Tag: ifc

When and how to neutralize Survey coordinates for IFC export from Revit

Luke Johnson

When exporting to IFC, you may find that Revit feeds the Survey Coordinates (or shared coordinates) to the resulting IFC file, when in fact you want it to be based on Project Coordinates.

If your project team is using origin-to-origin linking, it will be almost vital that you neutralize the Revit survey coordinates immediately prior to exporting to IFC.

This is quite easy:

  1. Make a new file based on a blank template
  2. Insert a origin locator dwg and draw a couple of model lines over the top (this is purely to give you something to “pick”)
  3. Save and close this blank RVT file (and keep it for future use)
  4. Link it into your live Revit project
  5. Use Acquire Coordinates and select the new, fresh, blank RVT file
  6. Save As this temporary RVT with neutralized survey coordinates to somewhere
  7. Now Export your IFC

Your resulting IFC file won’t be confused about which coordinate system to use – it should now Append to Navisworks and other software using the same origin-to-origin coordinate system as that in the originating Revit project.

Updated COBie Export Layers for IFC (Extended FMHandOverView Definition)

Luke Johnson

Revit-exportlayers-ifc2x3-forCOBie.txt: This is an updated export layers
table file. It is intended primarily for COBie, but can be used for any
export. It would replace your existing export layers table file.

Attachments
AdditionalExtendedFMHandoverViewFiles.zip

via
IFC for Revit / Wiki / Notes on support for Extended FMHandOverView

Constructivity Model Server

Luke Johnson

Interesting, sounds easy… anyone using this?
Constructivity Server does not rely on any external database or web server; it stores all data within a folder structure as native IFC files and index files. Getting a server up and running requires two settings: folder location and web server port.

Download

Video showing merge control:

via https://twitter.com/Opening_Design/status/464435922944425984

Open source BIMserver 1.3.0 released

Luke Johnson

Download it here, quick summary below:

  • IfcOpenShell is now our preferred render engine
  • new feature in this release is the “model checking” capability. We implemented model checking in two places: before data is stored in the database, and before a notification to a remote service is send out
  • With the ‘send notification’ features (find it under settings) an e-mail is send out to project members every time a new revision is checked-in
  • new version of BIMserver is already started and progressing very nice

Read the whole article:
Open source BIMserver | Release 1.3.0 final

via https://twitter.com/bimserver/status/464504361700167680

Convert Navisworks Viewpoints into Revit 3D Views for rapid communication and collaboration

Luke Johnson

There are a couple of options:

  1. Use BCFzip format to Export viewpoints from Navisworks 2014 and into Revit camera views (ortho or perspective)
  2. Use Kiwicodes Bonus Tools or BIM One Clash Sphere Generator to import a Clash Report XML directly into a Revit project

Some of you may say “why not use Switchback?” Well, you don’t always have access to original source files necessary to make this happen. BCF is environment-neutral, and if you are using Revit zero (origin to origin) linking, you should have no problems getting this to work.

Check out this 30 second demo:

My forum post:
Re: Revit to Navisworks to Revit? – Autodesk Community

To get the CASE BCF Exporter for Navisworks Manage 2014 working, you need to make sure you are running Navis 2014 with SP1 but WITHOUT any further hotfixes. The required version number is:
11.4.0.101763

If you have already installed the hotfixes, go to Control Panel, Programs and Features, Uninstall and then reinstall Navisworks Manage 2014 completely (you will need your install media). Then apply SP1. Then install the BCF Exporter using the Case Addin Manager. You can manually copy to the following directory if necessary:
C:UsersUSERNAMEAppDataRoamingAutodesk Navisworks Manage 2014Plugins

Once installed, it is quite easy to:

  • export the BCFzip from Navisworks, 
  • open in Revit addin, 
  • look for a particular view that you would like to solve, then 
  • click Open View. 
  • Set Discipline to Coordination, 
  • Detail Level to Fine, 
  • Far Clip Active – start at around 5m and adjust as necessary, maybe 
  • turn off Pipe Insulation. 
  • Make a view template of these “BCF view” settings to easily re-apply.

I think that BCF is going to become a significant part of our BIM workflows moving forward…

More info:
BCF Exporter for Navisworks 2014 – collective BIM

Navisworks .NET: Deploy Addins (Plugins) – RevitNetAddinWizard & NavisworksNetAddinWizard

NavisworksNetAddinWizard.zip – Google Drive 

Download Advance Steel and Concrete Plug-in for Revit 2015

Luke Johnson

“The BIM data from the Revit model can be imported or exported using a BIM data file format or using other formats. The available file formats are SDNF (Version 2.0 and Version 3.0), CIS/2, IFC, and PSS. “

Download at:
Advance Steel and Concrete Plug-in | Autodesk Revit | Autodesk Exchange Apps

Previous post:
What Revit Wants: Autodesk Advance Steel 2015 now available, with Revit and Navisworks Integration

Revit Zero is not the same as Project Base Point

Luke Johnson

Often, it is.  But if Project Base Point has ever moved in the life of the Revit project, then it probably won’t be.  Revit Zero (sometimes called the Internal Origin) affects things like FBX and NWC export (IFC too) when using Project Coordinates.

One way to find it is to make a DWG file with a couple of lines at 0,0,0 and link in Auto – Origin to Origin.  Another way is to make a Spot Coordinate that reports based on the “Relative” option.

You can theoretically  have 3 different coordinate records for a single geometric point, as this image shows:

You can read a bit about this at Revit Landscape.

Listen to a conversation about Virtual Construction and the Effect on Team Dynamics and Communication

Luke Johnson

I was approached by Reza Hosseini, who is currently completing his Phd, to have an interview about virtual construction. 

It is embedded here:

Some of the topics covered:

  • virtual teams
  • technological challenges of trying to work ‘live’ on a cloud model
  • effects of virtuality in teams
  • cultural background and project experience and the effect on teams
  • the size of teams (number of disciplines / stakeholders)
  • accountability for action items (for example, clashes)
  • Revit interoperability (including with Tekla), and using IFC
  • new roles for contractors to do model conversions (as Virtual Built is doing)
  • change management, and the instigators of change
  • is the Client or Head Contractor requesting BIM?
  • using Aconex
  • conflict creation
  • IP issues and contract rights for BIM team members
  • team identity and affiliation
  • level of importance of social interaction
  • skills shortage of BIM users
  • researching BIM, determining unique topics of discussion
  • building trust relationships
  • level of importance of face-to-face contact
  • frequency of communication
  • scaleability of BIM to small projects

I hope the background noise and sounds of cutlery aren’t too distracting 🙂

An open, crowd-sourced library of IFC and BIM files

Luke Johnson

Ryan Schultz is working on Revit–>IFC–>Revit translations, and he has created a open source page as a focus for test and sample files.  Here is the link:
https://github.com/theoryshaw/IFC_Roundtrip

Interestingly, Ryan is looking into IFC translations with ArchiCAD, Vectorworks, Microstation, Tekla and others.  The mixed environment of BIM software on collaborative projects is proving a challenge to many teams.  Ok, we can’t all work with Revit (maybe one day), but for now we have to find a way to share our models with high geometry fidelity and without losing the actual intelligence of BIM data.

I’m sure Ryan would be keen to hear from you, perhaps via Twitter or the github page.

Let’s work together to learn how to work together…

via
https://twitter.com/theoryshaw/status/450604566132686848