We are a medium-size firm (~25) working on large-scale projects (mainly residential). We are primarily AutoCAD users, trying to make the switch to Revit.
Looking for advice from those in the profession who have made the switch. Was it the best decision you ever made? Were there big setbacks?
How is the interface with other programs you like to use - Rhino, SketchUp, CAD?
1. Wow it took you long enough to make the switch. It's 2011 now! I guess better late than never.
2. I've worked with small and large firm that made the switch and while rocky and definitely costly at first (i.e. you have to spend days training everyone) there is no question it is a good move. It gets embarrassing down the stretch when you have to ask your consultants (i.e fire protection engineers) to convert THEIR drawings from REVIT into ACAD. Know what I mean? to make it as smooth as possible you hire an extremely REVIT-savy architect who is willing to be a BIM manager of sorts while maintaining a certain degree of project billability (is that even a word?). This person will develo your BIM standards and get projects started in REVIT for everyone to use. then you team him/her up with some of your existing staff who might be a little more proficient with REVIT. That will be your CORE REVIT team moving forward and they will train everyone to do the same thing. It will start to work very well - especially when you have new staff coming in.
3. REVIT is its own program and not be used with RHINO or sketchup really. Those are their own programs and need to remain that way. Sketchup and Rhino are outstanding design programs themselves but that's it. you will still need to use ACAD because in all likelihood you will have plenbty of consultants that will require your backgrounds to be converted into CAD and vise versa.
It has taken this long for 2 reasons: 1. the older people running the show have used CAD for most of their careers and are somewhat hesitant to introduce new ways of working/thinking/billing. and 2. We have a handful of new jobs in the pipeline starting at relatively the same time.
I am also curious about...
Must a team have an extensive library to efficiently move forward with a project in Revit?
Is DD an optimal time to start using Revit?
Let's say you create complex geometry in Rhino....and then want to use revit....doesnt this suggest these two have to be able to interface.....or you will have to 'fake things in'?
We have a "semi" extensive library that's maybe twice or three times the size of what comes "out of the box" and then we end up making a lot of custom families for each job. Once you figure out how to make families it's relatively quick to model them and I notice that many seem to be one-offs. Probably the best way to build-up your library is to dive in and as the job progresses, figure out which families could potentially be used on other projects and add those ones to your firm library.
We actually use Revit from concept design all the way through CDs, although during concept design we mainly use it to crank floor plans out quickly whilst relying on sketchup / rhino to do the heavy lifting for elevations, sections, massing, etc. Not saying you can't use Revit for this phase as well, but there's something a bit more comfortable about the flexibility of other 3d modelers. That being said, you might be interested to check-out Vasari, which is a stripped down Revit plug-in intended to act as a conceptual modeler. It's not a bad way to get started w/ Revit and it's free: http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/vasari/
As far as interfacing w/ Rhino or Sketchup, Revit reads SAT files and DWG Files, & maybe 3DS Files. Haven't done this since revit 2010, but I think the best way would be to export your rhino form as a SAT file into a mass family and then load it into your Revit Model. Revit can do all the blobby stuff that Rhino can, however, and by using adaptive components and setting up your parameters right you can build a lot of flexibility into what your doing.
Starting a project in REVIT for DD??? No way - you will just basically have to redo all of the work you have already done. If you absolutely have to do this - you can go ahead and do it - it shouldn't take as long because once you've built your entire model in REVIT you can begi n to take elevations and sections of your model for your DD set.
This is the advantage of REVIT - when you change stuff from concept design through DD - it automatically updates all of your drawings in the sheets that you have created.
Genserally when you work on a project in REVIT you should start it in REVIT from the begining - especially when it becomes a "real" project.
Sep 1, 11 2:00 pm ·
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The New Revit Thread - Fall 2011
We are a medium-size firm (~25) working on large-scale projects (mainly residential). We are primarily AutoCAD users, trying to make the switch to Revit.
Looking for advice from those in the profession who have made the switch. Was it the best decision you ever made? Were there big setbacks?
How is the interface with other programs you like to use - Rhino, SketchUp, CAD?
switching to revit is not going to be 'the best decision ever'. and it will give you a worst time ever for the first couple weeks (from mt experience)
but is is something that you will have to face in the future anyway. earlier is better i guess
1. Wow it took you long enough to make the switch. It's 2011 now! I guess better late than never.
2. I've worked with small and large firm that made the switch and while rocky and definitely costly at first (i.e. you have to spend days training everyone) there is no question it is a good move. It gets embarrassing down the stretch when you have to ask your consultants (i.e fire protection engineers) to convert THEIR drawings from REVIT into ACAD. Know what I mean? to make it as smooth as possible you hire an extremely REVIT-savy architect who is willing to be a BIM manager of sorts while maintaining a certain degree of project billability (is that even a word?). This person will develo your BIM standards and get projects started in REVIT for everyone to use. then you team him/her up with some of your existing staff who might be a little more proficient with REVIT. That will be your CORE REVIT team moving forward and they will train everyone to do the same thing. It will start to work very well - especially when you have new staff coming in.
3. REVIT is its own program and not be used with RHINO or sketchup really. Those are their own programs and need to remain that way. Sketchup and Rhino are outstanding design programs themselves but that's it. you will still need to use ACAD because in all likelihood you will have plenbty of consultants that will require your backgrounds to be converted into CAD and vise versa.
dont fake things in.
Thanks for the perspective/advice, Medi.
It has taken this long for 2 reasons: 1. the older people running the show have used CAD for most of their careers and are somewhat hesitant to introduce new ways of working/thinking/billing. and 2. We have a handful of new jobs in the pipeline starting at relatively the same time.
I am also curious about...
Must a team have an extensive library to efficiently move forward with a project in Revit?
Is DD an optimal time to start using Revit?
Let's say you create complex geometry in Rhino....and then want to use revit....doesnt this suggest these two have to be able to interface.....or you will have to 'fake things in'?
We have a "semi" extensive library that's maybe twice or three times the size of what comes "out of the box" and then we end up making a lot of custom families for each job. Once you figure out how to make families it's relatively quick to model them and I notice that many seem to be one-offs. Probably the best way to build-up your library is to dive in and as the job progresses, figure out which families could potentially be used on other projects and add those ones to your firm library.
We actually use Revit from concept design all the way through CDs, although during concept design we mainly use it to crank floor plans out quickly whilst relying on sketchup / rhino to do the heavy lifting for elevations, sections, massing, etc. Not saying you can't use Revit for this phase as well, but there's something a bit more comfortable about the flexibility of other 3d modelers. That being said, you might be interested to check-out Vasari, which is a stripped down Revit plug-in intended to act as a conceptual modeler. It's not a bad way to get started w/ Revit and it's free: http://labs.autodesk.com/utilities/vasari/
As far as interfacing w/ Rhino or Sketchup, Revit reads SAT files and DWG Files, & maybe 3DS Files. Haven't done this since revit 2010, but I think the best way would be to export your rhino form as a SAT file into a mass family and then load it into your Revit Model. Revit can do all the blobby stuff that Rhino can, however, and by using adaptive components and setting up your parameters right you can build a lot of flexibility into what your doing.
Starting a project in REVIT for DD??? No way - you will just basically have to redo all of the work you have already done. If you absolutely have to do this - you can go ahead and do it - it shouldn't take as long because once you've built your entire model in REVIT you can begi n to take elevations and sections of your model for your DD set.
This is the advantage of REVIT - when you change stuff from concept design through DD - it automatically updates all of your drawings in the sheets that you have created.
Genserally when you work on a project in REVIT you should start it in REVIT from the begining - especially when it becomes a "real" project.
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