Revit Technology Conference 2007 “Documentation in Revit”

Revit Technology Conference 2007

“Documentation in Revit”

Steven Hutana

Introduction• Who am I?• What do I do? Architectural design/ Teach/ BIM• Why Revit after 18 years? • What do you do? • What you may expect• Leverage and efficiencies• Tips and tricks, traps, best practice, workarounds• What I may expect• Learning and sharing

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[email protected]

Steven Hutana

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Documentation in Revit Outline:

1. BIM Documentation2. Creating Office Internal Documentation

Standards3. Preparing Office Project Templates4. Project Pre-planning for External BIM

Management5. Managing your drawings:6. Handling numerous drawing sheets 7. Hybrid Revit / DWG drawings8. Using colour and 3D in documentation9. 3D documentation10.2D documentation11.Scale and level of detail12.Look and feel of drawings13.Schedules and tags

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1. BIM DOCUMENTATION (5 C’s Client, Contractor, Consultant, Council, Component Manufacturing)

The Building Information Model (BIM) is a new tool used by the architecture, engineering and construction(AEC) industry. The term Building Information Modeling (BIM) was coined by Autodesk to describe "3D, object-oriented, AEC-specific CAD" and popularized by Jerry Laiserin as a common naming for these capabilities offered by several technology providers such as Autodesk, Bentley Systems, Graphisoft and others – a digital representation of the building process to facilitate exchange and interoperability of information in digital format.

BIM provides the potential for a virtual information model to be handed from Design Team (Architects, Surveyors, Civil Engineers, Structural Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Electrical Engineers) to Contractor and Subcontractors and then to Owner, each adding their own additional discipline-specific knowledge and tracking of changes to the single model. The result is anticipated to greatly reduce the information loss that occurs when a new team takes "ownership" of the project as well as in delivering extensive information to owners of complex structures far beyond that which they are currently accustomed to having.

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BIM can greatly decrease errors made by design team members and the construction team (Contractors and Subcontractors) by allowing the use of conflict detection where the computer actually informs team members about parts of the building in conflict or clashing, and through detailed computer visualization of each part in relation to the total building.

As computers and software become more capable of handling more building information, this will become even more pronounced than it is in current design and construction projects.

Practice Documentation CultureSince the advent of Autcad some 25 years ago every practice has adopted/created a culture all of their own in regards to how they communicate within the industry. Along the way we have used the fax, e-mail, and PDF to assist as conduits for communicating. BIM will make this culture obselete over time as the demand for better communication, coordination and consultation increases within the building industry. This demand is growing out of a desire to see constant cost overuns and lost time reduced.

1. BIM DOCUMENTATION (5 C’s Client, Contractor, Consultant, Council, Component Manufacturing)

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A) Graphic Standard Manual. The Graphic Standards section shows how elements are expected to look when printed and what Revit tools/pens/settings are used to make them

B) Production Standard manual: The Production Standards section is all the CAD-only stuff, which explains in detail the layers, Project templates, View template, project file organization and retrieval, and all the Revit project structure (file content, what is modeled and what is drawn, module organization, project folder structure etc). All tied back to the graphic standard. Updated with each release of Revit to accommodate new functions such as filters and view templates and such.

C) A "Best Practices" manual. Every task (like making a DWG or creating a new project file) is broken down into a tips/tutorial sheet. If someone cannot perform a task, they can look it up. Over time this should serve as the office knowledge base along with other tutorials. Once in a while a better method comes along and it gets updated. Everything in it tied back to the Graphics manual and the Production Standard. Updated as needed or refer to PDF Revit user manuals in Practice Revit Library.

D) Run Bi-weekly lunch & learn seminars. The majority of the CAD team must attend which includes project leaders. Push them for ideas and suggestions.

2. Create office internal Documentation standards

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3. Preparing office Standard Project templates, Legends and Keynoting

A. CREATING STANDARD OFFICE TEMPLATES

There are various settings you can define in Revit Building for a Project template:

Colors: define colors for line styles and families. Titleblocks: create a set of titleblocks for your project and then load them like families. Families: load families you use most often. Line Styles: define line styles for components and lines in a project.Line Weights: define line weights for model and annotation components. Fill Patterns: define fill patterns for materials. Fill patterns are commonly used in walls. Materials: define materials for modeling components, including how the image looks after rendering. Units: specify the unit of measurement for length, angles, and slope angle. Snaps: specify dim. wall snapping increments for the model views, such as 3D and plan views. Dimensions: define the look and size of dimensions for the project.Temporary Dimensions: specify display and placement of temporary dimensions. Object Styles: define the display of cut planes and surface patterns on plan/sect.Modifying Wall Types: define custom wall types for a project. Specify text properties: for various modeling and annotation components.

