CAD Details to go into Revit

[Dr._House]

I've been trying to load in some Architectual Details into a Revit Model, and everytime I use the Import Option it comes in all thick lined and my hatching turns solid and it's just not what I'm looking for. Is there any other options out there? The "Band-Aid" solution I came up with was to Plot the CAD File to a PDF and then make them Raster Images in Revit.. it works, but I want to know if there is an easier way.

Thanks for your time
Ryan

[mjward1]

Is it possible to redraw that particular detail as a detail family?

[MNsnowtaTy]

You're way better off just converting the details into Revit. Use Full Explode to explode the CAD detail in Revit, then switch all CAD linework to Revit appropriate line work for the layers they were on in Cad, switch the hatches into the desired filled regions that are needed if if they did turn solid, change any text and leaders into Revit text. To insure you aren't bogging down the file with extra CAD stuff delete all those imported CAD lines and text that aren't being used anymore.

[ambera]

If you don't have the time to (partial) explode and then convert everything to Revit lines and text, you want to make sure that you are bringing the cad details into a Detail View and you shouldn't have any problems with the line weights. However, if you haven't set up Revit to read your AutoCAD line weights, you will not see any change.

Then, when you have time, you can convert everything to Revit info.

[Andre Carvalho]

I've been trying to load in some Architectual Details into a Revit Model, and everytime I use the Import Option it comes in all thick lined and my hatching turns solid and it's just not what I'm looking for. Is there any other options out there? The "Band-Aid" solution I came up with was to Plot the CAD File to a PDF and then make them Raster Images in Revit.. it works, but I want to know if there is an easier way.

Thanks for your time
Ryan

Ryan,

Take a look at this thread: http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=73804
It may help you.

Andre Carvalho

[kpaxton]

rtivis,
Good afternoon. I feel the need to clarify a couple of the points that have been made here. To answer your question, YES - there is an easier way. It does depend on what and how you're going to approach this in your office, not just in this project. As has been suggested, it is preferred to convert your ACAD details into REVIT details for later use in Revit projects as there is less overhead and "mess".

Here are the general steps to take if you want to keep the detail as a DWG.

Go to File > Import/Export settings > Import Line Weights and choose your conversion TXT file for IMPORTING. If you see all 1's here, you don't have a correct file setting loaded.
Click on the LOAD button to find your file. If you haven't made one specifically for your office, you'll need to make one. Good news this is based on the Color of the layers in Acad. This will be used to covert the DWG files when imported/linked.
If you see bad line weights, you will need to delete the DWG and re-link it into your project. It is very difficult to reassign this once it's in your project.
DO NOT Import - LINK the DWG into your project's view. This will act like an Xref and if there is a change in the external file, it will be able to be updated.
Place each detail in its own Drafting View so it can be referenced on a sheet.If you want to Convert a detail.

I prefer teaching my students that if they have the time (which they should make a choice to do so now), then they should 'convert' the DWG to a Revit detail.
Open a 'Dirty Project file" - one that you can discard or keep for conversions later.
Have your Project file or a 'clean' Detail Project File open concurrently in the same Revit Session.
Create a new Drafting View for the detail to be imported.
Prior to importing the DWG, make sure there are no wayward AEC blocks - these can cause some headaches later.
IMPORT the DWG into the Drafting view.
I use Partial Explode, as opposed to the other user suggests, I run into less problems that way with hatches, etc. but a full explode will also work. This is analogous to exploding in AutoCAD 2008 with nested xrefs and blocks.
NOTE: You cannot explode linked files or an import symbol that would yield more than 10,000 elements
You'll get warnings such as the following - Just press Delete Element(s):
Line is too short,
Can't draw Detail Filled Region,
Line in Sketch is slightly off axis and may cause inaccuracies.
Once exploded, I typically delete the leaders and dimensions (left till I create new Revit Dimensions.) The text will be converted into Revit Text which you then select, and change it's Type to your Revit Text Style and add a leader.
I delete any Insulation or aberrant hatching and recreate using Revit detail components and Filled Regions.
I'll then select the whole detail, use the Filter tool and select one layer at a time, and select the proper Revit Line work from the Type Selector pulldown.
Once converted - and another Filter confirms this- then select all of the detail, and press Ctrl-C.
Go to a new Drafting view in your Project or Detail Project, and Ctrl-V to paste it into place. This avoids having all the DWG layer, linetype, filled region and text styles from clogging your Project.The preferred method?

Convert the detail, and use Detail Components and Filled Regions to be a true Revit Detail!!!
the above suggestion can also be used in conjunction with the above outline conversion process.Hope this helps,
Kyle

[Lashers]

You could also be importing the file using the wrong units. If you leave the choice to Revit to decide the units it could get it wrong. In the dialog box select the import units according to the units used to create the detail file.

I have had this in the past and corrected it with this method, hope it helps.

[sroy]

I am new to Revit and one of the first things I am looking at is how to import cad details into Revit.

Is there any way when importing a cad detail to have Revit look at an import file that has the layers we currently use and then what corresponding Revit linework that these layers should be put on? Or is the only way to do this is import the drawing, filter the specific layers and add to proper lineweight?

