3d DWF w/ object properties

[xEndlessxUrbiax]

We are working on a 100,000 sq ft library in my office and are trying to optimize our workflow in AutoCAD 2011 and come up with effective ways to share our building models with our engineers, contractors, and client.

 

I feel like the traditional way of showing black and white 2D drawings printed from AutoCAD has become somewhat superfluous with today's technology so we are trying to use the tools available to us to produce some kind of 3D model in which building and parts information can be embedded into the actual file. For example, my contractor clicks on a floor slab and it displays square footage, thickness, type, materials... I know it's possible to do this by publishing to DWF in AutoCAD so that the model can be opened by anyone (who has software to open DWFs) and be able to click on a beam or column for example and see what size it is or other information we choose to be displayed. Has anyone tried this method with success? It seems like a lot of work when dealing with a building of this size.

 

I made a 3D PDF with pretty good success using our AutoCAD model which by the way is drawn using ADT which means everything we draw is a 3-dimensional object. I imported the CAD model into Sketchup and used a trial software to convert to a 3D PDF which is viewable by anyone. This is very practical for everyone involved in the project to be able to see a 3D structural model and rotate around and so on. The layers that were made in Sketchup can be turned on/off (if you know where to look in adobe reader). I would love to share with you the 3D PDF so you can see as a reference but I don't know how to attach it to this post.

 

I was wondering if anyone is dealing with these issues and what solution they have found for it. Thanks!

[Hugh_Compton]

We use ACA and 3D DWFs. It is quite simple for beam lengths and types etc to be part of the DWF file - type in DWFOPTIONS and tick the 'Publish All Automatic Properties'. If your beams are structural members then it is no extra work at all to get their styles and lengths into the 3D DWF. I've personally been using 3D DWFs for many years now and find them a very effective way of communicating to team members using files that are very small in size.

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3D AutoCAD Pipework - http://www.HerculeDesign.com/