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B) CREATING OFFICE REVIT LEGENDS:

Using Revit legends its easy to create window and door elevated legends with dims and text along with symbols and wall legends.

TRAP!Presently you cannot legends curtain walls. You will have to duplicate elevation views of c/walls and copy onto window legend drawing.

Once legends have been created group the legend and safe to file as a group. This allows you and others to reuse the file on future projects.

TIP!Did you know that you can apply your precious keynotes in your legend components. Keynotes only work here when you select by material. In view properties turn off the keynote number and leader after initial creation/placement. This is bi directional associatively at its best.

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C) CREATING KEYNOTING

With Keynotes you can link all materials and elements to an external 'keynotes‘ text file and then tag the objects or materials with great ease.

There is a small investment of time to get your objects and or materials linked to a line item in the 'keynotes' file but the speed gain and consistency in standards is fantastic.

All REVIT components and materials can use keynotes. You can have keynotes display the text (12mm plywood), the 'key' value (W. for wall/ 01) or sequential numbering such as CBI index (1,2,3...).

Once you get these relationships linked up and saved to a template file you are off to the rugby.

TIP

To get you started on your keynoting journey you can Download and convert CBI index numbering system from www.masterspec.co.nz. Or use out the box NZ keynotes

TRAP!

The text editor where we create/store our keynotes is very precise. Use tab key “only” between your number and description.

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4. Project Documentation Pre-planning for External BIM Management

On large projects you should be thinking about whether you will collaborate with main consultants who use Revit Structure and Revit MEP. Also how will you consult with council and clients at various stages including any design review panels. Emailed PDF’s and faxes suck!

Plan how many people in your practice will be engaged on the project and what roles they will play at various documentation stages as this will affect when Worksets should be activated.

After initiating worksets from the outset of a project next is to decide how the building/s and site and other models should be managed. Typically the site is seen as the central file into which one or all of the models will be linked. Linking models into the site reduces size of the host drawing while allowing others to assist in creating each model separately.

One other thing to ponder is how you will plan to present your wonder of the world. In Revit we can render models to differing levels as well as pretty quickly create animations which go a long way toward engaging the clients emotive side.

Finally In the not too distant reality there will be a space added here for component fabrication collaboration.

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5. MANAGING YOUR DRAWINGS

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5. MANAGING YOUR DRAWINGS

A. Controlling model objects:

Revit 2D views are live representations of 3D models - sometimes too alive!

• model objects - how were they created? (eg. Floors)• Protecting invisible objects (floors, shaft openings, rooms)• Locking, aligning & pinning • Reference planes -locking, naming and heights • Scope boxes • Worksets • Design options • Phasing

Tip.1# Don’t be so precise. Just draw it! We can alter its position,

length, height after its initial placement.

Tip.2# Remember to use a mix of the TAB key and Temp hide/Isolate to get to a layer or for copying an existing outline.

Rip.3# What are site pads supposed to be…….?

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B. Controlling Views:

• Dependant views – divide up a plan/elevation• View dependencies (Sections & callouts)• Rotating views• Crop boundaries• Scope boxes• 2d / 3d grip handles - grids, sections & reference

planes• View templates

Tip 1# – You can access your views from the title sheet by right clicking and activating view

Tip 2# Use create view templates to set your line weights – Do it once is the key!

Tip 3# In views select object/s then right click select override graphics to alter element by category (general over rides) by element for “full visual o/rides.

“Finally our elevations can achieve depth in Revit”!

5. MANAGING YOUR DRAWINGS

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C. Controlling drawing referencing:

• section & elevation markers – placement and depth of field

• By scale• Hide element (annotation) in view• Hide category (view visibility)• Section boxes• Scope boxes• Sections markers• Create plan and detailing callouts

5. MANAGING YOUR DRAWINGS

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6. A multitude of drawing sheets

• Handling numerous drawing sheets

• View templates• Scope boxes – Sets visibility control of datum levels

within the scope box • Reference planes – Used as guides for controlling

model geometry. • Browser organisation – Creating parameters to better

organise Views and Sheets

• Locating views onto sheets• Working on views on sheets• Pin views on sheets• Handling Revisions

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7. Hybrid drawings

• Hybrid Revit / DWG drawings•Importing & Linking DWG files:•Link vs.. import•Origin & rotation

• DWG detail drawings•Link vs. import.

