Revit Architecture Class Handouts

Here's a link to my Revit Architecture class handouts. It include more than 40 Revit-BIM blog articles I've written on my company's Architectural Solutions blog.

I've expanded my Revit JobCaptain Squidoo website.

Both the Revit Architecture class handouts and the Squidoo Revit Resource website include:

• Free Revit downloads websites,
• How-to docs for green and interior design,
• BIM for Construction practices,
• BIM’s influence on our design business and marketing practices,
• Civil Engineering and Revit,
• Best practices and Revit implementation recommendations,
• Free online Revit training resources and much more.

I'm refining the Revit JobCaptain blog over the next month. My writing, teaching, consulting and speaking engagements for the Revit-BIM process...has really kept me on the road longer than I expected. So stay tuned.

Cheers!

Download Free Revit Families-Components-Updated List

The majority of these websites provide free Revit Families-Components for download.

I've ranked them based on my current usage of them for my client Revit projects. There's a direct link to the download websites.

The list continues to grow as users, manufacturers and content distributors provide an enormous amount of free Revit families and component content.


Revit User/Community Web Sites

RevitCity - Revit Users Community - Revit Family Libraries

RevitCity has more than 40,000 registered users. Users have created more than 4000 free Revit families-components for download. User tutorials and technical forums provide additional daily resources for this global Revit community.

Pros: RevitCity provides a global vision to newcomers on how Revit users are "really" using Revit software for "real world" projects. Check out the Revit project galleries submitted by this global community of architects, engineers and designers.

Cons: Not all of the free Revit family downloads and/or technical solutions content have the same level of quality and usability. Not all RevitCity users have taken formal training. Therefore, not all submissions represent best practices for creating Revit content and/or for profitably-properly implementing Revit software within a BIM design process.

Manufacturer Sites

Woodwork Institute Casework Design Series

Free downloads of 3D casework component library in Revit Family (RVT), AutoCAD Blocks (DWG) and AutoCAD (DXF) file formats. Download this 32-page casework PDF catalog to view-reference the free 3D parametric Revit cabinet families.

100 Series = Base Cabinets without Drawers

200 Series = Base Cabinets with Drawers

300 Series = Wall Hung Cabinets

400 Series = Tall Storage Cabinets

500 Series = Tall Wardrobe Cabinets

600 Series = Library Cabinets

700 Series = Movable Cabinets

BIMWorld + BIM Library - Manufacturer's Revit Family Libraries

BIMWorld features BIMLibrary Revit Family Components for designers & architects looking for manufacturer-specific product content. It is available free-of-charge and approved to be technically accurate by their product partners. Your models and construction documents take on a new level of specificity without incurring the costs of content development.

USG Design Studio - Revit Wall Families

Download predefined Revit wall families created by USG. The download "Revit walls" button is in the lower left corner of the web page. Wall families have embedded sound and fire ratings data in their parameters. The site features a "Design a Wall" wizard for creating and downloading custom wall, partition, chase, shaft or furred masonry wall systems.

VISA Lighting - Revit Lighting Families

Visa Lighting offers a comprehensive BIM product library (397MB download). Their BIM files contain meta-data to assist in energy, sustainability, and photometric calculations.

Autodesk Revit Content / Community Sites

Autodesk-Web Library - Download Free Revit Families-Components

This Autodesk server can be accessed to download hundreds of free predefined Revit families, Revit blocks and Revit components. This enormous library compliments the library that's installed from your Revit software installation DVD.

Revit MEP Extensions-ENGLISH

The Revit MEP Content Extension provides new content for Revit MEP users. Both Imperial and Metric versions of the content are available for download below, in ZIP format. After download, users can then uncompress the file to the desired content location.

Extensions4Revit: Revit Structure

Revit Extensions are a series of easy to use applications that extend the capabilities of Revit Structure 2008 in various key areas, including structural analysis and reinforced concrete drafting.

On January 15 2008, Autodesk completed the acquisition of Robobat who develops these Extensions. To find out more about this acquisition read the press release.

