New features – MagiCAD 2024 for Revit
MagiCAD 2024 includes all of the new features and improvements from previous MagiCAD releases. Please see also the feature highlights from the latest MagiCAD 2023 UR-1 and UR-2 releases.
MagiCAD 2024
1. Support for Autodesk Revit 2024
All
MagiCAD 2024 is compatible with the new Autodesk Revit 2024, as well as with the previous three Revit versions 2021-2023.
2. Calculation of variable air volume (VAV) systems
Ventilation
Variable air volume (VAV) systems adjust the airflow of ventilation systems based on demand. They are effective in reducing energy-use in buildings where the occupancy varies greatly throughout the day, such as in commercial buildings. In order to design variable air volume systems effectively, you need to be able to simulate different usage scenarios to ensure that the system will operate as planned.
It is now possible to define and calculate variable air volume (VAV) systems in MagiCAD. You can define up to three different airflow rates—for example low, medium, and heavy—for air terminals and assign the air terminals to zones that combine similar spaces together. The airflow rates and zones can then be used to build schedules, which simulate different usage situations, such as a full office with meeting rooms in use or an empty office at night.
3. Project Wizard tool for easy project setup
All
The new Project Wizard tool makes setting up a new project efficient and easy, especially for beginning MagiCAD users. The Project Wizard guides users through the basic steps of creating and managing a project.
The tool collects all the needed data for setting up a new project into one place. Project data, such as levels, grids, scope boxes, and spaces, can be copied to the tool directly from a linked model. You can then view and modify the data in a list view, reducing the need to use Revit schedules. When the Project Wizard is used together with the new View Manager tool, it is easy to set up a project and get started in no time at all.
4. View Manager tool for easy view management
All
Creating and managing views is now easier than ever before. The new View Manager tool allows you to create multiple views and see their information in a comprehensive list. The list can be sorted according to different properties and multiple values can be modified simultaneously. The View Manager also includes a Find & Replace function that can be used to easily rename views.
5. Improved view features
All
Sometimes Revit is not able to find a suitable view that allows you to see the exact elements you want and finding a suitable view manually can be difficult and time-consuming. The new Show element function lets you search and filter views to easily find the correct one to use. The Show element function is a useful addition to many commonly used MagiCAD functions, such as Clash detection, Clearance analysis and Provision for builderswork openings.
All MagiCAD tools that allow you to preview results before accepting them include an integrated 3D-view window. These 3D-views have now been updated so that the last used zoom and pan angles are always maintained. This helps avoid unnecessary work in reorienting the 3D-view after making changes.
6. Copy, import, and export national classification code structures
All
Manually entering an entire national classification code structure for a project is a lot of work. To make it easier to use different classification structures, you can now copy existing ones to use in another project, as well as import and export classification structures as .xml files.
In addition, national classification codes can now be added for generic distribution boxes, generic manholes and provisions for builderswork openings.
7. Create and apply system classifications
All
Sometimes classification information needs to be added for entire systems instead of individual objects. MagiCAD now allows you to create system classification structures in the dataset. The created system classification codes can then be applied to systems using the System Type Manager tool. The codes can also be mapped to their corresponding Revit system classifications to make it easier to find the correct code in the System Type Manager.
8. Add selection area information for objects
All
You can now add selection area information for objects with the Update Parameters tool in order to indicate the area that they belong to in the project. The selection area code is added to the selection area parameter and can be included in reports and Bill of Materials lists.
9. Use real connection points for water devices
Piping
You can now use real connection points on water devices when designing domestic water systems. The improved LOD (Level Of Detail) -level of BIM objects provides a high level of accuracy that allows for real connection points to be properly displayed in the 3D model. At the same time, new settings for controlling the device symbol placement make it possible to produce a clear and precise drawing sheet even when real connection points are used.
10. Flow calculation for multiple connected drainage system types
Piping
Flow calculation now supports multiple connected drainage system types. This means that it is possible to connect soil, waste, vent, and underground drainage systems and perform flow calculations for the connected network, while still maintaining separate system types for each.
11. Multiple improvements to Sprinkler Designer
Sprinkler
Multiple improvements to the Sprinkler Designer module facilitate efficient sprinkler design. You can now convert rigid connection pipes to flexible pipes automatically. The size and length of the flexible section can be freely selected. It is often easier to draw sprinkler connections using rigid pipes and this allows users to convert a section into flexible pipe afterwards, instead of drawing with flexible pipe.
Additionally, sprinkler information and the flow and pressure requirements at the root of the sprinkler system are now added automatically to the design area object. This information can be used, for example, when tagging the design area.
You can also update component equivalent length values from the dataset to sprinkler products that have already been installed to the project.
12. Improvements to the duct and pipe series updater tools
Ventilation, Piping
The Duct Series Updater and Pipe Series Updater tools allow users to add MagiCAD data to their own duct and pipe series so that they can be used in MagiCAD. The Duct Series Updater tool now allows you to create reversed sizes for rectangular duct series. Reversed sizes improve size calculation in cases where width restrictions have been set for system segments. In addition, both tools allow you to define a size range for the automatic creation of provisions for builderswork openings.
13. Copy branches between levels
Ventilation, Piping, Electrical
The Copy Branch feature now allows you to copy a branch to a new level. Copying branches between levels saves considerable time and effort when a project has repeating layouts on multiple floors.
The copied branch is automatically connected to the riser on the new level or it can be placed freely without a riser connection. The existing rotation options are available also when copying to a new level and copied branches include all the data of the original branch.
14. Add extra-low voltage (ELV) system data for products
Electrical
You can now define extra-low voltage (ELV) data for electrical and ELV products in the MagiCAD dataset. The new parameters available are ELV System Power and Number of Connections. The new data can be used to summarize totals from connected devices to circuits and from circuits to supplying panels with the Update Parameters tool. This allows you to easily estimate, for example how many data panel connections are in use or the total power of a loud speaker system.
New parameters for lower and higher signal attenuation have also been made available for ELV products. However, these will be taken more extensively into use in future features and they are currently only updated to products in the project.
15. Define supply cable dimensions for circuits
Electrical
You can now manually define supply cable dimensions for circuits instead of using the dimension values that are available in wire types. The defined values are used in cable packets and cable layouts. Manual definition of supply cable dimensions is needed in cases where wire types represent product families and the actual supply cable dimensions are defined in the circuit data.
16. Improved Export/Import of electrical networks
Electrical
New parameters in the Export/Import function for electrical networks further improve the data exchange between MagiCAD and external electrical calculation software. The new parameters available are MC Description 2, MC Description 3, MC Circuit Number, MC Circuit Type, MC Cable Description and MC Max Cable Length.
In addition, the MC Description 1 and MC Protective Device Description parameters are now included also when importing networks instead of export only. When importing electrical networks, you can view a report of all changes to the data that helps identify potential issues.
17. Improved symbol management
Ventilation, Piping, Electrical
Multiple improvements to symbol management enable increased flexibility in the handling of HVAC and electrical symbols. As general improvements to symbol handling, the Project override setting for symbols has been added to MagiCAD Settings and it is now possible to define a search path for symbols in the Content tab.
Mandatory symbol selection has been removed from the Other components and Drainage product types, as it is often more informative to show device geometry for those products instead of a symbol.
For electrical symbols, the base direction of symbols can be selected to better account for top-to-bottom automatic risers. Electrical symbols also maintain the annotation orientation for face-based electrical equipment and lighting fixture families.
