When a FREE Trip to Autodesk University 2011 and a SpacePilot PRO 3D!

One of my favorite peripherals manufacturers is having a contest to give away a free trip to Autodesk University 2011 and a SpacePilot Pro 3D Mouse!  3Dconnexion is offering this trip (and mouse) that will include airfare and accommodations!  What a prize!

To enter this drawing complete the required form that can be found at http://bit.ly/qcWJii.  Submissions will be accepted through midnight U.S. PDT on November 7th, 2011.  Make sure to check out the terms and conditions page before you fill out the forms.  The winner will be contacted by email or phone on November 8th, 2011 and will have 3 days to claim there prize.

Good luck.

Autodesk University 2010 Call for Proposals - Now Open

The Autodesk University 2010 Call for Proposals is now open. It seems to me that they are starting off a bit earlier this year than in the past. that's good because several speakers take on several classes. There is a lot of effort that goes into these classes. Planning, writing, testing, handouts, and then showing up!

Autodesk University is a giant convention covering all of the products that are produced by Autodesk. There are over 600 presentations with close to 10,000 visitors. It is perhaps one of the largest networking opportunities in the CAD/Design software industry.

Once at AU, you can attend training courses that are tailored to you industry, improve your own skill set, get up to date with current and future technology, and find solutions to your company's situations.

Autodesk University Class Voting Begins!

It’s that time of year again; time to cast your votes for the classes that will be made available for this year’s Autodesk University in December. Follow this link and login to cast your votes. The voting system seems a little awkward to me this year, but so what right?

Once you log in, use the filters to find the types of classes you want to take. Click the link given to each class. Scroll down to the bottom of that page and click the SUBMIT button. As far as I can tell this will cast your vote for the class.

Voting ends at midnight, May 8^th PDT.

There are four classes in particular that I think you will enjoy.

Create, Implement, and Maintain a CAD Standards Manual

Applying Parametric/Geometric Constraints in Dynamic Blocks with AutoCAD 2010

Applying AutoCAD 2010 Parametrics in Daily Designs

Two-Handed CAD: Do less work to get more finished.

All four classes were proposed by ME! Ok, so I am a little bit biased, but that’s ok. If you don’t want to vote for them that’s ok. It will let me know that you are not interested in this type of class. I would hope that you will be able to know what the class is about by its title. The CAD Manual class will discuss reasons to create a CAD Manual, methods of creating it, implementation, and maintenance. I don’t care about text formatting, or anything like that, just the reasons behind it. Why do you need a standards manual? How do you make it? When to make it? How to make sure people are following, and so on.

I proposed two different classes in the new Parametric Constraints introduced to AutoCAD 2010. One deals with using them in a design drawing, while the other focuses on using them in Dynamic Blocks. I feel that these are two different subjects because you apply the constraints differently in either use. Blocks are a finite system and it is much easier to apply constraints. Design drawings are much more complex so it is more difficult to apply them. There are methods that we can use with these new tools that will make using them much easier, especially for those that use our files after we’ve constrained them.

And my favorite class proposal, “Two-Handed CAD: Do less work to get more finished.” This title might not be as obvious as the others, so I will explain. Two-Handed CAD is a topic that I have discussed here on CAD-a-Blog several times (check out my How to be more Efficient in AutoCAD Series). It is a method of using AutoCAD whose purpose is to increase efficiency. So this is an efficiency class. The Two-Handed CAD method has the users take advantage of using both hands to draw. One uses the keyboard while the other uses the mouse. It focuses on mouse and keyboard input, not icons or menus (with exception of course.) The theory proposes that doing less work will increase drawing speed. For example; It is quicker to input keyboard commands while moving the mouse rather than moving the mouse back and forth across the screen to initiate commands, then draw. There’s more to it than just keyboard and mouse input. This class will look at using tool pallets, the Ribbon, fields, sheet sets, and other tools in AutoCAD design to automatically complete tasks for you. If the computer does the work for you, you will have less work to do, therefore you will get done quicker!

