AutoCAD 2010 releases

It is that time of year again when Autodesk retires an old version of AutoCAD and introduces a new generation. Featuring 2D parametrics and conceptual 3D, AutoCAD 2010 represents a change of direction for the industry de-facto standard. Martyn Day and Paul Woddy give us their views of the product launches.

The first thing that is apparent about the launch of the new AutoCAD is just how many products Autodesk now develops and supports. Since Carl Bass took over stewardship of the company there has been an explosion of products, especially those that are 3D capable, together with analysis and visualisation. The days of Autodesk being a one horse town are well and truly over.

Optimise workflows in Autodesk Revit MEP by linking and managing central architectural and structural models to MEP working files.

The 2010 product catalogue has swelled over recent years as Autodesk’s AEC division has covered more industry areas and acquired more companies and technologies. Platform products include AutoCAD and LT for the base for AutoCAD Architecture (formerly Architectural Desktop), AutoCAD MEP (Mechanical Electrical and Plumbing), AutoCAD Civil and Civil 3D, AutoCAD Map and AutoCAD P&ID (for Process Plant). For project document distribution there is Buzzsaw, Design Review and NavisWorks. On the analysis side Autodesk now has Ecotect, Green Building Studio and Robot Structural Analysis. Design Visualisation is supported through 3ds Max Design and Maya, with Project Newport still in development. And these are just the products I can remember off the top of my head, without mentioning Revit Architecture, Revit Structure and Revit MEP. While we have not yet had the opportunity to review the products themselves, we can report back on the features identified at the launch events. However, Paul Woddy, our Revit Guru, has clocked up some time on a recent beta of Revit.

AutoCAD 2010

AutoCAD 2010 (Autodeskers call it ‘twenty ten’) has had 2,000 beta testers and some of the features were released to Autodesk Subscription customers last year. To go with all the powerful new features, unfortunately, 2010 introduces a new DWG file format but there is a built-in ‘SaveAs’ function that allows users to save drawings to and from AutoCAD releases using previous DWG formats. In addition, the SaveAs AutoCAD Release 12 DXF command supports releases prior to AutoCAD 98.

Autodesk Revit MEP provides native integrated heating and cooling load calculation tools to help engineers perform energy analysis, evaluate system loads, and produce heating and cooling load reports for a project.

The first thing you will notice is a simplified and intuitive ribbon interface, which organises tools into tabs, which represent workflows such as creation, annotation and collaboration. Each tab contains a series of panels - a group of tools used to accomplish that part of the workflow. The ribbon is now consistent between most Autodesk programs allows users to move between programs more smoothly.

Looking at 2D the most obvious enhancement is the introduction of parametrics. To the uninitiated, parametrics allow the user to apply persistent relationships between geometry, parallel lines remain parallel and concentric circles remain centred, all automatically. In AutoCAD 2010 these can be applied manually or automatically to any 2D geometry, with control over tolerances. As constraints are added icons appear next to the lines giving immediate feedback to the user. Constraints can even be added through dimensions, by editing the dimension, the drawing updates with the new length or angle. A management dialogue provides a comprehensive way to see all the constraints in a drawing where all the values can be seen and edited. This is brilliantly powerful stuff, with a very simple user interface and will be incredibly useful to many, many users.

New conceptual design features in Revit Architecture help users prepare models for fabrication and construction with built-in tools for dividing and patterning complex forms.

PDF has been updated. Users can now plot to PDF with much more control. AutoCAD 2010 supports higher resolutions, better font handling for true type fonts (making PDFs searchable). PDFs can now contain layer information and can be attached as an underlay. To export to DWF or PDF there is a combined dialogue for the selection of settings.

There are quite a few other improvements to the 2D feature set, like Hatch editing, so it would be worth checking the product data sheet or getting a demonstration from your local dealer. However, what is more impressive in this release is just how much AutoCAD has had its 3D capability beefed up, almost out of all recognition.

AutoCAD 2010 now offers surface freeform modelling. The 3D workspace has been updated and users can start a session by selecting from a range of primitives. Simply push/ pull faces, edges, and vertices to model complex shapes, add smooth surfaces, and much more. It is possible to interactively create any shape and it looks really fun and easy to use. The new modelling capabilities provide conceptual designers with something to stick their teeth into and attempts to blow away the modelling capabilities of products such as SketchUp.

Autodesk has also enabled AutoCAD 2010 to connect to a remote 3D Print service, so prototypes can be delivered to your door, or if you are advanced enough to have your own desktop prototyping machine 3D print it there and then.

AutoCAD LT 2010

The difference between LT and its big brother has been growing for a number of releases now. LT is most certainly a 2D workhorse. This time around, LT gets: the updated ribbon interface, the new DWG format with backwards capability, AutoCAD 2010’s PDF improvements and underlay capability, enhanced External Reference commands for in place Reference editing and clipping, more Block Attribute commands and Align Objects.

AutoCAD for Architecture

Formerly Architectural Desktop, AutoCAD for Architecture has undergone a considerable realignment within the Autodesk AEC portfolio, specifically with regard to the growing Revit solutions and its exclusion from the world of Building Information Modelling (BIM). It has been noticeable that Revit has been getting many more of the new exciting 3D features, achieving greater product velocity than AutoCAD for Architecture. AutoCAD for Architecture gets the great conceptual benefits of the new modelling and surfacing tools in the underlying AutoCAD, as well as all the other UI and 2D goodies. These are certainly not inconsequential, but there are only a handful of enhancements flagged up for AutoCAD for Architecture.

The new Autodesk Revit Structure 2010 Conceptual Form Analysis Extension allows structural engineers to apply loads and simulate the behaviour of conceptual forms created by architects, enabling them to make more informed design decisions earlier in the project phase.

Walls have seen some neat updates for drafting productivity again this release. Trim and Extend have been joined by Fillet and Chamfer, providing more control in designing walls and end-caps as they will actually be constructed in the field. There is a new ’Space Separator’ tool, allowing users to automatically divide spaces that are not bound by walls with plain AutoCAD linework. A new flip text position grip for AEC Dimensions has been added, giving users additional control over the placement of text. There is an improved stairs feature, allowing the inclusion of a distinct ‘ramp’ type, which comes complete with its own display and annotation tags (Percentage Tag, Degree Tag and Numeric Tag).