CAD/BIM Support Specialist

at KPF in New York, NY

Tags: KPF CAB BIM Support

Structural Designer and/or Piping Designer and/or Piping Engineer

at Mike Nickols in Marinette, WI

Tags:

Software: Grasshopper in Rhino 4

Description: In this Grasshopper video tutorial we will be creating different patterns of Iso-curves that have the potential to be used as toolpaths for CNC milling machines. In this first version of the exercise we’ll create a “parallel cut” pattern on the surface by extracting parameters incrementally along one edge. We will then modify the “parallel cut” pattern to be affected as the surface climbs / descends in the Z value. This video encourages designers and students to design not only the parts, but also the fabrication techniques. Generating G-Code is not covered in this video.  As always, please let me know if you questions and/or inquiries.

Topics Covered:

• Extracting BREP Wireframe / Edge Curves
• Dividing Curves
• Finding the Closest Point on a surface
• Evaluating a surface at a parameter
• Creating / Translating Iso-Curves

The Virginia Tech lumenHAUS project for the DOE Solar Decathlon will be exhibited in Times Square from January 27, 2010- January 31, 2010. There will be a reception and seminar on Thursday, January 28th, 2010 from 6:00-7:30pm at the Hafele America Co. New York Showroom located at 25 E. 26th St. @ Madison Ave. If you or anyone else you know would like to attend, visit this site for invitations.

Read about the project below:

The Virginia Tech LumenHAUS is a smart home powered by the sun. Previous to its pending arrival on Times Square, It was part of the exhibition Sustainable Communities; Greenovation the National Building Museum and competed in the Solar Decathlon Competition sponsored by the Department of Energy. It is one of two projects from the United States selected to compete in the Solar Decathlon Europe in Madrid, Spain in June, 2010. Lead faculty from the School of Architecture + Design at Virginia Tech will present several of the innovative building features including:

• Smart home - information from sensors automatically adjusts house for energy efficiency and comfort
• Home weather station controls shutter screens and insulation panels
• Geothermal heating and cooling saves energy
• Passive heating, natural ventilation and Pavilion living
• Lighting of the future - Dimmable Fluorescent and LED lights
• Space saving features lend generosity and grace to small house
• Putting light where it has not been - walls any color desired, no paint required
• i-Phone interface - information about house energy use and control of systems
• Sustainable materials as beautiful expressions

Presented by:
Robert Dunay AIA IDSA Professor and Director for The Center for Design Research/ Virginia Tech
Joe Wheeler AIA Professor and LumenHAUS Project Coordinator/Virginia Tech

Software: 3DS Max 2010

Description: Solution to an issue with Instancing Materials in MAX 2010.

[Some of you may have run into this, many of you have likely already resolved it. This post is for the latter group. Enjoy.]

Issue: You create an instance of an object, apply a material, and by default, MAX 2010 instances the material to all objects rather than just the particular element you have selected.

Solution: Material Editor > Options > Propagate Materials to Instances (Uncheck, unless you are intending to have all instances have the same material)

This one has been bugging me for some time but I just got around to looking it up. Enjoy!

The yearly Smart Geometry Workshop + Conference will be held in Barcelona this year, from March 19^th – 24^th. The focus for this year’s workshop will be Computational Design and Digital Fabrication using GenerativeComponents and other advanced design tools.

Due to unprecedented interest in this year’s workshop, and requests for additional time to prepare application materials, the deadline for submitting a SmartGeometry 2010 Workshop Application has been extended to January 24th.

If you are interested in applying, or would like to read more information on SmartGeometry Workshops, view the newsletter below and visit their website.

Autodesk University is coming up (December 1 - 3 in Las Vegas) and I will be all over the place!

I will be teaching two classes, one that will show anyone interested in parametric design the powerful new Conceptual Design Tools in Revit Architecture 2010 (Class ID: DV9210-2) and another on Parametric Design Modeling with Autodesk 3ds Max (Class ID: AB114-4). I will also be presenting at the Pecha Kucha event - a fast-paced visual conversation where a diverse group of creative thinkers show 20 compelling images for 20 seconds each - and will be a judge at the Cut&Paste Design Slam.

If you’d like too meet up and grab a drink or some dinner please shoot me an email at d.fano@case-inc.com.  Hope to see you at AU!