Let’s say there are 10 tasks to do in revising a drawing and that each task takes about the same amount of time to do. If I can get the computer to do 5 of those for me, then I will get the work done in half of the time. If it takes me 10 minutes for each task, that’s 100 minutes of work. Not if AutoCAD does it for me. Now it’s 50 minutes of work. This may be an over simplification of the idea, but I want it to be clear. Draw with both hands and automate functions.

Regardless of what you are looking for, go and vote for your classes. It is but yet another way Autodesk can hear from you. Tell them the types of things you want to learn about.

Design the NEW Top DAUG Logo and win . . .

Design the NEW TOP DAUG Logo and you could win a prize worth over a thousand dollars or more!!!

AUGI is pleased to announce the “Second Annual Top DAUG T-Shirt Design competition”.

Last year’s Top DAUG T-shirt competition was a great success. We had almost 70 submissions. Robert Geiger was chosen by the members as the final winner, and will be enjoying a free trip to Autodesk University this year. Here is your chance to submit your design and win this trip in 2009. Here are the details.

The challenge:

Submit a design to be printed on the front of the AUGI Top DAUG T-shirt. The t-shirt will be distributed at Autodesk University 2008 to all who participate in the AUGI Top DAUG challenge at AU as well as Top DAUG contests held in conjunction with AUGI CAD Camp events in the 2008-09 season.

The qualifications:

1. Participants must be AUGI members.
2. Autodesk employees are not eligible to submit a design.
3. You do not have to attend AU 2008 to submit a design.

The specs:

1. Designs must be created with an Autodesk software product.
2. Designs are to be submitted as a DWF (Drawing Web Format) file.
3. Size of design should not exceed 9" (22.8 cm) x 9" (22.8 cm).
4. Members may submit more than one design, if desired.
5. Designs should be submitted in black & white only. Grey tones are acceptable.
6. Each design needs to include the words “AUGI” and “Top DAUG” (Logos from Top DAUG sponsors Autodesk and HP will be added to the t-shirt sleeves for final printing).

The design deadline:

Designs must be submitted by October 3, 2008, 11:59 AM PDT. Submit your design(s) to topdaugtshirt@augi.com.

Then what?

1. Each eligible design will be posted on AUGI.com for voting from October 6 - October 17, 2008.
2. AUGI members will vote for their top pick.
3. Members can vote only once.
4. The design with the most votes will be awarded the Grand Prize.

What you can win:

Besides the fame that goes along with being the creator of the winning design, the grand prize winner and nine other contestants will win these more tangible prizes.

1. Grand Prize, for the individual whose design is selected by AUGI members’ votes, is a free pass to AU 2009.
2. Winners in 2nd through 10th place will receive exclusive AUGI merchandise.

The Grand Prize winner will be revealed at the start of the Top DAUG contest on Tuesday night in the AUGI booth. In the event of a tie for the favorite design, AUGI’s Board of Directors will select the grand prize winning design. The top 10 designs will be displayed in the AUGI booth for the duration of Autodesk University 2008.

Send your design (and/or questions and comments) to topdaugtshirt@augi.com. Don’t delay... the deadline is October 3rd!

AU 2008 - Registration Open - Sign Up for my Class

Autodesk University 2008 registration is now open. If you have ever battened or have ever wanted to attend now is the time to sign up. This will probably be the best AU ever, and not just because I will be leading a class there!

If you want to get an overview of the class I will be leading, Creating a CAD Standards Manual, and are to lazy to read, or too busy, follow this link to an audio overview of my class.

About 1/4 of the AU 2008 classes currently have an audio overview. The powers that be are working on providing more of these sound bites to help users know and understand what each session is about.

There are over 600 session to choose from with nearly a dozen different categories, or tracts to available. I suggest going with one of the tracts to maximize your exposure to your particular field. However, it is very possible to get a little bit of everything too. It's up to you.

