AutoCAD MEP vs Revit MEP

[Siberian]

I've noticed that there are two different things out there. One is called AutoCAD MEP, and the other is Revit MEP.
I'm just curious as to the difference? I notice that many standard Acad commands are still present i AutoCAD MEP, although the menus have changed a bit. Does this mean I can throw out my original Acad 2008 since this already has it built in ?

[Hugh_Compton]

I'm currently evaluating AutoCAD MEP. I spent many weeks learning Inventor Pro with it's piping module and was most disappointed in it's abilites. I am finding AutoCAD MEP has everything that I needed and I'm sure that I will eventually be able to include flow calculations for pipe sizing.

By all means give Revit MEP a try but from my experience with Inventor the time it takes to become productive is too great.

Also, yes - AutoCAD MEP does offer you the ability to work using all of your standard AutoCAD commands. It also has ACA included so you have a good collection of doors, walls etc to choose from too.

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Pipework & Structural Steel http://www.3DCADMax.com

[rab]

I'm corrently working as a CAD tech. within the building services sector. We're using AutoCAD 2008 and considering upgrading to AutoCAD MEP.

Is MEP the latest version of Building Systems?

Is it worth upgrading for 3D modelling (of pipework etc.) as the engineers would be using different calculation software?

[myself]

hello guys, the big doubt here in my company and among my colleagues is which program to follow, should we choose "Autocad MEP" or Revit MEP", from one side we hear that Revit is the future and that we should invest all of our time developing and studding the as much as we can, from the other side we have a program that has a base that would be quite easy to everyone and that seems at least until now with many more options than "Revit MEP",

i would like to know your opinions?

cheers..

[Cad_Jockeys]

The company I work for is currently considering switching to Revit MEP. Considering the amount of time it took for myself to get comfortable with AutoCADs ins and outs, this being with three full length AutoCAD courses, makes me slightly uneasy in switching to a relatively new program with only a small user base.

I've read bits of the Revit manual and it seems like a solid program, but it also seems to boast a pretty steep learning curve. Taking into consideration the learning curve of Revit, the question of "Should we switch?" changes to "Is it worth the extra time and money spent on training?".

This is just my opinion on the matter and its quite biased considering I started out with Autocad before it had a solid graphical user interface. Ah the good old days of key commands and my 300+ page cad manual.

[StykFacE]

The company I work for is currently considering switching to Revit MEP. Considering the amount of time it took for myself to get comfortable with AutoCADs ins and outs, this being with three full length AutoCAD courses, makes me slightly uneasy in switching to a relatively new program with only a small user base.

I've read bits of the Revit manual and it seems like a solid program, but it also seems to boast a pretty steep learning curve. Taking into consideration the learning curve of Revit, the question of "Should we switch?" changes to "Is it worth the extra time and money spent on training?".

This is just my opinion on the matter and its quite biased considering I started out with Autocad before it had a solid graphical user interface. Ah the good old days of key commands and my 300+ page cad manual.

1st of all you need to ask yourself one question: Is your company a Mechanical Engineering firm??

Revit is for engineering mechanical designs. You start with engineering data 1st, and then Revit fills in the blanks as you go along (like automatically calculating duct sizes, automatically configuring CFM distribution to S/A grilles, etc. only as long as you but the unit engineering data in 1st).

You cannot select a "line" and edit it to make it "look" correct when plotting to a plan set of paper in Revit as you can in AutoCAD. Plus, Revit is useful only if you're working on a Revit based architectural plan. So how many Revit Architectural plans do you recieve throughout the year??

These are some of the things you have to know before moving to Revit. Revit is NOT a "drafting tool" such as AutoCAD. If you go into Revit with an AutoCAD mindset, you're already a step behind. However, here's the good news: If you go with the Revit MEP Suite, then you basically get 3 programs in one - Revit, AutoCAD MEP, and plain jane AutoCAD. And it's only a hundred dollars more to get the suite vs. plain jane AutoCAD, so you can gradually work yourself into Revit. This is basically what I did and it's going pretty good actually.

Hope this helps you some.

[myself]

Well, but basically what you mean is that Revit MEP its not a good choice now but it can be in the future, so better get used to slowly, isnt it? thats exactly what i think, doing mechanical projects with "Revit" today seems to me a bit difficult due to the lack of families. In my opinion for now "Autocad MEP" would be the best option in terms of giving a step forward to 3D. what do you think?

[Hugh_Compton]

I would disagree with saying that AutoCAD MEP isn't for Mechanical design. If you combine it with the .net samples that it ships with then you can pretty much drive it by the calculations that you use.

Here's a link from the labs that allows sizing of equipment for both Revit MEP and AutoCAD MEP:
http://labs.blogs.com/its_alive_in_t...alysis-to.html

I would look at both the sales figures and what the companies that you deal with are using. Nobody outside of Autodesk really know where the products are going in the future.

[StykFacE]

Well, but basically what you mean is that Revit MEP its not a good choice now but it can be in the future, so better get used to slowly, isnt it? thats exactly what i think, doing mechanical projects with "Revit" today seems to me a bit difficult due to the lack of families. In my opinion for now "Autocad MEP" would be the best option in terms of giving a step forward to 3D. what do you think?

Any of the vertical AutoCAD products (such as AutoCAD MEP) are a great way to get in the mix of the 3D working world. It's tough at first trying to figure stuff out, but when you do you can really streamline your work. The only difference is, if your office has a particular quality control of design look, that can be a real chore to make everything sustain the look you have always had. That was a big problem at first here at my company.

But like I said, you still get the plain jane version of AutoCAD so you're not stuck with a new program that you can't use.

[Cad_Jockeys]

I'm not apart of the Revit MEP testing team so my say doesnt really matter all that much anyway. I was just basing my opinion on what I had viewed and read. I personally see little use in switching because it would take far too long to train everyone and make the senior staff switch. It wouldn't be one of those Imperial to Metric switches that happens over night.