creating revit elements by face using autodesk viz …bim-sim.org/tutorials/revit/revit ui/viz to...

From CAD to BIM – Department of Architecture, Texas A&M University Instructor: Wei Yan

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Creating Revit Elements by Face Using Autodesk VIZ Models For creating Revit elements with irregular shapes, e.g. slope walls and non-rectangular walls, it is often more convenient to create corresponding geometries in Autodesk VIZ, import the geometries into Revit, and use Revit’ Wall by Face, Roof by Face, etc. commands to create Revit elements. However, students found that after importing VIZ models into Revit through DWG format, some faces of the geometries cannot be selected when using Wall by Face, Roof by Face, etc., therefore those walls or roofs cannot be created. A solution for this problem is described in this document. Basically, we need to add STL format into the exporting/importing pipeline in order for Revit to recognize the faces of the irregular geometries. The Autodesk VIZ-to-Revit pipeline: VIZ Modeling – VIZ Exporting STL – VIZ Importing S TL – VIZ Exporting DWG – Revit Importing DWG – Revi t Element by Face


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First, create the geometries, using regular shapes, like boxes. Then Modify-> Modifier List -> Edit Mesh. Select and change the vertices of the geometries and turn the geometries into irregular shapes according to the design.


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Save the VIZ model into MAX format. Then export the model into STL (Stereo Litho) format (STL is a format that can be used to do 3D printing).


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Uncheck “Selected only” box in order to export all the geometries into the STL model. Click OK.


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File -> Reset. Reset the scene so we have an empty space.


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Import the STL model into the scene.


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The STL model is a single object. It’s color is different from the original VIZ model.


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Export the model into DWG format.


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In Revit, do Massing->Create Mass.


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Now within Create Mass mode, we can import the DWG file. Go File->Import/Link-> CAD Formats.


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Find the DWG file, select “Preserve colors”, “Origin-to-origin”, then click Open.


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The model is loaded. Click “3D” to view it from a 3D viewpoint. Click “Finish Mass”. Accept the warning if any.


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Now we can do Wall by Face. Click “Wall by Face”, select a wall type, and select faces to create walls.


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Also we can do Roof by face. Select “Roof by face”, select faces, and click “Create Roof” button on the option bar.


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We can click the Show Mass button to turn off or on the mass. The figure above shows some walls and roofs with mass turned off.


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Creating floors

Unfortunately, Floor by Face is not working for this VIZ imported mass. We need to use the Basics-> Floor function to create floors. Before creating floors, we complete all the walls first.


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We can now add floors in the model. For example, let’s add level 2 floor. Activate Level 2 and we will draw floor by tracing the floor outlines. In order to trace the floor outlines, we need to change the View Properties of Level 2, so that the


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outlines of the Level 2 view are exactly the outlines of Level 2 floor. This means that we need to set the Cut Plane of Level 2 view to be exactly at the Level 2 floor’s height. We do this by right-clicking Level 2 view -> View Properties ->View Range, and set up Top = 0 and Cut Plane = 0, as shown in the above figure. (For more detailed information about View Range, search it in Revit Help). Click OK buttons to accept the settings. Level 2 view is changed now.


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Use Basics->Floor->Lines tool to trace carefully a separate building’s wall interior face lines. Click Finish Sketch.


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Use Lines tool to trace carefully another separate building’s wall interior face lines. Click Finish Sketch.


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Level 2 floor is created, seen from a 3D view.


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Look at the floor from South Elevation with walls hidden and mass turned on. We can see the floor is correctly created at Level 2.

creating revit elements by face using autodesk viz …bim-sim.org/tutorials/revit/revit ui/viz to...

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