Creating Intelligent Details in Autodesk Revit

Brian Mackey BD Mackey Consulting

AB2228

Everyone knows that Autodesk Revit software is a Building Information Modeling program and it has intelligence when modeling !owever this intelligence is sometimes lost when you create details In this class" we will show how to create intelligent details using detail items and nested detail items By doing this" we will #e a#le to keynote these elements to maintain a consistent noting procedure and #e a#le to send this information out to our spec writer so even the detailed items are not missed in the specs If keynoting is not your choice" we will also cover how to tag these elements so that you achieve consistent notation of the details on every pro$ect

Learning Objectives
At the end of this class" you will #e a#le to% Create e&amples of intelligent details 'ain fle&i#ility in nesting detail items (otate the details intelligently Create the detail items

About the Speaker

Brian began using Autodesk products with AutoCAD Release 12. He has worked in many areas of the industry as a wood worker! a CAD "anager and a #echnical $pecialist for an Autodesk reseller. %n 2&11 Brian started a B%" consulting firm! BD "ackey Consulting. Brian's past roles in industry ha(e aided his ability to help his clients effecti(ely use Autodesk software and now working with his clients keeps Brian immersed in e(ery aspect of the industry. #hrough working with companies from all o(er the country! from different disciplines! Brian has gained (aluable e)perience and knowledge about industry best practices in implementing Re(it. *orking closely with many di(erse companies enables Brian to stay close to the industry! which helps him pro(ide his clients with the specific ser(ices they re+uire. Brian is a well known and popular instructor, he also co hosts a light hearted monthly Re(it internet -.A webcast that has a growing fan base. Brian/BD"ackeyConsulting.com http011#witter.com1#heRe(it2eek

Brian Mackey BD Mackey Consulting

Creating Intelligent Details in Autodesk Revit

Creating the Detail

)here are different ways to create details% Model everything and only notate the model" use the model as a place to start and then em#ellish #y adding detail items to the view" create standard details without any reference to the model It is unreasona#le to e&pect to model every element that needs to appear in details As an e&ample it is difficult to model flashing and waterproofing" or welds and washers )his then necessitates the use of *D information in a set of construction documents )his session will cover how to use *D Detail Items to #est take advantage of their intelligence )hese principles apply to #oth drafting views and detail views Detailing Best Practices If the detail is to #e *D yet still remain intelligent then a rule of thum# is to not use any lines or te&t in the detail" instead use detail items +formerly detail components, families" along with tags +either keynote or component tags, )his will accomplish a few things% it will allow for consistency in appearance" information" and spelling" while limiting lia#ility due to the incorrect information noted in a detail It is also a good rule to use a guide family to assist in alignments and the #oundary of the detail OOTB Detail Item Families A good starting place is with the Autodesk Revit out of the #o& families Autodesk Revit *-./ ships with 0-1 detail item families (ot everything needed will #e in there and more intelligence will likely need to #e added to some families" #ut it is a good start 2ne complaint a#out the 22)B detail item families is the line weights aren3t consistent with the office standards If this is the case each family doesn3t have to #e edited Instead the o#$ect styles can #e changed in the pro$ect +or pro$ect template," or view templates can #e created to accomplish the desired line weights If keynoting is utili4ed then all of the 22)B detail item families are aligned with the 22)B keynote file If element tagging is used" then these families will have to #e edited to include the desired information Despite the method chosen" a new keynote or detail item tag will pro#a#ly need to #e created since the 22)B ones might not match what is needed

Brian Mackey BD Mackey Consulting

Creating Intelligent Details in Autodesk Revit

Starting the Detail ie! 5ince this session will discuss *D details" the place to start is a Drafting 6iew A good practice is to create different view types for drafting views to help sort and keep track of details in the pro$ect 2nce the view is created" load a guide family Create the guide family from a generic annotation family 5o it will scale properly and provide a way to $udge the availa#le space for a detail )his family can #e set to adapt to different layouts and sheet si4es such that the correct drafting area is always accurate Reference planes can snap to the insertion point of the guide family which will then allow for snapping the view when placing it on a sheet +My sample guide family can #e downloaded from my #log post http%77#dmackeyconsulting com7detailing8guide8grid7 ,

Brian Mackey BD Mackey Consulting

Creating Intelligent Details in Autodesk Revit

Creating the Detail 2nce the view has #een created" the graphics are all created #y placing detail items )hese detail items can #e anything from advanced families that are used on a daily #asis" to non8 parametric families that are used on a pro$ect specific #asis )he advantage of using intelligent detail items is the future capa#ility to tag these elements9 even simple elements that look like lines should #e a family for this reason 5ince there is a limitation on tagging repeating detail components" a single item will have to #e placed in a detail for tagging purposes" #ut repeating details can still #e used as well

Brian Mackey BD Mackey Consulting

Creating Intelligent Details in Autodesk Revit

Detail Item Families In order to compile a complete li#rary of detail items" creating new" custom content will #ecome necessary" the 22)B content will not cover every re;uired family )hinking a#out all the options that can #e added is a #ig step" and can seem daunting Considering line weights is usually one of the easiest places to start <hat line types" weights and styles are going to #e needed to match the company standards= <hat fill patterns are needed for families= Are there going to #e custom parameters for tagging or for creation= All of these situations should #e considered first then a detail item family template should #e created >tili4ing a template will cause all the new families to #e consistent" and creating each family will #ecome less time consuming Revit doesn3t allow for the creation of family templates" however a family can #e renamed within windows e&plorer from rfa to rft 5o" create a family that includes the template information and then simply change the file e&tension )his process should #e used for #oth detail item and detail item line #ased family types +note% elements created in a template might not #e a#le to #e changed" for this reason keep the original rfa file in a separate folder for future changes,

