Understanding Revit Family Types: Essentials of BIM Software

BIM Software Tips: Understanding Revit Family Types

The concept of a “family” in Revit is a powerful tool that helps you manage data and make modifications with ease. Each family element can contain multiple types, and depending on the creator’s design, each type may vary in size, shape, material settings, or other parameter values.

Revit categorizes families into three main types:

1. System Families

System families are predefined components in Autodesk Revit, representing essential building elements like walls, windows, and doors. For example, the basic wall system family includes types such as interior walls, exterior walls, foundation walls, regular walls, and partition walls. While you can copy and modify existing system families, creating new system families from scratch is not possible. Instead, you define new family types by adjusting their parameters.

2. Standard Component Families

Standard component families are loaded by default in project templates, but many more are available in the component library. These components can be created and modified using the Family Editor. You can copy existing standard component families or create new ones based on various family templates, which fall into two categories:

• Host-based families: These require a host element. For example, a door family is hosted by a wall.
• Independent families: These include elements like columns, trees, and furniture that do not require a host.

Family templates guide the creation and editing of these components. Standard component families exist outside the project environment as separate files with a .rfa extension. They can be loaded into projects, transferred between projects, and saved from project files back into your library.

3. In-Place Families

In-place families are model or annotation components created directly within a specific project. They are unique to that project and cannot be reused elsewhere. These families are useful for custom elements, such as specialized walls. When creating an in-place family, you select a category that controls the component’s appearance and display in the project.

With this overview, you should have a clearer understanding of Revit families. For deeper learning, practical experience and ongoing practice in your own projects are essential.

xuebim

Follow the latest BIM developments in the architecture industry, explore innovative building technologies, and discover cutting-edge industry insights.

← Scan with WeChat