Autodesk University 2008 Class Schedule - preliminary

By now I'm sure you have heard that I, Brian Benton, will be speaking at Autodesk University. I am very proud to be representing the company I work for, Heidt & Associates, Inc. and my very own blog, CAD-a-Blog!!! I will be teaching a class on Creating CAD Manuals.

Rest assured there will be other classes available besides mine. Autodesk has released a preliminary list and schedule of classes. There are over 600 to choose from!!! I don't even know where to begin. You can find the preliminary class schedule here. Keep in mind that this schedule will probably change. I think they released three different schedules last year until they were able to figure it out. There's a lot for them to do.

I am the (a) chosen One!!

No, I'm not Neo from the Matrix. Nor am I miraculously imbued with a higher midichlorian count than Master Yoda (though I am looking for a second opinion on that one). The gracious, or perhaps the delusional (at least slightly confused), people at Autodesk have chosen me to be a Speaker at Autodesk University 2008! YAY ME!! To bad for the class attendees!

Enough about me, lets talk about my class. The class name is "Creating and Maintaining a CAD Manual." Pretty deep huh? This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. Standards, CAD Standards; You know them, love them, hate them, and crave them all at the same time. We won't look at creating a standard, but instead we will look at taking the standards you already have and organize them. Perhaps a few standards will be needed here and there, but for the most part, some sort of standard or rule of thumb are already set in place.

My class will be help on Thursday (December 4th) at 8:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. I hope you are all morning people! Somebody please bring me a Starbucks! Venti!! Sign up for my class. If I don't have at least 20 people register Autodesk will cancel my class!! We don't want that. By we I mean me and my wife. For teaching a class, Autodesk lets me in for free!! Oh the power!! But if my class is canceled, well, there goes the perks and all of a sudden I have to pay to get in!! OUCH!! To me its only money, I can always make more.

Anyway, I am very excited to be going to AU and to be Speaking. If you aren't going then shame on you. If you are, then come to my class. We'll hang out, have fun, talk CAD, whatever. After class you can buy me lunch!! Just kidding.

Happy CADDING!!!

Vote For Me to Teach at Autodesk University 2008

Well, CAD-a-Blog has taken off quite well so far. It has gone so well that I submitted FOUR class ideas to Autodesk University 2008. Autodesk has these ideas along with several hundred other class ideas submitted by other people. If they choose my ideas then I will be an instructor at Autodesk University 2008! How great would that be? Autodesk will review the ideas they received and choose the best ones. There is only so much room at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. Evidently they have some of the choice in the hands of their users. They have given us, the users, the chance to pick our favorite 15 classes that we want to attend at Autodesk University. They have posted every class on a website and sorted them by category. You can go and vote in one or more categories up to 15 classes.

I ask that everyone of you go and vote for the four classes that I offered. PLEASE!!?!?!?!?!

The classes are:

• CAD Management and IT – Create and Maintain a CAD Manual
• Education and Training – How to Train Your Users
• Education and Training – Keeping Up With CAD
• Design Visualization – Impression for the Artistically Challenged

So, to get to the voting area, follow this link: AU Vote

Choose the classes you would like to see, even if they aren’t my class ideas.

Thanks for your help, and Happy CADDING.

Autodesk University - Screencasts

How many of you have ever wanted to attend Autodesk University but couldn't for some reason? Even though AU 2007 had a record of over 10,000 visitors, there are still many users that weren't there. Now is your chance to attend AU 2007!! But it's 2008 Brian, what's up?

http://au.autodesk.com/sessions/

Click on the link above, join the community, and watch the screen casts on your computer. It's just like attending AU, only you can stop it to take a break!! You can watch it again and again. Download the class handouts and watch the screen cast! What a great idea. I recommend checking out the site.

There are over 500 hours of training available to watch with over 1000 classes!! If you want to know how to do it, odds are it's in there.

AutoDesk University 2008 - announced

AU 2008

Autodesk has announced the dates for Autodesk University 2008.

16th Annual Autodesk University
December 2–5, 2008
The Venetian Resort Hotel
Las Vegas, U.S.A.

Click on the link above for more information.