Draw by discipline
Choose parts and run settings for piping, ductwork, plumbing and electrical conduit. Work in plan, elevations or the 3D view.
Design Companion 1.29.1
Build the detail.
Keep the context.
Draw mechanical piping, ductwork, plumbing and electrical conduit in 2D and 3D. Bring in drawing backgrounds, prepare quantities and sheets, and exchange coordination geometry with Revit through Momentum.
Version 1.29.1 · October 15, 2026 · Standalone desktop application
From a detail to a reviewable sheet
Use the Equipment Detail and Prefabrication labs to place parts, connect runs and check the same geometry across views.
Keep native dimensions
Use your own evaluated fabrication catalog exports for fixed shapes and sizes. Verified connection rules stay with the part; unsupported connectors remain unavailable.
Prepare the handoff
Review annotations, cut lengths, quantities and weld counts, then export drawing sheets and supported CAD/model deliverables.
Draw against the building
Import a DWG, a vector PDF page or a Momentum export from Output → Momentum / Import & Export. Review the contents and choose the disciplines you need.
- Retain declared units, layers and source coordinates.
- Set visibility, opacity, position, rotation and scale.
- See backgrounds in 2D, 3D and drawing sheets.
- Keep reference geometry separate from parts, runs and takeoff.
Choose the right scale
A unitless DWG needs an explicit unit choice. For a PDF, choose the page and its paper-to-model scale: a 1/4 inch = 1 foot drawing uses a multiplier of 48.
Check a known length before drawing against the imported reference. Curves are tessellated with a declared tolerance, and source text uses a substitute font. Unsupported objects are reported.
Vector PDF content can be converted into a genuine DWG download. Scanned pages are not traced into CAD lines. Native conversion requires AutoCAD 2025 installed on this computer.
Move context between Revit and Design Companion
Use the Design Companion commands under the Revit Momentum tab → Import / Export. Momentum 1.3.34 improves current 3D view exports, including clipped and hidden linked geometry.
- Export from Revit.Choose disciplines, a selection, view or model scope, and whether to include loaded links. For a building background, open a 3D view and use a section box around the area you need. Current 3D view exports follow its visibility and clipping, including links. Momentum creates a local
.mepbg.jsonhandoff. - Review it in the intended drawing.Open Design Companion's import and export window, review the pending Momentum export and add the selected disciplines as a background.
- Return the detail.Export the drawing to Momentum, then use Import from Design Companion in Revit.
Coordination geometry in Revit
The returned parts and runs become a DirectShape reference in Generic Models. Native Revit fabrication parts, editable MEP connectors and a Revit fabrication takeoff are not created by this handoff.
Coordinates follow the Design Companion drawing origin and Revit internal origin. Verify alignment in the destination model.
Version 1.29.1 preserves curved outlines when you switch between 2D views. Exact shared vertices and curve segments reduce export size without simplifying the source geometry.
Reference size limits still apply. A limit message names the exceeded count; use a smaller section box, fewer disciplines or a selection. Whole-model exports remain complete and can exceed these limits. Keep the exported file when sharing with another computer. The direct handoff uses local files.
Installation and local data
- Install Design Companion on Windows 64-bit.
- Install AutoCAD 2025 for native DWG and vector PDF conversion.
- Install Momentum 1.3.34 in a supported Revit environment for the Revit handoff.
- Save work and close Design Companion before updating; retain your normal drawing backups.
Keep project files under your control
DWG/PDF conversion and the Momentum handoff run locally. Drawings, imported references and your own fabrication catalog exports are stored separately from the program installation.
Choose the files you import, export or share. Reference backgrounds do not add fabrication quantities, welds or pipe runs to the drawing.
Momentum's separate tray Companion Beta 0.1.12 retains its October 28, 2026 expiry. Browser PDF activity eligibility is not enabled by this release.