I know I had said I'd get into collaboration, and I just may, but I think I am getting a little ahead of myself. So I will introduce a little bit of clarity into the picture with regards to Revit.
See There are 3 'flavors' of Revit, currently; Revit Architecture (which I use almost exclusively, being in the arch field), as well as Revit Structure and Revit MEP. MEP means Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing. What usually takes place is that the Architect will model the actual building, and distribute his model, which is pretty much a designing model. This is imported by Structural into a separate model and the structural elements are added in. Then, the architectural portion gets turned off, leaving a purely structural version of the model. The same thing is done with MEP, Mechanical and electrical import the design model, place their ducts conduits, switched all of that good stuff and then basically turn off the design model. Now we have 3 models all based off of the same design. When the collaborative meeting comes together, all 3 models are linked together, and a conflict check is initiated. Any places where elements have conflict (i.e. a duct bisecting a beam or whatever), the conflict is highlighted and noted, and then the various edisciplines can take appropriate measures to rectify the conflict.
Another cool thing about Revit is that any manner of parameters can be added to each element. So for example, you could put data for unit cost into each door, hardware listing etc, and then generate a schedule that would show this information. So a per square foot price for a particular type of wall can be added as a parameter of that wall, and a scedule can be generated that will show not only material takeoff for the materials, quantitatively, but also a cost estimate can be generated off of the same schedule, simply by adding that information into each element. Using these tools, the design team can keep up to speed with expected construction costs. They say knowledge is power. Using Revit to control multiple aspects of a project keeps the design team informed and updated. The feedback is instantaneous and as long as its correct in the model, the data is likewise accurate. This gives the design and construction team the power to bring in projects on time and within budget.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Revit Architecture
Last Time I mentioned this program that is produced by Autodesk named Revit. Revit is supposed to be a shortened form of 'Revise It', and thats exactly what it allows you to do. The basis of Revit is that instead of drafting conventionally, that is a bunch of lines that come together to represent an element, you place those elements in a 3D environment. So rather than drawing 2 lines 4" apart to represent a wall, you place a wall in the environment. Every element, such as a wall, has parameters that dictate the wall's length, height and placement relative to other elements in the model.
So in "drafting" with Revit, one is actually building a 3d model of the structure. You place walls on a specific elevation, with a specific height and even made out of specific materials (2 x 4 studs, 5/8" TYPE X Gypsum, etc.); and then place doors and windows in those walls, again with parameters that determine size, sill height, materials etc. Floors, roofs, ceilings, casework, fixtures and even custom constructed elements are all placed within the model environment and are all representatively interactive (the windows and doors cut holes in the walls when they are placed, for example).
So what good is this 3D model. We need construction drawings, right? Well what Revit does in instead of creating individual sheets (and drawing each view that goes onto it), Revit takes a 'snapshot' of the model to represent a View. This view can be a Plan, elevation, section, reflected ceiling plan, callout or even 3d views. These views can then be placed on sheets and construction docs created from them. Add the annotation to the view (notes, dimensions) and you have a typical doc sheet. So why go thru all that modeling? When you build the model, the efficiency comes from drawing (placing) each element ONCE. A window in plan view is the same element that is seen in elevation and section views. Its placed one time and any sheet that shows it shows the same element. Revision of the model updates the sheets. Yes, that was plural. If you move a window or door in one view, on the floor plan, for example, all other views of the element automatically update (they are looking at the same item). So rather than having to go through all your plans and elevations and sections making changes to, say, a window type, you change it once in the model and it updates in all the views, and as such on all the sheets. Easy, huh?
Another benefit to having a 3d model to take views and sheets off of is that various trades can incorporate their work into one main model and see immediately where any conflicts occur. If a duct is going to run right through a beam, this shows up as a conflict in the model. This makes collaboration between trades & disciplines start off early, and stay ahead of construction. Finding conflicts before construction begins (and actually during the actual design phase) makes projects run smoother, finish earlier and cost less. Down time from conflict resolution is minimized.
Since a model is being built of the structure, any number of details can be placed within the model. Finishes and materials can be applied to surfaces at any time and changed at will. The level of detail is limited only by the desires of the team. This also means a camera can be dropped into any location in the environment, and a representation of the actual structure can be seen. This is where the walkthrough tool comes into its own. Once the model is built, what better way to wow the client than to have a walkthrough where they can see the construct before its even built. Revit includes a rendering engine which, although it doesn't rival hardcore compositing packages like 3DS Max or Viz, can still turn out very nice, near-photographic renderings complete with lighting and accents.
The future of construction design is already showing itself off. In many cases, firms now present, not a marked up 'as-built' doc set to the owner, but an actual 3D as-built model of the structure. Innovations in design develop at a rapid pace, since any changes, additions or adjustments can be seen immediately in-situ. Collaboration using FTP file transfers to keep the team up to date makes keeping everyone on the same page an instantaneous event. As fast as ideas can come to mind, they can be implemented and shared, with positive or negative results displayed immediately.
