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What do you do about content? Do you make your own familys/components, or buy them in/download from manufacturers?
We are just starting with this, having had some training. However it looks like it is going to take a lot of time to create the component libraries.
I have found this that looks reasonable, and certainly a lot cheaper than creating them ourselves.
Any experiences, suggestions etc?
Ah, let me guess, you were sold Revit on the basis that it's soo much quicker that what you were using previously?
Revit (Or any BIM software product) is geared up for suppliers & manufacturers to produce their own models populated with data (All for end client use/ FM teams etc.) which allows the model to be used during the buildings 'in-use' life cycle.
Are you architectural? [EDIT, er yes, read the title properly!!]
The structural engineers will supply their model with the structural parts/ sub-assy's etc. You may only need to provide basic space envelopes for them to work from at the preliminary stages.
M&E disciplines supply their elements of the model etc.
The model should build up with accurate components as the design progresses and should* be an accurate digital prototype of the actual building.
* The end client does not always take advantage of the full model post hand-over, although this is / will become more prevalent in the future.
No, we weren't "sold" it, we chose to make the upgrade.
But thanks for answering the question 🙄
Yes Kev, we are architectural, and not doing full collaboration yet.
Yeah, I get the manufacturer thing, but unfortunately, decent families are few and far between at the moment and those that do have them are wrong (just check out the window reveal detail on most of them). The only window family I have found that is correct is Nordan, but we can't, obviously, specify Nordan windows on every job.
Do you have an existing library of 2D CAD details? Maybe a case of using these to develop individual parts, then assemblies etc. It’s a lot of man-hours but once you develop the library that is where you begin to save time. I’m from a structural background, so steel sections are all pretty standard. Foundations are all pretty unique. From your perspective it’s the thousands of repetitive details?
I do know a local Revit re-seller to me that provide additional services (Programming, standards etc.). They may have realised there is a market for families. Other than that, try the various Revit forums, as there is often a share centre.
Have you looked at the [url= http://www.nationalbimlibrary.com/ ]National BIM library[/url]?
We're in the process of implementing Aecosim within our office rather than within another's.
Yeah, looked there. It's a bit sparse at the moment.
Basically, we just want to get started with it. In the long-term, we will create our own families, but we really need a set to get started and from there we can really start to learn it. As with AutoCAD, the learning only starts when you use it regularly, and I have a new-build house project I will be using it on soon.
Kev: 2D details are not a problem, it's the 3D families that make up the drawing, such as windows, doors etc that are the problem.
Kev: 2D details are not a problem, it's the 3D families that make up the drawing, such as windows, doors etc that are the problem.
My background is more from Revit Structure, so Architecture may be different? Are you not able to create parts from the geometry of the 2D detail by importing it (Not you, I mean the software??)
95% build our own - the majority of content available does not suit our needs.
Once you've had some practice, it only takes a few minutes to make a quality, fully parametric model which can be used again and again.
Make sure every family you make is as parametric as possible from the start - you'll avoid having to make similar families again and again.
We've started using mep and find it a real mixed bag. I have spent ages downloading manufacturers families some are very good and others are crap. I actually contact most manufacturers and ask if they have RFA files they can send and am often surprised to find that a lot do but don't advertise it. I even got thorn lighting to model one of their fittings for me to use in a project so it's worth trying that route?
Anyway when are autodesk going to let us copy monitor ceilings eh!! We get architectural files and link them into our template and then can't copy the flippin ceilings!!
Sorry just a revit rant you'll soon get used to this.
Grabcad is pretty good for a lot of models in different formats, and there are others 3Dcontentcentral is another with a lot of manufacturer data on there.
Not sure if it will work for your particular software, but certainly for 3D Engineering type cad stuff, there is a lot of data out there for download
HTH
Dom