Forums >> Community >> Newbies >> Which Revit to pursue

Prophecy99

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I am not sure whch revit my company would need. 

We create prefab light gauge steel wall panels. I am the guy creating the shop drawings and plans etc.  Revit Arch was amazing when I worked for an Architectural firm. I still miss using it to this day. Now using Autocad 2008 I feel like Revit could help us but im not sure to which extent it could really help us, and to top it off if Revit Structure is better suited for us.

Heres a typical Job Script-

I create floor plans, sections, elevations similar to architecturals but largely focusing on showing the wall panels, panel joints, panel tags, doors & windows, door and window tags.  When I create sections and elevations largely focusing on showing the framing and framing connections, metal box headers, steel posts, distribution headers,r.o.'s, steel, floor lines, roof trusses etc. Anything directly related to the framing wither its curtinwall framing or load bearing.

Now I visualize Revit Arch Being ok for that, but when it comes to the shop drawings of the actual wall panels and all of the nitty gritty details, im not sure how well would revit arch would perform.  Do you guys think I could get a nice system down for creating the shop drawings? Usually a shop drawing consists of a wall panel elevation. It shows the actual framing members dimensioned, it graphically shows the members in the elevation and calls out the members to the t. We dont so much get into material cuts,counts etc. but it wouldnt be bad to include if revit had a nice way to do so. I faintly remember revits material take offs and schedules being very frustraighting.

I did notice a one paticular plug in or family component that did a heck of alot in revit for wall panels and shop drawings but i forget what it was.

Also is Revit really $4,000 like I remember it being? there's gotta be a betterway. I also remember some peeps telling me I could try the trial version and there was something I could do to produce 100% documents with no watermarks etc.

Thanks for any info all.

PS. I miss revit. and does anyone chat anymore?

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WWHub

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Joined: Tue, May 16, 2006
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You were just doing these shop drawings in 2D CAD - correct?  Once Revit is learned, we have found it far supeior than CAD for 2D work.... AS LONG AS IT DID NOT DEAL WITH TINY DIMENSIONS.  And the added adbvantage or Revit, is you can start with a model view, then turn off all or some of the model elements as appropriate.

I still think arch will work better for you. 

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Prophecy99

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thanks buddy, long time! I belive Arch is more approprriate also. The steel items we need are steel column I beam channels, angles sizes but that is usually allready id ARch or can be done with families. 

And to answer your question yest 95% 2D cad. I got into alot of nice dynamic blocks which are just like revit families but in autocad. You set up parameters etc and they can be easily changed though clicks or properties. Once in a blue moon I will do 3d CAD to display a complex area of framing.

I just found what I was thinking of. It really looks like a nice extension

www.strucsoftsolutions.com/mwfpro.asp

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Typhoon

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Joined: Tue, May 22, 2007
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Hi Prop... watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmYpKRr7ZyM

http://www.sds2.com/

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I Hope and I Wish to LEARN  more, and more, and more.... REVIT

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itsmyalterego

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Hey--you should DEFINITELY make your prefab panels in revit.

One of my favorite achievements has been making prefab structural wall panels and storefront panels that interlock seamlessly, with arraying T&G siding that stretches to fill any height and width of grid, built-in Kawneer 1600UT mullions--the works.  Generating the envelope of a 30,000sq.ft building took about half an hour, looked amazing, was absolutely trustworthy in its dimensions and essentially detailed itself.

If you/your company could provide a product that snaps into curtain walls and saves a lot of time and looks sweet, people might be more inclined to use it.  In the age of everyone using revit, nobody wants to model one thing as a placeholder, and call it out as another.  The preference is to build it exactly as it will be.  Or as close as possible.

Yes--revit is still expensive.  $6,800?  that's upfront cost--they're forcing everyone onto subscription.  Once you pay that initial cost, yearly subscription fees are $750, which will get you the nearly new release.

