Integrating Microstation 3d, Autodesk Building products in Revit

[Alex Page]

We are doing a new 15 level hotel/ apartment building, solely in Revit. The structural engineers use Microstation to 3d model their structural systems (...I must say its pretty good at doing it too). Not only that but our service engineers model all ductwork in 3d as well, using Autodesk Building Systems
And wait, theres more! Our client is insisting that everyone in the design team is 3d modeling and that he wants an intelligent building from a documentation and facility management point of view...not only that, hes prepared to extend the deadlines to allow all his consultants to be able to do this (and pay for it)...not only that, hes a nice guy!!!!!
(please post CV's to my email address!).
This is serious stuff

Now, I need to know the best way to integrate Autodesk building 3d products and Microstation 3d products into Revit...as you can understand, our client wont be physically seeing the engineers 3d models, but will be expecting to see all their services in our Revit model.
If anyone has dealt with integrating Autodesk building system 3d models or Microstation 3d in regards to Revit, I would really appreciate advice on the best way to do this (or pitfalls if thats the case).
Ideas very welcome as well.
Please note that it isn't an option to work-around it in 2d (ie ductwork), our client and my boss are adamant that the above has too happen. the worst case is that if I cant integrate them, then I will be modeling ducts etc in 3d; which will disappoint my boss.

Please, thoughts/ ideas/ pitfalls etc etc welcome from anyone!

[johnstory70451]

Alex,

Some things to consider....

First Problem: I have a open and as of yet uncommented question about problems attaching and maintaining DGN files to Revit 7 Models. See http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=11751 . While it does in general work, it can cause great frustration if the models do not naturally align in space.

Second Problem: We also have a reverse problem, where when taking the Revit Model to produce an exported DGN Building Shell for Intergraph PDS, the Handrails (and the like long cylindrical things) cannot be taken into the export, because the model work is represented as facets rather than cylinders, and the file size balloons 40 to 1 or more on a simple model. This causes problems with using Intergraph SmartPlant Viewer software where the model is now large and sluggish.

Third Problem: There was a problem with 6.1, where when you exported to DGN, you could not create a seed or template file to change the DGN working units to some other system other than 1:12:8000. We would have liked it to be able to do 1:12:2032, or just adapt to the units in the seed/template file. This was posted into the Discussion/NewsGroup forum.

My understanding is that the 3D can be imported from both DGN and DWG, but the success or failure depends on the attachment of the model into the 3D view, not the plan views, and the specific construction of the objects in the foreign files.

Some 3D elements in DGN work and some do not (extrusions I think) when you go to create your plan sheets in Revit, some will cut and others will not show, or will show wrong. This may have changed with Revit7, we have not had time to check it out yet.

There have been some recent threads about some DWG entity types that so not work so well. A quick search should turn up those comments.

We are a "Bi-Lingual" company, where most users can do native DGN and DWG work, and we have verticals for both. Revit is quickly approching being the appication that can just "do" the work, and work with both formats, but more tweaking needs to be done to get the maximum use in the niche that we currently find ourselves operating.

I think you will just have to try a limited set of work to see if the results match your needs.

We have hope for Revit fitting our needs, if only the patience will hold while it grows into these corners.......

John

[david.kingham]

Might want to take a look at NavisWorks....

[bclarch]

I would contact the Autodesk Revit team directly and see if they might be willing to help. This seems like a scenario that many architects will face in the future and it would be to Autodesk's advantage to help make it easier to achieve.