Best practice for bar grating?

[tklein.208994]

I need to model catwalks (lots) with bar grating. Eventually they will need to be rendered. Any ideas on best practice to limit file size, but still render?

[patricks]

The last time I did catwalks, I just created a floor type with a surface model pattern equal to the grating's bar spacing, and then the floor itself was transparent. In plans and shaded 3D views it was fine. The only thing you could see was the model pattern. You could see through the pattern since the floor geometry was transparent.

That wouldn't work for rendering, though. To have it render properly, you'd have to just take the file hit temporarily and have each and every bar in there. You could place that geometry on a workset that is off by default and does not load except for when needed.

[aaronrumple]

I've done it several different time by modeling it all. I've used mullions, curtain wall panels and generic models. Several times the grid was even a 6x6 1/4" dia wire mesh. Didn't slow Revit down too much and rendering in 3D Studio was fine. Don't know how Revit would perform on rendering.

For the really small detailed grids, I use model lines in a family. Then I import those into 3DS with the right renderable settings. 3DS allows for both round and rectangular profiles, so it is just a matter of setting the right size during import. Works very well at keeping the renerable mesh down in size.

[twiceroadsfool]

There is a material in the MR Library that simulates Wire grating... I used it on a building for a window infill that had signage on it. You can also set up a new material with a transparancy map in the MR material Editor. Im sure it wont be quite as realistic as having it all modeled, but then you could just make a solid floor (with a model pattern for documents) and align the texture/transparancy map to the Model pattern.

Id only bother modeling the entire thing if i needed it to show up as individual pieces of grate in section for some reason...