How do you use ABS?

[stelthorst]

Sometimes I think I'm the only electrical person on this forum. My question is: What discipline (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) do you use most often and how do you use ABS?

As for myself, I work for a large (1000+) electrical contractor. I use the electrical portion of ABS to coordinate routing of my electrical cable tray and conduits with the plumbing, mechanical, and fire sprinkler contractors on large ($1,000,000+) residential, commercial, and industrial projects.

[RobertB]

Scott, I voted Mechanical, but we really are an MEP firm, with about 60% M, 30% E, 10% P (by body count).

[MMccomb]

I mainly use this program for Process Piping Design. (Had to create a lot of fittings =-)
We also use this program for HVAC. It's still faster than manually drafting double line.

We have another program called Design Master we use for HVAC and Electrical Design calculations and load requirements.

[jshillin]

I work in a Wastewater Treatment Plant, so eventually I will be utilizing all the various components/disciplines in ABS. I haven't ventured into the electrical part as of yet though.

[andrew_carpenter]

I have used ABS mainly for mechanical (ductwork; 2 projects), but have used it for electrical (bldg power&lighting; 1 project) as well, very little plumbing.

[Wanderer]

I don't currently use it, but, I've been watching and would eventually like to use something like this in a facilities management setting... ;) all intelligent all the time... in which case I'd be using it for mechanical electrical plumbing and fire protection... ~taps fingers on desk, waiting patiently~

Sometimes I think I'm the only electrical person on this forum. My question is: What discipline (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) do you use most often and how do you use ABS?

[Steve_Bennett]

I don't currently use it, but, I've been watching and would eventually like to use something like this in a facilities management setting... ;) all intelligent all the time... in which case I'd be using it for mechanical electrical plumbing and fire protection... ~taps fingers on desk, waiting patiently~You could use it now to at least start drafting quicker. It's not the perfect solution to everything, but it get's you started down the path. Looking at how Revit Structure has tied in so nicely with ADT, I'm 99% positive that if they were to come out with a Revit Systems, they would tie it in nicely with ABS.

[CADNate]

I voted mechanical, but I have only had the program for just a little while and have just been playing around with it thus far.
I will be using it for HVAC 90% of the time and 10% for plumbing.

[mpemberton]

Our firm has been trying to do the switch since release 2004. We just got 2006. I have been doing alot of research the past three month. We are still having so many troubles getting going. When we do, I will be doing 50/50 in HVAC and Plumbing. Others will be also be doing Electrical.

Matt
CAD Mgr.

[Jeffrey McGrew]

if they were to come out with a Revit Systems

They are, it's been announced. It's in Beta, and they are saying 'sometime next year/next spring' for it's release (depending on who you talk to).

If you want in on the Beta testing, I think you just need to sign up at the Autodesk beta site & let them know you're interested.

But yeah, I'm very much looking forward to having it be easier to go from Revit to the Desktop/Systems world, for right now it's a bit of a pain to go from one to the other (does anyone know how to get solids out of Building Systems? Please? Anyone?!?). ;-)