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How to be More Productive

As soon as we stop measuring the success of training programs by how many hours people attend, the sooner we can begin to focus on tasks, competencies, and outcomes that drive better designs. For experienced designers, it’s all about reducing the time it takes to find the answer. Performance adjacent support means meeting the needs of the full spectrum of learner proficiency and point of need, based on proven and known competencies for job or project outcomes. Give the employee the answer immediately at the point of need and nothing more than the answer.

How to Use AutoCAD Sheet Sets

Regardless of what you design, sheet sets enable you to efficiently create, manage, and share your entire set of drawing sheets from one convenient location.
The first step in implementing sheet set functionality is to create a sheet set. You can create a sheet set using an example sheet set or by simply importing existing drawing layouts as sheets. In order to create a new sheet set based on existing drawings, those drawings must use layouts. This process does not alter those drawings. It simply creates a sheet set file—a file with a .dst file extension—which includes pointers to those drawing files.
To create a sheet set, you must first open the Sheet Set Manager. Therefore, open the Sheet Set Manager if it is not already open. In the Sheet Set Manager palette, expand the drop-down in the upper-left and choose New Sheet Set…. Or, in the Application Menu, choose New > Sheet Set. Either of these actions opens the Create Sheet Set wizard, which will step you through the process of creating a new sheet set.

How to Use OSL Shaders in Your Renders

OSL, or Open Shading Language, developed by Sony Pictures Imageworks, is an open source shading language that allows you to create programmable shaders in advanced renderers like Arnold. The implementation of OSL in 3ds Max is done using both an OSL map and independent OSL textures.
One of the benefits of using OSL is that writing shaders for it is simpler than working with other methods like C++. Another advantage to OSL is that you can find hundreds of shaders available online through various repositories. Searching for “OSL shader download” will turn up several locations where you can download OSL shaders that can be used along with the OSL map.
The OSL implementation within 3ds Max is available when using both the Arnold renderer and the Nitrous based Quicksilver renderer in 3ds Max 2020. Note that you must be using 3ds Max 2016 or newer with Arnold 5.0 or newer. Also make sure you have the latest version of the MAXtoA plug-in for 3ds Max. The version number can be found on the Arnold Renderer tab in the Render Setup dialog.

How to Perform a Revit Systems Analysis

Revit provides systems analysis tools that can help users choose the right HVAC system from the start of the design. Conceptual, analytical, or detailed designs all follow the same five-step workflow:
1. Add Analytical Systems: Start by adding zone equipment, air systems, and water/refrigerant loops in the Analytical Systems System Browser.
2. Add System-Zones: Sketch in lines or shapes to specify the rooms and spaces that will be served by that equipment. Then, in the Project Browser, assign the specific zone equipment that will be servicing each zone.
3. Assign Analytical Spaces: Add spaces using the Assign Spaces Automatically option. Create an Energy Model, and it will automatically create the Analytical Spaces and assign the zone equipment you specified.
4. Modify Analytical Spaces: Assign Space Types to all the spaces. Go through each space and assign what it will be used for, in order to create a realistic simulation of the entire HVAC systems behavior.
5. Run Systems Analysis: Click Run Systems Analysis to start analyzing your system!

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