Detail Items Line Base" ?ine #ased detail items also play an important role in detailing Most of the 22)B families such as gypsum #oard or structural framing are line #ased )hese types of detail items can play a large role in detailing @or e&ample a line #ased concrete family could #e used as a wall" column" foundation" sla#" or #eam and this could a single family 5tructural re#ar" either in elevation or in section could also #e a line #ased family 2ne of the most useful detail items is simply a line" which can #e any line that needs to #e called out% #uilding wrap" vapor #arrier" lines of elements #eyond" etc a line family is virtually limitless Adding parameters to line #ased components adds another level of sophistication and adds to the fle&i#ility of the family )hese parameters an #e a range of items" such as visi#ility settings" angles or other dimensions

Brian Mackey BD Mackey Consulting

Creating Intelligent Details in Autodesk Revit

#mbe""ing Intelligence A #enefit of using detail items is the intelligence" automation" and efficiency they can add to details via tags Instead of manually entering it" information can #e em#edded into a family such that it can #e tagged once placed into a pro$ect )here are different ways this can #e approached all with advantages and disadvantages 2ne of the ways is to use Revit Aeynoting" a #enefit of which is anyone in the office can edit the Aeynote t&t data file without needing to have Revit installed 34eynote "anager from Re(olution Design is a must5! which can push information #ack into the pro$ect file without needing knowledge of Revit In addition rights can #e granted to only specific users in the company virtually locking down the tagga#le information for elements >nfortunately" the keynotes can only have two values for tagging" the keynote num#er and keynote description" therefore any element specific information needed has to #e added as te&t ne&t to the keynote 2ne nice part a#out this approach is a keynote legend +schedule, can #e created and then given to a spec writer" there#y limiting the time looking for all of the elements that have #een defined Another method is to em#ed information into parameters" +i e type comments, so that the intelligence can #e e&tracted and updated as the element changes <ith this method individual notes could #e added to components #y using an instance #ased parameter +i e comments, Intelligence in a detail family can also come via graphics and7or calculations" along with information @or instance" a *D concrete #eam section can have all of the reinforcing #uilt in to the family" yet if the minimum re;uirements aren3t met then a note" color change" or something else can happen in the family notifying the user that the configuration doesn3t meet certain criteria 2r if a family is #ased on a manufacturers data and one of the inputted values doesn3t meet their specifications or si4es then" a user can #e alerted

Brian Mackey BD Mackey Consulting

Creating Intelligent Details in Autodesk Revit

$este" Detail Items As more detail components are created" and as their comple&ity grows" nesting of other detail items #ecomes necessary (esting #ecomes vital if an array is to #e used" if notes or flags are to #e displayed" or simply it the swapping of one su#component for another is re;uried 2ne thing to take into consideration when nesting is tagging% if the nested element is going to #e tagged then it will have to #e shared In each family type" under the @amily Category and Barameters" there is a check #o& for 5hared If this is selected the family can then #e tagged or scheduled +/D only, once it is loaded into another family >nfortunately if a family is marked to #e shared then type #ased parameters can3t #e mapped in the host )his means all parameters of a nest that are to #e mapped must #e instance #ased values (esting is also re;uired for family swapping" or changing one nested family type out for another >sing nesting for this purpose adds consistency" as well as fle&i#ility" into a family !owever" the draw#ack to this approach is that a user can change the value to any other shared family of the same type )his is why consistent family naming and understanding is a must +In the #elow image the fastener type for the door can #e changed to any nested shared detail item in the pro$ect,

Brian Mackey BD Mackey Consulting

Creating Intelligent Details in Autodesk Revit

Creating a Custom Tag Despite the chosen approach" keynoting or tagging" it is necessary to create a custom tag that will meets company standards )hat also is more fle&i#le than those availa#le 22)B 5o if the company standards include consistent left or right $ustified te&t" dictate the use of a #o& around the tag +or not," the need for a custom tag will #ecome inevita#le In addition as families get more advanced" multiple tags might #e re;uired to tag different shared parameters" rather than $ust tagging )ype Comments" etc )he 22)B keynote family only allows for the keynote num#er 2R the keynote te&t" not #oth together" plus" it is center $ustified 5o if the standard is to show the keynote num#er and te&t" and left $ustified" a custom tag will #e in order

)he 22)B detail item tag references the )ype Mark value is center $ustified" and can #e #o&ed or not >tili4ing a value other than )ype Mark might #e #eneficial to gain more fle&i#ility while tagging @or instance" a tag can use the )ype Comments and7or Comments to allow for consistency in the )ype Comments" #ut to also allow for fle&i#ility with individual notes #y using the instance #ased comments A tag can then #e set up to allow a user to change the tag type out if desired

Brian Mackey BD Mackey Consulting

Creating Intelligent Details in Autodesk Revit

Placing on Sheets )he last step in the detailing process is to place all of the detail files on a sheet A detail guide family that has #een added to the view will assist in the si4e and layout of the detail #ut unfortunately doesn3t help when placing it on a sheet )his is why reference planes are important <hen Revit added guide grids in release *-.." snapping of datum elements to the guide grid #ecame possi#le It will also allow for snapping to other datum elements in other views" as long as they are on the same sheet 5o" a good practice is to add a reference plane to each side of the detail guide" thus allowing for precise alignment on a sheet

Brian Mackey BD Mackey Consulting

Creating Intelligent Details in Autodesk Revit

Conclusion
)his session shared a method of detailing #y using only detail items" and #y not using lines and filled regions" therefore allowing the use of tags instead of te&t" and #ringing a level of intelligence to the *D side of Revit that is often limited to the /D side

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