What Type of Family to Choose Revit Custom Wall
Revit Families: A Pace-By-Step Introduction
By Paul F. Aubin for Autodesk University
Maybe you know the power of Revit software's Family Editor just you've avoided it or information technology has intimidated you lot until now. Await no more. This article will introduce you to the nuts of Family unit Editor. Once you get by being intimidated, y'all volition observe that while Family Editor is extremely powerful, it tin can really exist great fun. In this short introduction, we volition create a Revit component family unit consummate with constraints and parameters. Don't worry if you don't know what a constraint or parameter is — nosotros'll cover that as well. Whether you lot've never worked in Revit software earlier, or you've used Revit software for a while but you've just avoided Family unit Editor, this commodity will teach you the basics of the family editor in a unproblematic stride-by-step fashion. We'll piece of work through the creation of a Revit component (loadable) family complete with constraints and parameters.
Even if y'all are completely new to Revit, you have no doubt discovered how important families and the family editor are to your success in Revit. Everything you create in Revit is office of a family — consequently, agreement families and what it takes to manipulate them is a vital part of learning the software. Beginning with the divergence between System and Component families, this section volition explore the disquisitional concepts and terminology. Nosotros'll likewise take a quick look at what is provided in the Revit libraries and learn about family templates. Following this brief introduction to terminology, the tutorial will focus on the component family unit creation procedures and strategies — presented in detailed footstep-by-step procedures. Using the concepts and techniques covered herein, you will learn how to begin tapping into i of the most powerful aspects of the Revit software package — the Revit family unit editor!
Everything in Revit Is Part of a Family
In social club to become started with the family editor, it is important to sympathise some bones concepts and terminology. All elements in the Revit platform are function of a family unit and they fit into a conspicuously divers bureaucracy. At the height level of this hierarchy, are Categories. Categories are pre-defined within the software and cannot exist added, deleted or renamed. A wide multifariousness of categories are included in Revit and distributed among a few overall primary groups including: model and annotation (just there are a few others). Model Categories include all elements that comprise your building model such every bit: Walls, Doors, Floors, Stairs and Beams. Annotation categories include items like Text, Dimensions and Tags. Categories are past definition very broad. It would not be plenty to but have a Walls or Doors category. These items come in all shapes, sizes and behaviors. Therefore, the next level of the hierarchy is the Family. All Revit elements belong to a family. Families are all-time thought of only equally a collection of similar items sharing the same overall look and behavior. Revit includes many families such as the "Basic Wall" wall family, the "Single-Flush" door family and many annotation families similar "Text" or "Linear Dimension Way." Even the views themselves like floor plans and sections are arrangement families in Revit.
Families branch into 2 major kinds based on their behavior: the System Family and the Component (Loadable) Family unit. System families include anything that is built into the software and cannot be manipulated by the user in the interface. This tin can include model components similar walls and floors, but too includes equally important items similar floor plans, project data, and levels. Organization families cannot be created or deleted. Their properties are pre-defined at the "manufactory." However, most arrangement families like walls, floors and roofs tin can have more than than one: Type. A type is our next level or hierarchy in Revit. Think of it equally a collection of variables (sizes, materials or other settings) saved to certain values and given a name for ease of reuse. A Blazon provides a convenient style to switch several variables of a family at one time. A family can contain i or more types; each with its ain unique user-editable settings. Then while for example nosotros cannot create or delete wall families, we tin can add, delete and edit the types associated with each of the provided wall families. For example, "Basic Wall" is the most common wall family. In the out-of-the-box template files, there are several predefined Basic Wall types such as: Exterior — Brick on CMU, Generic 6″ and Interior — 5 ½″ Partitioning (1hr). The Basic Wall definition simply means that it is a layered wall that has the same structure along its entire length and height. The actual make-up of this structure can vary widely from blazon to type every bit the names noted hither imply.
Other system families vary considerably in their specific composition and features, simply at the conceptual level they share the same basic characteristics: the overall behavior of the object is divers by the organisation and cannot exist redefined; however, the specific object-level parameters can be manipulated via the creation and application of blazon and/or instance variations.
As already noted, system families include both things that are function of the physical model in your Revit projects (like walls, floors and roofs) and other items that are not (like views, projection data, and levels). To distinguish farther, system families that also happen to be model elements are referred to equally "Host" elements. A Host is an element that can receive or support or provide structure for other model elements. Hosts are often required for many of the component families like doors or windows which require wall hosts, or lighting fixtures which often require ceiling hosts.
Component (or "Loadable") families include everything that is not a system family. Many component families are model elements, but they can besides exist annotation or other non-model elements likewise. Component families can be "host-based" (require a host), or they can be "gratis-standing" (not requiring a host). Revit users tin create, delete and alter component families (and their associated types). This is accomplished in the family editor and each family unit thus created can be saved to its own unique file (with and RFA extension). Like system families, component families can contain one or more types. They can also have example parameters that vary from case to instance (not part of the type). Different arrangement families, they are completely customizable by the stop user in the family unit editor.
