E-Spec

[ksmith.207733]

Has anyone out there started using E-Spec for Revit our firm has invested in this software and I have a few questions.
I am under the impression that families are linked (bound) to the spec though the assembly code. I'm curious if they provide the uniformat assembly code file to you, or do you use the built in file provided with the software?

Thanks in advance

[rspeicher]

The plug-in collects the assembly codes from the Revit model. e-Specs can then report what elements have or don't have assembly codes and what they map to (in some instances you may have created an assembly code that doesn't map to a Uniformat category). eSpecs can link the assembly code to the section, article, item, line or product, as wide or narrow a selection as you wish. You can create a variety of different mapping for clients, project type or some other criteria.

The training videos were very helpful in understanding how e-Specs work. Good Luck!

Rich Speicher

[ksmith.207733]

Thanks for the synopsis. I have the software ow and can't wait to test it out. Im hoping there is minimal work on the Revit side of things, since I'll only have to deal with that part.

Thanks again!

[mthurnauer]

I would be interested in hearing your use/review comments. I had given it a test drive, but the demo version only included 5 spec section so it was hard to see how much information got pulled form the model. But, from the amount of testing that I did, I was a bit disappointed that it did not draw information from the model based on object keynotes. Often, I find that the keynote information in a model is much more specific than its uniformat code information

[Scott Womack]

The OOTB assembly codes were greatly expaned a release or so ago.

Depending upon what you want to get out of e-Specs, it is like anything else, the more you put into it, the more you get out. We've created an extensive set of asembly codes, built them into our library, including Detail Components, and we can pull a 70% complete specification out of our Revit Models.

As to Keynote data, We have not used the Revit Keynotes. The newest release of e-Specs due out in Dec. has extensive tools for Keynoting, and then creates/recreates you project keynotes file, so that the terminology is based on the specs. It can also push the keynote information into the families, so that you place a keynote directly on the family, and don't have to drill down to find the note.

[twiceroadsfool]

Its a great tool, but it does have its limitations. Its not Phase Aware, not design option aware... Both if which are CRITICAL for specifications. It means having to kludge, and make your entire existing model out of different types of objects (which is stupid. An 8inch CMU wall is an 8 inch CMU wall regardless of if its new or existing).

But it IS a great tool. Weve seen the recent additions for keynotes, as were using them, and were giving it an honest go.

It is NOT a quick tool to implement, from my past use of it. It takes some serious time to set up bindings, assembly codes, the Specification Master (unless youre happy with the MasterSpec one, LOL).

But once you have it set up, its great.