• Scanned detail drawings•Link vs. import•File sizes

Tip: Never import directly a new cad detail into your Revit project. Clean it up first in a new project to remove errors and warnings. Then import once converted accordingly.

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8. Colour in documentation

• Masking regions• Filled regions

– translucent regions– D/loading or import your favourite *.pat (hatch) file library

and load in to your Project template

• Rooms and area fill - Wow! Its finally easy to use!

• RIP: Room separation lines be dammed!………….but don’t leave……I ……..I need you….

Shadows and shading» Tip: As soon as you have spent an hour getting

that shade perfect, don’t forget to turn it off! » Tip 2# Pre-plan how you will present your

design in Revit. This will determine how much time you allow for setting up materials for your model surfaces. It may save many needless hours when B&W with shade/shadows may suffice.

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9. 3D documentation

• Cutaway 3D viewsGreat during prelim process when tying keyDetails into host elements

• Standard 3D views– orient view

• View rotation– section boxes– crop regions 3D views

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10. 2D documentation

Drafting viewsThere are three approaches to how we detail using drafting views.

1. All Drafting done completely within Revit approachThis approach allows for a clean set of details which can be loaded into

Project templates ready for placement. We can also use File/insert from file/views.

Tip 1#: Remember that if your practice decides to go this way with detailing, it will take a effort/time. Take it one detail at a time as opposed to pining it all on one project for results.

2. Converting existing cad details to Revit approachThis is where we import/convert our cad details into Revit details.Tip 2#. Use a blank project to load details onto first where all errors and

warnings can be mitigated first before loading into your project.Tip 3#: Reload completed detail into blank project as final re-check for

errors

3. Direct linking of Cad details directly into Revit Project approach.

This is a temporary measure when time is of the essence. Clean up later!! Tip4#: when you use the Detail Callout tool you will need to choose the

"Reference other view" from the Options Bar & then pick the correct drafting view from the drop down list.

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11. Scale and level of detail

• Detail level - coarse, medium & fine– By system (walls) or by users (families)– more detail at larger scales– project stage (Sketch design, DA, construction)– 2D vs. 3D; Presentation vs. documentation

• Visibility– family object visibility 3D / 2D views– Yes/No parameters– Type parameters– subcategories– Symbolic lines

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12. Look and feel of drawings

• Line types / weights• Line patterns• Line work tool• View visibility

– Over-ride in view– Halftones– Underlays

• Superimposing views– Stepped elevations

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13. Schedules and Tags

1. Creating Schedules

Creating a Site Cut/Fill Schedule. The secret to creating this schedule is under site clicking graded region then selecting your Revit topo plan. Make sure you rename existing site to existing phase. Once completed Revit will add cut and fill to your topo schedule.

Add hardware items i.e. kick plate by adding parameters in schedule properties then add these items as schedule fields

Creating a Door Hardware Schedule.The trick here is to set up the door schedule to allow for selecting hardware items as required for each door type. First create door schedule by component then recreate a hardware schedule using schedule keys

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2. Tags

As well as giving descriptions, Tags are the conduit between your

space/object and the data represented in the project schedule.

Tip 1# Don’t be afraid to “edit” tags as required to achieve the office standard. In fact create a Practise library for storage of your refined tags and other Revit components.

– tags - types vs.. instance– wall tags - rotation– tags – tag rooms for finishes

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2007 Summary

• Don’t be afraid to use drafting tools to work over the model to add detail

– After all, this is how you would normally document and detail a project

• However, always maintain the model integrity

– I.e. avoid using drafting tools to correct (or quick fix) your model.

• Embrace the program– Including benefits (and limitations)

• Take the time to establish office standards– It will take time… But the effort will pay off

• Spell Checker– It’s not perfect, but it’s built in.

• Stuffing around– Whilst it’s a constant temptation… Maximum productivity

relies upon minium stuffing around.

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• Flexible set-up - Allow for some flexibility with the initial set-up of a project.

• View naming - Name views to assist with clarity and the simplicity of navigating through the Project File.

- Do not assume that a person taking over a project knows how you . . . have built the model - Do not keep things to yourself, share your knowledge - Do not try to continue to do something unsuccessfully for more than . 15 minutes, ask for help