1. Support for Autodesk Revit 2018
MagiCAD 2018 for Revit supports the brand new Revit 2018 and the previous version 2017. From this release forward, MagiCAD version numbers will follow the Autodesk version naming convention (i.e. 2018).
2. Search and load products from MagiCloud
[Ventilation, Piping, Electrical]
The new version of MagiCAD offers integration with our online product library MagiCloud, offering efficient functions for searching, viewing and selecting products. MagiCloud product library can be accessed directly from MagiCAD, and once a product is selected, it can be loaded into your MagiCAD project.
3. Automatic software update notifications
[Ventilation, Piping, Electrical]
MagiCAD 2018 automatically informs the user about the availability of important software updates. This makes keeping your MagiCAD version up to date easier than before, and ensures that you have all the latest tools and functions at your disposal.
4. Wire drawing enhancements
[Electrical]
The wire drawing tool has been updated, making it possible to define, enable and disable grid and guide lines when using free-end drawing. There are also new drawing options, including the Orthogonal Automatic Offset, which is a combination of the Orthogonal and the Automatic Offset options, allowing you to draw a wire with an offset and choose the direction for the angle. It is now also possible to set a default offset angle, which the Automatic Offset and the new Orthogonal Automatic Offset options will then automatically use.
5. New product class: Combination boxes
[Electrical]
The new combination boxes product class includes e.g. cover frames and socket poles which act as placeholders for actual electrical products, for example sockets and switches. The combination box together with the electrical products connected to it can be combined as a Revit assembly. The multi-product assembly can be handled as a single object, but at the same time, cables can still be connected to individual products within the assembly.
The products include new shared parameters which enable the user to define whether an object should be considered a part of a combination box and/or excluded from Bills of Materials views and/or IFC views. Objects can be hidden based on these parameters when using view filters.
The Find & Replace tool supports combination boxes and assemblies, enabling individual combination boxes, sockets and switches to be replaced with an assembly or assemblies with other assemblies.
6. Wire type management tool
[Electrical]
The new Wire Type Management tool displays a list of every cable within the project, making it possible to edit the properties of different cables all in one window. Cables can be sorted based on each column, and the user can edit cable weight, diameter/width, height, number of phases, number of neutrals and the number of PEs. Multiple cells can be activated to insert values to all of them at the same time.
7. Wire type search in wire drawing options
[Electrical]
The wire type selection in wire drawing options has been improved with an efficient search function. The user can write a part of the wire type name in the selection field, which will display a list of available wire types filtered based on the entered part of the wire type name. The wire type search makes it much faster to find the correct wire type, since only the wire types matching the search term are listed.
8. New routing tool for horizontal crossings
[Ventilation, Piping, Electrical]
The new horizontal crossing tool enables fast horizontal crossings during design coordination. Just select the length of the straight segment and the offset point for the crossing and the tool will automatically re-route your design based on the previously used settings.
9. Enhancements to Create User Symbol tool
[Common]
The enhanced Create User Symbol tool makes it possible to select multiple elements and save them as a symbol. The elements can be created for example by using detail lines or regions. Symbols can be added into various symbol categories, including product symbols, schematic symbols, switchboard schematic symbols or switchboard schematic detail symbols. You can also store your own symbols into a user-defined folder.
10. Enhanced Running Index tool
[Common]
The Running Index tool has been upgraded to enable a smoother workflow when assigning indexes. The next available index number is now displayed in the lower left corner when manual placing is used. A new “Show element” function has been added to enable the user to check where a specific index is placed. It is now also easy to search a group or format by writing part of the name in the search field and then filter out a selected group or format.
11. User-configurable balancing methods
[Ventilation, Piping, Calculations]
Balancing calculations for both ventilation and piping systems introduce new options for controlling how the network is balanced. It is possible to predefine balancing limits for pressure drops with flow dampers, valves and devices. The user can also define a throttling limit as a percentage of the functional area. Moreover, it is possible to select the method for managing excess pressure when balancing the network. To further improve balancing, there are enhancements to the way in which multiple zone valves and differential pressure valves can be used together in different combinations. There are also new options for sound calculations.
12. Air terminals with multiple connections
[Ventilation, Calculation]
MagiCAD now supports air terminals which have multiple connections, enabling installation, design and calculations. This provides the user with an even wider selection of air terminal products for use in projects.
