Revit VS. Tekla

[Pepen]

I would like to ask all revit users out there about steelwork modelling.
I'm using revit for 5 years now and already did a lot of steel projects in revit. Just recently, I used Tekla for modelling my steelwork in a bit complicated project and it feels so easy to model the steelwork in Tekla than in Revit especially the connections details, I dont have any problems with constraints, modelling in 3D environment is fairly easy without using a lot of reference planes, I can snap on the face of objects..etc.

Now my question is - for what reason should I go back using Revit for steel modelling when there is an easier package to use? I really love to use revit but now I am having a second thought.

I am aware that most architects uses Revit and ask for a Revit structure model for deliverables but I can easily export Tekla model into revit when I needed to issue to architect.

The drawing output in Tekla is not similar in Revit, but the drawing output in Tekla is getting better ....

Hopefully I will find back my Love for Revit........

[david_peterson]

I would say the answer to your question comes in 2 parts.
1.) If you do building design, Revit is a better tool for creating design documents. Revit would such for shop drawings.
2.) If you do shop drawings, Tekla would be better.
And I'll throw in a 3rd.
Some States in the US required Revit as their Bim tool for Record Documents. So it all needs to translate.
And I guess #4 is the price. I haven't looked in a long while, but I thought that Tekla was closer to a $25k program. Of course I think it actually dose the Analytical model so there might be a benefit there.
Just my 2 cents.

[Pepen]

For the first Part 1. Design Drawings - Yes we are producing design drawings but included on our design drawings are initial details of steel connections which we need to convey to shop detailers for them to start with. The main issue with revit is that, let say we create a live section or a callout of a connection, annotate it, add symbols and detail items then place it on a sheet. All these symbols and detail items are not associated with the 3d object so that if the geometry changes, even if it is a very minor change i need to keep on coming back to these details and move it manually which is very time consuming. Sometimes vertical beam on a framing just doesn't want to place itself correctly unless you do some workaround and tweak it, add this all up and we end up wasting time trying to massage the model to suit our design drawing. Some of my team members are already getting frustrated of how revit is not very user friendly........am I doing an incorrect method of modelling??? absolutely not...........these issues are there for a while but it seems autodesk is happy for users to just " Do some workaround" whenever we model in revit........

[dmahan]

SDS/2 has developed a add-on to Revit called SDS/2 Connect for Revit Connections, works inside of Revit to design and detail connections.
You can download working demo for review, I think you would like how it automates connections for Revit.
I agree with you the standard out of box Revit does not do connections well, too much work to even try.

This add-on round trips Revit into the SDS/2 Steel Detailing Program, I assume that some sort of CIS/2 format is used for data exchange, if so this might work with your
Tekla Steel Detailers.