Archive for the ‘Training’ Category

A Product Review by Michael Anonuevo

Introduction

In preparing to writing an instructional eBook on how to produce Autodesk Revit renderings and walkthroughs, one of the things I did a few months back was conduct a research on computer systems optimized for these types of Revit tasks. It is a subject matter that I know will occupy a chapter on its own in the eBook. I’ve looked at brand names such as HP, Dell, Lenovo, and Asus. However, I could not find any computer system specifically targeted for Revit modeling. By chance, I ran into a colleague who suggested that I look into BOXX computer workstations (www.boxxtech.com). I had never heard of the company, although I found out later that they had been around for the last 15 years! As a  full time Revit modeler who is always busy creating complex families or writing about them, I never really got into the details of a good Revit computer workstation. And so with this new eBook project, I had a chance to look at a workstation made for Revit. After emailing my credentials and review proposal to a BOXX specialist, I was connected to the right channels and eventually was sent a unit for evaluation.

This article is about the 3DBOXX 4920 XTREME workstation. At the BOXX website, this model is referred to as The World’s Fastest Workstation for Autodesk Revit. On the internet, you’ll find great reviews about this workstation, including its technical details and specifications. To avoid being redundant, the main focus of this review is how effective this workstation is for Revit Architecture users. I will, however, highlight certain features worth taking a look at.

Is this really the fastest workstation for Revit? How can we users benefit from this system? What makes this workstation special from the rest of the pack? How does this computer compare to yours or other workstations? These questions (and many more) are tackled in this review. If you are in the process of upgrading your Revit workstations or want to add a dedicated power workstation for generating renderings and walkthroughs, this article will help you decide which system to purchase.
Read the rest of this entry »

In response to Revit users from Australia, UK, Europe and other countries, I’m happy to announce the release of the Metric Editions of my eBooks:

• Creating Custom Revit Architecture 2012 Families, Metric Edition
• Creating Custom Revit Architecture 2013 Families, Metric Edition

They are free with the purchase of the 2012/2013 US Editions. Please click this link to get a PDF sampler containing sample images and Forewords written by Jeff Pinheiro (theRevitKid.com) and Jay Zallan (Perkowitz+Ruth Architects).

by:

Michael Anonuevo
Revit Architecture Certified Professional
www.littledetailscount.com

I just released the 2013 update to my 2012 eBook: Creating Custom Revit Architecture 2013 Families: A Practical Guide for Beginner and Intermediate Users

Join Revit users nationwide and all over the world who have discovered the valuable information in this eBook. There is nothing like this in the market right now. The eBook teaches the efficient ways to create families. It also explains the subtle little details that go with family creation that no other books explain. In response to Revit users from Australia, UK and European countries, I’m happy to announce the Metric Editions of these eBooks. They will be released on or before November 2012. They are free for those who purchase the 2012/2013 Imperial (US) editions.

Book description:

PDF format, 16 Chapters, 777 pages, over 2000 images. All the new 2013 features are explained in-depth. Download my PDF sampler (163 pages) containing the full Table of Contents (2012 & 2013), Forewords by Steve Stafford and Lonnie Cumpton, and sample images here.

by:

Michael Anonuevo
Revit Architecture Certified Professional
www.littledetailscount.com

I’m happy to announce the release of my eBook entitled:

Creating Custom Revit Architecture Families 2012
A Practical Guide for Beginners and Intermediate Users

for an introductory price of $19.95. The price includes a free update to the 2013 version of this eBook (slated for release on or before October 2012) and four free Revit families from my website.

Although the book was written with architects in mind ,it is also a useful guide and resource for interior designers, recent architecture graduates, Revit MEP and Structure users, and AutoCAD users transitioning to Revit. It is also a handy reference for BIM managers and advanced users.

Book description:

PDF format, 16 Chapters, 751 pages, over 2000 images. Tutorial files are also included.
Requirement: Basic knowledge of Revit.

Download the full Table of Contents, Foreword by Steve Stafford, and sample images here.

Michael Anonuevo
Certified Autodesk Revit Architecture Professional
www.littledetailscount.com

Alto: Although this word is associated with music, it is Spanish for Tall. The Latin word Altus means high or deep.

Read all about this Alto Saxophone Revit Family and my latest update on 3Dconnexion’s SpacePilot Pro:

Read the rest of this entry »

The SpaceExplorer, SpaceNavigator and SpaceNavigator for Notebooks _ a multiple products review by Michael Anonuevo

It has been two months now since I started using 3Dconnexion’s SpacePilot PRO. Without a doubt, 3D navigation devices are definitely here to stay.

For those of you who just happened to stumble on this article, please read my previous review of the SpacePilot PRO at : http://clubrevit.com/2011/06/15/will-revit-users-fly-with-this-device/.