Loadable component (model) families are the chief focus of this commodity.
In addition to the organisation and component families, at that place is a third type of family in Revit chosen the "In-Identify Family." In-identify families are similar to component families in terms of cosmos, editing and strategy. All the same, an in-place family unit is created direct within a project (not in a split family file as component families are) and it cannot be exported to other projects. Farther, y'all can create in-place versions of many system family categories like walls, roofs and floors. This capability allows the creation of custom or free-course shapes not otherwise possible in pre-divers system families. Yous should merely consider creating an in-place family unit for elements that are unique to a particular project with little possibility that y'all will ever want to reuse them in future projects. Also, in-identify families as already noted, offer the but means to "customize" sure organisation families like walls or roofs. In-place families therefore prove constructive for modeling unique existing conditions or very specialized and unique pattern scenarios. However, wherever possible, consider if the particular you wish to create can be built using either predefined system elements or a component family unit starting time before resorting to an in-identify family unit. Often creating an in-identify element seems like a good idea at the time merely to later exist the source of regret. We will not be exploring in-place families in this article.
Revit and Family Terminology
Here is a cursory summary of Revit for Compages critical terminology. The illustration is borrowed from the online assist file a few releases back. There is a different version in the current assistance system, but I prefer this illustration equally I believe it all the same does the best chore of summarizing all of the diverse kinds of elements in the Revit environment.
Element — Anything in your Revit Architecture project. (Elements in italic can be created and edited in the family unit editor.)
Model Element — Something that represents the bodily geometry of your building.
Host Element — An element that can receive or support or provide structure for other model elements (congenital in-identify construction).
Component Element — An item inserted into a project (items that are pre-manufactured, purchased and installed). Can be freestanding or require a host.
Host Based Component Element — A Component Element that must exist inserted on or into a Host.
Freestanding Component Chemical element — A Component Chemical element that can be inserted independently without a Host.
View Element* — An particular in the Revit interface that allows you to see and interact with all other elements. Views accommodate to the characteristics of typical architectural cartoon types like plan, department, peak and schedule. Some View Element families allow customization of Types, many practise not.
Datum Element* — Include Levels, Grids and Reference Planes. These are used establish project context, limits, extents and the like. Datum Elements provide guidelines and limits for other elements within a project and tin can besides include annotative qualities. The families and types of datum elements cannot be edited.
View-Specific Element — Something that is used to document, draw or embellish a view of your projection. View-specific elements do not appear in whatever other views automatically. If you wish to echo view-specific items in other views, you tin copy and paste them.
Detail Chemical element — A two-dimensional family typically representing a model element but at a level of detail that would exist impractical to model. Detail elements announced only in the view in which they are added. Detail Elements remain their actual size as created and do not adjust calibration with the view.
Annotation Chemical element* — Include text, dimensions tags and symbols. These items are view-specific (actualization merely in the view in which they are added) and are used to notate, embellish, draw and certificate design intent within a Revit Architecture project. Annotation elements maintain a constant size relative to the plotting scale of the view in guild to maintain a constant size relative the sheet on which they are placed.
*Level and Grid head tags, Section and Meridian head tags, model element Tags and Symbols (Generic Annotation families) can exist created and modified in the family editor. Text and Dimensions cannot.
Many of the branches in the diagram contain both system and component families. Naturally for a discussion on the family editor, we are therefore express to because only the non-system families. This includes all items on the Component Elements model branch, Detail Item families on the Particular Elements branch, Loaded Tags on the Annotation Elements branch and a few other miscellaneous elements equally well similar titleblock families or view tags and level head symbols.
Family Libraries and Resource
The first step to working in Revit in general and building families in specific is to become comfortable with this list of terms. Go along it handy equally reference as y'all continue. Just before you embark on the process of building family unit content, it should be noted that there are many families included with the software and many more resource available online. A quick search in Google volition turn up hundreds of sites containing tips, tricks and downloadable content. Do accept the fourth dimension to explore the out-of-the-box offerings and some of many available sites too if you lot take not already done and so.
As has been noted, you cannot create or delete system families. All system families will already be in your project file. To add types that are non present to a system family unit, you either have to indistinguishable an existing type, rename and change information technology, or import one from another projection. To import from another project, you lot tin can use Transfer Project Standards (Manage tab) or re-create and paste.
