotics and machine learning.   As seen at AU, steel manufacturer FICEP is preparing for this by investing inIFC based fabrication data exchanges. (see link).    This will enable greater use of robotics manufacturing on steel factory shop floor such as the assembly of shop parts and welding. As prefabrication of multiple systems including steel grow in the industry, the use of robotics will demand even greater use of BIM

We are seeing this trend of prefabrication happening not just in the factory but also in the field. My favorite presentation at AU this year was a presentation by Marius Jablonskis with Norconsult. Marius presented a compelling story about the design and construction of Vamma 12, a large hydro project in Norway (see link). The Vamma project is unique in that the design deliverables are contractually 100% model-based and do not use paper. By eliminating the need for drawing creation, Norconsult could focus more time on optimizing the design to help the construction teams fabricate and build a better product. This shift away from paper was also seen by the contractors. The formwork supplier fabricated their formwork using Norconsult’s 3D model as a start point, not using drawings. The contractor also used Norconsult’s concrete model to establish survey points that guided the path of the rock excavation machine.  This application of subtractive manufacturing principles on the construction site is a great example of how engineers and contractors deliver greater value to their clients in the future.

For their paperless hydro project in Norway called Vammaa 12, Norconsult is using Revit to model all the reinforced concrete in 3D. This model is used by the formwork supplier Doka to more efficiently fabricate the complex formwork. (Images: Courtesy of Norconsult)

I do believe these examples seen at Autodesk University 2016 paint yet another picture  of how we will make structural things in the future….and the role of people and technology in doing it.  Engineers will need to solve more complex engineering problems and fabricators will have to adapt to more complex collaborative environments, all being driven by trends like prefabrication and globalization of work.  They will also need to become better storytellers. The use of more compelling visualization and “storytelling” technology will position engineers and fabricators to be better communicators and leaders on their projects.   To differentiate their businesses and ultimately survive, our peers in structural engineering and fabrication must shift their efforts to high-value services and automate the low-value services.

So do you agree? Are you seeing this trend happening around you?  I would love to hear your feedback about this topic.

The post AU 2016 Gives a Glimpse into the Future for Structures appeared first on BIM and Beam.

from my Autodesk source Bim & Beam: BIM and Beam at http://blogs.autodesk.com/bim-and-beam/2016/12/22/au-20176-gives-glimpse-future-structures/
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Tips and Tricks for using Autodesk Advance Steel from AU2016 (Part 1)

When you think Autodesk University, you probably think about learning the latest trends and technologies but also tips & tricks on your favorite products. And that’s just what you’ll find! This year at AU we had a number of classes dedicated to helping users build models more efficiently in Advance Steel. For this post, I’m going to summarize some of the tips and tricks for using Autodesk Advance Steel that I described in my class during the Autodesk University MEP & Structural Fabricators Forum 2016, and help you discover little-known features in the modeling environment.

1. Stretching multiple columns

You can stretch multiple columns without doing it for them all individually.

Select the columns to be stretched, then hold down Shift and select grips so that they are highlighted. Release Shift and select a grip as the base grip by clicking the grip and move it.

2. Displaying several model views

You can select more than one light bulb icon in front of the model views in the Project Explorer to get several model views being displayed at the same time, which helps quickly visualize parts of your 3D model.

3. Transferring properties from a connection to other ones

A very handy tool is the “Transfer properties” command available in the “Extended Modeling”, which helps you transfer properties from an automatic connections to other similar connection(s).

4. Extending a railing with its grip points

You can extend or shorten a railing by moving the ball grip at one of the railing ends, which makes it really easy to modify its length.

5. Locating various objects based on specific properties

When working on a structure you might need to locate various objects based on specific properties. For example, you might want to select all the objects which have specific model roles. Search criteria can then be saved and reused as a query at any time from the project explorer!

If you’re interested in watching the full class on-demand, visit Autodesk University online here. And check back in a few weeks for Part II of this blog post.

For more tips on using Advance Steel, check out these previous blog posts:

• Advance Steel: 9 (awesome) things you don’t know about how to use it
• Structural steel connections in Revit 2017 and Advance Steel 2017

 

The post Tips and Tricks for using Autodesk Advance Steel from AU2016 (Part 1) appeared first on BIM and Beam.

from my Autodesk source Bim & Beam: BIM and Beam at http://blogs.autodesk.com/bim-and-beam/2016/12/20/tips-and-tricks-for-using-autodesk-advance-steel-from-au2016-part-1/
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Rebar Shape Images in Revit

Scheduling is the operation of listing the location, mark, type and size, number off, length and bending details of each bar or sheet of fabric. When dealing with bars the completed lists are called “bar schedules”. The bars should be grouped together
for each structural unit, e.g. beam, column, etc. In a building, the bars should be listed floor by floor.

