How to Convert Images into CAD Drawings and Import Them into Revit for Modeling
In engineering projects, it’s sometimes necessary to create a logo for the client and display it within the model. If the client only provides an image, how can it be transformed into a final 3D model? While simple patterns can be manually traced, complex curved designs require converting bitmaps into vector graphics. Although this case study does not cover curved patterns, the method introduced here is similar.
1. Open the source image in Photoshop. Hold the Alt key and double-click the locked layer in the bottom right corner to unlock it. Once unlocked, the image becomes editable, as shown below.
2. Navigate to Select > Color Range in the menu bar. Hover over the blue area of the image and click to sample the blue color. Set the color tolerance to 200 (adjustable) and confirm, as illustrated.
3. The selected blue area will be outlined with a dotted line. Press Shift + Ctrl + I to invert the selection, highlighting everything outside the blue area. Press the Delete key to remove the outer area, retaining only the solid color and removing watermarks or unwanted elements, as shown.
4. Press Ctrl + Shift + Alt + S to open the Save for Web dialog box. Choose PNG-24 format (which supports transparency). Click Save and choose the destination folder, as demonstrated.
5. Download and open the Vector Magic software (used for bitmap to vector conversion). Drag the PNG image saved in the previous step into the program, then select Fully Automatic. You can also explore advanced options depending on your needs. Once the conversion completes, the left panel will display a yellow block, indicating the bitmap has been successfully converted to a vector image. You can adjust the detail level; here, Low detail is selected, as shown below.
6. Click Next to proceed to the Save Results screen. Set the file path, name, and format under the Quick Save tab. Choose DXF format and click Save, as illustrated.
7. Open the saved DXF file in CAD software and scale the image according to your project requirements. For this example, scale it to 1m by 1m, as shown.
8. Open Revit and create a new standard family. Go to Insert > Import CAD, and select the scaled DXF file. Use the stretch tool to pick lines and select the imported DWG pattern. Trim as necessary and set the stretch endpoints to complete the logo pattern model, as demonstrated below.
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Four Methods to Insert CAD into Revit Models
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