Why Do We Learn? Considering CAD training

I thought I would try and give a little bit of insight into why we learn. I’m not referring to the physical bits, the synapses joining together to form memories which can be accessed at any time. No, I mean the actual motivating elements which gets us up and out of our seats and into a classroom. There are many reasons why we do this, and I will only cover a couple of them in this blog. I will also try and fit a type of learning to each motivation.

School

In the civilised world, we don’t really have the choice in whether going to school or to be home schooled, so I won’t be spending time covering this. I am more interested in when we have a choice in whether we learn or don’t learn, so we begin this a little later in life when we are gainfully employed.

Employee Placements.

A lot of companies today offer employee placements, this commonly comes in the form of the employee doing day release at University or College, helping gain some form of qualification which should be related to their job. I am all for this personally, but again, do many people actually have a choice in this? Especially in the case of apprenticeships, where this will be a stipulation rather than an option. If you get the chance of having this option offered to you, grab it with both hands. In my perspective, you are basically being paid to learn which is Nirvana in my mind.

Wanting new employment.

I have also been told that sometimes people don't stay at the same company for 25 years, as I have. So, if you are looking for a new job, do you even have all the necessary qualifications to even get to an interview stage? This is probably the hardest of all the motivating factors I find to go through. You read the job descriptions, and realise that you are not even close to getting to an interview for the role, so what do you do? You must weigh up whether you want to pay for a course on your own, so you get the necessary qualifications to make your CV pass inspection. It is however a gamble, and quite a big gamble for that. You really need to step back and have a think about your happiness, as well as your future. Is your current job really that unbearable, that you want to open your wallet? Realistically speaking though, unless you are looking for a complete career change i.e Mechanical Engineer to Cake Decorator, I'm not sure that it really is that necessary. You have fallen into a vicious circle that really is the whole point of me writing this article, your current role does not provide you with continuous learning and training, therefore you don’t have the skills to help you get another job. Why don’t you look at it like this, would you be happier in your current role if you got some training? Studies show that employees are much more content in their job roles if they get trained each year, it also demonstrates that the employer values you. If you ask for some training, great organisations will want you to do it.

This reminds me of a story, recently I helped train an engineering company that were really getting hit on productivity, nobody was innovating and basically, they were  operating the same way for the last 20 years. In a management meeting held, the subject of CAD training was raised, which would cost £20,000 for all employees to get some training that they desperately needed. The Financial Director posed the question "What happens if we spend on all this money on CAD training, and all of the staff armed with new skills get up and find another job". The Engineering Director's response in return was.

"What happens if we don't train all of these people and they stay?"

Your employer sends you on a training course

There are two different ways you can look at this, and which one you choose all depends on your outlook on life really.

1. My employer values the work that I produce and recognises that my skills need updating for me to keep the best productivity, they are willing to spend money on me to aid in me achieving this.
2. My employer thinks I am not very good at my job and implies I need to get some training, so I am not just taking up desk space, but so I can actually contribute to the company.

What is my answer to this? Am I a pessimist or an optimist? Do you know what? it doesn’t really matter which answer reflects your thoughts.

The result is the same, you get some training. However, the answer to the above question will have a huge impact on how much you will actually learn on the course.

If you attend the training, which your company has paid for, with a defeatist attitude, then know you probably won’t get much out of the training course. I have always maintained that I can teach anyone, whether they are young or old, with an intelligence level of either not so bright or extremely smart, a good teacher can teach anyone.

The one subset of people that I do struggle with however are those who think they know everything. Fortunately, I get very few of these kinds of people on my courses, and inevitably these types of people have just been sent on a course.

If your answer to the above statement was number 1, then you find online learning beneficial, as you will be motivated to actually take the time and use the online resources given resulting in you to get more productive, you would however gain more from attending some classroom training, as the teacher should be able to pitch the training to your level, as well as tailoring the course to put into perspective for your job. If your answer was number 2 however, then a classroom course would definitely be needed. Someone who isn’t motivated to attend a course, will not spend the time to learn from an online resource. They will always be too busy.

Remember every day is a school day!

If you would like to learn more about training at Symetri then please visit our website https://www.symetri.co.uk/training/

AUTODESK CONSTRUCTION CLOUD – COLLABORATION BETWEEN DISCIPLINES

In the past few years, the word “collaboration” is applied to all discussions on improving organisations within the AEC industry, and indeed the industry as a whole. And rightly so. A number of historical problems in the industry can be associated with failures in collaborative efforts, which isn’t a surprise. Projects involve numerous parties, constantly exchanging masses of knowledge over time (often years), in various formats, via varying workflows and practices and in alignment with a host of requirements. How could everything possibly be done correct? Well, honestly, it can’t. However, we can certainly get the rate of error much nearer to zero and lessen the impact of misfortune when it does occur. How, may you ask? Through the use of skill, and tools.