The form of bar and fabric schedule and the shapes of bar used should be in accordance with local standards. It is also preferable that bars should be listed in the schedule in numerical order.

Since a few versions already, Revit allows us to add an image to a family instance or type with the “Image” or “Type Image” parameter. For Rebar families there is the “Shape Image” parameter, which makes it possible to create well formatted rebar bending schedules, including the rebar shape image.

Out-of-the-box, Revit offers Rebar Shapes according to the local requirements and codes for a lot of countries around the world. These Rebar Shapes don’t contain these Shape Images, to make it possible for you as a user to customize this.

For rebar schedule representations during demos of “Rebar with Revit”, my colleague Dieter edited the default rebar shape families and added the shape code images according to BS8666 : 2005, to the Shape Image parameter.

This resulted in these nice formatted bending schedules for a simple reinforced concrete tunnel.

The content that is used for this small model can be downloaded from here.

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from my Autodesk source Bim & Beam: BIM and Beam at http://blogs.autodesk.com/bim-and-beam/2016/12/19/rebar-shape-images-in-revit/
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Needed: Beta testers for Steel Connections for Revit

With Revit 2017 Autodesk delivered an extension allowing users to create steel connections in Revit. This functionality gives engineers the ability to model their steel designs to a higher level of detail. For an upcoming release, we are bringing even more capabilities and functionalities to the steel environment, including:

• Free-modeling miscellaneous steel elements like bolts and plates
• Ability to create cuttings and drillings on steel elements
• Continuous interoperability between Advance Steel and Revit
• 133 types of standard steel connections as parametrized objects
• Access to individual parts of connection
• Ability to create dimensions, tags and schedules for individual parts of a connection

Be a beta tester

The Revit structure team is looking for users to help us beta test our new release and provide feedback to make the software better. If you’re interested in joining our beta testing team, please reach out to Autodesk senior user experience designer, Andreea Dumbrava (andreea.dumbrava@autodesk.com), and she’ll add you to the private forum for testers.

Learn more about Steel Connections for Revit

The current extension is available for Revit subscribers and can be downloaded and installed from the Autodesk Desktop App or through your Autodesk Account. Watch out this video if you want to know more about how to install it on your computer.

Learn more about Steel Connections for Revit and Autodesk’s plans for the structural features in Revit:

• Moving from structural design to fabrication just got easier
• Structural Steel Connections in Revit 2017 and Advance Steel 2017
• The Revit Roadmap is LIVE! See what’s in store for Structure

The post Needed: Beta testers for Steel Connections for Revit appeared first on BIM and Beam.

from my Autodesk source Bim & Beam: BIM and Beam at http://blogs.autodesk.com/bim-and-beam/2016/12/12/needed-beta-testers-for-steel-connections-for-revit/
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WHAT ARE THE PROPERTIES OF AIR ENTRAINED CONCRETE?

AIR ENTRAINED CONCRETE A major advance in concrete technology in recent years is the introduction of tiny disconnected air bubbles into concrete called air entrainment. Air entrained concrete results from using either an air-entraining cement or an air-entraining admixture during mixing. Adding entrained air to concrete provides important benefits in both plastic and hardened concrete, […]

The post WHAT ARE THE PROPERTIES OF AIR ENTRAINED CONCRETE? appeared first on CivilBlog.Org.

from CivilBlog.Org http://civilblog.org/2016/12/09/properties-air-entrained-concrete/
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5 great features in Structural Analysis for Revit

Structural Analysis for Revit provides cloud-based structural analysis to structural engineers as a part of the BIM process. With Structural Analysis for Revit, engineers and designers can extend design models from Revit to the cloud for structural analysis. Results can then be visualized and explored within Revit and disruptions to a designer or engineer’s workflow are minimized by performing analysis in the cloud as design continues.

Here are 5 things you might not know about this service.

1. You can analyze a whole analytical model or a part of it.

For a selected part of a structure, supports are created automatically in places where the model is cut off from the project.

