Taking Revit to the Next Level: What’s Next?

I apologize for the lack of post over the last few months.  In our defense, we have been mad busy and the BIM push has been crazy as well.  But, now that we have settled down into the initial shock and change introduced by Revit.


 Where have we been? 

 Last year Ross & Baruzzini created the official “R&B BIM Committee” a group of Revit users from each department who meet monthly to discuss procedures and ongoing questions to keep the Revit push on track.  We took all of our current issues, as well as our user group feedback, and created an “outline of needs.”  We then contacted our trainers and gave them our list to create a three-day training session that would cover all of our needs.

 

This allowed us to tie up all of our loose ends, such as standard templates, sheet sets, automated scheduling and Revit 2011 nuances.  

 

This was a great next step in our commitment to Revit.  I cannot stress enough the importance of having your standards and templates in place before project kickoff.  Trying to fudge things at the last minute to make the sheets print correctly, knowing that the model integrity has suffered, is not acceptable. Proper templates, standards, family view sets and a BIM execution plan are necessary if you want to consider your organization a BIM shop. If not you are only producing 3D AutoCAD documents. Why bother with BIM if your organization is clearly not getting the point?

 Where are we going? 

What is the next step?  Once the initial training is complete and everyone is up to speed with the new product’s systems and tutorials we will take the next step, bringing your BIM to the next level?  Once all of your templates and tools are in place you can focus on the process. A BIM Execution plan will help you with this process.


 Stay tuned…

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Posted on June 1, 2011 08:53 by Ken Schriever
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Categories: Revit Architecture | Revit General Info | Revit Implementation | Revit MEP | BIM
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"Importing CAD files using the I-Drop command”

I recently came across a unique feature in Revit.  It is called the I-drop drag and drop feature.  The feature works by clicking the thumbnail image of the file and dragging it onto the Revit plan, elevation, section, etc.  Release the file into the appropriate view.  See the image below showing the highlighted file on the right that was dragged into the Revit file on the left.  Revit does not link the file; it recognizes it as an object inserted into the current view only.  After placing the object, the user can explode it if they choose to do so.  Just a reminder that if the baseplan.dwg  layout changes, the modifications will not be automatically updated.  The user would have to perform the I-drop command again or decide to link the import.

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Posted on November 4, 2008 04:01 by derek
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Categories: Quick Tip | Revit Architecture
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Revit and LEED

As most people in the building industry know, LEED is becoming more mainstream.  It is evident in one area and that is Revit.  Revit and LEED have gotten together to start to implement LEED technology into the Revit software.  Autodesk has gone out and partnered with Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES).  This means that Autodesk is attempting to support green design with their Revit software.  I have not been fortunate to do a LEED project in the Revit software but I look forwarded to that in the future.  From what I have read, the user in Revit can run quick thermal, day lighting, and heating and cooling load analysis.  The user does not need to recreate the building geometry for the analysis as was needed in the past.  The building geometry has to be done correctly for the calculations to work properly.  Rooms need to be given certain info such as room heights.  Obviously, Autodesk will continue to enhance the LEED capabilities within Revit.  Will Revit be able to properly compute the information needed for LEED?  Only time will tell.

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Posted on August 25, 2008 10:00 by derek
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Categories: Revit Architecture | Revit General Info | Revit Implementation | Revit MEP
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Revit Imported Details

As most Revit users know, we often have made a detail in AutoCAD that we could really use in Revit.  There are a few ways that I know of to solve this issue:
  • You can recreate that detail from scratch in Revit
  • Import the 2D detail and draw over the top in Revit
  • Import and explode the 2D detail
  • Import and modify the layers to work better inside of Revit
 I have personally done all four methods during my time using Revit.  I have found that if you import the detail and leave as is, then it will most likely not print the way that you would like to see it.  Some users that I know prefer to trace over the imported detail and detach the detail when they have completed the new Revit detail.  I have used that method when I wanted to use Revit fill patterns so they were consistent from sheet to sheet.  If you choose to import and explode the detail you will have to change the individual lines, hatches, etc. to work with Revit lines, fill patterns, etc.  This can cause the file size to grow rapidly in Revit.  For future projects that I work on in Revit, I am going to use the method of importing and modifying the layers using the “Visibility/Graphic Overrides” command.  It may not be a flawless way to get the previously made details into Revit but it may be a time saver.

