I have been posting the new features of Autocad MEP 2009 and have read alot about. Now I can personally see how it works and I hope that this upgrade is better than Autocad MEP 2008. I have encountered several bugs and problems on the MEP 2008 and I have managed to get along it with it.

The Autocad MEP 2009 offers some solutions for the problems in previous version.  Along with the free Autocad MEP 2009 is the free update for Autocad Revit MEP Suite 2009. Autocad Revit MEP Suite is actually a two products in a package – those are Revit MEP 2009 and Autocad MEP 2009.

Whatever problems I encounter with the new Autocad MEP release for sure you will see it here.  Of course, I will post also good things about this product so stay tuned.

If in case you have some observations or problems you feel to share then please do so. Just leave a comment on this post and let us exchange our views on it.

Have a nice day to all.

A circular stair block, computer mouse dwg block, dishwasher drawing or chiller detail block for example can be easily inserted into a particular drawing without recreating the drawing from the scratch. Autocad Blocks have impressive feature specifically when modification is required. A simple block editor command will easily revise and update all the necessary changes for a particular Autocad block in the entire drawing.

You only need to create first your acad Block then you can use it repeatedly anytime you want. But why create  if you can find library of Autocad blocks that you can freely download? You don’t need to create dynamic blocks as I’m going to share you a page wheree you can download autocad block FREE. Not only Autocad Blocks, but impression blocks, parametric blocks, autocad mep mvparts, 3ds max texture, 3d models, vault block, revit family, 3d plugins or autocad plugin that you can download for free.

So if you are still looking for the eyewash/safety shower autocad block, autocad dishwasher block, bridgeport autocad block or autocad block highway symbols then you are in the right place.

Stay tuned and subscribe our feeds for fresh content and free autocad blocks.

It appears that this feature cannot be accessed via Autocad MEP Style Manager as I expected. Toby Smith of autodesk confirmed this in the discussion that the panel schedule wass created in Autocad table and since Autocad has no capacity of Style manager like the Autocad Architecture and Autocad MEP the electrical panel schedule will not appear in Style Manager.

Be it in style manager or in table style, I think what is important here that finally the freedom to modify the tables and panel template is there. Here is the link for the the document that outlines the steps to modify panel schedule styles.

That’s all for now, I’ll share you more on this when I received the Autocad MEP 2009 due to arrived here in Kuwait in two weeks.

NCS is where we bought our Autocad MEP licenses – Stand-alone and Network Licenses. I called our account manager, and asked him when will be the availability of the update in Middle-East. He confirmed that our upgrade bundled with our subscription is already ready for dispatching and that it will arrive here in Kuwait two weeks from now.

That’s good then, few more weeks and you’ll be seeing my observation about the new Autocad MEP version. We will come to know whether the new feature on the Electrical Panel Schedule form is awesome or not.

Instead of inserting the new block one at a time, why don’t we create a lisp and automate the tedious block insertion process. By using the center point of the circles, we can create a lisp routine that will make a block and insert it in the specific center point of the circle auto-magically! This will save you many hours of drafting time compare to doing it the traditional way. If you have 3-4 circles to be replaced by block then that is tolerable but what if you have thousands of circles – that will surely be a tough job.

Here let me share you how to shortcut this long traditional method of inserting block on the centerpoint of each circle.

First, we have to create a lisp routine that is capable of converting multiple circles to block and insert it in the circle’s centerpoint automatically. Then, we will load that lisp to your autocad drawing and with a single command ^puff^ your circles will become blocks. You may use this block later so you can convert this to Electrical Device, change the symbology or whatever autocad mep 2008 manipulation you want to do.

Create the Circle-to-Block Autolisp:

• Open notepad.exe
• Copy and paste this code.
• In the notepad, saveas the file inside the folder where you want the lisp to be stored.
• Specify filename, e.g. RepCir2Blk.lsp (Don’t forget the “.lsp” extension”
• Click saveas type, choose “All files”.
• Hit the save button.

The Replace Circle to Block (RerCir2Blk) in action

• Open the autocad file that contains the circles you want to convert to blocks.
• In the command box, type “appload”
• Browse and load the RepCir2Blk lisp you created in step 4 above. (here is my lsp, in case you want to use this.  Just right click, “save target as”)
• Once the lisp is loaded, close the Load/Upload application dialog box
• You can now use convert circles to block simultaneously, by running the command: RepCir2Blk.

If in your first attempt the steps here didn’t work, I suggest you repeat step one and follow the procedure carefully.

This technique is very useful specially if you are working in Autocad MEP 2008. Most of the time you’ll receive drawings from consultant or from third party for MEP detailed drawings. There are those who provide the drawing in plain autocad with the drawing blocks intact, but there are cases where you’ll receive drawings with exploded content. Electrical symbols, upright and downright sprinklers might be represented with plain circles. In this case converting those circles to Autocad MEP device or mvpart will be forever, as you are going to insert the device or mvpart one by one . But if they are in block then there is a simple procedures that will easily convert these Autocad blocks into device or sprinkler mvparts with less hassle.