2. Before you define parameters of your analysis the service extracts the analytical model from the Revit project.

It checks the cloud resources and then it checks if the analytical model has already been uploaded to the cloud. Finally it verifies and uploads the model to the cloud.

Verification of the model before it is uploaded checks if it is correct from the viewpoint of structural analysis. This verification ensures that the model being analyzed is correct and the analysis results are reliable. It also prevents uploading models with errors to the website.

 3. There are two types of analysis you can perform on your structural models:

• Static analysis
• Gravity analysis: It is a simplified analysis. By deducing the flow paths of loads it lets you determine how vertical loads are transmitted from the top to the foundation of the model.

4. You can run a few parallel analyses helping to increase your productivity.

Traditionally conducting structural analysis is time intensive requiring extensive computing power, however, with Structural Analysis for Revit, a designer or engineer can continue their design in Revit while static or gravity analysis is performed in the cloud. As analysis is conducted, designers and engineers can work on structural documentation or run another parallel analysis with a different set of parameters of the analysis.

You can define a new analysis in the Analyze in Cloud dialog …

…or when your model is already uploaded you can do it from within the Structural Analysis website.

5. When analysis is complete you can explore the results of analysis in the various ways.

• Results are available in the form of predefined analysis reports on the Structural Analysis website. You can view them in the HTML or PDF format. You can also download and save them locally.

• You can use the 3D Structure Viewer in your browser to explore result types for static and gravity analysis. You can also display additional result types and detailed results for an element. If errors or warnings are reported during analysis, you can identify the elements causing them in the Viewer.

You can simultaneously display several result types in the view and in the detailed view.

• Analysis results can be easily stored and explored in the Revit environment too. Structural Results Manager and Results Exploration tools enable you to explore and document results so you can gain knowledge on a structure’s behavior, and have insight in consolidated and detailed results, in order to make appropriate design decisions as well as properly document them.

Results Manager dialog box shows the list of available results packages, as well as their status and location. The results of the analysis you performed can be stored in several ways:

• Locally: in the Revit project.
• Remotely: on the cloud server. In this case, the size of the package is also indicated.
• In project and in the cloud.

Performing cloud based analysis from within Revit helps to streamline the design process and provide analytical results early and often to inform intent.

You can download Structural Analysis for Revit from the Autodesk Apps Store.

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from my Autodesk source Bim & Beam: BIM and Beam at http://blogs.autodesk.com/bim-and-beam/2016/12/07/5-great-features-in-structural-analysis-for-revit/
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What not to miss at next week’s Fabricators Forum

The Fab Forum is next week? The Fab Forum is next week! We’ve got a great line up of classes at next week’s MEP and Structural Fabricators Forum at Autodesk University in Las Vegas. Here’s a sneak peek at what you can expect at this year’s forum:

If you’re attending the conference next week you won’t want to miss these great classes:

MSF22937           Create Structural Shop Drawings for Concrete, Precast, and Steel Structures in Revit

With the new tools added to Revit in the last few years, it has become easier for structural engineers and detailers to create shop drawings and fabrication models for structural components. This class will demonstrate BIM workflows to take a structural design team model into fabrication modeling and shop drawings production for rebar, precast concrete, structural steel, and concrete lift drawings. Attendees will learn new rebar modeling and annotation features for rebar shop drawing creation, how the new steel connections tool works in Revit 2017 and links with Advance Steel, how to create precast concrete erection (shop) and piece drawings in Revit, and also how to create detailed concrete lift drawings in Revit. We will also demonstrate add-ons that make shop drawing production more efficient for each structural component type, and discuss workflows and best practices. Speakers: Daniel Mccloskey, Principal with MB BIM Solutions and Erich Bretz, Structural Engineer/Technician, MB BIM Solutions

MSF20578-L       Customizing and Creating Your Own User Section in Advance Steel

In this class, you will learn how User Sections are created and customized to suit your company specific standards and how to use these User Sections in Macros for Stairs, Railings and Cladding. Furthermore you will get an introduction to the relevant databases and tables and understand what is necessary to keep your profiles when upgrading to the next Advance Steel version. Speaker: Stephanie Hoerndler, Solutions Engineer, Autodesk

