[Request for Feedback] Pipe Fitting Naming

[KyleB_Autodesk]

Revit MEP Community,
I wanted to solicit your participation in a survey we have developed involving Pipe Fittings, and how you as users think about them.

Pipe Fittings are a complex beast when it comes to describing them in a short concise manner. Many aspects about them, such as Material, Class, Type, Connection Type, etc., are factors for selection in a design.

We'd like to know more about what is important to you as users, so we can define a convention that best reflects that feedback.

With that in mind, I ask that you please fill out the following survey to provide us your perspective on this matter. It shouldn't take more than 5 minutes.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=I_2fo4y_2bz_2bh8_2fUL1vaC9a5oA_3d_3d

For those of you who are CAD Managers, I would request that you ask your end-users to fill out the survey, as they will most likely be the folks most directly impacted by choices that we make.

Thanks in advance to all of you.

Cheers,
Kyle B
Revit MEP Product Manager

[KyleB_Autodesk]

Shamelessly bumping my post up to the top.

[connieleo]

Up to the top !

[KyleB_Autodesk]

Last call for the survey, it ends later today.

Kyle B

[Anonymous]

Ugh! Didn't make it on time. Would be good to get a post of what the findings of the survey were in any case. Thanks.

[KyleB_Autodesk]

All,
We had over 100 responses, and definitely had a clear preference by you all. I'll share my thoughts about this on my blog.

Cheers,
Kyle B

[plawton5092]

Mr. B.:

Has Autodesk ever consulted any authoritative trade organizations on questions like these? Too often Autodesk's software seems to indicate a complete lack of awareness of the existence of these governing bodies. User's opinions, as you've solicited in this survey, should probably not be relied upon as Autodesk's source for the documented, long-established industry standards in nomenclature and design.

Plumbing: The American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) is the international organization for professionals skilled in the design, specification and inspection of plumbing systems. (http://aspe.org/new/About_ASPE/about_aspe.php)

HVAC: AHSRAE, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (http://www.ashrae.org/), and SMACNA, Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (http://www.smacna.org/)

Electrical Lighting: IESNA, Illuminating Engineering Society, (http://www.ies.org/)

Electrical Power: IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (http://www.ieee.org/portal/site/iportals/)

Fire Protection: NFPA, National Fire Protection Association (http://www.nfpa.org/)

Also, there are many plumbing, mechanical, and electrical codes that have myriad definitions of terms, and Autodesk might gain some further insights into systems design standards by memorizing those - as we in the design field must do. A good start is the international Code Council:
(http://www.iccsafe.org/)

There are more, but I leave it to Autodesk to learn about them.

Thanks so much for trying to improve the product, but it can be argued that it's essentially larceny for Autodesk to sell software that doesn't even incorporate such basic standards. It's akin to selling cars without basic mandated safety equipment installed.

Or did others already point these facts out to Autodesk in the survey?

[Anonymous]

Good idea. But...hang on a minute...aren't all the organisations that you've mentioned American?

Maybe we should have a vote first to see which country's standards should take preference (and perhaps limit it to all those who are not still using Imperial units...).

[plawton5092]

There are OTHER standards in the world? Wow! Where do you folks apply those standards - I mean, is there any land outside America? I thought it was all ocean .....

OF COURSE, it would be ideal for all standards to show up in the product. Maybe, eventually, Autodesk MIGHT get around to recognizing those century-old standards established in other countries. Then the software could be directed to use the appropriate standards, based on country, then narrowed down to region, and finally to city.

My point is larger, I think, than my inherent, intractable, innate, and irritating arrogance as an American - I want Autodesk to stop trying to "define a convention" (their words), which they do with distressing frequency, just to attempt to change the industry, with the ultimate and sole goal of maintaining their revenue stream. I want Autodesk to make decisions to benefit the USER, not just the sharehollder. However, that is abysmally unlikely to happen, so, as I've said for the past decade, the only way for us as users to truly get what we want is for us to band together, buy shares, and become owners. Once users become majority shareholders, we can get things to happen our way. The company is trading today at 33.77, please buy at least one share per week.

That's how the game is played, over here on the Island of Arrogance ..... an island modelled after and started by the Island of Imperialists 😜