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Posted on August 25, 2008 09:58 by derek
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Categories: Revit Architecture | Revit General Info | Revit Implementation | Revit MEP
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Revving up Revit Part 2

During our first attempt at a full MEP project the Owner requested Autocad Documents toward the end for final delivery, so even through the project was started in Revit, its final delivery output was in CAD. The lesson learned is to try to gear a project toward a Revit firm that will be expecting the deliverables in Revit. Everyone is bouncing back and forth on an inevitable topic that is BIM will be the standard.  It may not be today, next week on even this year but it will be here very soon. As all of you know the government agencies and most hospitals and higher ed facilities have already publically announced a Revit cutover date. 

 We are revving up to start our second full service Revit project next month which will entail all aspects of Revit Architecture, and MEPFP.  We plan to utilize the same process as before however now we have most of our needed families identified.  To keep users up to speed with Revit we have had our users spend four hours a week converting an Autocad project to Revit. This allows them to identify key problems and missing families.  We then listed all of the needed families and started the hunt.  We found that Lithonia Lighting has started converting their materials library to Revit.  We have been looking for a mechanical manufacturer to step up to the plate and start converting their blocks, after talking to Trane (one of the biggest mechanical manufacturers) but we were told it is not on their plate.  So as a solution we will be turning to Broutek to submit out cut sheets. 

 Once we start the project we will utilize the same training process used on the first project. Ross & Baruzzini will let all of the users start the project with direction from CADD Centers. We will fly the CADD Centers' trainers into our office to get everyone going on the project and make sure that everyone’s questions are answered from the beginning. This insures we start off with everything working and all model linking is correct. We will then engineer and create the model in-house for delivery. Once we get close to the closing of the project we will once again bring our trainers in to assist in any final cleanup that may be necessary.  I  believe this process to start your earlier Revit projects will ensure your success and understanding of the process rather than creating frustration.

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Posted on August 12, 2008 03:54 by Ken Schriever
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Categories: Revit Architecture | Revit General Info | Revit Implementation | Revit MEP
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Revit 2009 Improvements

I recently read a review of Revit Architecture 2009 by Lachmi Khemlani.  She wrote about the improvements that Revit has included in the latest release.  I suggest reading the article.  It can be found at:  http://www.aecbytes.com/review/2008/RevitArch2009_pr.html.

 Some of the improvements that she writes about are going to be very helpful to Ross & Baruzzini as we continue with the implementation of Revit.  I have not been able to check out any of these new improvements with 2009, but plan on checking them out very soon.  The improvements that I am looking forward to are the improved rendering/visualization, color display, and dimensioning features. 

Revit 2009 has made rendering scenes much easier to produce.  Revit has added several materials and modified the folder organization.  The user not only has several more options when choosing materials/ colors, but they have much more specific control to modify the material/ color to meet their needs.  I am looking very forward to checking out these new improvements because I feel that Revit was strongly lacking in this area in previous versions.  I often had to go out on the internet and find a material or color and import into Revit.  That would often cause the final rendering to not represent the material properly. 

 Another improvement with Revit 2009 is the ability to use the color display in more views than just the plan view.  In the past I had wanted to show a building section with the color scheme shown.  Until now this was not possible, but after reading the above mentioned article, I am excited that Revit has made this improvement.   

One of the most basic dimensioning issues that I have come across in the past is the inability to control dimension text.  In this latest Revit issue, the user can override the dimension text.  In the past the user has been able to add text as a prefix or suffix to the dimension text.  Now the user will be able to replace that text with specific notes to the contractor.  From my experience I often had to add floating text adjacent to the dimension to relate information to the contractor.  If the dimension moved, the user would need to remember to move the floating text as well.  That is a big hassle. 

