ASCENT Blog

Citius - Altius - Fortius

By Elvis R. Sverko

With the start of the Games of the XXX Olympiad today, let’s take a look at a way to make your CAD usage Faster - Higher - Stronger.

With many designers using various 3D solid modeling software packages to create their designs, it would be nice to be able to bring any of them into one package to create 2D drawings. With the latest release of AutoCAD, you can directly import various 3D types of files, such as Autodesk Inventor, SolidWorks, CATIA, Pro/Engineer, NX, Parasolid, Rhino, IGES, and STEP. Simply use the Import button on the Insert tab of the Ribbon. You can then freely modify the data using standard editing tools. It’s a great way to bring models of all different types to play together.

 

To create your 2D drawings Faster, if your design team uses Inventor to design in 3D, you can create the 2D drawings automatically in AutoCAD using the Base View From Inventor command found on the Layout tab of the Ribbon. With this command, you place a base view of any orientation of the 3D model.

Taking this command Higher, you also can select a specific Representation of the Inventor model, and then create projected views (right, top, isometric, etc.) of the same model. All instantly. All automatically. You can even create other drawing views from these initial views, including section views and detail views.

Even Stronger, these drawing views in AutoCAD can be automatically updated if the original Inventor model is modified. Simply use the Update commands on the Layout tab of the Ribbon, and all drawing views (base, projected, section, detail) update to show the modifications, and any annotation updates along with it. Now that’s a win-win for everyone.

Educators and instructors should also be aware of these capabilities with AutoCAD, because your students might come from various places using various 3D design software packages, and these AutoCAD tools, like the Olympics, brings all people together.

With some competitions, everyone is a winner, including all the spectators who are in attendance at some events. Because of AutoCAD, spectators are able to truly enjoy the events at the National Stadium Brasilia, which was designed by Castro Mello Architects using AutoCAD. (I know it’s not the Olympics, but the World Cup is just as much a friendly competition among all countries around the world).

 

So remember to use AutoCAD to make your designs Faster – Higher – Stronger.

“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” - Pierre de Coubertin (founder of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894)

 

What’s New in ASCENT’s AutoCAD 2013 Fundamentals Training Guide and in the AutoCAD 2013 Software

By Lisa Kemp

We have all been working hard here, aiming to get the updated versions of our training guides to you as quickly as possible. My focus has been on the AutoCAD 2013 Fundamentals book. With this blog I wanted to highlight some of the new things that you will see in the training guide as it pertains to both the 2013 software and the changes we have made to improve the books.

In terms of general improvements this year, we have added Learning Objectives to the Chapters. The goal of these is to provide you with a high level list of the items covered in the training guide. Another exciting addition is of an Appendix containing the Professional Exam Certification Objectives. These objectives are also identified at the beginning of the corresponding sections in the book, enabling you to find the topics that you should be reviewing. As always we have continued to use the and images, we just made them a little more engaging to help them stand out on the page

 

The following are highlights of the new or enhanced software items in the training guide:

• Welcome Window: This window opens when the AutoCAD software is launched and is divided into three areas: Work, Learn, and Extend. These three areas are described in the training guide to provide new AutoCAD users with information on how they can get additional help.
• Command Line: You can now scroll through a list of commands to select the one that you want to use. The command list can be filtered by starting to type the command name. It changes to only display commands starting with the letters that you have typed.

When in a command, all of its options display in the Command Line and are highlighted in blue. This is an improvement that I use a lot, because I can now select the options directly in the Command Line by selecting the highlighted text. This is much faster than typing the option’s shortcut keys. This is taught at the beginning of the training guide and used in the practices throughout the Chapters.

• File Format: The drawing file format has been changed and drawings that are used in the training guide are saved in the 2013 version of the AutoCAD software.
• Object Properties: When I select an object and then hover the cursor over options in the Color or Linetype drop-down list in Object Properties, the selected objects display a preview of how they would look if the highlighted option were to be selected. This is covered in the lecture material in the training guide.
• Fillets, Chamfers, and Offsets: I find the preview that displays during the Fillet, Chamfer, and Offset commands to be very useful as it enables me to determine whether I need to make any changes before completing the command. This is covered in the lecture material and practices in the training guide.
• Arrays: The way the Array command is used has changed significantly. A default array now displays when you are creating a Rectangular, Polar, or Path array and you then modify it as needed before completing the command. You can also modify it once the command is finished. The practices related to working with Rectangular and Polar arrays have been updated to reflect the changes to the command and a new Path array practice has been added to the book.