All Extensions for Revit Structure formerly developed by Robobat, both fee and free, are now available through the Autodesk Subscription Program.

Visit the Autodesk’s Subscription page under Services and Support to find out more about this service and becoming a member.

Revit Structure Subscription customers can login to the Subscription Center and download the Revit Extensions at no additional cost.

A Grand Entrance Requires a Graceful Exit

You can expedite the loading of a Revit project file by following these guidelines when you exit a Revit project.

1. Always exit a Revit project file from a 2D view. Such as a floor plan, elevation, or drafting view.
2. Do not exit (leave) a project from a 3D (isometric or perspective) view.
3. Do not exit a project from a view that has "Shadows turned on". Typically, I suggest turning Shadows off when they are no longer needed in a view.

Use these steps to save and exit a Revit project (*.rvt) file.

1. Go to a 2D view
2. Go to the Window Pulldown Menu > Select Close Hidden Windows
3. Now Select the Save Command
4. Exit the project or software.

Revit component families (doors, windows, furniture) are 3-dimensional. In this case, you'll find Revit family files are intentionally saved from a 3D isometric view. Most familes are set to a default southeast isometric view.

The Revit OPEN dialog box and the Windows file manager (Explore) have a view type called "thumbnails". With thumbnails enabled, you can view family files in a folder using the 3D isometric thumbnail views.

Use these steps to save and exit a Revit component family (*.rfa) file.

1. Set your view to a 3D isometric view.
2. Use the View Pulldown Menu > Orient > Southeast
3. Go to the Window Pulldown Menu > Select Close Hidden Windows
4. Now Select the Save Command
5. Exit the Revit family file.

Auto-Rotating Revit Components: Revit Productivity Techniques

Revit provides two methods for rotating components as you place them into the project.

The easiest technique is to "tap" the SPACEBAR prior to placing a component.

Each time you tap the spacebar, the family component will rotate 90 degrees.

Use this same technique to place components parallel or perpendicular to building elements that are not on a 90-degree angle.

For example, as you insert a component, hold the cursor on the "linework" of an angular oriented building element or component.

While the linework is highlighted (not selected) by the cursor, tap the spacebar. The component attached to your cursor will pick up the angle of the reference object and will begin rotating at 90 degree increments, relative to the reference object's angle. The component is now parallel or perpendicular to the reference object.

The last method for rotating components prior to placement is located in the Options Bar.

Select the Component command and check the "Rotate after placement" checkbox in the Options Bar.

You can dynamically set the angle by picking a point on screen...or just start typing the value of the angle and press the Enter key. Done!

Revit Placeholders: Key to Smooth Project Development

A placeholder is an object that you place into the building model; realizing that you will eventually revise, replace or remove it. I kick off many of my projects with a set of standard, conceptually-detailed placeholders. This will include doors, walls, window, tags, dimensions, equipment and data schedules. Placeholders may be 2D or 3D; they usually have simple graphics with some simple data attached to them. We usually name them as a Type 1, Type 2, Type 3, etc doors, windows or walls.

As the project progresses, we revise or replace the "Type" placeholders with descriptive family named components; "Single Flush" door, "Double Hung with Trim" window, "Exterior - Brick and CMU on MTL. Stud" wall.

From concept placeholders to final component families, BIM Standards should be reviewed and maintained throughout the project. In the elevations image below, I encountered problems as I replaced window types. Notice how the window head heights in Step B and D do not match the windows families in Steps A and C. I should have reviewed them against my BIM standards before I released them into the project.

To globally revise, edit or replace a placeholder; we must find and select every occurence of the object family in the project file. First, select an object, right click and pick "Select All Instances" from the shortcut menu. This selects all occurences of that object family on all levels.

Now you may have two or three choices for editing. All choices exist in the Options Bar above. Working from left to right, you can either pick the the Family Properties pull-down menu and change the family type. Or select the Properties button and revise the object's Family types in the Element Properties dialog box. Or you can choose the "Edit Family" button.

BIM placeholders that are properly created and managed willl cut the labor costs and project time. Thereby allowing the designer to do more with less effort.