MSF22025           Connected Insight with Advance Steel

Advance Steel is a powerful detailing and fabrication tool that has helped Steelway move to the ‘next level’ in terms of the complexity and scale of our projects. Beyond the basic functionality of the program, Steelway has also leveraged the technology as a tool for collaboration and communication. Discover how our workflows involve interoperability with design software for rapid concept generation in the BIM environment. This allows collaboration between engineers, detailers, fabricators, and erectors. Better modelling at the early stages of the project increases quality and prevents the need for costly rework during detailing, manufacturing, and construction. We will illustrate the key role of Advance Steel in several large-scale successful projects. Speaker: Mike Vance, Design Engineer, Steelway Building Systems

MSF21583           Design-to-Fabrication Structural BIM Workflows for Mixed Concrete and Steel Projects

In this class we will create a mixed material structure in Revit and explore a workflow that optimizes the collaboration between disciplines, and shares the project intelligently with engineers, designers, technical detailers and fabricators. Using connected, or Revit-specific applications we will round-trip the project to/from all disciplines and, using multiple software applications and Revit as the hub for the central BIM model, we will develop the detail at each stage adding reinforcement to structural elements – adapting to requirements for openings for MEP services proposed late in the stage, and applying and checking steel connections prior to sending the model to Advance Steel for detailing and then Advance Workshop for production. We will also look at how you to keep track production status as you link this data back into Advance Steel, and we’ll explore various Autodesk Cloud services for project visibility and collaboration. Speakers: Carl Spalding, Group Product Strategy Director, Graitec and Joseph PAIS, Design Product Line Manager, GRAITEC INNOVATION

MSF21122           Model-Based Steel Fabrication: Connecting the Model to Fabrication (and Back)

When 3D modeling replaced 2D CAD, only the detailing method changed; not the way data gets transferred to steel fabricators: Much of the knowledge in the model is lost. So while detailers benefited, steel fabricators are still getting the same information in the same format. But now it’s possible for fabricators to extract better information from the Advance Steel model. AISC’s IFC for Steel Fabrication Specification is available directly from Advance Steel to feed fabricators’ production management systems and workstations. The new workflow involves sending a single file that a fabricator can use to extract all the information needed for fabrication, including 2D and 3D views, connections and material information. From there, its possible to manage and organize the project ready for fabrication, optimize material and create the data required to drive and track CNC or manual workstations. This class will work through the process and review the benefits of model based fabrication. Speaker: Chris Moor, VP North America, Steel Projects Corp: A FICEP Group Company

In addition to over 40 great classes like the ones above, here’s what else you can expect at next week’s Fab Forum:

• Exchange ideas and strategies during the day with 400+ designers and fabricators
• Learn best practices from industry leaders from Mold-Tek Technologies, Norconsult, Southland Industries, BAM Construction, IKERD Consulting, and more
• Hear Autodesk executives Nicolas Mangon and Jim Lynch present our vision for the future of making things and connected project delivery
• Network at the Fabricators Forum reception with our event sponsors

We look forward to seeing you next week in fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada! Viva Fabrication!

The post What not to miss at next week’s Fabricators Forum appeared first on BIM and Beam.

from my Autodesk source Bim & Beam: BIM and Beam at http://blogs.autodesk.com/bim-and-beam/2016/11/08/what-not-to-miss-at-next-weeks-fabricators-forum/
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How to Deal with Rebar Detailing Visibility in Revit

In order to better present, review and document all our rebar detail designs in Revit we want to have them displayed as solid objects and visible in concrete formwork in shaded views.

This requires that the rebars are visible in view as solid and unobscured by the concrete form. But this takes a lot of time and multiple clicks. What do I mean? Let’s have a look at Rebar Element View Visibility States. View Visibility States is a hard-coded property (instance parameter) of all Structural Rebars. It controls the visibility of rebars per view, and looks like this:

When you add a new rebar, by default its settings are:

• View unobscured (unchecked) – This property provides us with the opportunity to control if a bar is shown through formwork or not.
• View as solid – (unchecked)

To apply a new setting to our existing rebars  we need to regularly select all Structural Rebars in the entire project and check the View as solid and View unobscured checkboxes for all 3D views.

When we change these settings—and if we rather want the rebars to show as lines—we can simply change to Medium Detail Level.

These are kind of annoying properties, that take a long time since changes you make here have to be made again for new rebars or even copied rebars.

In this post I would like to talk a little bit about ways to improve this repetitive task, and streamline your workflow in Revit.