One tool being Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC). ACC is a powerful collaboration platform, allowing AEC professionals to work cooperatively seamlessly across the different disciplines. The platform provides a range of both tools, and features enabling team members to share data, communicate effectively, and collaborate on a variety of project tasks, from Design to Operations. In this blog, we will discuss how ACC can be used across disciplines, to help improve communication and collaboration (and there is that word again!).

Autodesk Docs

As the Common Data Environment for ACC, Autodesk Docs holds a number of very valuable tools, which help teams coordinate in an assortment of different ways.

You can utilise ‘Transmittals’ to notify other teams of updates, and ‘Permissions’ enabling teams to view only the data that is correct and relevant to them. ‘Markup’ and ‘Commenting’ allows stakeholders have their say in documents, including drawings and models, where previously they might have needed specialist software licencing, as well as knowledge to have their say. ‘Issues’ is the centrally accessible tool used for tracking and resolution, which can be personalised for different kinds of Issues (like Fire), and even linked to Revit allowing pins flagging clashes or other items to be shared directly between different teams, using the free add-in.

And of course, everything is versioned in Autodesk Docs with the capability to view older revisions of files and documents, and even roll back to one of these revisions. This also allows the ability to compare the versions of drawings and models, to gain a full understanding on the impact of any changes that have been made.

Design Collaboration

Design Collaboration’s purpose is to overcome the time old problem of using incorrect, or dated information given from other teams. The focal point of the module is the swim lanes, which effectively visualise when “Packages” are distributed between each design team. Depending on the appearance of these “Packages” on the swim lanes, it both indicates the high-level contents and whether your workforce has retrieved the data to your own folders, in a process called “Consuming”.

These features allow teams to control the flow of their knowledge, including both ingoing and outgoing, as well as monitoring changes in an easy to manage, visual based environment.

Model Coordination

Focusing more on the 3D aspect of cooperating with other teams, the Coordination module enables teams to run both cross-discipline and internal clash checks, updating automatically when latest models are uploaded. This can be achieved across a variety of formats (detailed below), meaning coordination is accessible to all parties involved, no matter what software they are using. Issues are then able to be created of items of interest found and assigned to either internal or external teams.

When designing in Revit, these clash issues can be presented and reviewed directly within the model, using the forementioned issues add-in.

For those companies with embedded clash detection process in Navisworks, the add-in allows models and views to be opened straight from Model Coordination. Issues can be made directly in Navisworks and synchronised automatically with ACC.

Collaborate Pro

Utilising the cloud sharing capabilities of Revit, Civil 3D and Plant 3D, Collaborate Pro allows work shared models to be hosted on ACC. Collaborate Pro users additionally have all the advantages included in Design Collaboration and Model Coordination.

Autodesk Build

Autodesk Build provides tools that are regularly used during the Construction stage, from Project Management to Quality to Project Closeout. It can be used to oversee project workflows, track project milestones, as well as communicate with internal or external team members. Teams that are on-site can use Autodesk Build to manage inspections, issues, and tasks, guaranteeing that construction progresses both smoothly and on schedule. RFI’s can be issued to communicate the need for extra information from either the client, or other stakeholders.

The Conclusion

Autodesk Construction Cloud is armed with a myriad of capabilities, helping support AEC professionals within the industry across organisations to achieve a collective goal. If collaboration is important to you and your projects, and you’d like to find out how we have assisted past clients in the ACC platform or BIM, and how we can help you too, please get in contact with us to book in an appointment.

TOOLS WITHIN AUTODESK REVIT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

When discussing with clients their Autodesk Revit issues and how to use it as efficiently as possible, I frequently notice that they are working on previous Revit versions. 2021 appears to be a common version among recent clients I've spoken with. Given that the current release is 2023.1, that's three updates since the version on which many projects are produced on.

These clients are frequently working on large projects that span several years, have multiple consultants collaborating on the project, and are the most difficult to upgrade, therefore are still using an older version.

However, there are times when an incidental issue arises, and I wonder to myself why. Surely you just need to… and then recall that the solution is a feature that appeared in a later version that the client is using.

So, I thought I'd take this opportunity to highlight some of the new features that have been introduced in the last few releases that can help alleviate some of the issues that are frequently encountered.

SNAP MID BETWEEN 2 POINTS

The first that comes to mind is the ability to snap to the middle of two points, which was introduced in 2022. This has long been available in AutoCAD but was only recently added to Revit. When drawing walls, sketching floor boundaries, or moving and copying etc., you can access the snap overrides via the right-click menu, with Snap Mid Between 2 Points being the first option on the list.

Alternatively, you can enable it with the “S2” keyboard shortcut. You can even repeat it to get a quarter distance between the points.

It should imply that fewer detail lines, dimensions, or reference planes are required to accurately position objects.

 SHEET REVISIONS

The ability to have multiple revision numbering types was introduced again in 2022. This means that numbering systems with different prefixes, such as the Provisional and Contractual revisions commonly used in ISO19650 compliant projects, can be defined. When defining the revision, the appropriate revision type can then be selected and applied to sheets as needed. The revision sequence will reflect the various types.