• Quick View Drawings and Quick View Layouts: In Quick View Layouts and Quick View Drawings, the current layout or drawing displays a green border around the thumbnail and uses bold text in the title. All of the images in the training guide that relate to this have been updated.

• Viewports: There are now two ways to create viewports, depending on whether you are creating them in Model Space or in a Layout. For Model Space, there is a new Model Viewports panel in the View tab. For Layouts, there is a new Layout tab>Layout Viewports panel. This is covered in both the lecture material and practices in the training guide.

I hope this has helped give you an overview of the changes and improvements to the AutoCAD 2013 software and to ASCENT’s supporting training guide. I also just finished another exciting project that I know many of you will be excited about. I have created a metric only AutoCAD 2013 Fundamentals training guide. It is available now!

Why Should Instructors Be Interested in What is New in the Latest Autodesk Software?

By Elvis R. Sverko

With the recent release of the 2013 Autodesk software, there are many great reasons to upgrade to it. But I’m not going to describe the new features in them now. We’ll have other posts for some of that. I’d like to focus on why instructors of the software should be interested in it.

First of all, it’s in the agreement. (Well, something to the effect of not using outdated software, but I’m not getting into the details of it here, if you agreed to it, you should be aware of it.)

Secondly, with the latest software, comes the latest file format. You don’t want to be stuck not being able to read a client’s files because they use the latest version, and your old antiquated version can’t read it. Asking them to save back doesn’t put much confidence in your abilities.

Not to mention, what would a client who is on the latest version of the software, think about learning the old version? They would wonder what they might be missing. Again, doesn’t look very good for you.

But not only the latest version and file format, you can’t forget the latest interoperability with other 3^rd party files. Oh yeah! Many upgrades here. From point clouds, to STL, to updated translators. The list is huge. Your version of the software had better be able to talk to everyone else out there.

With more and more of the software adding and improving the marking menu and mini-toolbar, getting used to and familiar with the user interface is definitely an advantage for you. As an instructor, you need to be comfortable with this aspect, so upgrade soon, so you have more time to get used to it. Your students need to see you as an expert with it.

And who hasn’t heard of Autodesk 360? The latest version of the software is directly connected to these excellent online services. With online document storage, you can teach your class from anywhere. And Autodesk Exchange Apps is also a great resource for apps for the software.

Again, I’m not going to get into any detail on specific software feature upgrades or new commands, but rest assured, there are plenty of them in the latest version of Autodesk’s softwares, that you’ll be well pleased.

Oh sure, the latest version of software might have some bugs. But don’t let that fear stop you. Autodesk goes through much beta testing with many of its users (including me), that those freak occurrences are mostly eliminated. And the new version most likely even fixed some bugs from the older version. But when was the last time a software bug halted the world anyway? Y2k? Yeah, my clock didn’t even flinch.

Students want to learn what is new, and how to use it. Odds are you’re instructing people who already know and use the software, but they want training on the new features. You’d better be ready.

Finally, why would you not want to be teaching the latest and the greatest software?

It’s OK to make mistakes, but don’t make the mistake of not trying something new. Upgrade to the newest version of the software, and get to know what it has to offer.

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new” - Albert Einstein

 

By Elvis R. Sverko

 

The Right Parametrics in an AutoCAD Drawing

For many years people have been creating drawings using Autodesk AutoCAD.  Some drawings are simple, some are more complicated. But none the less, these drawings are constantly being modified or added on to them. And unless you turn off layers, or use the Isolate option, parts of the drawing not intended for modification, are vulnerable to being accidentally modified. Where even a minor adjustment of the position of a line can make a drawing inaccurate; or in other words, wrong.