Software: 3D MAX Design 2010

Description: This video focuses on the use of sliders with wire parameters. The tool is demonstrated by using a former demo of the relax modifier but rebuilding to function without sub-object manipulation.

Software: Autodesk Revit 2010

Description: Through Revit consulting in architectural offices located throughout New York City, I have located several blogs which have offered practical resources and solutions. If you have any other recommendations for useful resources, please post a comment.

Useful Blogs



www.buildz.blogspot.com

Description: This is Zach Kron’s site. While teaching a BIM course at Columbia this past semester, several students used Zach’s site as a resource for complex modeling in Revit. Highly recommended.




www.Autodesk-Revit.blogspot.com

Description: This is David Light’s blog. He works for HOK in London. Along with his informative Revit posts, he also adds commentary to keep it entertaining.



www.Do-U-Revit.blogspot.com

Description: Dave Baldacchino out of Houston runs this blog. General Revit interface issues are often discussed and have proved useful during BIM imlementation at various offices.



www.DoRevit.blogspot.com

Description: Great resource for resolving issues and maximizing workflows.



www.RevitFamilies.blogspot.com

Description: Site offers useful explanations of standard Revit issues. Shaun consults in Revit as well and brings to the table various problems and solutions he has encountered.






www.Revit3d.com  (aka: www.bimboom.blogspot.com)

Description: This is Greg Arkin’s blog. This site is regularly updated and will keep you up to day on all things BIM. It is thorough and offers extensive tips and solutions regarding a variety of Revit topics.






www.Revit-alize.blogspot.com

Description: Maintained by a practicing architect but hasn’t been updated in a while. Offers useful info for beginners and practitioners.









www.RevitOpEd.blogspot.com

Description: This is Steve Stafford’s blog. He is a contributor on a few blogs and you will often see him commenting on various revit related blogs. He offers extensive explanations into a variety of Revit issues and workflows.









www.HOKBimSolutions.blogspot.com

Description: This site offers complex solutions to complex issues. Numerous useful tricks are available and it is maintained fairly regularly.






www.RevitIt.blogspot.com - [French]

Description: Although the site hasn’t been updated in quite a while, there are useful explanations of general Revit utilities, specifically of use when training in French.  I found it useful but then again, I speak French.



www.iRevit.blogspot.com

Description: Craig Barbieri runs this blog. I have used this for specific customization methods. He goes behond the general issues. I particularly found his explanation of custom fill patterns useful.




www.RevitResource.blogspot.com

Description: This site acts somewhat of a supplement to the help menu in Revit. It contains useful links regarding various specific topics.



www.RevitComponents.blogspot.com

Description: This is a nice resource for Custom Revit families available for download.

Software: Grasshopper in Rhino 4

Description: In this Grasshopper video series we will be re-creating the parametric walkway/bridge that had been done on the site before.  In this version of the exercise we’ll create  the floor as solid rather than just a surface (i cheated last time ).  Since we don’t have shelling (that I know of) in grasshopper I figured I would write a simple definition to do that f0r me.  After this video I will build out the rest of the walkway in a similar fashion to the previous video with a few new techniques along the way.  Please let me know if you would model this another way or if you have ideas for the rest of the walk way.

Topics Covered:

• Offsetting Curves
• Lofting
• Exploding a BREP
• Joining Curves
• Creating a solid surface

Software: Autodesk Revit 2010

Description: In this Autodesk Revit 2010 training video we’ll talk a bit about View Range and how to adjust the settings so that your views cut at a certain depth.  I created a generic family that shows model text at 1 foot increments in elevation. So as we change the settings of the view, we’ll can see how the settings affect the view.  Also, we’ll quickly cover Orient to View. With Orient to View you can have your 3d view (any of them) match your planometric views (Plan, Elevation, Section, ,Call Out).

Topics Covered:

• View Range Property
• Orient to View
• 2d View to 3d view
• Instantiating components onto a surface

Besides my fascination with robots (80’s kid) this installation in NYC by Gramazio & Kohler and ETH looks amazing! Here is a link to the Storefront for Art and Architecture for the installation.  I’m a little late on this but better late than never

ETH Storefront instillation

Pike Loop from Storefront for Art&Architecture on Vimeo.

