Some time ago, I explored the modeling software Revit through the BIM Building Training Network and gained valuable hands-on experience. Today, I’d like to share a concise summary of what I learned, focusing particularly on the most essential concept in Revit: the family.
As many know, the “family” in Revit is a fundamental feature that helps you manage and modify your models more efficiently. Unlike SketchUp models, which primarily represent geometry without embedded project intelligence, Revit families contain rich parameter data. Each family file includes numerous parameters such as size, shape, type, and other variable settings, allowing for flexible project modifications and updates.
After completing training on the BIM Architecture Training Network, I have compiled my personal insights and experiences below. I hope this summary helps others understand and appreciate the power of families in Revit.
1. Selecting the appropriate family template is crucial. It not only simplifies the layout process within your project but also significantly enhances the flexibility of the family, covering most construction family creation needs.
2. When creating a family, always start with reference planes and reference lines, even for simple families. Use alignment and locking tools to constrain size changes of family components. Pay careful attention to the work plane settings—if you cannot select a work plane, double-check that the reference plane has been properly named.
3. Utilize nested families whenever possible. Avoid including too many components within a single family to keep things manageable.
4. For circular components, enable the instance parameter that makes the center mark visible. This facilitates alignment and locking of the centerline in both directions.
5. Avoid attempting to array components within a family in one direction while simultaneously controlling size changes with parameters in another direction, as this often leads to failure. Instead, perform arrays in only one direction within the family and handle the other direction using nested families, especially when size changes are parameter-controlled.
6. When moving an array of components for a second or subsequent time, ensure they are aligned and locked to work planes in multiple directions to maintain consistency.
7. If a family is loaded based on plane selection, it can be arranged in any direction relative to that plane after loading into the project, allowing it to be rotated freely on any plane.
8. Once a family is loaded into a project, editing the family material within the family editor will not update the material in the project unless you change the material’s name. However, editing the material directly within the project will update it immediately.
9. Stickers and Plant RPC families are not visible in NavisWorks.
10. Use offsets to adjust the positioning of texture materials. Avoid aligning textures directly with model lines, as this can cause offset issues in NavisWorks.
11. If you export a family directly to the .nwc format, NavisWorks allows selection of individual elements such as extrusions and lofts. Otherwise, only material layers can be selected.
12. Standardize material naming carefully to avoid confusion. Revit will overwrite materials with the same name, regardless of differences in parameter settings.
13. Appearance information in Revit materials will only reflect in NavisWorks if the material name is modified. The internal identification name in Revit materials is not recognized by NavisWorks, affecting selection behavior.
This concludes my summary of the BIM Architecture Training Network experience. I welcome any feedback or additional insights to improve this overview.
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