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Thread: Revit to Inventor

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    Default Revit to Inventor

    I work for an architectural sheet metal manufacturing company and we are moving into 3-D. We currently use AutoCADLT 2008. I have been looking at Inventor, Solid Edge, and Solid Works. What I would like to be able to do is bring a 3-D model of a building from Revit that was drawn by the architect into Inventor and change the exterior with our panel system on it. For instance be able to take a "house" that was drawn in Revit with lets say, lap siding,... strip that off down to the sheathing in Inventor, and replace it with our wall panel system so that I wouldn't have to model the building geometry from scratch. Has anyone done anything like this with Inventor or know of a program that does do this? The purpose of doing this is to draw our panels in 3-D on the building, then break the system down into all of its components to create cut sheets of our aluminum extrusions and be able to unfold the "sheet metal" panel into a flat pattern. Also, what are any opinions on all three of the programs I have been looking at.

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    Default Re: Revit to Inventor

    I think your best bet would be Inventor not because they are both Autodesk (however the new 2010 interchange format has nice capabilities to go from Inventor to Revit) but because the Sheet Metal environment is fantastic compared to the other programs. I have put together Sheet Metal Panel systems before in the upwards of 10,000 parts in Inventor and the automation techniques are easy to follow. Basically you can have that Revit model as a stp file brought in as a master part to build your Panel systems off of. If each panel consists say 10 or 20 sheet metal parts, a master can be placed for that to create the assembly and it will update based on size and shape of your revit model. This can be taken a step further by VB programming or use of iLogic to control rules for the size and shape. For instance: how many panels can I fit inside this wall? What are the standard sizes I can use and what is the size of the one off?

    Best bet would be to get your reseller to demo something for you. If you leave a comment on my blog in my signature (contact author), I can see about setting something up for you. I think we are the only Platinum reseller in Oregon; either way, you need to see how the software interacts and builds relationships that will work with your design work flow. With your work flow I can see at least two ways to approach a automated parametric design. It just depends how much you are willing to set up and learn about the software in general.

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    Default Re: Revit to Inventor

    Thank you for the reply. I have been working with IMAGINiT for the past couple of weeks on a solution. I think we're getting pretty close.

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    Default Re: Revit to Inventor

    Thought you might like to see this...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4qgZPv0O_Y

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    Default Re: Revit to Inventor

    Well, it looks like you are getting a resellers opinion of what to buy. I would look at each software before you decide. Actually i would recommend to create a spreadsheet and go thru what you need in the software for your company. My opinion Inventor lags in sheet metal to Solidworks, however with iLogic this puts Inventor ahead if you are not going to use some rule based database. Really the solid modelers are a grey area, they all have there bells and whistles - the true growth for these companies will be in Product Data Management.
    When you are moving from 2d to 3D, it might be worth an investigation into all you can do and the tools available to do it with.
    Also the interchange idea of going from Inventor to Revit is junk! Actually you will find on Autodesk website improved interoperabily - which means they have not fixed it.

    We have been doing demo's of takings manufacturing data and creating clean Revit files and of all the demos we have done - only one company is using Inventor. Actually in our area of the Midwest there is probably an install rate of 15-1 SolidWorks to Inventor. So my other recommendation is call and ask other manufacturers what they are using and get some feed back

    Patrick Johnson
    http:\\www.cadenhancement.com

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    Default Re: Revit to Inventor

    We have also been doing demo's of the ADSK file format from Inventor to Revit MEP and AutoCAD PID and every one has been very successful (not sure why yours are as you say junk). Really the ADSK file format is optimized for MEP interfaces, if you are not going to Revit MEP, AutoCAD MEP, or PID then it doesn't really do much for you.

    And if I recall the original posting, the operator is not taking designs from Inventor to Revit (I added the extra tidbit about the reverse because I had not yet spoken to the OP), but using a Revit SAT file for Inventor reference usage, which A LOT of users do here in the Midwest and all over the country (I have at least one company with over 75 offices that use Revit and Inventor like this), and with the added design of iCopy and iLogic shown in the videos by Rob Cohee, the idea of interoperability is a big workflow enhancement.

    I am also curious about your install rate numbers as in my Midwest area it is even if not more in favor of Inventor from interactions I have had. I noticed you are in MN and I know there is not a strong autodesk reseller presence there anymore so that might contribute to it.

    Sheet Metal...I really like the 2010 tools in Inventor for SM. Every time I think of SW sheet metal I think of a demo I once saw of them flattening a curved flange and it had NO rhyme or reason to how it unfolded. More like an iron flattening a crease on my shirt. Maybe I need to take another look if they updated anything in 2008/9.

    York, if you need anything, you know where to get me, I don't think you'll be able to reach Bobbi anytime soon, but I think after seeing those videos for curtain wall design you can see what the software can do for you. I know you already had some time with the software but if you need anything let us know and maybe get you set up with our projects team on automation.

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    Default Re: Revit to Inventor

    I do agree with using the Revit SAT file for what they want to do and is exactly what they need.

    I have not looked at SM in Inventor 2010 to be quite honest, but have seen SW implemented. Actually i did a study of those two softwares about 4 years ago. Also understand that these softwares leap frog each other every release.

    I am not here to bash but to have different opinions.

    We have been talking to building manufacturers all around the country, not quite 10 percent of these companies are using Inventor - so it is not just where i am at issue.

    Pat

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