AutoCAD MEP Newbie

[the13thson]

I recently started a new job as an Electrical Engineering Consultant at a company which does mostly government work (schools, hospitals, standardised government buildings). I do the plugs, lights, power requirements of these buildings and have to draw up Distribution Boards, do load calculations, Lux calculations, etc.

 

As the only electrical engineer in the office, I was tasked with setting up the AutoCAD MEP and Revit MEP (which I was told is where I should design the electrical parts). I'm quite confused as I know the basics of AutoCAD but nothing of this MEP. I was told that MEP can help setup all of the work I do (DBs, load calculations, etc) while I'm drafting the electrical plans of buildings. Is this true? I haven't found much evidence of this anywhere.

 

Also, my company has not set up any of the elements of any libraries (which I have no clue how to do). Is there any fast way to do this?

 

Thanx for any help.

The13thSon

[ReMark]

I think the wisest investment your company can make is to send you for some training. Contact your local authorized AutoDesk reseller and inquire about an AutoCAD-MEP class (usually three days). Why? Because you don't want to go down the wrong path then realize you have to do everything all over again which would be a big waste of your time and the company's money.

 

Primarily this response is to give your thread a *bump*. Maybe one of our MEP-wise forum members will notice it the second time around and provide some further advice.

[SLW210]

I moved your thread to the MEP forum.

[hoss]

You can have look at chapter 7 on this book

 

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=WY868Q7uYZcC&printsec=frontcover&dq=autocad+mep&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fM72ULCWNMmVtAa9sIHQDQ&ved=0CEMQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

This should give you an overall idea of AutoCAD MEP capabilities in the electrical section. I am mainly a Mechanical user, so don't know much about the electrical bits.

 

Regarding Revit MEP, I am lead to believe is a lot more powerful package, but nothing like CAD, or Autocad MEP. So if you decided to use Revit you will need some training.

[tzframpton]

AutoCAD is a drafting CAD program. AutoCAD MEP uses AutoCAD as the core, then builds up from there, adding a lot of design functionality (faster and quicker tools, extremely functional 3D capabilites, trade specific content, engineering and calculation tools, etc).

 

Revit is not a drafting CAD program. It's not an AutoCAD replacement nor is it intended to be. Revit is a serious design and engineering application for the AEC industry. Note, that the MEP version of Revit is the most lacking, as well as the most challenging. You need a Revit Architectural model in place first before any MEP designs should take place.

 

Best bet is to buy the suite, so you get both products for virtually no difference in price. This way you're prepared on both ends, depending on if you receive an AutoCAD arch background or a Revit arch background. Revit is gaining huge momentum so my suggestion is to go ahead and make the move.

 

I am a huge fan of AutoCAD MEP, especially for guys in the industry. Once you get some understanding of the program you'll wonder why you ever designed without it.

 

Hope this helps.

[cadludde]

From my experience in implementing AutoCAD MEP, it is really worth to take the time, sit down and figure out what you need from AMEP for your documentation before you start working. (systems, layering, content etc.)

Learn how Style- and Displaymanager works and affects AEC objects, and create styles and a dwt file that suites your needs. Get rid of everything youre not going to use.

 

Then create new Tool Palettes with relevant functions suiting your workflow, and organize(create new) content (devices, MvParts etc) as it suites your needs.

You will probably want to customize the tags, labels and schedules to show up and read info (property sets) as you want them to. Make copies of everything you want to customize if anything "goes wrong".

 

If you put as much of your localized content (ToolPalettes, Styledrawings, Template file etc) as possible on shared places it will be easy to share with other users and when its time for an upgrade.

In my opinion, if you put effort in having a platform that works in place first, you will save you lots of frustration while making the step to AMEP.

 

This may all seem quite obvious, but I´ve seen lots of companies migrating from ACAD, struggling a lot when trying to make AMEP out of the box to work..

 

Just my 5 cents..

 

Hope it helps and good luck..