Tips for Manufacturer Starting Commercial Roof Insulation Revit Development

[paul930149]

Can any one recommend how to get started with a commercial building manufacturer client of ours wanting BIM files? Need concrete step on how to do this. Any help much appreciated. I may be interested in hiring someone to actually develop these files, but I've heard there is a lot of garbage out there. So in order to avoid GIGO I want to understand the process first.

-Paul

[david_peterson]

We get requests all the time for our Structural models; Contractors, Fabricators, Erectors.....Estimators.
In our process (because we are contractor for "Design Intent") we make them sign an agreement that states we are responsible for any modeling, dimensioning or specific content and that they need to use the model at their own risk. The Contract Documents are what they need to build off of.
In other words, while our models are generally very good, it's still up to the fabricator to supply shop drawings for review. In our spec we state that they need to create all shops and they can't simply copy our drawings. This is the whole reason you have a shop drawing process; to catch any errors or omissions.
Once we've reached that agreement, I open the central file detached, and do a save as. Then I delete or change (remove all logos) the title block so they can't change our documentation or produce fake ones. We also purge any unused families from it. Then we post to our sftp site and allow them to grab it.
Of course before any of this happens, I always burn a CD of the revit model and any pdfs we've issued so I know where everything was prior to sending it off.
Edit:
Opps I think I'm reading this the wrong way. The building mfr wants you so send them model of your roof insulation. In that case you'd need to get the model from the MFR, start a new revit model. Link in their revit model (origin to origin is usually the best to start with) and model your roof insulation over the top of their model, then send a copy back to the MFR.

[jsteinhauer]

Paul,

Is your client asking you to model the building or provide them with content? Do they want you to model the insulation with proper thickness, sloping & thermal properties?

Thanks,
Jeff S.

[paul930149]

Not a building, but he wants existing CAD files to be available in BIM so someone at an AEC firm can use them in Revit. So yes on the thickness, sloping and thermal properties. Might also want to imbed LEED info into them too.

-Paul

[paul930149]

The manufacturer has CAD files for designers to grab off their web site along with all the technical docs. So we want to provide them with the same potential only for BIM. We would want revit files available for download by a BIM Manager at an AEC firm. Does that make sense? Any help very much appreciated.

-Paul

[jsteinhauer]

Paul,

Not to the barer of the wet blanket, but the Manufacturer might not understand 'BIM'. There are categories of content that can be created outside of a project environment. Then there are things called 'System Families' that reside only in a project. Walls, Floors, Roofs, Ceilings and maybe a few others fall under systems families. If you're talking about something the belongs to part of a roof system or a wall system, that needs to be developed in a project. Now, if you're thinking about doing a window, door, HVAC Unit or a Vending Machine, you're in business. Either way, you need definition from them as to what they're looking for. You'd also be able to do their typical details in drafting views, with detail items. Be sure to tie as much content creation to it's proper Assembly Code & Omni Classification Number (Spec Writers will love you). Are you at liberty to divulge your client publicly? If not, send me a private message, so I can get a better understanding of what you're being asked to do.

Thanks,
Jeff S.