IMPROVING CONTROL OF REBAR DETAILING VISABILITY

SOFiSTiK Reinforcement Detailing gives us a pretty handy and productive tool to quickly control rebar visibility states. The Visibility tool changes the view visibility states to show rebars unobscured and/or as solid in 3D views. You can do it without a need to select any rebar.

If you don’t own SOFiSTiK Reinforcement Detailing there is another way to change rebar visibility settings quickly. This time the BIM4Struc.Rebar Dynamo package comes in handy.
Packages are like add-ins for Dynamo.  Packages are created by users like you and shared locally with colleagues or with the world via the Dynamo Package Manager.  Packages may contain a single node or a full library of nodes that you can use in your own Dynamo definitions. The best place to find packages is the Dynamo Package Manager, available from within Dynamo in the Packages Menu.

Choose “Search for a Package…” to browse through available packages with descriptions and access to older versions.

Choose the option to install the BIM4Struc.Rebar package, and the files will be downloaded and placed in the appropriate place on your hard drive so that Dynamo can access the new functionality.

The BIM4Struc.Rebar package offers nodes that increase your productivity for Rebar modelling in Revit.

The nodes don’t only allow you to get data from existing rebar such as sketch lines, geometrical properties … but they also give access to automation of Rebar tasks (from the API) such as representation settings of rebar, rebar layout rules setting.

Combining these nodes with the rebar creation nodes (from the Dynamo for Rebar package) make it possible to create almost any complex rebar model.

Dynamo (visual programming platform) is fully integrated with Revit 2017 and no longer requires an additional download. It provides you with powerful scripting capability without any additional installation.

Now in a few steps I will show you how to create a simple Dynamo script with the BIM4Struc.Rebar package and how to utilize it on a daily basis in your Revit projects without a need of running Dynamo for Revit.

In this example we will create a Dynamo script that sets up rebar visualization settings (view as a solid) for all rebars in the active view.

1) Add the SetSolidInView node. This node sets rebar elements to be shown solidly in a 3D view. It has 3 input parameters:

• rebarElements – list of rebars to set visibility settings
• views – list of views
• solid – a Boolean value to have rebars solid or wired.

2) Now we need to provide a list of rebars. To expose our rebars into Dynamo, we need to add the node All Elements of Category to our graph. This node takes as input Revit Category node’s output.

3) It’s time to define a view. In our example we always update the active view when the script runs. Add the ActiveView node to the active view of the document. Don’t forget to connect its input with the Document.Current node.

4) The third input parameter is optional. Its default value is true.

5) Save the script as the Set Rebar Solid in View.dyn

Now modify the script and create three additional scripts and save them respectively. Set Rebar Wired in View.dyn

Set Rebar Obscured in View.dyn

Set Rebar Unobscured in View.dyn

Revit 2017.1 introduces Dynamo Player. (See what’s new in Revit 2017.1 for Structural Engineers)  Dynamo Player makes powerful scripts available to all users without the need to actually write the script. The scripts will run on the current Revit project file. Thanks to this Dynamo scripts are now easier to share, deploy and modify using an intuitive interface directly within Revit. You can find it on the Manage tab in Revit.

6) Run Dynamo Player. When opened, the Dynamo Player displays a list of Dynamo scripts in a specified directory. Beneath each script name, displays the status of the script.

7) On the Dynamo Player dialog, click  . In the Browse to Folder dialog, navigate to a directory containing your Dynamo scripts you saved in the previous steps.

8) Now you can play your scripts in the Dynamo Player and see how quickly visibility of your rebar designs changes. No rebar selection and only one click to apply new setting.

If you are interested in Dynamo for Rebar solutions and if you would like to learn more about computational design for reinforcement detailing you should register for the ES15357 – Dynam(o)ite Your Rebar Design class at AU 2016.

This session will familiarize you with the Autodesk technology for complex reinforcement detailing with Revit software and Dynamo software. In this powerful 90 minutes, you will see a few examples, from the automation of basic rebar design over radial fan-shaped rebars to complex irregular elements. After this session, you will be inspired by the power and dynamics of parametric and computational design for complex problems.

