Colours on surfaces in MEP Designer

[Thomas Nymann]

We currently advertising, and getting clients for MEP designer. I just realized together with our first MEP client, that textures and surfaces are reduced to “white” Client is flagging this as an issue as it will be hard to tell the buidling parts, and componets from each other when hotlinking an IFC model.

I understand If photorealistic renderings with textures should be leaved out of MEP designer, but maybe Surfaces could be still maintain their “Surface colour” and not be reduced to "only white"?

Imagine routing through an all white (Architural) Mass, without beeing able to tell the difference between concrete slabs, and soft insultation ! - At least visually...

I´m simply just reffering to our client who sees this as a possible reason, not to invest in MEP designer 😞

Cheers

Thomas

[Laszlo Nagy]

Can you also post a screenshot so it is easier to see how the hotlinked IFC looks like in Archicad?

By the way, if you open the IFC file in a free IFC Model Viewer, are the colors there and they are lost in Archicad, or they are not there even in the IFC file?

[Thomas Nymann]

Hi Lazlo.

The issue is the MEP engineer working in MEP designer, and finding it limiting not to be able to the difference in the components visually, as they are all white!

Below is a screenshot, showing MEP Deisgner (left) and AC 29 (right) with the same IFC added as a Hotlink.  This, however is just a very simple demo project..

[Barry Kelly]

Isn't MEP Designer just for designing the MEP elements?

The Architectural model is not what you are focussing on.

I found this in the MEP Designer help file.

Barry.

[Thomas Nymann]

You´re absolutely right Barry.

However, when adding an Architectural /Constructural IFC inte MEP Designer, it is very hard to tell the difference between the Building Materials...

So, as our client stated; Where can I place the ducts, where can i mount the piping for the sprinkler, and in what space can I place my cable carrier...

Piping could be placed inside the wall in the insulation layer, but what layer is that?

The Buidling Material Air (if added as a skin in a Composite) could also just be shown with a white Surface, so where to fit the ducts above the ceiling. (see my picture above)

I know a lot of this could taken care of in a BIM protocol, but in many cases reality is far from that organized... 

Bottomline: Our potential MEP Designer clients are flagging the issue, that most likely this will be a drawback, when collaborating with other BIM consultants...

Hope my point makes sense! 🙂