I have a few questions if one of the MEP users can answer it would be great.
How easy is it to create a 3D building layout in MEP?
It depends on the size of the building. The hardest part is the initial setup (if you don't use what's in the box). You could probably get away with using the default parts (you'd have to tweak the CTB file to plot the way you want to see things), we as a company, have decided to make a bunch of our own symbols - kind of a mix of industry standards and what they had when we were using Microstation (we switched from MS J to ABS 2 a few years back).
Does anyone use MEP with the IES VE plugin?
if so, how easy is it to export the 3D building model to another computer using IES?
Never heard of it. Do you have a link?
Is it easy to draft, or do you have to design as you go?
It depends on how "real" you want to make it. A lot of our MEP users are just straight-up drafters who receive a redlined drawing and make the CAD drawing reflect the redline. They don't worry about the Z-dimension too much. As long as what's below gets hidden when an object above crosses it. For example, if you were to look at some of our drawings in a 3D view you would see ductwork at 10' and 20'. Obviously that isn't going to fit in a real building, but for most of the drawings we don't care just as long as we get a 2D representation of what's above and what's below.
We have a handful of younger guys (Jr. Designers) that are starting to embrace the system as a design tool and they are doing their drawings "real". They are using exact locations, heights, etc... and making an actual real-world 3D model.
How easy is it to export to the render package?
There is a command (_AecMassElementConvert) that will export the AECB objects to 3D solids.
Can I still create 2D DWGs if I want to?
Yes. When you have MEP set to use a "plan" (top) view, then your drawings are essentially 2D, so yes, you can create 2D drawings. As soon as you switch your view to a 3D or isometric view, then everything is viewed as 3-dimensional objects. (See attached ZIP for short video demonstration).
Does it still allow me to run a basic AutoCAD if I want?
Yes. When you install MEP there is an option to create a link for basic AutoCAD.
Thanks for any replies.
You're welcome. I hope this helps.
(Disclaimer: I am not an MEP engineer; just the lowly CADD Manager that set up everything for our company.
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