CD example

[Anonymous]

Could someone direct me to an example of some CD's (be it sections, details, etc...anything) that were made using Archicad. Our firm is thinking about goign to Archicad, but we can't find any examples (examples such as pdfs, actual files) out there to see what the software can do. Any help would be appreciated.
thanks
jr

[Karl Ottenstein]

John Stebbins' web site has a number of PDF's from a variety of architects and firms using ArchiCAD. It was very generous of those people to allow them to be used and for John to post them:

http://www.digitalvis.com/working_drawings_gallery.php

Enjoy,
Karl

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the link. Thanks sooooo much. Anyone know of any other websites with examples.
Thanks again

[Rick Thompson]

Well, this is not exactly a set of CD's, it's a personal project (my wife's play house:). It is an example of how quick it can be to make something in AC. I made this for the framer since the roof is a little difficult to visualize. As long as you build a good model you can make easy presentations. This booklet took less than 1/2 hour. The pdf's are simple "print to pdf" (Mac, not sure w/PC) and then combined in a little freeware program. I'm the "builder" and it's next door, so it's not "CD formal".

http://www.thompsonplans.com/Dianne'sSanityTemple.pdf

edited.. you will need to copy/paste the url.. the forum must limit the link length.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the link. Looks great.

There seems to be some confusion here at our office concerning Archicad's ability to generate sections. Some think that AC can generate construction details (3"=1'-0" type) that only require one to add notes to it. Is this right?

[TomWaltz]

jrjr wrote:
Thanks for the link. Looks great.

There seems to be some confusion here at our office concerning Archicad's ability to generate sections. Some think that AC can generate construction details (3"=1'-0" type) that only require one to add notes to it. Is this right?

No. The best modelers (people, not programs) I know can model pretty well up to about 3/4 = 1'-0"" scale, but that is not complete. You still need to add flashings, blocking, insulation, etc.

I don't believe any of the current BIM solutions out there can what you are asking, but it would be interesting!

[Rick Thompson]

no not right... or, at least it depends on the detail level, which at 3" would be high.. of course. I will attach a detail, but it's not a section through the model. I will post that also, but you do need to come back and add plates and clean things up a bit. If you make a good model the clean up is not very bad.. but you still need to draw in headers, plates etc.

[Rick Thompson]

this is a detail, not via the model. There is a library that has detail parts that makes this type of detailing fairly easy.

[Karl Ottenstein]

TomWaltz wrote:

jrjr wrote:
Thanks for the link. Looks great.

There seems to be some confusion here at our office concerning Archicad's ability to generate sections. Some think that AC can generate construction details (3"=1'-0" type) that only require one to add notes to it. Is this right?

No. The best modelers (people, not programs) I know can model pretty well up to about 3/4 = 1'-0"" scale, but that is not complete. You still need to add flashings, blocking, insulation, etc.

Just a small comment to tie this into the two nice details that Rick posted. In the first, the (sec_bld) the wall plates, mud sills, etc are shown the way they would look if you modeled them in ArchiCAD ... correctly sized and located ... but graphically missing the "X". In his 1" detail (crazy numbers file name), the x's are there, possibly done by hand with the line tool, or else with the large (600+ symbol) 2D detailing library included in AC.

IMHO no value in modeling J-bolts and holdowns ... I use the 2D symbols to snap them appropriately into sections.

I like the pastel coloring of the column detail, Rick! Really clarifies the drawing and ties the three views together. 😉

Karl

[Rick Thompson]

The 1" detail was using the MAS library. I have all my "stock" details in one AC file, it makes relinking easy, as well as updating. 24_14_12_9 = 24" base.. 14"x12" tapered top at 9' ceiling height... I have many variations. It is easy to make variations this way (many thanks to Erika for this idea:) I will attach a few eaves, they demonstrate this clearly.. it's all turning on an off layers (2x4 walls, 2x6 walls etc)

[Rakela Raul]

rick,
i feel like buying a set of plans from you just to enjoy those beautiful details....v nice use of pen wt's and colors

[Anonymous]

Great examples of some nice details. Thanks for the info about modelling & detailing. I imagine if one were to try to really detail the model in 3D, that the file size would get large.
Another question... In your opinion, how does ADT or Revit stack up against AC?

[TomWaltz]

jrjr wrote:
Great examples of some nice details. Thanks for the info about modelling & detailing. I imagine if one were to try to really detail the model in 3D, that the file size would get large.
Another question... In your opinion, how does ADT or Revit stack up against AC?

Revit and Archicad are honest competitors. There are things that each program has over the other. You would really need to compare them against your exact needs to say which is better. Obviously, I am more in the the Archicad camp, since I feel that it met my company's needs better.

