MEP, Hevacomp, Cymap etc.

[Holsteijn]

Who has experience with software based on autoCAD like MEP, Cymap, Hevacomp etc?

 

Please tell me your experience and what the strenghts and weaknesses are!

[Deano28]

Was wondering the same question myself as need to purchase one or other. Can anyone help?

[SLW210]

We have a MEP sub forum http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?61-MEP

[PHIL CLEMENT]

I have never used Hevacomp but can say that Cymap is temperamental at best and quite infuriating at worst.

[dan1967]

Ive used both and prefer Cymap ( now called MEPworx)

For starters Cadline have an aggressive development plan to cater for the basic user who wants to define spaces with either simple or complex geometry via gbXMLand engage in steady state calculations up to importing links to and from 3D packages with a 3d services modeller add on in Revit - you adopt the workflow to suit the project requirements

Hevacomp in its current form has been dropped and requires some extensive 3D modelling before you can even get started and a lot of the time you dont get a 3D model..

It has a more design centric approach and has obviouosly been deigned by engineers...for example Hevacomp services on multiple floor are "stitched" together with node connectors that attempt to connect the networks of pipes and ducts on each floor - MEPworx is designed like a building actually is....you merely drop to the floor below as in reality, which means all your head loss calculations and buoyancy calcs for gas are correct. There are exports to iSBEM as opposed to an inbuilt SBEM calculation tool . I had to wait ages for Hevacomp to develop the SBEM platform to cater the the BRE changes, whereas with the MEPworx export I didnt - all i used was the government tool and imported the data. You also have a work flow for bringing in results from TAS or IES without having to enter all the engineering data so you have an excellent intuative wizard to develop the workflow suitable to your project. The electrical also has a facility where if you design your services on the floorplans you can import and create a schematic to design and alaulte all your cables sizes ect. The support is also very good , as far as im aware to maintain their platinum Autodesk status they have to be..Ive had one or two issues with crashes but have sent jobs and got them back fixed quickly as opposed to hearing nothing or getting a voice mal from the states! so its the best of the bunch but not perfect but at least its flexible and suits my productivity requirements

Dan