Anyone have any luck with AutoSprink?

[grumpygrizzly]

My fire pipers are using a program I've seen MANY times on projects called AutoSprink made by a company in Phoenix called mapcad.   Their forums are locked down to only authorized users of the software so there's no chance of asking any questions there.

I'm looking for a way to assign property sets to the fire sprinklers so I can work with them in MEP drawings.  It's be nice to get a bottom of pipe, know what the pipe size is, that kind of stuff.  

Then, maybe I can take them over to NavisWorks and be able to use something other than the NW measure tool to find the bottom of pipe.

I've looked all over Autodesklandia and haven't seen boo about any object enablers.

What are you guys and gals doing with these  drawings?

They're very good quality, it's just we can't do anything with them in Autocad MEP..

[paprika31]

Yes, I've had great luck with it.

I use AutoSprink on a daily basis for a variety of large commercial construction projects...I use it for drawing, coordination, calcs, & stocklisting.

It's not the easiest software to learn, however, I wouldn't trade it for any other sprinkler program on the market.

Tell your "Fire Pipers" to export their file to .dwg format.

Then you can append that into your NAVIS and do whatever you want with it.

Let me know if you have any other questions...

[iganden]

I started on AutoCAD/HydraCAD back in 2008. Its great for 2D drawings and stocklisting, never was a fan of HydraCalc, I used the program but still impute the information by hand. In 2014 I made the switch to AutoSprink. there is no comparison between the two. AutoSprink beats anything AutoDesk or HydraCAD has to offer in the sprinkler industry. I can not stress enough with the way construction is heading with BIM, AutoSprink is the only way to go. Best part, real time hydraulic calculations. stocklisting is extremly fast and accurate. I also have Revit MEP 2015, and when it comes to what they have to offer for sprinkler work, its a joke. With more and more owners/and private sector projects requiring Fire Protection to be modeled in 3D and involve in all BIM coordination, AutoSprink is fasts for making revisions. Before i even open Navis Manage I import all other MEP trades right into AutoSprink and knock out 90% of my coordination issue from there. When it come time for Coordination meetings. I'm more prepared than the other trades, and i keep AutoSprink open and make my revisions as we work through the coordination meeting. 

AutoDesk needs to step to the plate when it come to FP design and stop relying on 3rd party application that will never be a seamless as what MEPCAD has to offer.

[grumpygrizzly]

While your solution might work if a sprinkler guy is running the
coordination meeting, you have to look at the majority of users that can't
see the autosprink files in Navisworks. Unless something has changed since
I first posted this question,

There are object enablers that can be used for other types of software to
be able to show as pipes instead of lines and that's really what needs to
happen here. With NavisWorks, it's a true WYSIWYG kind of program but, it
can see soooo many types of 3D files.

I honestly think Autodesk is holding back until they can come up with their
own type of sprinkler cad or buy one from a competitor in order to make it
work with all the Autodesk files created using the Autocad 3D platform
(architecture, MEP, plant, etc) and/or the Revit platform.

SInce this question was posted, I've moved on to my own company now
creating plans, sections, and elevations for homeowners that have watched
too many "Flip this house" shows, and still hang on to a small electrical
design/build firm that needs things drawn and detailed in plain ole
Autocad. I have my own registered version of Autodesk Revit Suite so I can
do some architectural work with the Autocad and revit side of things but,
pretty much I just stay with basic Autocad these days.

Thanks for the response though, I think I might have posted that a couple
of years ago when I was working on the Apple Headquarters or possibly an
Intel processing facility. I don't miss those days. Too much travel, too
many bosses.

Best of luck,


*Paul*



*Grumpys Designs360-977-9924Grumpys Email *

[iganden]

Well AutoSPRINK has been compatible with AutoCAD since 2001. so we just do a quick import and append into Navis. Its faster then elevating you CAD drawing into 3D each time to import to Navis. I have never worked on a project where Sprinkler coordination was not required with other MEP trades. At least since 2008.

Mainly, that post was just for anyone looking for a better product, then what AutoDesk can provide at the time.

[barryclark75]

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@iganden wrote:

I started on AutoCAD/HydraCAD back in 2008. Its great for 2D drawings and stocklisting, never was a fan of HydraCalc, I used the program but still impute the information by hand. In 2014 I made the switch to AutoSprink. there is no comparison between the two. AutoSprink beats anything AutoDesk or HydraCAD has to offer in the sprinkler industry. I can not stress enough with the way construction is heading with BIM, AutoSprink is the only way to go. Best part, real time hydraulic calculations. stocklisting is extremly fast and accurate. I also have Revit MEP 2015, and when it comes to what they have to offer for sprinkler work, its a joke. With more and more owners/and private sector projects requiring Fire Protection to be modeled in 3D and involve in all BIM coordination, AutoSprink is fasts for making revisions. Before i even open Navis Manage I import all other MEP trades right into AutoSprink and knock out 90% of my coordination issue from there. When it come time for Coordination meetings. I'm more prepared than the other trades, and i keep AutoSprink open and make my revisions as we work through the coordination meeting. 

AutoDesk needs to step to the plate when it come to FP design and stop relying on 3rd party application that will never be a seamless as what MEPCAD has to offer.

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Luckily, because Revit operates on a similar concept to AutoSPRINK, and they've let 3rd Party developers like us get more and more into the program, we are able to bring some of the AutoSPRINK experience to Revit without ever leaving Revit. Is it the same? No way. Will it ever be as streamlined for FP as AutoSPRINK? Probably not. BUT... it is still a similar basic concept and we've been able to build on that.

[kamel.rhilitz]

hi Guys

this my first experience with Autosprink

 i m trying to import a model from PDMS to Autosprink, i figured out how to import the 3D model using Autocad and PCF TO PIPE COMMAND, but what abput the specs? anyone knows how to do that ?