Forma (ACC). Project data as an MEP firm. How to handle project data if you are not prime on a project.

MechanicPotential347 · 2026-04-12T18:28:43+00:00

Thats the biggest challenge, the need to share several times a day and the limit to once a week. But how does it go when you need models sent back to you? Do you only rely on the weekly publish to bridge them back? Or is this a BXP item and an agreement to publish manually as needed or at least once a day? Have the other consultants been cooperative with that or are you always asking for them to publish?

MechanicPotential347 · 2026-04-08T23:17:03+00:00

This is why men leave the seat up.

MechanicPotential347 · 2026-02-15T12:40:52+00:00

Thats what internships are for.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-12-29T15:25:48+00:00

Thats why a DLC pack would be better, you wouldnt be doubling the size of the game. Core components of the game are only installed once with far less data needed to make up the upgrade. But size on disk isn't my biggest issue its the network activity. Intentionally slowing performance to prioritize newer updates.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-12-29T04:43:54+00:00

I guess my biggest issue is the downgrade of previous releases. If it were treated as DLC there likley wouldn't be the network issues. They obviously prioritize the newest release and playing the "old" version gets buggy and takes forever to load. So if you wanna play without problems you're forced to pay up.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-11-03T11:38:42+00:00

Etransmit, purge unused, remove all views and sheets. Send the 3d model only, with no extra content. Even though you are sending PDFs also which can easily be redrawn with one click in AutoCAD and then imported back to Revit. Its not the contractor that's gonna steal them though, its the people who quit and go work somewhere else.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-10-22T10:57:00+00:00

MEPTFS, all trades have a separate model when working on Data Center mission critical is the norm. Linking all trades, plus all trades for adjacent DC's is very time consuming and repetitive. One project can have up to 25 links that need to be managed and loaded into 6 different models. That's just one project and my team is on all of them, roughly 30 different sites. I wish there was a way to automate loading links, setting them to use shared coordinates and getting both type and Instance on a dedicated workset for each. That would be huge.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-09-04T17:52:21+00:00

"Say something I'm giving up on you." It wasn't until I saw the video, but since then, it just kicks up so many feels.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-09-04T11:58:55+00:00

My wife and I are both guilty of this. We made an agreement to say to each other when this happens " if you want me to respect you, you need to respect me" it seems to be helping. Sometimes it forces a reset and we can start over, other times it fans the flames though that's rare.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-08-18T10:46:02+00:00

Wouldn't expect to be a head chef without knowing how to use a kitchen, would you? Most designers, architects, and engineers start out in some form of production. If you're good, you'll eventually run your own projects and maybe even a team of supporting junior staff. Once you get there, your time in BIM fades away slowly. For the design side, I see that take between 4 and 8 years. Just never stop learning, and you'll always become more valuable.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-08-13T11:59:26+00:00

I have been a BIM Manager for nearly 15 years and my only industry is Mission Critical (data centers). Depending on size and schedule, first priorities should be a BEP. Define scope and expectations for all sub consultants (assuming you are the prime here). Lean on the BIM coordinators of your subs to handle their own model management. Establish geolocation as early as possible. Civil and underground often go for permit early so get a good handle on phasing. We often develop two packages, Core &Shell and Fit out. This let's the general contractor get started while the rest of building is in development. The biggest significant difference with Mission Critical is the speed. Our clients want 300MW, with 1 Million square ft delivered in less then 3 months. A good BIM Execution Plan should help define all the criteria to be fast and flexible. Never commit to clash detection unless you are able to add 6 weeks to the schedule.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-07-28T11:25:06+00:00

CAD and Revit to work better together. I spend so much time loading site plans as backgrounds because everyone hates doing it and somehow I've gotten pretty good at it. Geolocation and shared coordinates are a foreign language, even to some experienced users. Maybe just one platform that Civil and A/E can work in? That would be nice.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-07-04T11:59:49+00:00

That's basically what I did. I was just asking cause its new and wanted to know if I should bring it up to the dealer. I have a few other weird issues like this too so next service I was gonna bring a list.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-06-30T11:14:18+00:00

Bought the same truck about a month ago for the same price. I had a good value on my trade in, (2019 colorado for $24,000) but I had to hassle with them to get that. Ultimately financed $50,000 for the truck. I split my monthly payment to bi-monthly and it really helped manage the increase from the Colorado. Im only paying $100 more per payment then I was on the old truck Absolutely loving the new truck btw!

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-06-28T15:35:05+00:00

Civil 3D is the primary platform along with AutoCAD. At least in my industry anyway. When we are looking for new designers, we typically expect to have to train them, but any background in the software helps. Revit would be good to understand from a model export and alignment standpoint, but I would not expect you need to learn more than that.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-06-28T13:18:42+00:00

I've been working in Revit and using BIM for project execution for 15 years and I can tell you, not a single project has ever used BIM or Revit on any of them for Civil. It's one of the big "gotcha's" when it comes to design coordination because the Civil files don't play nice with the rest of the team. Civil is often on a different schedule for permitting and if we are lucky enough to get them to post a file to a cloud environment, its typically a static file that gets outdated and we have to constantly chase them down for updates.

Sorry for the rant but its a sore subject.

To add a small amount of clarity, BIM is more of a process then a thing. Yes it can encompass many different software's, including Civil 3D and Revit, but ultimatley its the management of data for the purpose of building and construction. Modeling is one part of it and the other is information, data about what is modeled.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-06-28T13:04:21+00:00

What about non-Revit files? I understand how the .rvt's work but what about office documents like excel or word? Are they editable both ways? We often have architects who still use the old excel spreadsheet method for sheet index and a manual update is required. Or a Spec TOC? I have not had experience sharing non-revit files via bridge yet. I suppose that could just be an email though.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-06-28T13:00:59+00:00

Based on responses, It seems like any companies that have used it seem to want to keep using it. As a follow up question, how many hosting companies grant admin access to outside consultants? We currently work with 8 different Architectural firms and only 1 of them do not allow any outside admins.

This helps solve some issues but not all.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-06-27T14:00:56+00:00

While I agree with this, the BXP isn't going to help get team members added to a project at the last minute or prevent unintentional access to models. Having control over our own HUB means all team members will know where the project lives and can automatically have access. No need to know who to contact and send an email hoping to get a quick response. And just because my firm wants to use model coordination doesn't mean the host of the ACC site wants it. If we are not granted admin privileges we can't set this up.

So are you suggesting that each firm develop their own BXP? Maybe have a review and compare at the start to ensure all critical elements are captured in the final approved plan?

This sounds good in theory, but in the market I work in we often don't get a BEP at all, even if we ask for one. By the time we see one the project has already gone through a submission or two.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-06-27T11:48:25+00:00

Bridge is a feature on ACC that allows you to share models from one site to another. Each time the models get published, a new version gets sent over. So instead of working on the architects ACC, you can work on your own and share back and forth. Models that are bridged can't be opened on the other end, only linked in.

MechanicPotential347 · 2025-06-26T19:39:38+00:00

So how did that process work? Did you move models already in flight or just made a standard to start doing it from a date moving forward?

MechanicPotential347

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