Can someone explain how Revit will help me?

[innerdream]

I have a potential client that is drawing in Revit. What should I ask him for so a model can be built? I have been modeling in Sketchup but may farm this out if need be.

 

I don't work in an office anymore so I'm out of the loop with this stuff.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Tim Nelson]

Just ask him to export as .fbx or Autocad solids. An fbx will have a lot more objects & be a bigger file, but it will probably have pro materials assigned to it, which helps even if you have to redo materials. A dwg is cleaner, smaller, and easier to work with as long as you know what materials belong where.

 

Just my quick observations in receiving models from Revit from clients. I have to say I am a fan of Revit...I should have paid more attention to it from the beginning.

[innerdream]

Just ask him to export as .fbx or Autocad solids. An fbx will have a lot more objects & be a bigger file, but it will probably have pro materials assigned to it, which helps even if you have to redo materials. A dwg is cleaner, smaller, and easier to work with as long as you know what materials belong where.

 

Just my quick observations in receiving models from Revit from clients. I have to say I am a fan of Revit...I should have paid more attention to it from the beginning.

 

Thanks Tim. I'll be using Modo most likely to render so I think .fbx should come in fine. I don't know about Autocad solids?

[Crazy Homeless Guy]

What should I ask him for so a model can be built?

 

What Tim said is correct, but keep in mind, at least 75% of your modeling should be done if the Revit model was built correctly. They are not the easiest thing to use though.

[innerdream]

What Tim said is correct, but keep in mind, at least 75% of your modeling should be done if the Revit model was built correctly. They are not the easiest thing to use though.

 

How so not easy? Nervous...

[Crazy Homeless Guy]

Depending on the size of the project, the model can be heavy. If you are rendering one area, say a lobby, have the client draw a section box around that area, and export that. There is a chance the client has set a view they want already, this is fine, but make sure they do not export the geometry from that view. I have had problems with this where the geometry never quite imports.

 

I know you are working in Modo, but it is best to clean this model up in max first. Run the detriangulation script. Then run a script to separate the FBX into layers by material, then attach the elements on each layer together.

 

At least this is the basic Max workflow. I don't know how this translates to Modo.

[innerdream]

Depending on the size of the project, the model can be heavy. If you are rendering one area, say a lobby, have the client draw a section box around that area, and export that. There is a chance the client has set a view they want already, this is fine, but make sure they do not export the geometry from that view. I have had problems with this where the geometry never quite imports.

 

I know you are working in Modo, but it is best to clean this model up in max first. Run the detriangulation script. Then run a script to separate the FBX into layers by material, then attach the elements on each layer together.

 

At least this is the basic Max workflow. I don't know how this translates to Modo.

 

Okay, thanks for the info. I don't own Max, I'll see when I get to the point of them exporting and sending me a model if I need to hire someone to clean it up.

[Tim Nelson]

I know you are working in Modo, but it is best to clean this model up in max first. Run the detriangulation script. Then run a script to separate the FBX into layers by material, then attach the elements on each layer together.

Woah, Travis, this is news to me! A detriangulation script sounds great. Also the layer by material script sounds pretty handy. It always takes me so long to bring in a model and convert everything to Vray materials.

[John Dollus]

Also, make sure you update the fbx version. That can make a big difference. With Revit 2010 out, you'll likely need to update Modo's FBX import plugin

[gordo3di]

I had a few problems bringing in revit models via .fbx into max primarily with smoothing groups. I had to break down some of the models and play with smoothing (auto smooth didnt cover it). Oh and the RPC trees in revit gave me an error on import in max and wouldnt let me import the model (im new with revit-to-max so i'm sure im missing a few things)

[innerdream]

This could be a good resource thread on Revit export. Maybe those who have had success could post their solutions like CHG did.

[Crazy Homeless Guy]

Woah, Travis, this is news to me! A detriangulation script sounds great. Also the layer by material script sounds pretty handy. It always takes me so long to bring in a model and convert everything to Vray materials.

 

I think all of these are available on Script Spot, though the layer by material does give me problems sometimes. Also, the layer by material makes the file easier to work with, but isn't necessarily a layer for each material since the FBX brings in objects that have Multi/Sub-Object's on them. It will create a layer for each Multi/Sub-Object. If you are lucky, the nested materials withing the Multi/Sub-Object are instanced with the base materials, but this is not always the case. Not sure why... it has more to do with how the Revit model is put together onthe architects end.

 

Detriangulation (AutoEdges)

http://www.cgarchitect.com/vb/35881-revit-fbx-max-triangulation.html#post249319

 

Layer By Material

http://www.scriptspot.com/forums/3ds-max/general-scripting/create-layers-by-materials-3ds-max

 

QuickCollapse

http://www.cgarchitect.com/vb/32059-fbx-dwg-export-max-import-6.html#post244187