Next time, We go into the differences between trades & disciplines as it pertains to the model itself and how collaboration and conflict detection in the model works. I hope this has been as interesting to read as it was to write. =)
So in "drafting" with Revit, one is actually building a 3d model of the structure. You place walls on a specific elevation, with a specific height and even made out of specific materials (2 x 4 studs, 5/8" TYPE X Gypsum, etc.); and then place doors and windows in those walls, again with parameters that determine size, sill height, materials etc. Floors, roofs, ceilings, casework, fixtures and even custom constructed elements are all placed within the model environment and are all representatively interactive (the windows and doors cut holes in the walls when they are placed, for example).
So what good is this 3D model. We need construction drawings, right? Well what Revit does in instead of creating individual sheets (and drawing each view that goes onto it), Revit takes a 'snapshot' of the model to represent a View. This view can be a Plan, elevation, section, reflected ceiling plan, callout or even 3d views. These views can then be placed on sheets and construction docs created from them. Add the annotation to the view (notes, dimensions) and you have a typical doc sheet. So why go thru all that modeling? When you build the model, the efficiency comes from drawing (placing) each element ONCE. A window in plan view is the same element that is seen in elevation and section views. Its placed one time and any sheet that shows it shows the same element. Revision of the model updates the sheets. Yes, that was plural. If you move a window or door in one view, on the floor plan, for example, all other views of the element automatically update (they are looking at the same item). So rather than having to go through all your plans and elevations and sections making changes to, say, a window type, you change it once in the model and it updates in all the views, and as such on all the sheets. Easy, huh?
Another benefit to having a 3d model to take views and sheets off of is that various trades can incorporate their work into one main model and see immediately where any conflicts occur. If a duct is going to run right through a beam, this shows up as a conflict in the model. This makes collaboration between trades & disciplines start off early, and stay ahead of construction. Finding conflicts before construction begins (and actually during the actual design phase) makes projects run smoother, finish earlier and cost less. Down time from conflict resolution is minimized.
Since a model is being built of the structure, any number of details can be placed within the model. Finishes and materials can be applied to surfaces at any time and changed at will. The level of detail is limited only by the desires of the team. This also means a camera can be dropped into any location in the environment, and a representation of the actual structure can be seen. This is where the walkthrough tool comes into its own. Once the model is built, what better way to wow the client than to have a walkthrough where they can see the construct before its even built. Revit includes a rendering engine which, although it doesn't rival hardcore compositing packages like 3DS Max or Viz, can still turn out very nice, near-photographic renderings complete with lighting and accents.
The future of construction design is already showing itself off. In many cases, firms now present, not a marked up 'as-built' doc set to the owner, but an actual 3D as-built model of the structure. Innovations in design develop at a rapid pace, since any changes, additions or adjustments can be seen immediately in-situ. Collaboration using FTP file transfers to keep the team up to date makes keeping everyone on the same page an instantaneous event. As fast as ideas can come to mind, they can be implemented and shared, with positive or negative results displayed immediately.
Next time, We go into the differences between trades & disciplines as it pertains to the model itself and how collaboration and conflict detection in the model works. I hope this has been as interesting to read as it was to write. =)
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Dipping a toe...
When a second chance rolls around, who wouldn't want to take it? I was a contractor in my former life, and am a geek in my present one. Where I once took big ol' sheets of paper and turned them into buildings, I now take 2-dimensional ideas and transcribe them into 3-dimensional computer models. Sounds boring? Hardly so! The recent surge in interest of BIM technology (Building Information Model, for the uninitiated) has produced exciting and promising advancements in the way buildings come together. No longer do contractors and subcontractors have to stand onsite, scratching their heads and looking at two objects trying to occupy the same space.
The advent of BIM's brings to the forefront the capability to detect conflicts of this nature before the shovel hits the soil; not to mention the impact upon a client when he can not only look at his building in 3D before it is built (in-situ, to boot), but acutally take a walkthrough tour of his building before it is built. Add to this the ability to collaborate between all builder trades, engineering and architectural disciplines to bring together a completed building right in the office, and you are looking at a tool that, implemented properly, can knock weeks off the schedule, and subsequently, dollars off of the budget. Appealing all the way around, isn't it?
Leading the charge into modeling for building construction is a little piece of software called Revit, produced by Autodesk. Next time, we will formally introduce you to it. This program can take an entire project from conceptual design right through budget calculation, material takeoffs and right through construction. Fasten your seatbelt, this thing MOVES!
The advent of BIM's brings to the forefront the capability to detect conflicts of this nature before the shovel hits the soil; not to mention the impact upon a client when he can not only look at his building in 3D before it is built (in-situ, to boot), but acutally take a walkthrough tour of his building before it is built. Add to this the ability to collaborate between all builder trades, engineering and architectural disciplines to bring together a completed building right in the office, and you are looking at a tool that, implemented properly, can knock weeks off the schedule, and subsequently, dollars off of the budget. Appealing all the way around, isn't it?
Leading the charge into modeling for building construction is a little piece of software called Revit, produced by Autodesk. Next time, we will formally introduce you to it. This program can take an entire project from conceptual design right through budget calculation, material takeoffs and right through construction. Fasten your seatbelt, this thing MOVES!
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