Revit to ACAD Advice

[wse1]

I am bidding on a project that I intend on using Revit which the client wants in ACAD. I explained to the client that I can export my revit model to Acad, but they are skeptical of the results. In the past, I have exported some views to Acad, but never paid much attention to layers, line weigts, or pen settings. As a result, I ended up with a file that looks more like a DXF file.

I need a end product that looks and feels like it was originally done in Acad. To achieve this, I believe that there will be alot of clean-up work required. That is move/change things to the correct layers, colors, text style, dim style and so forth. I have requested information on the client's office layering and pen setup standards so that I can match their typical drawing set.

Does anyone have any suggestions or can point me to some reference material that will show me how to best set-up Revit to export to Acad which will result in the least amount of clean up work required?

If I can pull this off, I can expect future work from this client, which is much needed!

Thanks for the help.

[twiceroadsfool]

In all honesty, consider doing it in AutoCAD.

Setting up layers for export isnt terribly difficult, but depending on how they want those layers organzised, you might not be ABLE to do it from Revit. Which would mean cleanup in AutoCAD at the end. if theyre okay with or are using a standard that is close to the Catagories in Revit, youll be okay just recreating the exportlayers document in the export dialogue.

ANOTHER thing that is BRUTAL, is block definitions. if theyre going to get upset about those, give up now and draw it in autocad...

[barathd]

I just about ended up becoming a "basket case" attempting the same thing. I do not recommend doing this unless you are a masochist. The effort is just not worth it.

In my case the client wanted to dabble with the Acad drawings and return the results so I could change them back into Revit models.

I feel your pain - but no matter how much one would be willing to pay me - NEVER, NEVER ... again.

With this being said it can be done - just a matter of what sacrifice you are willing to make and HOW demanding your client is. Perfect Acad conversions - extraordinary effort required. Endless - thankless job.

Good luck.


Regards


Dick Barath

[Joef]

One of your problems will be dimensions. Acad changes all your text to txt.shx , which moves a lot of dimensions to different locations. Changing the text back to the font that you are using in REvit does not relocate the dimensions to their original position. I sent the problem to support and was told it is a known problem with no fix.

[BIMTom]

If the client has Autocad deliverable requirements documented, you may or may not be able to meet them

If they want the project to really be like it was created in Autocad, there's no way to get the XREFs, fonts, dimensions, blocks, and other little details to really look like they were done in Autocad when exporting from Revit.

[wse1]

Ah, you have confirmed my fears and suspicions. The thought of doing this project from scratch in Acad really sickens me; especially when I know how efficient and with better results I could get from Revit.

One compremise may be to use Revit to produce the rough floor plans, elevations and sections (the grunt work) and then convert and complete the dimensioning and notes in Acad. Would this be reasonable or am I still setting myself up for a nightmare?

Thanks for all of the great advice. Its very appreciated and most helpful!

[twiceroadsfool]

Doing so will basically give you the worst of both worlds, honestly. In revit, you spent more time up front getting things situated, so that you can reap the benefits of the intelligent model as you fly through documentation.

Starting in revit, then exporting out, youll get the slow process at the beginning of revit, and the slow process in documenting at the end, in autocad.

If they care that much about the way the AutoCAD DWG's are set up, i would do one of two things:

1. Do the project in AutoCAD, start to finish.
2. Do the entire project in Revit, and hire some High School students part time that learned autocad in drafting/tech class, and make them clean up the files for 8 bucks an hour. LOL...

[barathd]

I tried this all at a very early stage in Revit's development - it was a disaster.

There was great happiness and joy while I was using Revit in the initial design. Typically the engineers would delight in seeing their designs being created and manipulated in 3d. Everyone was pleased with the speed and clarity everything was progressing.

Then the weekend would approach and chaos, panic and fear would take over. "You need to send updated Autocad files to all other consultants." Everyone else would be going home and I would be starting the next shift to do silly conversions. The ridicule was not a lot of fun either. Somehow I would get the conversions done to acceptable levels.

Next week - same thing - again and again. I eventually lost my humor and politely explained we should part ways after 15 years of an enjoyable and productive relationship. I felt we moving in totally different directions and the different programs were not making a working relationship possible.

To my surprise- in short order the engineer I was working with gave in and agreed to do nothing other than "dirty conversions". In other words do an Autocad conversion - no cleanup necessary. This would be sent to the fellow consultants so they could verify locations, dimensions, heights, etc. Really this was sufficient just as long as all knew what the other was doing and at the end of the process working drawings were printed and stamped.

Seemed like all the toil had paid off - had a few months of enjoyment and outstanding productivity - unfortunately the engineer who was much more than just a working associate passed away.

Be careful what you get yourself into. Cheap help is nothing other than cheap help - more trouble than what it is worth - if you not careful you will end up doing the project in Revit and Autocad both for next to nothing.

Good luck.

[sbrown]

Make sure you check with the client to see if they would prefer to see their project in 3d throughout the project or receive autocad 2d drawings. If they say autocad, then do the work in autocad, there is NO efficiency in doing work in revit and exporting it to cad and cleaning it up. Now if the client doesn't actually use autocad and just wants the files then you can export by sheet and check the box so everything is bound into each sheet.

[Comach]

I understand that Autocad Architecture is bundled with Revit Architecture - would it be an option to do this using Autocad Architecture which of course would give you Acad compatibility and the benefit of a 3D model?