3d Models for Revit?

[hdjohnson]

We are currently looking for more realistic models (people, vehicles, landscaping) that we can put into Revit. Does anyone know if there are 3d packages that you can purchase that can be imported into Revit?

I've checked RUGI and didn't really see anything. I would like to get VIZ/MAX, but I can't really justify spending more money on a 3D program that we're only going to use 5% of the time. Anyway, if any one knows where I can find or purchase 3D models, please let me know.

Thanks in advance.

[JamesVan]

You can import 3D DXF/DWG/DGN data in the family editor. You just have to assign the appropriate materials to the imported layers for proper rendering. Check out the attached sample.

[hdjohnson]

JamesVan,

In your experience which format (DXF/DWG/DGN) works the best?

[Scott D Davis]

If you need people, cars, and trees for renderings, Accurender supports RPC objects. There are a ton of libraries of RPC stuff available to purchase.

[JamesVan]

In your experience which format (DXF/DWG/DGN) works the best?

Most of my 'experience' is with DWG. Very limited DXF's and I've only experimented with linking 3D structure from Structure for Triforma (DGN) into Revit with In-Place families. In my opinion, DWG's seem to fit best with Revit, but I wouldn't stop short of creating Revit families from DGN's...if I had some to work with.

[Steve_Stafford]

James,

I've created quite a few families from dgn files and used them for details as well. Arrows in dimensions and text are not translated well or at all...definitely not usable. I turn off those levels and replace with native text, leaders and dimensions.

DGN imports behave pretty well, exporting to dgn has some limitations but then doesn't any data export? Level and color control is "bylevel" despite the absence of that feature in the version of the dgn Revit supports, pre Version 8. RCP's from Revit to dgn do NOT work yet, the original or origin of the ceiling pattern is exported, not the changes you made to them...BAD Revit...BAD...Revit...this is very important in our environment and we had to do our RCP's in Microstation as a result. A serious penalty in my situation. Were over it now but hoping for improvement.

I definitely wonder what's in store for us now, DGN is open and public now, Autodesk owns Revit...I can't help but wonder if to support V8 we will be expected to export to DWG and reference the DWG to V8 only I don't know how soon the 2004 DWG will be fully supported in V8. A new version is due out pretty soon.

Fun, fun, fun!!!

So I got off my "duff" and experimented...export a RCP view to dwg 2000 format, RCP retained, then open it in MS V8...RCP still okay...this is a workaround. Export to DGN doesn't work, it's close with the latest build but it's still shifting the grid somehow. I created 3 rooms and inserted ceilings, A is then rotated 90, B is rotated 45 and C is moved "up" by 12"...A is not in the same position, B looks okay at 45 and C is not in the right spot either. Looks like dwg behaves itself so bringing that in MS seems to the only way to go at the moment...

[hand471037]

Just a quick heads-up on the RPC content thing. We just looked at this, for we had to do a big ol' site rendering, and we wanted to make it look good, and it needed lots of cars. So we were thinking of using those fab RPC cars, however Revit only supports RPC *2.0* content, not *3.0*. The 2.0 content is the simple 2D people and such. The 3.0 content is the more complex '2.5D' and '3.5D' content, i.e. the non-2D people (and cars, which are only RPC 3.0 as far as we can find) and the animated RPC content.

So don't run off and buy an RPC pack, make certain you can use it. We had to use 3D model cars from RUGI and old CAD models, it cam out ok, but it would have been faster to have used RPC, both in effort & rendering time. Let's hope that Revit 6 supports RPC 3.0!

[bclarch]

Let's hope that Revit 6 supports RPC 3.0!

You might want to post this in the wishlist forum.

[hdjohnson]

I was looking at the Archvision packages; however, they are quite expensive. Does anyone know of a comparable RPC package that can be used with Revit?

[MartyC]

I like free stuff, so spent a bit of time searching for furniture, cars in DXF (best, easily converted models)

Process for me has been the following: find dxf model, open in Acad, check/split layers as required, check scale/size (very important), save, import into appropriate family editor, highlight layers with random colours in materials editor (3d window), rename layers as required, assign accurender materials and voila, a sexy, free Revit car or furniture family in all its dimensionally accurate and detailed glory.

I found a good range of Beemers, Mercs, and stuff out there for free.

