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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Revit Training the R&B Way

Revit Training the R&B Way

To help standardize our work flow we implemented a CAD committee. Over the past five years we have established firm wide standards for the ever-changing AutoCAD. The group is comprised of our top CAD users from all disciplines from all of our offices. This teamwork approach allows us to make CAD additions and changes to the company with full buy-in from all disciplines, in other words, NO SUPRISES.   When the decision was made to move forward with Revit, the CAD committee sprang into action. First, we had to decide, "What is the implementation cost?"  Since we already had previous Architectural Revit users onboard, we had a head start for their training at a local firm in St. Louis called Sieler. Sieler is a team of architects and engineers with real world experience and hands-on expertise with the product.  The custom, training was done over five days; I say custom because the training was created by Sieler NOT directly from the book. This was great for the architectural side, however they are not MEP trainers.   

 We looked and decided to move forward with Hagerman as our MEP training provider and setup the offsite training schedule.  After the first day, our users returned with a definite "no-go attitude" due to the trainer involved. This was a surprise, we have worked with Hagerman in the past and have always gotten great service. The trainer we were given did not have the MEP background we expected and he was training directly from the book. This was not acceptable, so the CAD users quickly requested an alternative.  We then looked at CADD Centers in Florida.  They were recommended by a partner of ours that uses them exclusively for all Revit and AutoCAD training.  This was great for our Florida users, but the added cost to fly our St. Louis users to Miami was unacceptable. So we trained our Miami users with the three day Revit essential class at CADD Centers. The results were great, the Miami team was very happy with the outcome.  This led us to remote training using GoToMeeting for our St. Louis and remote users.  This worked great, we had all of our users in-house so they could still be available for emergencies and at the same time they were in a locked training room environment. Thanks to CADD Centers of Florida, we are now on our way with Revit certified users.  If you ever need training, I would recommend CADD Centers of Florida, as they have been a great resource for training, implementation and follow up support.

Revit Training
Gregory Arkin
CADD Centers of Florida
(954) 772-7300 x127
Greg’s Blog
www.revit3d.com

 

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Posted on March 7, 2008 02:01 by Ken Schriever
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Categories: Revit General Info | Revit Implementation
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