Workflow question using multi-disciplines

[GreyHippo]

We have an architect in our office using Revit and plan to start using Revit MEP and Revit Structure for design sanitary sewer treatment plants. How should the Revit files be setup when using multi-disciplines. For specific building or structure the will there be separate files for each discipline which are linked to each other? Where will the sheet views reside? In another sheet file? What about details and sections? By he way we are using Revit 2013

Thanks

[graphite]

One of the bigger questions to ask yourself is: Do we have an efficient template set up for all disciplines? If not there will be a lot of work ahead in terms of developing a template.

In a nutshell, you need to have a BIM meeting with all disciplines present to figure out big picture coordination things like this before the project starts. This meeting just covers topics which relate to the modeling and use of the BIM model, very different focus than a project kickoff meeting. I cannot tell you how important this meeting is: your project is bound to fail if this meeting does not happen. the reason this meeting is crucial is because everyone has different expectations of what the model is intended to do until those expectations are adjusted based upon goals set for the model. Just go ahead and google BIM meeting agenda and you will find plenty examples of concerns and questions people have collected to bring to the table for BIM meetings. In the meeting you cover things such as:

1 How is the model linked?
2.Where is the model stored: server in the building? server in another state?
3. Who is responsible for modeling what
- for example is structural modeling the floor or is architecture modeling the floor. both disciplines contribute to the information about the floor. Typically the floor is modeled and then copy monitored so that both disicplines are aware of changes made to the element.
4. What is the purpose of the model:
-Will the model be used for quantity takeoff/estimating
-Rendering/visualization
-BIM deliverable
(all of these goals change how the model is approached in terms of modeling)
5. How many offices will be using the model?
6. How many users will be accesssing the model daily
-this affects the time it takes to save on very large projects

As for the linking of disciplines you should read up on shared coordinates. The long and short of it is that all disciplines model in their own respective models: Architecture has their own model, structural their own, MEP their own. Architecture model is linked into the structural as well as the MEP model, vice versa.

Sheet views reside in their respective discipline's model. Details and section if they are architectural will be living in the architectural model.

I asked this question not too long ago when I was faced with coordinating all the disciplines for our firm. http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?139692-Bim-Kickoff-Meeting

[GreyHippo]

When sheet views reside in their respective discipline's model, how would a set of project drawings be plotted. Would you have to plot them from each individual file? Is there something similar to AutoCAD's sheet set manager?

[graphite]

The idea with Revit is to let the different disciplines handle their own domain. This follows for sheets as well. Typically everyone PDF's their sheets and then the architects will combine the seperate PDF's into one combined set to then be printed or sent out for printing.

Also another very important thing to note is that you should not be opening up another disciplines central model. Architecture has no reason opening up an MEP central model, as it is linked into the Arch model already. Alot of times autocad users cannot find something in their discipline's model so they will proceed to try opening up another disciplines model to copy/manipulate/verify/measure elements. Sounds ok right? WRONG. Everyone is on their own Revit platform. Architecture has revit architecture, MEP has revit MEP.... If MEP opens up a architectural central model it can corrupt that central model for the architecture group. This is not autocad. You can't just open up files to take a peek and see something.

More often times than not when people do not see another disciplines information in their model it is because they do not know how to correctly modify the visibility of the linked file using Linked visibility graphics. This allows you to hide or show elements from the linked model, so that information form another disciplines is underlayed beneath your information.

Again ask yourself: Are you working with revit OOTB or has a consultant come in and assisted you in setting up a template for the different disciplines? If you are working out of the box you have bigger issues than trying to work with different disciplines.

[GreyHippo]

Thanks for the info. We will be working with Revit OOTB.

[graphite]

Well, it is going to be difficult to do multi-discipline coordination on a project with revit OOTB as there are no preset view templates that control what disciplines will be shown in the view. I suggest you spend some time looking for a BIM consultant to help you set up a robust template so that every time you start a project you are not having to reset all of the visibility states of the views.