For furniture try http://www.e-interiors.net, http://www.hermanmiller.com

People are a problem, have to pay for those guys it seems (RPC's), landscaping in accurender isnt too bad I have found, but getting to grips with plant editor....well!! There is however, a lot of tools in Revit that can get you there.

Hope this is of assistance.

Cheers M

ps. is it possible to convert 3ds files for use in Revit....havent tried that yet. Any ideas?

[tatlin]

Also try www.accustudio.com They have a good chunk of dwg/dxf models in a wide variety of categories. they even have some revit families!

All the models there have accurender materials already set up, so you can pretty much use them straightaway in revit..

accustudio is also a good place to grab AR materials and plants or just learn a thing or two about AR.

[hdjohnson]

MartyC and tatlin thank you for your responses. I'm with MartyC the more free stuff I can get my hands on the better. Once again, thank you for your replies.

[jwilhelm]

Herman miller has their entire furniture line in dwg&dxf 3d models for download free (including the aeron chair)

also Kohler has all their bath fixtures available for free

these are all high quality models, you just have to loadfd them into a family and apply materials

[hand471037]

Heck yeah, I'll second the Herman Miller thing. They have TONS of content, including thier 'classics', it's great for quick renderings.

However they aren't so great for hidden line or shaded views, for the models are very triangulated not being Revit-native. But they look great when rendered! Easy to work with too, for all you do is insert them into a furniture fam, set the import layers to materials, and rendering away...

[PeterJ]

Load them, use them as template to a detail component for the plan view and the elevation. Then insert those detail components into your family and switch off the 3d representation in elevation and plan views so it only shows in renders and you have a decent family.

I thinkScott Brown offered it as a thread recently - try searching 'filled region in family' or similar...

[Martin P]

And if you have a digital camera and and some photo editing software, its not hard to cut and paste in your own people and cars, just get the angles right... I use google image searches, though it is sometimes hard to find stuff at the right angle... - the image I have in the gallery at the moment all the people, some of the trees, and the car were found on google.

I am currently working on a house as a "showpiece" for Revit work in the office. I plan to do a lot of internal views particularly the lounge, I want to have a Sony Wega flat screen TV with all the speakers etc and somebody on an armchair, hopefully I am going to do my internal views to suit the images I find rather than the other way round... (ie angle the 3D views to match the images, and hopefully I will have several choices of image from the web) not ideal at all, but better than building some pretty complicated families!!

[hand471037]

Hey Martin & everyone, ArchVision also makes a photoshop plug-in for RPC content. It lets you put an RPC on a photoshop layer, then control it's viewing angle and such... it's great for photoshopping in people/furniture after the fact. However you still gotta buy those RPC packs, which ain't cheap.

[Capt Steve]

Hi all

There is a free download converter called "Cross Roads" which I use now and again to convert 3DS to dxf and then import.

Trick is. Coordinates need to be adjust now and again for objects. ie, the model needs to be grounded at 0,0 = X,Y (in acad first) particularly for vehicles and grounded objects, then imported into Revit.

Also depending on detail the final converted revit object can be rather large!! Some guru may be able to advise how to reduce polygons, but I doubt it, especially some of the lovely german dxf models which have the 1st,2nd and reverse icons on the gear shift !! ....hehehe (kidding on that)

And also textural mapping can be a hasstle.................but hay you just try finding a detailed DENTIST CHAIR OR VESTPA MOTOR BIKE on the net for free.

Cheers
Steve

[hdjohnson]

Hi all

There is a free download converter called "Cross Roads" which I use now and again to convert 3DS to dxf and then import.

Trick is. Coordinates need to be adjust now and again for objects. ie, the model needs to be grounded at 0,0 = X,Y (in acad first) particularly for vehicles and grounded objects, then imported into Revit.

Also depending on detail the final converted revit object can be rather large!! Some guru may be able to advise how to reduce polygons, but I doubt it, especially some of the lovely german dxf models which have the 1st,2nd and reverse icons on the gear shift !! ....hehehe (kidding on that)

And also textural mapping can be a hasstle.................but hay you just try finding a detailed DENTIST CHAIR OR VESTPA MOTOR BIKE on the net for free.

Cheers
Steve

Steve,

Do you have a link to the website where I could download "Cross Roads"? Also, do you know of any websites that hose these "free" models?

[beegee]

Crossroads 3D (www.europa.com/~keithr/crossroads/)

[hdjohnson]

Thank you, beegee.