Learn more about Dynamo for Rebar with Revit:

• Radial Reinforcement in Revit with Dynamo
• Rebar Modeling in Revit with Dynamo Use Case by ABT
• Dynamo for Rebar is now available

The post How to Deal with Rebar Detailing Visibility in Revit appeared first on BIM and Beam.

from my Autodesk source Bim & Beam: BIM and Beam at http://blogs.autodesk.com/bim-and-beam/2016/11/06/rebar-detailing-visibility-in-revit/
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‘Unbelievable Speed’: Fabricator slashes time with Autodesk Advance Steel detailing software

ON ITS FIRST ATTEMPT USING AUTODESK ADVANCE STEEL DETAILING SOFTWARE, ONE STEEL FABRICATION AND ERECTION FIRM SLASHES ITS ANTICIPATED DETAILING TIME FROM 100 HOURS TO 25.

A NEW TOOL FOR A SEASONED STEEL FIRM

Parsons Steel Builders, a small steel fabrication and erection firm based in Tucson, Arizona, has been in business for nearly 45 years, working on projects ranging from skyscrapers to parking garages. “We’re kind of a jack-of-all-trades,” says Alex Davidson, head of detailing for the company. “We’ll take the complicated stuff that nobody else wants to take the time to do.”

Recently, though, the firm found itself in danger of falling behind some of its peers. Managers noticed that many of the engineering firms that the company works with were already using 3D modeling programs for all of their designs, while Parsons was still doing all of its steel detailing work in two dimensions with Autodesk AutoCAD software. “We wanted to step up to the new generation of technology,” says Davidson. “We didn’t want to get left behind.”

Parsons turned to Autodesk Advance Steel detailing software, a 3D detailing software built on the AutoCAD platform. “I’m already very familiar with Autodesk products, and switching platforms wasn’t an ideal situation,” says Davidson. “We wanted something we could use for detailing and modeling, but also use for presentation purposes with clients, and this just seemed like a really good fit.”

TRAINING UP AND OVERCOMING SKEPTICISM

Davidson knew that Advance Steel had the potential to make the detailing process more efficient, but he wasn’t sure what sort of learning curve to expect. If the software turned out to be difficult to learn, it could have temporarily slowed down his work, rather than speeding it up. As it turned out, though, Davidson was off and running after a three-day training session and some one-on-one guidance from his software reseller.

“It was very easy to pick up,” Davidson says. “Basically all of the same AutoCAD commands work, so I was able to utilize my knowledge of AutoCAD and implement it into Advance Steel.”

At first, Davidson says, he was skeptical that the program was really as easy-to-use as it appeared, because his training session featured pre-made drawings. But when it came time to create his own drawings, that process was quick and simple, too. “It went together faster than I ever could have imagined,” he says. “You just have to create a connection the first time, and then you can use automatic tools to copy it at any other location.”

A SEVENTY-FIVE HOUR SAVINGS

Davidson put Advance Steel into action in the spring of 2016, using the software to complete the detailing work on a parking lot canopy that would provide shade and be outfitted with solar panels. The project had a footprint of 420 feet by 162 feet, and Parsons estimated in its bid that the detailing would take 100 hours. Since the firm was working from a physical copy of the project drawings, everything had to be re-created from scratch, and this process would have previously required Davidson to spend weeks painstakingly drawing connection after connection in two dimensions. “I would have had to have drawn every plate and every hole, over and over again, for each piece,” he says.

With Advance Steel, Davidson says, much of this process became automated. “I didn’t have to go and detail every single piece individually, or figure out which ones were duplicates of other ones,” he says. “The program was able to process everything in seconds, as opposed to me going through and figuring out which ones go where. It was unbelievable how quick it was and how much time it helped save.”

Davidson found himself getting excited as he realized how efficiently he could work with the new tool. “I didn’t believe that it was happening that quickly, versus the time that we had budgeted for it,” he says. “I was in disbelief, and actually I’m still a little in shock about how easy it was. I don’t want to say, ‘Oh, you just click one button and bam!’ But it was kind of like that.”

Instead of taking 100 hours, Davidson was able to complete the initial detailing work in 16 to 18 hours, he says. After some cosmetic “clean-up” work to resize some images and move overlapping symbols out of each other’s way, the whole project took a fourth of the time originally estimated.

INSTANT ROI

In addition to the firm’s familiarity with AutoCAD, Davidson says, Parsons selected Advance Steel in part because of the tool’s affordability. The lower cost of the program, coupled with the productivity gains the firm achieved with support from the software, led to a fast return-on-investment. “Even if the solar canopy job was the only job that I used Advance Steel with,” he says, “we’ve already made our money back on the program, because of the time savings on that one project.”