The ability to edit revisions on multiple sheets at the same time is a fantastic addition to Revit 2023.1. Simply select the sheets in the project browser and go to the properties palette and click "Edit Revisions on Sheet" as usual.

A minor change that can easily be overlooked if not highlighted, but it can save a significant amount of time spent going through individual sheets to assign a revision.

 

PDF EXPORT

Once the revisions have been applied and you are ready to issue them, PDF is the standard format. A built-in PDF printer has long been a request for Revit. Again, AutoCAD has had these for many years, and the difficulty of finding reliable PDF creators that aren't too expensive for everyone who uses Revit has caused loads of frustration.

The issue was eventually resolved in the 2022 release, but not as part of the print tool. Export PDF is a new tool available from the export menu rather than the print menu. However, it added some really useful functionality in terms of naming the PDFs.

The printed views or sheets can be combined as multiple pages in a single PDF. 2023 gave the ability to control the order of pages in the PDF, or as individual PDF files. As individual files, the naming can be customised using parameter values from both the Sheets and the Project Information, allowing for the automatic creation of complex naming formats used in BIM compliant projects, including the current revision.

It can also detect the page size from the title block, allowing us to batch-plot PDFs of all sizes and name them correctly in a single tool built into Revit.

If you want this functionality in 2021 or are interested in how it can be expanded in 2022 or 2023, please contact us and enquire about Symetri's Naviate toolset!

SHEET TOOLS

 Sheets can now be duplicated in Revit, and views can be duplicated as dependent or independent at the same time. This has been a long-requested tool, and it is greatly appreciated.

Views placed on sheets can also be swapped for a different view; there is no need to delete the view from the sheet and place the alternative view separately, ensuring it is aligned with the previous view.

Views can be moved between sheets in 2023.1 by dragging and dropping them in the project browser, or by using the right-click menu, which allows the user to select from a searchable list of sheets.

 SCHEDULE TOOLS

The ability to split and place schedules across multiple sheets is the first feature. Instead of having to create and manage multiple schedules with filters, a single schedule can be created and split across multiple views, much like a dependant view. Work in the main schedule and changes will be reflected on all sheets as needed.

 

Another useful feature is the ability to search for sheets, categories, parameters, and so on when placing on views, pasting objects, or creating schedules. In this case, dividing a door schedule across three sheets that are numbered or named appropriately allows them to be easily found in the project's long list of sheets.

 The ability to filter parameter types and search for names when creating schedules saves time scrolling up and down the long list of project parameters. A similar search function in the Visibility/Graphics Overrides saves time as well.

Finally, the ability to filter schedules based on the objects displayed on the sheet is an exceptionally useful addition. Creating a sheet for individual rooms or apartments that includes a schedule of objects for that specific space, for example, meant creating a separate schedule for each room or apartment. Now, a single schedule for the entire project can be created and placed on multiple sheets. The schedule will only list the objects visible in other views on the sheet once it is placed on the sheet.

TWINMOTION

The last update I'll mention is not really a Revit feature. Twinmotion from Epic Games is now included as part of the AEC Collection in Revit 2023.1.

Twinmotion is a standalone, real-time visualisation software package, powered by the Unreal Engine, that can be downloaded and used as part of the AEC Collection licence.

 

 

There is an Open in Twinmotion tool in Revit 2023.1 that will create a link between the Revit model and Twinmotion, which can then send updates from Revit to Twinmotion.

Additional items can be added to Twinmotion to build the scene once the model is there. To make a model come to life, add landscaping, trees, roads, people, cars, lights, furnishings, and other extras. The Revit model's materials can be changed or substituted with new ones.

Many of these objects can also be animated. Objects will be affected, causing trees and grass to sway in the wind and water to ripple, as a result of the weather. Set the time of year to winter to see snow falling in your model. People and vehicles can follow easily drawn paths with speed and quantity controls.

Twinmotion then enables you to generate high-quality images in photorealistic or non-realistic styles such as hidden line and white models. Videos, 360-degree panoramas and videos, and interactive VR presentations are also possible outputs.

Due to Twinmotion being a standalone tool, it can also connect models from other versions of Revit. Therefore, if you're still using Revit 2021 or 2022, you can still benefit from the Twinmotion addition to 2023.

CONCLUSION

As Revit evolves, there don't seem to be many big headline features that catch people's attention. This means that users rarely feel the need to upgrade and instead prefer to work on older versions. However, there are many new and updated features in each release, and some of them can make a huge difference to the workflow on some projects - even if they are not making headlines when they are released! If you're using an older version of Revit, look for areas that seem time consuming or repetitive and notice if there are any improvements in a newer release that could help. If you're unsure, contact Symetri and one of our experienced consultants will gladly help to see if there is a more efficient way of working in Revit, whether that involves using a newer version or not.

 I hope you found this article useful. If you need more help in Autodesk Revit, please contact SYMETRI by calling us on 0345 370 1444 or email us at info@symetri.com.