Recently added to AutoCAD are Constraints. There are both Geometric and Dimensional Constraints, as seen on the Parametric tab on the Ribbon.



These constraints make a drawing parametric. A parametric drawing has constraints in its geometry to ensure that the design meets specified requirements. However, just because a drawing has constraints, it doesn’t mean they are the right constraints.

One of the biggest issues to consider when adding any constraint, is the intent in the constraint. And it’s best to go all the way to the source. So just by intending two lines to be parallel with each other, is not the full intent of adding a constraint that places them parallel. You also need to investigate if either line is already constrained to any other geometry. And if so, you need to consider if that geometry is modified, how will it affect these lines.  Perhaps you don’t even want them to be affected at all. Maybe you only want one of them to be affected.

Another issue to consider is leaving geometry only partially constrained, or constrained to other geometry that has no other constraints; in other words, leaving geometry not fully constrained. By leaving geometry only partially constrained, means it is still vulnerable to an accidental change.

Before you add any constraints, you should verify first if they have any constraints assigned to them, and if so, which ones. When you hover the mouse over geometry that has constraints, an icon symbol appears, as shown.

To display which constraints exist, use the Show/Hide commands on the Parametric tab. Constraint symbols will appear near their respective geometry as shown.

It’s good to be creative in your design, but sometimes you need constraints to hold those ideas solid. So be sure to add constraints, even if at first they aren’t the right constraints, because as the design unfolds, you’ll be better prepared to make the right adjustments.

 

“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.” – Joseph Chilton Pearce 

 

 

 

Creativity Using CAD part 2 - Array of Sunshine

By Elvis R. Sverko

 

A few weeks ago, I posted part 1 of Creativity Using CAD and talked about being innovative when creating models in CAD. Today, we’ll expand on that notion.

CAD can be an engineering tool as much as an artistic display. And when I say that it can be both, I mean that it is both at the same time. It can be used by engineers, architects, or other designers to do design work. But at the same time, when they use CAD, the models (or drawings) need to be presented in a way so that others can understand it, and maybe even appreciate it as if it were a piece of art (ie, when presenting the design to potential clients).

CAD is both very exacting and artistic. Just like math is both. And just like math, it is ‘very hard creative work’ according to Paul Lockhart ( “A Mathematician’s Lament” , Mathematical Association of America). Lockhart also adds that in order to excel and enjoy math, you need to ‘amuse yourself with your imagination’, and at times be ‘creatively frustrated’. That sounds just like CAD to me.

When being frustrated with CAD, is usually when you need to be creative with CAD. Take for instance when using AutoCAD and you are trying to evenly distribute objects along a path. If you’re not an AutoCAD expert, before AutoCAD 2012, you probably tried to use some math formulas to figure out locations and orientations of these arrayed objects. (Or you just guessed, which I hope you didn’t.)

But even if you were well versed in AutoCAD, if may take your imagination to realize which tools to use to accomplish this task. You first needed to create a block (if you didn’t have one already) that you wanted to array along the path, which you also had to create. Next, using the MEASURE tool, you selected the object representing the path. After you select this object, at the ‘Specify length of segment’ command, you type “B” for block and press Enter. You next enter the name of the block you wish to array along the path. Next, you have the option to align the block with the object. And finally, after entering the length of segment (ie, the distance between each block object along the path), the arrayed path is populated. Each object along the path is an individual object, and not associated. If any changes were needed, you had to delete them all and start over.

Users had a need, and used their creativity to make it happen. But let the sun shine now. Autodesk saw the need, and with AutoCAD 2012, they got creative and added the Path Array command! Now you can easily create associative arrays along a path, and modify them via the Array contextual tab, which allows you to modify the number of items along the path, the distance between them, the base point, and various other options to edit individual items in the array.

So, continue to use your imagination and creativity when you feel frustrated that there isn’t a simple solution to your task at hand. The days will get brighter. And the makers of the CAD software you use are listening and responding.

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” – Maya Angelou

 

Hatch a Plan

By Elvis R. Sverko

Every software package has a number of features and commands that can be used. Some commands are used excessively, and some are rarely utilized. Some commands are quick and easy, while others may be complex with multiple options. But regardless of how often or how difficult a command is, in order to successfully use the software, you should know how to use them all, or at least be familiar with them.

