So Again, It's been awhile (since 2020)

 Yes…,

It’s been a real long time since I’ve posted anything lately. I’m hoping this hiatus is very short lived, since it seems COVID is starting to take a step back or we are just going to move to an “endemic” meaning we just simply live with the fact that we are going to have to live with COVID.

 With that all being said, I’m hoping to move back onto what this site is supposed to be about so… if any of the visitors are interested, please visit my main site which is on Facebook (Fitz Digital CAD Service). Just doing a regular Google search will take you to my business site which is still active however, that mainly for business and doesn’t cover what been going on the last couple of years.

 Finally, if anyone that visits my site, or wouldn’t mind, keep in mind that I rarely do I even post, more or less ask for a favor. Since voting is still open for #au2022 class proposals, (up until April 25^th), please take a look and up vote for my classes. #AU, #MiltFitz,#Revit-to-AutoCAD-or-PDF, #Autodesk® CAD-or-BIM-software-vs-Manual, #Milt Fitz & give a👍! Thanks!

Realistic Renderings in AutoCAD without Add-ons…

This was actually supposed to be posted on the Autodesk Community Board / Forum:

Realistic Renderings in AutoCAD without Add-ons…

To All Members,

Just wondering if there was an easy way to get “Realistic Renderings in AutoCAD without Add-ons?

Specifically I’m looking for an option that works similar to Revit for those of you that have use both programs and really know what I’m talking about. For those that do not have Revit, or that do not understand what I mean by realistic renderings, all you really need to do is look at some of the latest Autodesk advertizing or check out my attachments.

What I did was “redraw, or re-cad” another drawing to make it 3D (converting flat 2D elevations to 3D) This was sort of a “No Brainer”, and should be for your intermediate to advance CAD personnel except… the newly created 3D file “Still” has a “Cartoony Look” (again refer to my attachments).

Up until recently, I have had no real complaints doing this type of work, meaning converting files over to 3D especially since most of the “BIM” work has been just to check for collisions. In fact, most of the other trades prefer to use the “Cartoony Look” because things will stick out if something looks out of place. This also has been the case for my 3D printed files meaning the customers don’t really care about the look, the just want to see that the file is workable, or “printable”.

The reason I’m asking about “Realistic Renderings” is that this now seems to be the norm for people using Revit. Lately I’ve been hit with questions such as “Why don’t your files look Realistic”? or “How do I know if that file is in 3D”, or the usual “How do I know if that’s to Scale”?

So, without using an “Add-on” is there a way to easily create a realistic rendering in AutoCAD? My guess is “No” which is no problem for me because I am using other CAD software, “BUT WOULD PREFER” to just stick with Autodesk.

As usual, any information or help is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Milt

My original "Converted" 2D drawing to a 3D model:

Alternate view of the "Converted" 2D drawing to a 3D model:

Rendering that is close to what my customer was looking to get:

(Note this is not my drawing & I believe it was done in Revit)

Using another program, these are the files I created:

Again, I was looking to do this type of work with AutoCAD but wound up with the "Cartoon Look" in the 1st two renderings.

Again, using another program, these are the files I created:

Revit to AutoCAD (My Original Draft)

I just wanted to give my spin, on how to do a standard file conversion of REVIT files down to AutoCAD. Basically the only reason for doing this is to share information with non BIM software users.  The word that actually comes to mind is “Collaboration”. By explaining to the REVIT users how they can share files they effectively are collaborating with the rest of the Non-BIM world.

Originally published in November of 2013, this was my “Test Run or Test Video”. After publishing this video, I used it to help me button up my class at Autodesk University   (Revit to AutoCAD for Collaboration).

Revit to AutoCAD Draft01 - Preliminary Preview (on YouTube)

Helping Out When There is No CAD Manager

So…

I’ve been trying to get back into some “Good Old Habits” which sort of went by the wayside since the great recession. By the way, I still believe we are in a recession because there are a lot of people still out of work,  being underpaid, or doing extra work just to hold on to their jobs.  Anyway, what I mean by a good old habit is simply this; “Helping Out When There is No CAD Manager”

When I started out working as an engineering assistant one of the duties given to me was to assist or help out my peers, and or supervisors with AutoCAD support. I guess this is something I carried over from my brief stint as an AutoCAD Instructor at Lincoln Technologies.  I never had a problem with helping people out, in fact I enjoyed being a part of the team that came out with a solution for AutoCAD issues.

Here I am some 10 years later and it seems as if so much has changed, and unfortunately for the worst, (just my opinion, but that is probably not the case). 

Where there use to be handy websites to get information, you now have to hunt for a website to get the same information that was at the tip of your fingers years ago. I blame this on the recession and the fact that there have been so many updates. Not just to software  (which in most cases is a good thing) but to the updates or removal of some websites. Probably the one good thing is the “Cloud” which has been good for collaboration.

As I stated, it seems to me due the downturn in the economy, that CAD Support has taken a hit. I know for a period of time I was asked “not” to help out because even engineering assistants were now required to be “chargeable” on projects and that there was no time in projects for me to do CAD support. Anyway, the only way to help give support was to simply give in to working some “O.T.” (own time). By the way, this is one of the reasons for me to start my consulting business, (again due to the economy).

 Well, I’m glad people still look to me for help and wish I could do more which is why I started working as a consultant. As far as helping my peers out in my office, I will continue in the best capacity that I can, to be a support or a consultant person in the CAD or BIM field.

Robert Green’s  latest article regarding “The Peer-to-Peer CAD Manager”  has some very good points for anyone that has been in my position as far as being a “Go To” person without actually having a CAD Managers Title.

Which Direction is Autodesk Headed?

Just a question sort of….”Which direction is Autodesk headed?” What I really mean is “What is the best way to work or use Autodesk products?” I’m sure this discussion has come up before and maybe I just missed it. The big thing lately has been to use BIM related products…I think. Maybe I I’m wrong, I don’t know and that is why I’m asking. I know with AutoCAD things have changed quite a bit and again, “What is the best way to use AutoCAD”?  

With reading some of the questions posted on LinkedIn, or going through other bloggers post and Autodesk discussion Groups, BIM seems to best way to go however, you get the sense that AutoCAD is not going away anytime soon. Since we will all have to use AutoCAD at some point in our careers do you invest time in really learning the program or do you learn enough just to get by? It seems as if Autodesk has made the program a little easier to use, especially if you are a “Newbie” but what about the rest of us that have been using AutoCAD for over a decade?

In some ways the program has become more cumbersome to use. Yes there are a lot of nice features to use however, for us older users it seems as if even the simplest commands have changed. By the way before anyone makes any assumptions or jumps to conclusions:

"I am not out to bash any of the Autodesk Products”,

I am however looking for some clarity.

Since I use AutoCAD to make simple diagrams I am now torn between upgrading my skills just to use the “newer, or replacement commands” verses the “old school pull-downs and command alias” which still work quite well if you load the proper lisp routine.

Again, with BIM becoming more and more a significant way to work, is it even worth the time and effort to upgrade our skills? Once I get a Revit file converted to AutoCAD for a customer to use, do we really have to do anything with the file?  That is why I’ve ask this simple and yet complex question of which direction is Autodesk headed?