To use a component family from exterior the project in your current project, you lot tin can load it from a family file (RFA) or copy and paste from another projection. To load a family unit file, use the Load Family push button on the Insert tab of the ribbon, or the contextual ribbon tab when a command is agile. For example, if you click the Door tool (Architecture tab), the Load Family push button will announced on the Modify | Place Door tab. This lets y'all load a door family and place it all in the same procedure. Likewise, on the Insert tab of the ribbon, on the Autodesk Seek panel, you can run a search from directly in Revit of the online Autodesk Seek website. You can also blazon seek.autodesk.com into your spider web browser.
In many cases, a family similar to the one you wish to create volition already exist somewhere in the product or online in i of the myriad online resources. Most companies also maintain their own libraries of role standard content on their internal servers. Check with your CAD/BIM manager to see what your business firm offers.
The Recommended Way to Get Started
Practical wisdom says that it makes more sense to brainstorm with something in the library and either apply it equally-is, or alter information technology to suit your needs. Typically, this will be easier than starting from scratch. In your day-to-twenty-four hours piece of work when y'all are upward against deadlines, this is by far the best arroyo. Simply be sure to accept a little fourth dimension to "vet" any unknown or newly downloaded content to ensure that information technology meets your office standards before using it on a live project.
If you are new to creating families in Revit, so I recommend that you lot create your first few families from scratch. By building the entire family unit yourself, you will learn more than but modifying ane. Furthermore, families tin can include very complex parameters and constraints that oft link to i another in a chained and sometimes complex or even convoluted fashion. Even for seasoned family unit content authors, it can be difficult to dissect these ofttimes complex relationships. Therefore, to avert becoming discouraged, it is recommended that you showtime with a small elementary example and work your manner to more complexity over time.
For example, don't offset with a Door or Window family. These are more complex than they at beginning seem. Brainstorm with something pocket-sized, elementary and boxy: similar a simple article of furniture or equipment.
Family Creation Procedures
The bones process for creating a family is as follows: decide what type of family you demand. This will include deciding what it should expect like, how much detail to include and whether the graphics or level of detail should change in different views. Y'all tin start by sketching out (yes on paper) the family unit you intend to create and brand notes about its requirements.
Next, create a new family unit file from the advisable template or open an existing family file similar to the one you wish to create and relieve as. The option of family template is of import. The templates included with the software are provided by Autodesk with the product. Each contains basic settings, behaviors and in many cases some simple geometry or reference planes. The geometry included (similar a sample length of wall) is but for reference and does not get inserted with the family when used in a projection. While it is possible to change the category of family after creation, it is all-time to choose wisely at the kickoff. Endeavour to choose the nearly appropriate category selecting: Generic Model.rft only if no other suitable category can exist determined. Unlike category, the hosting behavior of a family file cannot exist changed afterwards it is created. Then if yous are not certain that you want the family you are creating to require a Host, information technology is safer to build it without 1. In other words, if you choose Casework wall based.rft as the template, the family you create will ever require a wall in order to be inserted. If you think you might like to use the cabinet as a freestanding piece of casework, cull the Casework.rft template instead. Yous can ever use the Align tool to motion the not-hosted cabinet to a wall face afterward. You cannot after decide to detach the hosted casework particular from its host wall.
Once yous have decided what you want to build and created a new family unit file based on an existing file or the appropriate new template, you are ready to create your family reference planes, parameters and geometry. It is usually best to start with the framework. If you begin with an existing family, delete anything you don't demand first. And then in both existing and new families, add the Reference Planes y'all will need. Reference planes provide the skeleton for your family unit. Some templates already contain bones reference planes. You tin utilise these as-is or modify them. The proper process is to dispense or create reference planes, optionally constrain or assign parameters to these planes, and so create geometry and lock information technology to the reference planes. In this way, the reference planes really bulldoze the geometry. This is the near reliable, all-time-practise way to build your family files.
Once you have laid downwardly your reference plane framework and assigned parameters and constraints, examination the family by "flexing" information technology. This is done in the "Family Types" dialog which you can access from the Family Types button on the ribbon. To flex the model, merely endeavor different values for each parameter and and so employ. If the framework moves the way you expect, everything is good. Otherwise, disengage, and try to fix the problem. We will see several examples below.
When all geometry and parameters have been created, applied and flexed, you are ready to save the file and load it into a exam project (beneath I use the 100 Sandbox.rvt file for this purpose). If necessary, return to the family editor to brand whatsoever adjustments and then reload, otherwise your family file is consummate.
Constraints and Parameters
In its simplest form, a family unit can be a static graphic or symbol. Such a family would be drawn the way information technology was intended to look regardless of the circumstance. The out-of-the-box Chair-Breuer is i such case. At that place are no types or user-editable dimensions in this family. However, i of the things that make families and then powerful is their ability to use variables to help them conform to varying circumstances. This is washed using constraints and parameters. While each of these terms has several possible meanings, in the context of Revit the post-obit definitions are suitable to our give-and-take.
