Revit and ADT working together

[aricke]

We, as the architects, may soon be in a position to be using Revit in conjunction with consultants (Mechanical, Electrical, Hydraulic, Fire, etc) using ADT.

The client is determined to have it all documented in 3d.

Has anyone had experience using ADT and Revit? Is it at all viable? I suspect the interoperability will not be great but will it be tolerable.

Regards, Andreas Ricke

[Chad Smith]

You won't get any interoperability in terms of exporting out of Revit and having the objects behave as objects in ADT, and vice-versa. The best you will get is a linework drawing which you would edit as if it was an AutoCAD drawing. So it becomes an Revit / AutoCAD scenario, hence the Revit Series which Autodesk distributes.

In terms of getting linework out of Revit and using in AutoCAD, it's quite good. You can export out with layers and colours and the resulting exported file is completely flat (2D).

[Scott D Davis]

If the ADT components will export to AutoCAD solids, then Revit 7.0 will be able to use this 3D information.

[Chad Smith]

If the ADT components will export to AutoCAD solids, then Revit 7.0 will be able to use this 3D information.
Ahhh yes. Andreas, if you do a standard EXPLODE command on your ADT objects, you can convert them to regular AutoCAD blocks within the drawing which you will be able to link into Revit 7.0.

You have to make sure that the entire project is exploded at the same time, otherwise if you explode say a wall and there is a door associated with it, the door will be deleted. But if your consultants are using AutoCAD solids for their HVAC then there shouldn't be a problem.

[aricke]

Thank you all for your responses.

I am thinking that Revit 7.0 will be able to handle things a bit better than 6.1. I dare say Revit 8 will be that much better again.

I am following this up with some of the Autodesk people in Australia. I will keep you posted of any revelations.

Andreas Ricke

[jarod.tulanowski]

Ohh once I left the ADT darkside, I will never go back. (for 3d that is)

You might want to use ADT for the 2d drawing elements, and link them into Revit wich will manage them better than ADT.

I found that modeling and coordinating sheets works incredible in revit, but detailing can be a tedious job.