ADT is kind of half-way between AutoCAD and Revit or Archicad. It has some BIM-like qualities and some better drawing systems, but does not have nearly the level of intelligent modeling and reporting capabilities.

[Anonymous]

The reason I ask is that our company is about to choose a new CAD system. We've made it this far just using Acad 2000i. Mainly we use CAD to produce working drawings. Some peopel here in the office have AC & I believe they use it for presentations & the like. So, really I am at a lose as to which way to go.....ADT or Revit or Archicad. Either way once we switch over our production will slow down until everyone gets used to the newly picked software.

[TomWaltz]

jrjr wrote:
The reason I ask is that our company is about to choose a new CAD system. We've made it this far just using Acad 2000i. Mainly we use CAD to produce working drawings. Some peopel here in the office have AC & I believe they use it for presentations & the like. So, really I am at a lose as to which way to go.....ADT or Revit or Archicad. Either way once we switch over our production will slow down until everyone gets used to the newly picked software.

You will definitely slow down a bit during the ramp up. That's true of any transition, unfortunatelty.

I would recommend going with Archicad or Revit, since they really are what ADT is hinting at. Yes, there is a greater level of complexity, but also a greater level of ability and potential return on investment.

If you have the time, I wouild recommend getting demo versions from each, and experimenting with them to see which actually is better for what you want to do.

[Rakela Raul]

Some peopel here in the office have AC

if u already using ac!! why change ??

did u consider vector works ?? or intellibuilder or something like that, rick thomson and some body else uses it here in the forum

[Anonymous]

We have to change our current CAD system to keep up with the rest of the world. We are currently using Acad 2000i to do working drawings. That program is being phased out as far as I know. We have maybe 3 licenses for AC out of the 15 or so cad stations here. So we have to make a decision as to which software package to go with. Revit looks nice, but again I havent seen many examples of working drawings that come out of using it. Its hard to find examples on the net.

Bottom line....we have to change cad systems b/c our current one is old. It causes confusion when transferring dwgs with consultants since they are using updated software (acad).

Can anyone point me in a direction where I can see examples of the top rated BMI software out there currently?

[Rick Thompson]

Rakela wrote:

Some peopel here in the office have AC

if u already using ac!! why change ??

did u consider vector works ?? or intellibuilder or something like that, rick thomson and some body else uses it here in the forum

Are you referring to me? I only use AC, always have?? Being on a Mac, I don't have much choice:)... I am very happy with AC none the less. If starting from scratch I would seriously consider Revit, if it were on a Mac, but it's not. The main reason is (and I might be completely wrong) working with the rest of the flatland world of Autocad, one would think they should do a better job with translating, though AC is much better than is once was.

[Rakela Raul]

yes rick, talking about you,,, i though u use a software to do the framing i think or maybe was richard morrison...sorry about that !!!

last comment about jrjr......if u already have 3 people in the office using ac..use them to teach the rest...( deleted, bad joke) .....the learning curve will be shorter that way....or

just install a copy of revit and archicad and try it urself on a real / small project.

good luck and if u r in miami, visit me (u might end up buying microstation)

[Djordje]

jrjr wrote:
Some peopel here in the office have AC & I believe they use it for presentations & the like.

This is a popular misconception, that ArchiCAD can be used only for modeling and presentation - and many people I know do use it only for that !!! - because it is not ARCHITECTURAL to do the working drawings, draughtsmen do that.

DUH!!!

If you already have a few ArchiCAD licenses in the office, take a look at WHAT those people are doing, and ask them WHY only that. It might be that the office politics tied them into "just modeling" role because it was not understood that they could do much more. Also, it is very possible that old AutoCAD hands are keping their territory.

Now, as you do have to change, the word in the street is that hardly anything is done fully using Revit only; while quite a bit is done using ArchiCAD only.

Here is one more thing: do you have anybody geographically near by that can spend some time with you in the office and help you through the first steps? Mind you, many people that use ArchiCAD simply don't know HOW to do construction set out of it, becasue they concentrated on the presentation aspect. So you would do well to get a guy or a girl working nearby full time to show you how it is done. Will make the first hill much less steep.

Bottom line: whatever you choose, it will be slowing you down in the first month or so, but after that you are flying. The choice is only between ArchiCAD and Revit, forget everything else. As you already have ArchiCAD in house, that should be easier.

My two dirhams,

[Anonymous]

Djordje wrote:

jrjr wrote:
Some peopel here in the office have AC & I believe they use it for presentations & the like.

Now, as you do have to change, the word in the street is that hardly anything is done fully using Revit only; while quite a bit is done using ArchiCAD only.

Speaking of misconceptions, this another another common one, so I'll have to respectfully disagree with you there. 😉 Since 2002, 100% of the projects we design and document here in my office, are done 100% in revit, and the majority of firms currently using revit are using revit exclusively.

interesting thread