The above mentioned improvements are very nice to see for a user of Revit.  I hope that Autodesk continues to improve and tweak Revit so that it can become a more prevalent CAD product.  I once again want to recommend to anyone reading this, to please go to the link above and read Lachmi Khemlani’s article for she discusses other improvements in more detail.

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Posted on May 28, 2008 04:09 by derek
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Categories: Revit Architecture | Revit General Info | Revit MEP
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Detailing in Revit

My name is Derek Freand and I am a Project Architect for Ross & Baruzzini. I have been with R&B for 11 months but have used Revit dating back to 2003. Here at R&B we are getting the Revit programs started. Architecturally we have done two projects to CD completion, but we also use Revit as a modeling tool to represent proposed material layouts showing 3D views and renderings. During my time of using Revit I have completed nearly 30 projects. It is a very valuable tool for our industry and will most likely be around for quite some time.

Over the past few years of using Revit I have come across several people that have said, "Sure, Revit is great for the 3D capabilities, but you cannot make 2D details as well as you can in AutoCAD." I have learned that is untrue, because it is easy to detail in Revit if you just get used to it.

First of all, Revit has a "Drafting" tab that I use frequently. For continuous lines Revit has thin, medium, and wide. I have found that using these three linetypes in a detail is enough. Obviously, you will need to use hidden, center, and other lines but they are there as well. Hatching in Revit is called a Filled Region and is very easy to use. Actually much easier than CAD. Revit has one text size when detailing. If you decide to change the scale of the detail later, it is as simple as changing the scale button at the bottom of the frame. The text, lines, and filled regions, etc., automatically update per the new scale. Also, when cutting a wall section you can add very detailed information in that section. The section will show 3D components exactly how you have drawn them and then you can add insulation, gypsum board, J-mold, blocking. etc. Revit comes with many 2D drafting components such as metal studs, steel angles, channels, CMU blocks of all sizes, furniture, and many other items. As mentioned above making 2D details is easy and you will be happy with the end product.

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Posted on April 30, 2008 05:06 by derek
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Categories: Revit Architecture | Revit General Info
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The Missing link in Your Revit Design (Families)

Where Are My Families?
After starting our first MEP BIM project with Revit we quickly learned that the out-of-the-box product is severely lacking the tools to needed to make a project of any complexity successful. The tools are there, this is true, but the building blocks to make the end product complete were missing. In the Revit world these building blocks are called Families. Revit 2008 out-of-the-box does give you some basic Families however, here at Ross & Baruzzini the aesthetics of the drawings are very important and they need to be maintained to produce the professional output drawings we are proud of and known for today. So the big question is, "Where are my Families?"  It seems the rest of the Revit world is still catching up on the MEP side.  Manufacturers are trying to keep up but are finding it hard to produce a line of Revit Families since the masses are not yet committed to a BIM solution.  We have looked high and low for Free Revit Families and can only find the few sites listed below. 

The Solution
The Ross & Baruzzini solution was to train our Revit users how to make and manipulate Revit blocks for use in-house.  We used CADD Centers of Florida for a one-day training session over GoToMeeting as we did the product training.  We then contacted the Broutek, a company whose sole purpose is creating Revit Families. You can buy a block of (50) Families for $2,400.00 … a steal when you think of the man hours needed to create each Revit family.  The process is simple:   Just send the cut sheet to Broutek and they create the Family with all intelligence and in all specified sizes.  Once complete (24-48 hours) they place the Family on their site to be downloaded though your subscription.  If you are going to use this process you should go though CADD Centers of Florida as they are the Official US Distributor of Broutek.com Revit Family Content and will give you a 5% Discount.

Online Family Resource Links
BimWorld - MEP and Architectural Families
Broutek  - Custom Families
RevitCity - MEP and Architectural Families (good For General Electrical)

 

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Posted on April 1, 2008 09:25 by Ken Schriever
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Categories: Revit Architecture | Revit General Info | Revit Implementation | Revit MEP
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