13. Improvements to Provisions for Builders Work Openings Tool
[Plug-ins, Common]
With the improvements to Provisions for Builders Work Openings Tool, it is possible to create custom statuses for the provisions as necessary. In a similar manner, it is possible to add custom properties as columns to the report. By double clicking a provision, the manager automatically zooms to the selected void in the model. By clicking the “Show” button, a 3D view of the void is displayed.
In the new version, every column allows the use of filtering and now the report function supports also Excel file format. There are also new parameters included, which enable the top, centre and bottom levels of the void objects to be tagged.
14. Load-bearing calculations for Supports & Hangers
[Supports & Hangers]
The new load-bearing calculations enable the designer to verify that the supports and hangers are strong enough to support the suspended pipes, ducts or cable trays. With the new function, it is possible to extract the calculation model automatically based on the real Supports & Hangers model, calculate the loads of the suspended pipes, ducts or cable trays, calculate the force of each element with finite element method and display the data using 2D/3D diagrams. Elements can be verified according to the relevant codes, standards or user-defined rules. The calculation sheets can be exported in Excel format.
15. Export of installation coordinates from Supports & Hangers
[Supports & Hangers]
To enable easier installation on site, Supports & Hangers enables bolthole positions to be calculated and exported as coordinates to a file in CSV format. The exported file is compatible for example with Trimble laser positioning.
16. Array installation for Supports & Hangers
[Supports & Hangers]
It is possible to array supports and hangers along the entire MEP system. The supports and hangers can be installed across split segments and fittings in the same branch.
New Features from MagiCAD for Revit 2016.11 UR-1
New Features from MagiCAD for Revit 2016.11 UR-1
17. Support for worksets
MagiCAD’s support for worksets makes the management of work sharing in a multi-user workflow easier when using central and local Revit files. If the project is set up to enable work sharing and the use of worksets, this improvement allows you to select the correct workset for products and ducts, pipes or cable trays.
18. Improved installation of air terminals and chambers
Automated calculation of collar length makes it faster to install products at the correct height levels using the product installation tool, without the need for measuring product dimensions and manually calculating the necessary collar length.
When the product is about to be installed, it is possible to lock the offset level for one part of the product, and then enter another offset level for a second part of the product. The necessary collar length is then automatically calculated based on the product dimensions and the set level requirements. This feature only applies to products which include the collar length parameter.
19. Contextual tab for routing tools
The contextual tab makes it faster for the user to access the relevant connection tools and reduces clicks from menu navigation. When a device is selected, the contextual tab automatically displays the connection tools that are relevant for the selected device. The user selects only the device and the corresponding connection tool appears on the contextual tab. Click the button and the command is launched.
20. Improved offset control
With the new alignment settings, it is easier and more flexible to define the correct reference point for the offset also in cases where the offset must be aligned to a corresponding offset point or to an opposite offset point.
With the upgraded offset control for ducts, pipes, cable trays and conduits, the user can select if they want to align the start point of a new duct to the top of a referenced duct, or the bottom of a new duct to the top of an existing one. This is done by using the “Justify” checkbox which will invert the selection depending on the alignment method.
21. Extended Create Similar
Create Similar enables fast replication of existing ducts, pipes, cable trays, conduits or wires with complete data
With the extended “Create Similar” command, the user can select a segment which they would like to replicate and the “Create Similar” button appears on the context-sensitive tab. The user can then just click the button and the corresponding segment will be created, with all the relevant properties and parameters copied to the new segment from the existing one without adding any additional data content.
22. Improved Spreadsheet Export
The improved Spreadsheet Export makes it easy to define the export range by selecting specific project levels or for example the entire project for export. The decimal separator selection makes it possible to change the export settings to match the user’s preferences. Also, by selecting the “Do not overwrite any existing data” option, it is possible to avoid overwriting of any previously exported data.
23. Improved control of electrical systems
The standard dataset template may often include a large number of system definitions for electrical, telecommunications and data systems. With the new “In use” check boxes, the user can easily select the systems that should be used in the project and thus limit the number of available systems in dialogs to the relevant ones. If the check box for a particular system is not selected, the system will not be available as an option in other dialogs, when e.g. assigning a product to a specific system. This will enable the user to avoid unnecessarily long selection lists.
24. Improved 3D Section Box
It is possible to use any previously created 3D section views in the project as a template for creating new views. The new view is created as a copy, without saving any changes to the original template.