You’ll know how to do it in my coming post. so Stay tuned.

If you think this tip is useful then don’t be shy to share it to others. You might as well subscribe our feed via email so you’ll receive the latest Autocad MEP tips and tricks to your inbox, or subscribe via your favorite feedreader.

Here is the list. When I receive the upgrade I’m going to return in this post to see if Autodesk take it into consideration, a bug fix or improvement nonetheless.

MEP file format change. ABS 2007.1 can’t read MEP 2008 drawings properly. Actually this is not a bug, this is in fact a backward compatibility issue which I believe the software developer are aware of. I just wish they will allow introduce a way to enable the older MEP versions to read the Autocad MEP 2008 and above properly. Not a square or rectangle of acad proxies and the pesky N/A for the tags/annotations.

Saving takes too long. Yes, that’s right. In comparison to ABS2007.1, file saving in Autocad MEP 2008 is longer than the time it takes to save the same file in ABS2007.1 I recorded the time it takes and surprisingly, each file takes around 2 minutes saving time. While doing our MEP drafting work, how many time you think you are saving? I’m saving my drawing more than often, and with MEP 2008 it mean 2 minutes downtime.

Instability Issues and Crashes. Well, this is really the most annoying feature ever incorporated in MEP 2008 . Hold the annotation, the software will crash, zoom in and out your MEP 2008 will crash, print preview you will be prompted with the popular “fatal error” dialog box. As I’ve said, the this error I receive is unpredictable. With 50 workstations using the MEP 2008 imagine how much headache this problem is giving me. If this problem will be solved in MEP 2009 I will be the happiest man in our department.

Dialog box are slow to appear. In MEP 2008, each discipline has its own property pallettes assigned. A very cool improvement from ABS 2007.1 but don’t rejoice yet. There is a slight problem. Whenever I’m adding a pipe or a duct for example (commnd=pipeadd or ductadd) the pipe add dialog box or the duct add dialog box takes time to appear.

So there goes the major problems I encountered. Of course there are minor issues but I those things I can tolerate.

Let see if Autocad MEP 2009 considered this problems – my cadd software miseries…

Here are the new features other than what mentioned in the product brochure. Thanks Toby (autodesk) for sharing this info to us.

Interference Detection
This is a new tool to check for collisions between objects in AutoCAD MEP. The tool allows you to find hard and soft collisions (such as clearances), zoom into the problem area, resolve the issue and navigate to the next one. Check boxes allow you to select which MEP objects to check as well as different building elements to check against.

Part Numbering
This is a new annotation tool used to number Duct and Pipe parts for scheduling. This replaces the Pipe and Duct Fabrication tag tools formerly found only in the UK profile. You can number individual objects or a system of connected objects. As items are added or deleted, you can update the numbering or re-number the entire run. There is also an option to use the same part number for identical parts.

Electrical Enhancements
There have been major improvements in this area. Load Categories have been added for all devices with Power & Lighting connectors. These Load Categories determine which Demand Factor value to use in the panel load calculations. Demand Factors have been revised to allow for changes based on quantity of objects or ranges of loads. Also, the largest motor is automatically determined and a different Demand Factor can be set for it. Demand Factors are now applied to each panel calculated load instead of individual circuit loads.

Circuit Manager is now a modeless palette, similar to the Properties Palette or the Tool Palettes. Circuit Manager can be docked on the side of the screen (or a second monitor) and will roll-up out of the way when not needed. New header and footer sections have been added to display panel properties as well as overall panel load totals, spare capacity and phase balance.

The Electrical Project Database is now a separate file with .EPD extension. Any drawing linked to an EPD file will be able to utilize any panel and circuit linked to the same EPD file. Multiple files can be linked to the same EPD file to share loads across your drawing files.
Panels can now be linked to other panels so loads can be accurately transferred across an entire electrical distribution system. Panels in the current drawing can be connected to any panel in the same drawing or to any panel in the linked EPD file. Panel-to-panel connections are shown in an offset manner in Circuit Manager (similar to Windows folder structure).

Panel Schedules are now based on AutoCAD tables instead of Visual Basic code. Table style “templates” can be created to match company-standard panel schedules. A few schedules have been created as examples and these are found in a Panel Schedule Table Styles drawing in the Styles directory.

Multiple Catalog Selection
Multiple part catalogs can now be used for each discipline. It is now much easier to keep custom content separate from the default content that ships with AutoCAD MEP. When adding parts, the different catalogs are identified to allow you to select the proper part from the desired catalog.

