Is AutoCAD MEP a "Dead Product" in favour of Revit MEP?
Just something I heard at a conference recently.
Honest answers please.
Alan
Were you at Farnborough yesterday, per chance? I was there too, and asked Nathan the very same question afterward! Apparently upgrading to the premium suite (which includes Navisworks, 3Ds Studio Max, Revit, MEP and some other stuff, it would appear so....
No mate, I was at Ascot
The problem with upgrading to any of the "suite" products is I don't want or need any of the other stuff, If AutoCAD MEP is not going to be given anymore attention then Autodesk should upgrade us all for free.
Cheers (Steve is it?) I think we've been in contact before.
Alan
By the way, have a look at the nice picture on the AutoCAD MEP DVD case; Wheres the electrical content? "there is no E in MEP".
Stu, but close enough!
Agreed, I have no need for all the other packages either, but it's looking like we're going to have spend an extra £1500 on the package, unless we can swap our subscription. Have to speak to Adris I guess.
Stu (sorry)
My subscription is due very soon (next month). I'll be talking to my supplier, CADLine very soon. I'll let you know what they say, not much I'm assuming. Probably something along the line of payup and shutup. (nothing against CADLine though).
Cheers
Alan
Excuse me, but what do you mean by "Dead Product"? Am I to understand that the industry is moving away from MEP and onto Revit MEP? You mean I just wasted 6 months of learning MEP to now have to re-educate myself? And I work almost exclusively in electrical.
AAUUGGHH!!
Of course I guess knowing both doesn't hurt...
Tonya
Hello Tonya
"It's been dying for years" I was told unofficially the other day.
How much publicity do you see for AutoCAD MEP as opposed to Revit MEP these days?
And how do you find AutoCAD MEP as an electrical tool? Are you in the U.S. or the U.K.?
Alan
In the US..
I find it a little tedious in the electrical portion. Creating a circuit with the appropriate style wire and gauge is not the easiest to manage. Especially since it's kinda new. We draw low voltage security and fire alarm systems and sometimes...okay a lot of the time it's easier to just draw 1 line which represents many wires and label each line independently. Especially if the job is small. Just easier to sketch it out. I've never had to use 110 or larger.
Tonya
And as for the first half of the question, our instructor in school does not offer revit, she insists it is the fundamentals we need that revit is not an industry practice. So while I was in school I never learned it.
Now I wish I had.
Tonya
Its kinda funny to see this thread... again. Resellers tend to promote this train of thought. However, if you look at the RevitMEP product forums, I would say the users are highly frustrated and annoyed. While Autodesk has its current darling in Revit, AMEP won't die until people stop buying it! BTW, skills in AutoCAD are still necessary if you use Revit.
Veni, Vidi, Vici AutoCAD MEP! Wow look at that, another dead thing.
~ Mary
It looks like you're saying that it's the resellers promoting Revit instead of AutoCAD MEP and not Autodesk themeselves Mary?
I agree that "Vanilla" AutoCAD is a must but my question is regarding AutoCAD MEP and AutoCAD Architecture etc against Revit.
So why are the users of Revit MEP "frustrated and annoyed"?
Alan
Hi Allen,
I would say that both Autodesk and the resellers promote RMEP. They both make way more money off of RMEP than AMEP. Of course they make even more off of Vanilla than anything else.
My perspective of ACA/AMEP being a not so dead product comes from the LDT to C3D transition. It was barely a rumor or supposition before it was announced that LDT was dead. From my recollection, within a year or two of C3D as a viable (although deeply flawed) product, LDT was officially announced for retirement by the next drawing version change. I remember it being a fact that LDT was going away, never it being a rumor. Granted, I wasn't nearly as aware then of Autodesk product cycles as I am now. But there is a noticeable difference IMHO. It may be coming, but if history is indicative of the future, the ACA/AMEP line has at least 4 plus years ahead of it. They will most likely lose my company's business if they do discontinue it. ArchiCAD here I come. I don't dislike Revit, but my old dogs (the boss) refuses to learn new tricks.
My opinion of RMEP users dissatisfaction comes from reading their own words. Granted Autodesk is actively improving that product.
~ Mary
Putting in my 2 cents. From day one of the Autodesk aquisition of Revit, I have heard the rumor that not just the verticals but AutoCAD itself is a dead product. However, Autodesk continues to add features, new dwg databases, and last I heard there is still a 5-year development plan for each of the AutoCAD verticals. If AutoCAD is going to die, it will be a slow slow death. As said above, as long as folks are buying it, it won't go away.
It was my understanding that Revit was not a drafting tool, but more of a design tool. That being said, I have neglected to learn Revit and have absolutely NO interest in the program. I currently have to know at snap of finger six major graphics programs and one of the controls companies is now pushing their dealers to learn another graphics program so in my case it would be a seventh graphics program and in no way related to the others I already know. Adding Revit to the repetoire would make 8 and personally, I am tired of having to stack my program knowledge which is why I am trying my darndest to get out of the graphics world altogether because I hate it. If we go back to Softdesk and move to LDT and C3D, that makes for a total of 10 programs I know and quited honestly, enough is enough. I am so done with the drafting world.
Coming from extensive use of both programs (having set up both for my company), I would have to say I will not be using AMEP again in the future, mainly in reference to Mechanical. Thats not to say that I dont still use AutoCAD. As long as there is an industry with different consultants using different programs there is no escaping the need to know the basic industry programs of your disapline and comunity eg country,Industry, standards ect.
I believe the furstration comes in the form of, AutoCAD can do this so why cant Revit? I have this same frustation on many occations. But when I look at what Revit can do now compared to AutoCAD, The benifits far outway the negatives. Its still a relatively new program. I mean adding insulation had to be added manually to each duct fitting before Ver 2012 if I recall correctly.
It will always come to personal preference. As long as there is a demand for a product it will be sold.
Ryan
Revit MEP 2013
South Africa
Hi Alan
I only deal with Mechanical, specifically HVAC. Our other branches do work on electrical but are still on plain Autocad using blocks and symbols. I have been assigned to get the electrical going on Revit, but that will be slow process over a year and a steep learning curve!
Ryan