 So where does someone start when learning the software for the first time? That’s up to the instructor, who needs to plan out the best approach to teaching all the different commands, features and options. There needs to be a specific order to these topics. Whether that order is based on a typical industry workflow, or starting with some of the most common and easiest commands then working up to the more complex or hardly used, a plan on what to teach and when is important.  

That’s especially true with CAD. When teaching Autodesk AutoCAD to students, there are many simple commands the students learn immediately. These commands (besides opening, saving, and creating a new drawing) generally include simple drawing techniques such as drawing lines, rectangles, and circles. And these commands are also usually taught first with just their default settings and options. For instance a circle is first taught with specifying the center point and radius, and later it’s looked at by using the two or three point approach, as well as other options. For these simple commands, there may not be too many options, so it can be a quick lesson to understand them all.

However, some commands are quite a bit more complicated. In fact, the Hatch command actually has an entire contextual tab on the ribbon appear when creating or editing a hatch. (The Hatch contextual tab was new in AutoCAD 2011; prior to that version, a Hatch and Gradient dialog box appeared with all the settings and options. The Command line (or Dynamic Input if toggled on) is also another way you can set the hatch options. In fact, you can still utilize these workflows in the most recent version of AutoCAD. If you like using the Hatch and Gradient dialog box, after you start the Hatch command, on the Command line, seTtings option, and the dialog box will appear. Or if you prefer to use the Command line (or Dynamic Inputs) for setting all your hatch options, start the command from the Command line by typing a dash in front of the command name, “-hatch”, and press enter. I don’t recommend these variances to the use of the hatch command because the Ribbon method is so very easy, and you never know if or when these other methods will cease to be part of the software.)

Anyway, back to planning on how to teach the Hatch command. Because there are many options to it, you need to tackle just a few at a time. And you also have to plan to have already covered some other topics in order for some of the hatch options to make sense, such as Annotative, Layer, and Draw Order. You may even consider skipping certain options to a command simply based on the type of course (Fundamentals or Advanced) as well as due to time restrictions.

Many other commands have a large number of options as well, and so you need to take the same measures when teaching those. So plan your teaching workflow strategically, or both you and the student will fail.

 

 “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin

 

Hatch Creation contextual tab on the Ribbon

 

Hatch and Gradient dialog box

 

-Hatch options on the Command line

 

-Hatch options with Dynamic Inputs

 

Creativity Using CAD

By Elvis R. Sverko

 

It’s a new year. So Happy New Year everyone!

Now, how do we make this new year, a better year than last year? Well, one thing that seems to be a hot topic everywhere I look is “Creativity”, and creativity in anything and everything, ( “Use the Kindle Fire as a Creative Device” from December 2011 from Wired.com;  “Buff Your Brain” from the January 9, 2012 edition of Newsweek; “How to Lead a Creative Life” from the December 2011 edition of Fast Company.)

To make anything new, you need to be innovative. To be innovative, you need to use your creativity.

Most engineers/designers/architects/etc. know they need to be creative to make new products, or make older products better. They have many tools at their disposal, from pencil and paper, to wood or metal, to CAD. But mostly they use their imagination to come up with the new idea, and then use these tools to bring them to life.

But sometimes, it’s not just about using a tool to make something new and innovative. Sometimes you have to use the tools in a creative way.

CAD is no exception. There are specific functions that CAD can perform, from drawing lines and circles, to making 3D solid models, to performing simulation such as Finite Element Analysis. Some CAD packages include libraries of standard parts that you can use in your model (such as with Autodesk Revit, you have a library of types/shapes/sizes of windows to include in your architectural design). There are also standards that in many cases at many companies that must be met. These standards might be in the styles used for drawings, or industry standards that need to be met.

But in many cases, you can be creative in the way you use CAD.