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Prophecy99

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Thanks Typhoon. Wow,  Just finished watchin that. It makes me feel ancient and so behind stil using 2d autocad again. That was amazing. And I will look into that, if we go the Revit Structural Route. At this point I can only draft the structural skeleton of our jobs by reffering to the structural drawings to coordinate things but there still seems to be problems here and there like this small one in the attached picture. Just bookmarked SDS/2.

Alterego, it sounds like you are using Revit Architectural. Do you work for a prefab shop or Arch firm? I know of some of competition that uses Revit for thier prefab wall panels also.  Do you produce shop drawings?

The saddest part for me is cost. That is a heck of cost, and I doubt we can afford that when Autocad is still "working" for us (me). I would have to sell them on the powers of revit.

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itsmyalterego

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I work for an architectural firm.  We're actually still looking for a manufacturer, but we've coordinated with the fire marshall and our engineers for the design.  gwb/4" foam/frp/frp/3" cedar. 

Eventually we will make detailed drawings of the layers, how they neSt with the glazing, and provide the dimensions for the dozen or so individual panels in the project.  But we are not to that point yet. 

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Prophecy99

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Well I am back at it again! and this time we are seriously looking at Revit Thanks to me. I pretty much am in charge of searching for the software that I will be using. We have AutoCAD 2008 now, and I have a nice system down, but its not effecient as I remember revit being.

I am so excited to see how this will go down , but also anxious and concerned I won't be able to do what I do now in basic 2D CAD

Can someone tell me what are the structural capabilities/limitations are in Revit Architecture?

Most projects I pretty much would need to model a very accurate steel skeleton with accurate wide flange beam sizes and columns heights etc.

So if i need a W10x44 I will need that to be the actual size it is, if I remember correctly you could model some structural beams in Revit architecture but it was limited. 

Pretty much i don't need to do renderings at all ( I have experience though) and will pretty much model the buildings and take the panels from there.

I am talking with StructSoft about their revit plugin MWF Wall Pro, which really seems the right direction to go if we get revit.

How is Revit 2014 ??  been outta the game for 3 years, and downloading the trial version now.

Thanks for any advice all!  Glad to possibly be back!

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WWHub

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We no longer have split programs.  It is Revit Suite - all in one.  All systems model acurately.

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Prophecy99

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so your saying, if I get  edit: Revit 2014, I will be able to model steel structures like I did in "Revit Structure 2009"?

Thanks buddy! good to see ya around still!

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WWHub

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Welcome back prophecy ... you will like 2014

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Prophecy99

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I am really confused now, you mentioned Revit is all in one now but it appears there is still a Revit Architecture 2014 and Revit Structure 2014... etc. etc.

when I got Revit 2014 quoted from a retailer they labeled it Revit Architecture 2014,

am I not going to have the limited structural steel modeling in Revit Architecture that I remember?

In better words, what are the current structural capabiliites that reside in Revit Archtiecture 2014 alone?

I need to model structural beams, and columns fairly well, I don't need to get into connections of them etc. but placement/clashing prevention of our framing etc.

Thanks in advance

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WWHub

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I did not think that they sold seperated packages anymore but they do.  On our subscription, we were moved to Building Design Suite which is all in one.  Autocad architecture, MEP, Raster Design, structural detailing, 3dSMax, Revit architecture, Revit Systems, Revit Structure, Showcase, and several other programs.

Sorry if I mislead you.

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Prophecy99

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So with everything, I would assume the full REVIT 2014 BIM suite would be more $$ than REVIT ARCHITECTURE 2014 , so at my trial isntall I am going to select Revit Architecture under the Discipline option, instead of all.

I want to see what tibits of structure reside in architecture.  It might be enough for our needs. I will post feedback once I see.

I hope we don't have to buy the full suite just to get some I-BEAM modeling.

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Prophecy99

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We officially purchased REVIT 2014 Building Suite! (Full Trades)  and we got MWF Prowall Plug In

!!! installing now.

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