User Interface and Tools
Pipe and Pipe Fitting Add and Modify are now based in the Properties Palette. All of the options for changing properties while adding or editing pipe objects can now be found in one location. The Nominal Size field only displays sizes available from the selected Routing Preference. The Elevation control has been updated to allow selection of predefined elevations (from Options setting) as well as accepting typed values directly. Routing Preferences are also now stored on Pipe and Fittings.

External drawings can be utilized for Routing Preferences and System styles so these no longer need to be stored in the templates. Styles will only be brought in when an object is added. The ModifyRun command replaces PipeModify. Also, graphical one-line rise drop styles have been improved.

Plumbing Line and Plumbing Fitting Add and Modify are also now based in the Properties Palette. All of the options for changing properties while adding or modifying plumbing objects can be found in one location.

The selection dialog for devices, panels, schematic symbols and plumbing fittings has been enhanced. In the past, the tiny “worksheet” button had to be selected. Now, the Properties Palette displays an image of the part. Just click on the picture to bring up the dialog box to select a different part.

When you select a pipe, duct, conduit or cable tray object, you now have a quick way to select all of the objects in the same system, system group, domain (i.e. all piping objects or all duct objects) or connected branches. This can be found on the Edit menu or on the right-click context menu for each object.

Schematic Lines and Fittings
Drawing and editing schematic layouts is much easier with new grips to add, lengthen, move, flip and rotate objects. Associate moving (also called “sticky move”) is utilized to connected schematic lines and fittings know how to move in relation to each other.

Solution Tips
The former defect marker has been replaced by solution tips. A yellow triangle with an exclamation point will display a tool tip indicating the problem as well as possible solutions. The solution tips can be turned on and off as needed – this is now a user setting, not a drawing setting as before.

Export to AutoCAD
In the past, using Export to AutoCAD in Model view would result in some items being exported as 3D solids while others were exported as 3D faces. Everything is now converted to 3D solids.

Hmm.. looks like there are quite a few enhancements and fixes on the new release. Among the features mentioned, I’m more then excited to see electrical panel schedule enhancement in MEP 2009. In MEP 2008 and previous release the electrical panel schedule is not easy to modify. For company based in Middle-East, the panel schedule feature of out of the box MEP 2008 and older version don’t give that much benefit!.

I hope that customization of Electrical Panel Schedule Format is easy as promised on this year’s Autocad MEP release.

NCS!! – where is our software upgrade? can’t wait to have it..

Autodesk marketing tagline for this product:

" Maximize the efficiency of your AutoCAD software-based engineering workflow with Autocad MEP 2009 software from concept through construction documention. "

Main Features:

Schematic Design

Easily create riser diagrams and schematic plans with enhanced schematic tool palettes that logically group commonly used tools. In addition, the Properties palette provides easier schematic object configurations. Convert existing AutoCAD blocks to schematic symbols for quick use in schematic design.

Discipline-Specific Tool Palettes

Tool palettes are logical tool groups used to add objects to drawings. AutoCAD MEP offers a large inventory of both common and discipline-specific tool palettes, including annotation and call-out tools for documentation and tools for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and schematic design.

Project Navigator—Drawing Management

Manage project drawings, easily creating coordinated views based on design parameters. Create and manage project drawing sheet sets for all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing construction documents. All design team members access the most current documents from a centralized project directory, from project templates to sections and elevations.

Work with Catalog-Based Content

The AutoCAD MEP parts catalogs provide an extensive collection of parts for use during design. Query the parts catalogs to assist with part selection and retrieve parts for integration into your designs. Store parts you create in a catalog for future use. Choose parts from multiple catalogs to increase design selection.

Design to Fabrication

With the seamless integration of EastCoast tools into AutoCAD MEP software you no longer need to redraw models for fabrication, enabling design to fabrication in just a few clicks. Using design models in the fabrication of sheet metal, plumbing, and piping makes it easier to create shop drawings.

Seamless Sections and Elevations

You no longer need to wait until the end of your design process to create sections and elevations. With AutoCAD MEP you can quickly create sections and elevations at any time. When your design changes, all sections and elevations update automatically, virtually eliminating manual updates. Sections help to ensure that the design is accurate and add clarity to construction documents.

More features can be found here…

Interesting features huh?. Do you think AutoCAD MEP will live up with its jaw-dropping features?  Well, you will see.. I’m going to post different articles about this software very soon.  Still waiting for the arrival of the AutoCAD MEP 2009 upgrade.  Autodesk reseller here in Kuwait told me that it is expected to arrive here on April end. 

By the way, I checked the Autocad MEP 2009 Detail Brochure and was surprised to read my manager’s testimonial there . 

"Using AutoCAD MEP with its powerful visual design coordination capabilities, we were able to lay out these extremely complex mechanical rooms – easily – knowing ahead of time wheter there was an interference.  It was also a lot easier for us to coordinate the plant and mechanical rooms.

Jean Abi Aad, Corporate Engineering Manager -Kharafi National"