Here is the text from their site:

Pike Loop, a Robot-Built Installation in NYC
Sep 30 2009 - Nov 14 2009

Installation Inauguration: October 27, 7pm

Location: Pike Street between Division Street and East Broadway (map)
Digital Materiality exhibition at Storefront: On show until November 14

In September 2009, Storefront for Art and Architecture will inaugurate an exhibition of the work of Swiss architects Gramazio & Kohler, Architecture and Digital Fabrication, ETH Zurich and, in conjunction with NYC Department of Transportation’s Urban Art Program, Storefront will present the first architecture project to be digitally fabricated on site, at 1:1 scale, in the US.

Developed through their research at ETH Zürich Faculty of Architecture, Gramazio & Kohler’s work explores highly complex architectural artifacts, built by industrial robots typically used to assemble automobiles and perform other high-precision tasks. The accuracy, strength and speed of these robots allow them to fabricate architectural forms of unprecedented complexity and intricacy.

Gramazio & Kohler’s work represents the cutting edge of innovation in the field of digital fabrication in architecture. For many years architects have relied on digital manufacturing processes such as CNC milling or 3D printing as a tool for formal research at model-scale. For the first time, Gramazio & Kohler’s work explores the potential of mobile digital fabrication techniques that can fabricate at 1:1 scale on site.

Positioned on the central mall on Pike Street, the robot will work for up to four weeks - in full view of the public - to construct a brick wall, a highly sculptural response to the specific identity of the site. For the Pike Loop installation, more than seven thousand bricks aggregate to form an infinite loop that weaves along the pedestrian island. In changing rhythms the loop lifts off the ground and intersects itself at its peaks.

The exhibition at Storefront Gallery will present the results of Gramazio & Kohler’s ongoing research into digital fabrication in architecture at ETH Zurich Faculty of Architecture. The same robot, R-O-B, unit recently built the award-winning installation, Structural Oscillations, at the 2008 architectural biennial in Venice.

About NYC Dept. of Transportation Urban Art Program
The Urban Art Program is an initiative of New York City’s Department of Transportation intended to invigorate the City’s streetscapes with engaging temporary art installations. As part of the World Class Streets initiative, art will help foster more vibrant and attractive streets and offer the public new ways to experience New York City’s streetscape.

Partners
ETH Zurich Faculty of Architecture

Sponsors
Keller AG Ziegeleien AG
USM Modular Furniture
General Shale Brick Inc.
Sika Switzerland AG
Swiss International Airlines

This exhibition is made possible with the generous support of:
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts
Consulate General of Switzerland in New York
Pro Helvetia
New York State Council on the Arts
New York City Department of Cultural Affairs

Engineering services generously provided by:
Buro Happold Consulting Engineers, P.C.

Media Partner:
World-Architects.com

Autodesk Revit 2010 – Parametric Louver System Part 4

Software: Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010

Description: In this Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 video tutorial, we will create a shared parameter to generate a curtain panel schedule that drives the spacing of the louvers. Creating this shared parameter system is essential to this process as it enables our louvers to be scheduled and driven quickly from a schedule. This is the fourth and final video in a series of tutorial that explains the process of creating parametric families within Revit.

Topics Covered:

• Creating shared parameters and relationships
• Driving parameters through scheduling
• Using to inform and further design

Autodesk Revit 2010 – Parametric Louver System Part 3

Software: Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010

Description: In this Autodesk Revit Architecture 2010 video tutorial, we will nest our parametric louver system within a curtain panel family, so that it becomes a parametric panel system that can receive different louver counts.. This louver system will be embedded in a curtain wall family by arraying a generic model component family that is within a lined based family.  Later, we’ll create shared instance parameters to drive the model from a schedule. This is the third of a series of videos that explains the process of creating parametric families within Revit.

Topics Covered:

• Nesting components in a curtain wall family
• Populating components based upon instance parameters
• Creating shared parameters and relationships

SketchUp 7.1 - New Features:

New! In 7.1: Improved support for large models

New! In 7.1: Photo Textures

New! In 7.1: Nearby models

New! In 7.1: Direct Component upload

New! In 7.1: Import and Export COLLADA files

New! In 7.1: Import and Export KMZ files