If you need to make a cylinder, you have different methods of doing so. You can extrude a circle, or rotate a rectangle (as shown using Autodesk Inventor below). Or there may be other ways as well. But both of these methods create identical cylinders. The difference is in their method. Your choice may come down to what information you currently have, or may need to change, or it’s just completely up to you. But the point is, you can be creative in how you model something in CAD.

 

It doesn’t have to be in the tools you use, that you can be creative. Sometimes it’s simply in how you look at a model. In many 3D solid modeling CAD programs, you can turn the visibility of objects off, change the view style, rotate, or adjust snapping methods to more easily see and select an object in the model. The point is, there isn’t only one way to perform a specific task using CAD. Use your creativity in the process to make it better.

We’ll look at other creative ideas in using CAD, and CAD training in future posts. But until then, use your creativity in not only what you design, but how you design it, to make this new year a better year.

 

“Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.” – Theodore Levitt

 

Teaching BIM

Teaching BIM

by  Martha Hollowell

Last week Elvis posted some thoughts on Teaching CAD  so I thought I would add my two cents worth on teaching Building Information Modeling (BIM). Teaching BIM has its own variations and complications. One of the biggest challenges is moving people from 2D thinking to 3D thinking. I must admit I was part of the problem for a while. I knew 2D AutoCAD inside and out and could do everything I thought was needed. Then I took the time to really understand 3D and my drawings were never the same.  Moving from 3D modeling in AutoCAD and even AutoCAD Architecture to total building modeling in Revit was also a revelation. This one didn’t take me as long to grasp because a lot of it “just happens”.  I was thrilled to have my schedules automatically populate and for elevation views to automatically apply the changes from the plan.

But that is still not all there is to BIM. I was still thinking in a 2D Construction Document way. I was looking at the output rather than a new way of working.  A lot of people coming into Revit fundamentals classes will feel the same way. They might be comfortable with how they have done things and don’t want to change. Even more experienced users might be focusing on the 2D views and not caring about the full features of the program. Our job as instructors is to get them excited about the full world of BIM in Revit.

There is no question that people need to know the basics to be able to work successfully in Revit. If you don’t know how to sketch a linear element you can’t get too far. So, how do you take the basics and help people see the whole model? By working back and forth (or side-by-side) in 2D and 3D views.  It is critical to get 3D views up in front of people from the very beginning because it shows the whole “building model” rather than just a floor plan or elevation. 



Tip: When you want to see more than one view on the screen close all views that aren’t needed and type WT (Window Tile) to show the views evenly on the screen.

 

How do you help your students understand Building Information Modeling?  I invite you to tell us your insights on teaching BIM. If you have any ideas you want to share through this blog that would be great. You can post replies in the comment section below and we will incorporate your ideas in future posts on this blog.

 I am also leading an “unconference” (discussion) class about this at AU 2011 in Las Vegas this year. It is titled “The Brainy Bunch: Teacher Training Tips for Revit Architecture, MEP, and Structure”. The class is scheduled for November 29, 10:30 am. Right now it is full but you can list it in “My Interests” and check back later to see if any openings have come up.

Martha Hollowell

 

Teaching CAD

By Elvis R. Sverko

Everyone who knows CAD had to first learn it. Whether you learned it in a typical educational school environment over the entire school year, in an accelerated all-day dedicated classroom, or were self-taught at your own pace, there was a specific order that you learned it. In each case, someone had to teach it, and create the curriculum for you (even if you were self-taught you probably used help menus, videos, tutorials, colleagues, etc.)

A CAD teacher’s knowledge is only finite. What they know is what they can teach. And they might teach it the only way they know how. But when teaching CAD, the students can be a diverse group, from their current knowledge of CAD (or computers in general), to their age, and to their way of learning. So teaching CAD can be very difficult. So how do you teach CAD?

In a paper written by Andreas Asperl at the Vienna University of Technology, this question is answered in the paper “How to teach CAD”. It mainly deals with teaching CAD in schools to students ranging in ages from thirteen to their early twenties, but the concepts are sound, and I feel can be used for someone teaching CAD to anyone, regardless of age.

