Topic: AutoCAD MEP is it a 3d package?

[diarmuid]

Quick Question:
AutoCAD MEP.  its a mechnical electrical plumbling services package that can reference 3D Archietectural models from AutoCAD Archietecture (and vice versa).  so if you wish you can model in 3D with this package?

Regards

Diarmuid

[Rob...]

Yes.

Although from what I here, the plumbing isn't very good.

[MexicanCustard]

Yes, MEP is a 3D piping package.

You'll never use the "Plumbing" part to draw 3d pipe. All pipe including sloped pipe is drawn in the "Piping" part and it draws fine.  The only drawback to MEP as a 3D piping package is it's ability to get to fabrication.  If you're fluent in any of the languages to customize AutoCAD then you should be able to get it where you need it to go.  Just be prepared to put in the time.  If you draw hangers then it's a bit of a PITA but it can do hangers.

[Rob...]

Yes, MEP is a 3D piping package.

You'll never use the "Plumbing" part to draw 3d pipe. All pipe including sloped pipe is drawn in the "Piping" part and it draws fine.  The only drawback to MEP as a 3D piping package is it's ability to get to fabrication.  If you're fluent in any of the languages to customize AutoCAD then you should be able to get it where you need it to go.  Just be prepared to put in the time.  If you draw hangers then it's a bit of a PITA but it can do hangers.

I know that there is a difference, trade wise, between Piping and Plumbing but does AutoCAD draw the pipes differently depending on the workspace?

[MexicanCustard]

AMEP doesn't differentiate the two by the difference in trades.  The plumbing side of things is an Engineering tool for system design only. It's strictly single line, schematic only.  The piping side of things is what you're thinking of when you talk about drawing pipe in 3D. Pipe is pipe to AMEP, doesn't matter that it slopes are not it's all pipe to AMEP.  I believe AMEP used to have problems with sloped piping, hence the notion that the plumbing side wasn't very good.  I haven't had any problems running sloped pipe with AMEP 2011 and now 2012. 

Have you used any add-on packages for AutoCAD to draw pipe before?  Was thinking I could compare how it works to what you've used before.  I moved over from CadPipe last year to AMEP.  It took some time to get everything working like I was used to but it's been able to do everything CadPipe did and more.

[Rob...]

Actually, I don't do much piping work and have not had the pleasure of doing it in 3d outside of a couple of training classes for Revit and sloped piping is still tricky to do in Revit 2011. The company I work for is finally making the switch from our very old, very customized AutoCAD to 2011 with very little customization. I was asking for information because of what I had heard from a couple people.

[diarmuid]

Thanks for all of the input guys.

'preciate the help

[StykFacE]

I use AMEP 10 hours a day every day. Custard is 100% correct in his description regarding the Plumbing workspace. The Piping workspace has everything you need for plumbing and piping, and it's all 3D. Right now I'm working on a huge $15 million dollar project and it has steam pipe (which is sloped), steam condensate, chemical pipe, copper pipe, plastic PVC, grooved piping, threaded steel pipe, stainless socket weld pipe, stainless butt-weld pipe, and more just on this one project. Right out of the box, AMEP has everything I have thrown at it as far as all the different types of piping material and connection/routing preferences. Pretty impressive actually.

I also compared the stock catalog of fittings with the manufacturers we're using and the dimensions are dead-on accurate, I'm assuming from ANSI standards. Even if they aren't, they're easily editable.

Sloped piping on AMEP works amazingly well, actually. There was definitely a learning curve to understand how AMEP wants you to input and route the pipe but once you wrap your mind around how it likes to be told what to do, it's a breeze drawing sloped piping.