The way I use Revit has completely changed. I’ve incorporated the SpacePilot PRO and its powerful programmable buttons in my daily work. I am now automatically reaching for it with my left hand. I’ve also learned how to configure the buttons to my advantage. You’ll find out all about this at the end of this article with my follow-up review of the SpacePilot PRO.

I’m happy to tell you that I’ve gotten a tremendous amount of good feedback from readers saying how helpful my article was. And just as I had anticipated, I’ve gotten inquiries about 3Dconnexion’s other models. Well, after communicating with 3Dconnexion, they sent me the rest of their product line. And so guys, here’s the lowdown on the SpaceExplorer, SpaceNavigator and SpaceNavigator for Notebooks…

Read the rest of this entry »

I continuously get asked how an individual can set themselves apart in todays job market. One thing I suggest to everyone is to get Autodesk certified and on July 21, September 22 and October 20 you can get Autodesk Certifications for $25 each. I recommend this for two reasons. First it is a great way to let a potential employer know that you are serious about the technology you use everyday. No matter what you think of the level the test, the certification says you took the time to take a test that measures your skill level of that technology. Second it helps develop the Autodesk certification process. If you look at the process of certification programs they always start slow and then become the industry standard. It was not that long ago when the Microsoft certification was something that only super nerds had. Today just try and get an IT job without one. So let me be a cheerleader and say let’s get certified.

BTW I am both a Revit Certified Associate and Revit Certified Professional

To get the $25 pricing goto http://atc.gilmoreglobal.com/ to get signed up.

Lonnie Cumpton

Revit Architecture 2009 Certified Associate

Revit Architecture 2009 Certified Professional

Revit Architecture 2012 Certified Associate

The SpacePilot™ PRO _ a product review by Michael Anonuevo

(Disclaimer: I am not connected with 3Dconnexion. I wasn’t asked to write this review nor was I compensated for it.)

One of the new features of Revit Architecture 2012 is its support for 3Dconnexion devices. As a Revit beta tester, I was aware of this feature before this version was released. However, prior commitments prevented me from taking a look into it until last month. Anyway, here are my findings:

The first thing I did was visit 3Dconnexion’s website to learn about their products. In the internet, I read a lot of articles and reviews concerning their product line. Apparently, they have been around since 2001. Their products are popular in the manufacturing industry as navigation tools in CAD/CAM modeling and simulation applications. In the film industry, they are used for navigation and visualization with popular animation software such as Maya, Alias, Blender, etc. Although Autodesk is officially supporting 3Dconnexion’s products, I couldn’t find any information on how they are being used in Revit. A lot of product reviews by design engineers have affirmed their usefulness though. Nonetheless, I was a little bit skeptical. The regular mouse, after all, does a good job as a navigation tool in Revit. My thought then was to get hold of a unit and test it.

Not knowing anything about 3Dconnexion’s navigation devices, I contacted them. I sent an email with my credentials and asked if I could evaluate and review their SpaceNavigator. Within a few days, I was contacted and informed that the company was sending me the SpacePilot PRO. This is 3Dconnexion’s top of the line model.

For Revit Architecture 2012 users, this article is about my experience with the SpacePilot PRO in the two weeks that I put it to various tests. Aside from Revit, I also tested the device with Autodesk Inventor 2011, Photoshop CS5, and Google Earth. I’ve included a few photos and video clips to help you make a decision if you’re contemplating on buying one. I will probably write a follow-up article after I use the device extensively for a few months.

Unpacking the Box

I was surprised when I received the SpacePilot PRO. The package was contained in a 15″ x 13″ x 7″ carton mailing box! I’m like, how big could this device be? Well, after taking it out of its box, it was bigger than what I thought it would be! Take a look (see fig. 1):

Figure 1

Read the rest of this entry »

I am sure most of you have heard of the Revit Technology Conference (RTC) that has been held in Australia over the last 6 years. The question is did you know that on June 23 a RTC will be held for the first time in the USA. Several of our own Club Revit members will be instructors at the event including myself. This event is gearing up to be a great event. The really cool part is that the event is all about Revit and BIM, so the whole thing is focussed what we do everyday.

RTC USA WEB SITE

Check out the video and Info below:

Read the rest of this entry »

I’m happy to announce that the 2010 Fall issue of AUGI AEC EDGE Ezine finally came out on New Year’s day (Saturday_January 1, 2011)!

It was supposed to come out last December but for some reason, the release was delayed. As of the date of this post, the online version is not out yet. However, you can download a PDF copy at:

http://www.augi.com/publications/augi-aec-edge/issues/

On page 27, I wrote a 12-page article on creating complex family shapes in Revit. Included are Revit family tips and tricks with accompanying video clips (available on the online version). Here is an image of the front cover showing the title of my article: “Little Details Count Too”. Enjoy!

Michael Anonuevo
Autodesk^® Revit^® Architecture 2011 Certified Professional
www.littledetailscount.com