"Better for MEP engineering, design, and documentation"

Increase productivity, accuracy, and coordination—from conceptual design through construction documentation—with AutoCAD MEP software for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineers, designers, and drafters.

Seamlessly collaborate with architects using AutoCAD or AutoCAD Architecture software in an intuitive design environment.

Automate production of construction documents using enhanced single-line and double-line system design and layout tools.

Minimize coordination errors between mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering design teams as well as with architects and structural engineers.

Part Wizard Templates

The current part wizard enables the creation of new part families using predefined parametric models but only works for MvParts. Now with 2008, the part wizard is compatible with other Part Catalog Domains, specifically Pipe. A new combo option is provided that enables choosing the appropriate catalog based on domain.

Duct Display By Elevation

You can now use the display system to help control the representation of ducts in top (plan) views based on their elevation in the drawing. For example, showing ducts below the floor slab with one linetype and ducts of the same system above the floor slab in another linetype.

Displaying Centre Lines Based on Duct Shape

In display configurations that use 2-line display representations for ducts and fittings, you display center lines by turning on the visibility of the Center Line display components. Now in display configurations that use Plan display representation you have even more flexibility. You can display or hide center lines on all ducts and fittings simultaneously, based on specific shapes i.e. round, rectangular or oval, or based on specific types i.e. flexible or rigid. You can also extend the center lines of round and oval takeoffs to the center lines of mains.

Re-organised Catalogs

The Aecb Content and Aecb Catalog folders were reorganized to separate the Imperial and Metric files with BAS 2007.1. This allows greater control as to how much (or how little) content is implemented and used by each company.

Schematic Workspace

The schematic tools for working with schematic lines and schematic symbols have been moved from the individual discipline-specific workspaces into a unique Schematic Workspace. Located in the Workspace dropdown list or in the Palette Group list (right-click on the title-bar of the tool palettes), this new Schematic Workspace is devoted to schematics, isometrics/risers, and other diagrammatic tools. The palettes themselves that are launched when switching to the Schematic Workspace are very similar to the individual Schematic palettes that use to appear in each discipline-specific workspace.

Re-organised Electrical Tool Palette

The Electrical Workspace Tool Palette has been reorganised to place the more commonly used items at the top. For example, Power and Lighting Devices are on the first tab, Communications and Fire Alarm devices are on the next tab and so on. The Tool Palette also supports drag and drop functionality. Tools can be created for items by dragging them from the current drawing onto the Palette. Properties can also be edited for each item on the Palette.

Electrical Project Database

Several enhancements have been made to the functionality of the Electrical Project Database. Users no longer need to Xref drawings together in order to get accurate panel schedules. Information in Circuit Manager is updated with current values when the Database is reloaded.

A new icon is displayed in the Drawing Status Bar, but only for drawings that are linked to an Electrical Project Database.

When changes are made to any drawing that is linked to a Project Database, all open drawings that are linked to the database will display notification balloons to update values in the current drawing.

Circuit Info and Circuit Report now track circuit loads across multiple drawings that are linked to the Electrical Project Database. Circuit overload checking also takes into account all of the devices connected to a circuit across multiple drawings that are linked to the Database.

Improved Component Size Display in Pipe Routing Preference

The 2008 Routing Preferences give you more freedom and control on how to select parts in a Routing Preference. You will also find defining and using Routing Preferences to be more informative and routing piping will be less prone to error and Choose a Part dialogs.

Size List Based on Chosen Parts: In 2007 the size list that was created by the user would actually filter out parts which would leave you guessing at what the upper size limit should be while being able to still select the parts you want. For 2008 you have the complete list of parts to always choose from and the size list will update itself based on all of the parts that have been chosen.

Display Tab in Properties Palette

The Properties Palette now includes a new Display tab which allows quick access to all of the Display settings for objects and systems. You can quickly put an object override on an MvPart, or change the color of an entire run of duct (including fittings) if the system or drawing default is what is controlling the display. You can also just use the Display tab to quickly change colors, or just to see what is controlling the display of a particular object.