Constraint — is a fixed rule that tin can only be manipulated by editing the family file.
Parameter — creates a dominion or human relationship that has user-editable properties.
Substantially each of these is a rule practical to some role of a family's geometry or behavior, but a constraint cannot exist manipulated past the end user, and a parameter can. For example, if you were working with a door family and you wanted to ensure that a vision console was 10" from the door edge regardless of the door's width, y'all would use a constraint inside the family editor to achieve this. On the other hand, if y'all want to allow the same door family unit to have varying (flexible) sizes for meridian and width of the vision panel, these would be parameters. By making vision console width and meridian parameters and using them to drive the geometry within the family, the user tin do much greater command than would otherwise be possible. Nevertheless, the location of the vision panel with respect to the door would be fixed.
Solid and Void Form Geometry Types
Geometry in families consists of solid and void forms. Solid forms represent the actual concrete parts of the family and void forms are used to cleave abroad portions of the solid forms. For example, you could create a solid form box, and and so use a void grade to cutting a hole in it like a donut. Both solid and void forms come in five varieties. These include: Extrusion, Alloy, Revolve, Sweep and Swept Blend (come across Figure one). We volition use an extrusion and a alloy in the tutorial.
An extrusion is a sketched shape pushed along a altitude perpendicular to the sketch plane. A blend is similar accept that instead of a single shape, y'all have both a pinnacle and a bottom shape and the 3D grade transforms (or blends) from one to the other forth the perpendicular summit of the form. A circumduct spins a sketch shape around an axis. The revolve can be a full 360-degree or a partial arc. A sweep pushes a shape (sketch or loaded profile) along a sketched path. The shape is perpendicular to the path. A swept alloy combines features of both the alloy and the sweep. The form morphs betwixt two profiles or sketches as in a blend, only can follow a nonlinear path. Unfortunately, the swept alloy path tin simply contain ane segment unlike the sweep. This ways that circuitous forms crave a spline path. Using a combination of solid and void forms you lot tin create almost any iii-dimensional shape.
Family Types
As nosotros have already pointed out above, families can contain types. A type is a saved and named collection of values for the parameters inside a family unit. You lot can add as many types as you wish. Types can be added inside the family unit editor or even later in the project.
Nested Families
You can build complex forms using a combination of the solid and void forms available in the family unit editor as noted above. Withal, managing a complex form in a single family can become cumbersome. In many cases, it makes sense to break your object into discreet parts and build the parts as separate families. You can then insert these simpler families into another family unit that represents the whole. This is referred to as nested families. When you manage your complex families in this way, you gain more than control and flexibility.
Subcategories and Visibility Parameters
Any family you create or load from a library will belong to a sure category. Each of the elements within the family tin can vest to a subcategory within the family unit. Subcategories provide an extra level of visibility and graphical control over the parts of a family. For example, in the door families included with the software, there are several pre-defined subcategories. 1 such subcategory is the Plan Swing. Using this subcategory, it is possible to make door plan swings a lighter pen weight across a project regardless of the specific family. This helps enforce standards and simplifies such changes.
Visibility parameters are another mode to control elements inside a family unit. Sometimes it is useful to see part of the family only in certain circumstances. For case, y'all could create a casework family unit where hardware was an optional display component. In this instance, a visibility parameter would be assigned to the hardware elements within the casework family and the visibility parameter could and so be toggled on or off by the user depending on whether or non the needed to evidence information technology in a given situation.
Tutorial
That completes the introductory materials. The tutorial, attainable by downloading the class handout, allows you to follow along with complete step-by-footstep instructions. Explanations are given in line with the steps, but the steps are highlighted to help them stand out. Many of the concepts discussed in the preceding topics will be showcased in the tutorial.
Paul F. Aubin is the writer of many Revit volume titles including the widely acclaimed: The Aubin Academy Series, Renaissance Revit and Revit video preparation at lynda.com. Paul is an independent architectural consultant providing Revit for Compages implementation, preparation, and back up services. Paul's interest in the architectural profession spans over 25 years, with experience in design, product, CAD management, mentoring, coaching and grooming. He is an active fellow member of the Autodesk user customs, an Expert Elite and is a top-rated repeat speaker at Autodesk Academy, Revit Technology Briefing and Midwest University. His diverse experience in architectural firms, as a CAD manager, and an educator gives his writing and his classroom educational activity a fresh and credible focus. Paul is an associate fellow member of the American Institute of Architects and lives in Chicago with his wife and three children.
Learn more with the full grade at AU online: Revit Families: A Footstep-past-Step Introduction.
shannonalibut1990.blogspot.com
Source: https://medium.com/autodesk-university/revit-families-a-step-by-step-introduction-9439f9638062
0 Response to "What Type of Family to Choose Revit Custom Wall"
Post a Comment