The paper states that in starting to learn CAD, only a short intro to 2D is necessary, and that you should immediately dive into basic 3D (primitives, Boolean operations, etc.). If you’re trying to improve someone’s spatial ability it might be good, but if you’re teaching someone a specific CAD software (such as Autodesk’s AutoCAD), I would disagree. They should learn the basics of the user interface and many simple drawing techniques first, as those are the stepping stones to the more complex 3D tools. If someone is learning a 3D solid modeling software, than yes, starting right into 3D is the obvious choice.

It’s the spatial ability that should first be acknowledged when looking at 3D. For everyone, 3D spatial understanding actually comes instinctively, as noted in “The Back of the Napkin” by Dan Roam “When we first enter an environment, our eyes make a quick three-dimensional model to establish the space’s orientation and our position within it.” The problem exists in trying to parlay this space to the computer screen.

Other aspects that can be derived from Asperl’s paper are used in many CAD courses, from self-conducted learning (such as the online CAD training found at ProductivityNOW), to what should be included in a training manual (such as having instructions with screenshots for the student to follow step by step, as well as providing realistic objects as examples, so the student is motivated by seeing how they can use CAD in their everyday life.)

One of my favorite parts from Asperl’s paper is the topic of 3D problem solving versus 3D modeling. Teaching someone how to model in any CAD software is only half the battle. Teaching them how to solve problems is quite another. In the Autodesk Inventor courseware by ASCENT, there is a section at the end that discusses, after you’ve learned how all the features and commands are used, how best to use them and in what order. It’s about thinking of solving problems of your model, in particular, capturing the design intent. Because there are many ways to create the same model, but not all of them are the way you intend your design to behave (especially if changes to the model are inevitable).

Even though teaching CAD is the main topic covered here, it is only a small role in the student’s realm of learning CAD. As stated in Asperl’s paper, a good teacher is equivalent to a good coach, they can only lead the student showing them the best tools and methods, but it is up to the student to practice, practice, practice. But one main thing the teacher can bring to motivate any student, is enthusiasm for CAD.

I repeat, the teacher can only teach what they know. And CAD software is constantly updating with new features and workflows. So the student still needs to practice.

“Don’t limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time.” – Rabindranath Tagore

 

September.... the Time for Personal Development

By Jennifer MacMillan

Wow, September already! Wasn’t it just March with all the new 2012 software being released?

What amazes me about September is that after so many years being out of school (No Hints!), September still always feels like the start of a new year. It gives us a second chance to look at things or set another New Year’s Resolution and start off fresh again. I started September by cleaning my desktop (actual and computer) and even that gave me a renewed sense of energy. Okay, maybe it is that I have started drinking coffee. Hmmm...there is my next resolution. I will save that one for January.

The idea of September and starting a new school year got me thinking that new beginnings should also be considered in the working world. Why not! We love learning. We are all back from holidays, are refreshed, and in a lot of cases our managers are looking at spending the rest of their budgets so they don’t lose them. To me this is the perfect time to focus on personal development. When was the last time you had training? I am not talking about the YouTube video you watched. It is really incredible to think how far training has come in the last 10+ years. There are so many training options available. Here are some ideas:

• Open enrollment training classes with a professional trainer and curriculum.
• Personal one-on-one consulting with a consultant.
• Live over the web training classes.
• Purchasing a hard-copy or e-book training guide for self-study. (Highly recommend ASCENT, great company! Had to say it!)
• Purchasing an on-line training course for self-study. (Again, ASCENT material rocks!)
• Accessing learning content through a searchable learning management system. (Wouldn’t you know, ASCENT offers this as well!)
• YouTube videos (I know, I kinda slammed this earlier, but it really is a great, economical way to learn something new. I wouldn’t recommend it for learning new software as there is a lot of smoke and mirrors included in these videos to help sell software, but there is some great information.)
• Custom classes for an entire company or team. (ASCENT is starting to get lots of requests for these. It gives companies the opportunity to create a course that is geared to only them. It can cut down on the number of days, focus on a specific workflow, or be written with the companies own models. I always tell customers “the sky’s the limit”.) 

So... along with cleaning off your desktop, get a good idea of where you want to be in the next 6-12 months with your software skills and get some training. Have fun learning and have a great September!

Jennifer