In addition to helping the company save time, Advance Steel helped Davidson catch design problems during the detailing phase. For example, one connection looked like it would work at first glance, but the bolts on one of the cap plates turned out to be inaccessible. That’s the sort of glitch that can cause delays – and, ultimately, financial losses—if it’s not caught before the steel erection process begins.

“I probably still would have caught the problem in a 2D detailing program, but Advance Steel made it apparent that there was a problem there,” Davidson says. “It was nice to be able to more effectively see the problems in the initial design, to see them in 3D space, and bring my boss in and say, ‘We have a problem here. We need to fix this.’”

LOOKING AHEAD

While Davidson worked from physical drawings on this first project using Advance Steel, Parsons also runs Autodesk Revit BIM software in-house, and Davidson says that working from 3D Revit models in the future could help the firm to reduce its detailing time even more drastically. He also anticipates that Advance Steel can help shave time from the fabrication process, since the program allows the company to automatically generate materials lists.

“The process of getting out to the shop seems like it’s going to be a lot quicker,” Davidson says. “I’ll just be able to give our purchasing agent a cut list sheet of what he needs to order, and he’ll be able to order it. He won’t have to go through each drawing and look at the bill of materials.”

For now, Davidson says, he is “super excited” about how much more efficiently he’s able to work with support from Advance Steel. “Cutting the detailing time fractionally—that was just amazing,” he says. “The program greatly exceeded my expectations.”

The post ‘Unbelievable Speed’: Fabricator slashes time with Autodesk Advance Steel detailing software appeared first on BIM and Beam.

from my Autodesk source Bim & Beam: BIM and Beam at http://blogs.autodesk.com/bim-and-beam/2016/10/28/unbelievable-speed-fabricator-slashes-time-with-advance-steel-detailing-software/
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5 ways the Autodesk Knowledge Network will change your life

Whether you’re learning a new software program, looking for tips to improve your efficiency, or a power user that wants to share your knowledge with others, the Autodesk Knowledge Network is a valuable resource that can connect you to the information you need, when you need it. With more than a million contributions from Autodesk users, educators, resellers, partners, and employees, the Autodesk Knowledge Network is full of tutorials, documentation, downloads, and troubleshooting advice that can help you improve the way you work.

Here are five of the best things about this resource that we think just might change your life—really!

1. Troubleshooting just got a whole lot easier

Are you using Advance Steel but the numbering process isn’t merging the identical parts? There’s an answer for that. Did you install Revit and now your templates and families are missing? Try this fix. Joists not importing or updating from Robot Structural Analysis to Revit? Yep, there’s an article for that too. There are literally thousands of troubleshooting articles that you can access to find answers to your software questions.

2. So. Many. Tutorials.

Did you install the Autodesk Steel Connections for Revit add-in? Great! The Autodesk Knowledge Network has you covered. You can learn how to install/uninstall the add-on, place a structural connection, learn about the available structural connection parameters, how to load and use connection types in your Revit model, how the background process works when calculating geometry and fabrication shapes for created connections … do we need to keep going? Experts across the world contribute new tutorials to the Autodesk Knowledge Network every day. It is truly your best resource for learning and mastering Autodesk software tools.

3. A one stop shop for customer service

This is where you go to get help with your accounts, installation, configuring a deployment, and more. But in addition to getting up and running with your own software, this is also where you can find information for planning and creating a network environment to help your firm distribute Autodesk software licenses.  You’ll find tips on managing network licenses and network deployment, server selection and system requirements, how to maximize available licenses, and how to deploy software installation files and updates to users in a network environment.

4. The Autodesk community

The Autodesk community is made up of customers and experts that take the time to share their knowledge of Autodesk software. Here you can read and post information on the forums, view interactive video tutorials, share and shape product ideas, or read blogs by Autodesk insiders. The community is incredibly active with hundreds of new posts every week.

In addition, the Autodesk community takes the time to review and approve the content posted to it. The community-approved answers to common issues help you sort through the articles and forums available to you.

5. A place for you to share your expertise

Don’t just take advantage of the Autodesk Knowledge Network—participate! Write an article, answer a question, create a screencast. Help software users around the world gain the skills they need to be the best they can be, and establish yourself as an expert.

The post 5 ways the Autodesk Knowledge Network will change your life appeared first on BIM and Beam.

from my Autodesk source Bim & Beam: BIM and Beam at http://blogs.autodesk.com/bim-and-beam/2016/10/24/5-ways-the-autodesk-knowledge-network-will-change-your-life/
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