I found a way to have the items come into specific lineweights and thought there may be something like this.

Shawn

[MNsnowtaTy]

I am new to Revit and one of the first things I am looking at is how to import cad details into Revit.

Is there any way when importing a cad detail to have Revit look at an import file that has the layers we currently use and then what corresponding Revit linework that these layers should be put on? Or is the only way to do this is import the drawing, filter the specific layers and add to proper lineweight?

I found a way to have the items come into specific lineweights and thought there may be something like this.

Shawn

I'm pretty sure that you have to import and explode and then convert your ACAD layers to your Revit layers.

[FWSchreck]

We've been holding off converting our 1500+ AutoCAD detail library to Revit because of the time and costs involved in following the methods explained in this thread.

Does anyone know if Autodesk/3rd party developers are working on a way to quickly and cleanly convert AutoCAD details into Revit projects?

[BomberAIA]

I open a Drafting View and import and explode the acad detail. Then I change the text to a Revit font. I convert some items to Revit Detail Components and heavy up some line work. Now I have many of my old Acad details converted to Revit Details saved in views.

[Lashers]

I can understand why some companies are reluctant to go through the process of converting details into revit, but it is an opportunity to review your detail library and make sure that everything is up to date with current regulations . Also, on reviewing you may find that you are not even using a large % of them anyway.

Let a trainee do it as well, this will give them a head start on trying to understand the detailing element of construction!

I am saying all this because I wish I had a library to convert! My business is too young to have a decent library!

my 2pence

[dbaldacchino]

Like many others, we have been using what we have in our dwg library (link into Drafting views) but we have committed to re-create our details in Revit. It makes little sense to explode and do a lot of deleting etc. It's easier to just link the original detail into Revit and rebuild with detail components and use as little linework as possible. Remember that this will result in future benefits when you use spec generating software when it looks at your assembly codes. This relies heavily on the "I" in BIM and you cannot put that information in exploded linework, hence the reason to do it right. You could assemble a set of specs or at least an outline from your Revit 2D details only.

[Dr._House]

Awesome info! Thanks for the help and tips so far! For the project I was working on I just imported the CAD Format to a Drafting View and left it at that, we're subbing to an architect and they are the ones that did pretty much all of the drafting, they just needed us to detail how the frames would be connecting.. but in the future I'll go through the whole Library and get the "I" in BIM updated ;).

[jmcdaniel.218119]

I realize this is an older discussion thread, but just in case anyone finds benefit; I'll go ahead and throw in my two cents. I work at an architecture firm that recently created a web based start-up company. The goal is to make Revit detailing easier and more efficient for architecture firms transitioning to Revit or without an extensive native Revit built detail library of their own. The interface allows access to our library of high quality Revit built details (we currently have over 36,000 and growing), all are constructed with 2-d Parametric components, that can be easily manipulated. You can check us out at www.ARCxl.com (there are no risk free samples available). I hope this helps.

[dbaldacchino]

This looks extremely interesting! Is the web-based UI looking through a database of some sort to find ready-made details that you have in your "vault" or are they being built on the fly?

More than the details themselves, I'm very interested in learning about the management system you have in place. Have you considered selling that system instead of the details? I think your concept works well for small firms but large firms that have their own libraries would probably not spend the money to buy what they already have. The big issue in my opinion right now is managing those details. Once I buy them, I'm stuck with the management nightmare (if I want to re-use a detail I bought, I'm back in the original conundrum of how to classify it, how to find it easily, etc).

[jmcdaniel.218119]

Yes, the UI locates a code number belonging to a readymade detail in our “vault”. The management system works well for our intended purpose but would be difficult to manage, market, maintain, update and train in offices outside our own. We prefer a “cloud” model that anyone can access from anywhere, while we manage it from a single location.

ARCxl.com is exploring the possibility of having users upload their own details to our “cloud”, secured by encrypted passwords and available only to them through our interface. Easier said than done. We could create an exchange for useful details that would be rebuilt using our standards and would allow some resale value to both parties.

To address the big issue you mentioned, let’s look at it another way i.e., we aren’t necessarily selling details, but selling the use of our current Revit detail library/management system on a per use basis, paid for through our downloads (they just happen to be Revit built details). You’re not really stuck with a management nightmare, the downloads are relatively inexpensive and therefore disposable. If you do the math, it’s cheaper to use them once and come back later for the same detail (even with some modifications). We will lower our prices as soon as we can.

Thanks for the question,
Mark A. Siever, AIA, CSI
President, ARCxl.com

[msiever.265314]

For anyone that is responsible for Revit detailing, I would highly recommend you look at ARCxl.com. These completed construction details (not mere components) were built from scratch native in Autodesk Revit. Not only is most of the work done for you, they import much better than other CAD formats, and they are already parametric needing only minor modifications to suit your projects.

Their use is far more efficient than fighting with the conversion of CAD files, additionally CAD files contain layers and unwanted overhead creating file size problems. CAD details don’t contain important BIM features.

Best regards!