Light Fixture Copy/Monitor

[Brodnax]

Our light fixtures (all face based) can host to the architects ceilings (linked model) but they do not penetrate the ceiling (2x2 grid can be seen through 2x4 fixture). To remedy this the architect also places a light fixture in their ceiling (or copy/monitors our light in that place). What we would like would be to have us (engineers) place all the lights/diffusers in the ceiling and the architects rcp just shows the linked families.

What workflow are people using for coordination of Ceiling mounted MEP objects to the Architects RCP? Do they have the architect copy/monitor? Do they copy/monitor the architects lights?

[neightyeight]

Generally, I am not a big fan of copy/monitor. Too many places where items get lost.

To answer your question, I have the architect link in our electrical model and display our light fixtures. The fixtures do not cut a void in the ceiling since they are in the linked model, but they will properly hide the grid line if the fixture family is created to do so. Our fixtures are created such that in medium detail level they display a nested detail family containing a masking region along with the necessary linework to display the fixture symbol. This masking region will hide the ceiling grid line in the architectural model. If it does not seem to be doing so it may be necessary to associate the nested detail family with a reference plane that is just below the family origin, and thus is just below the level of the ceiling (1/8" is enough). Then the RCP view that is looking up at the ceiling content will translate the masking region first and hide anything behind the fixture, including the ceiling grid lines.

[Brodnax]

That sounds like it would work best for us. Thank you!

[mitchellvoss]

I agree with neightyeight. We use the same process minus the masking in our fixtures. Just haven't had the time to add it. The biggest problem with architects placing lights in their model to cut holes in the ceiling is that in the MEP model, there is no ceiling to place our fixtures on. Our lights become unhosted.