Posts from "Product news" category

New Features for Smart Assemblies: Reinforcement Dimensioning Settings

Although our Smart Assemblies BIM tool already had ways of showing dimensions of rebar, more flexible options were needed for dimensioning rebar in assembly views. That’s mainly due to the fact that we’ve added some robust reinforcement tools for Revit to our portfolio.

This latest update of Smart Assemblies brings to bear the power of our well-known dimensioning technology – Smart Dimensions – so that you can automatically measure rebar in views. It takes a load of manual tasks off your plate, eliminating a lot of mouse-clicking so that you have more time to focus on real design tasks.

You can see few of the features applied in this video. Read in more detail about each below.

Copying Revit Parameters into Openings with Cut Opening [ENHANCED FEATURE]

Our Cut Opening BIM Solution does more than just create openings in Revit models. Among its other useful functions is one that lets you transfer parameter values into an opening element from the elements to which it belongs. For example, you can transfer parameters like System Name, Type, Classification, and Service Type.

Sometimes, though, that doesn’t cut it, and you need more information to be transferred.

That’s where the latest update Cut Opening comes in. Now you can copy all parameter values from a host (structural element) into the parameters of openings. The same goes for MEP elements: you can copy all parameter values from them into openings’ parameters.

So, if you need to copy the mark of, say, a wall into an opening or any information about an MEP service into an opening, you can do that with no problem using Cut Opening.

In this blogpost, we’ll look at how to do it in both the structural and MEP situations.

How to Rotate Revit Assembly Origin Automatically for Precast Sandwich Walls [VIDEO]

This feature of our Smart Assemblies tool has been around for several years already, but I’d just like to remind our existing users about it and show it to Revit users who are new to our Precast Concrete design software. Because this is a tip that can really help you save a lot of time by avoiding a lot of inefficient, boring clicking in Revit.

If you want to create individual piece tickets for precast concrete walls in Revit, your best option is to go with assemblies because they have separate views, schedules, and information about each production element.

The downside: Working with assemblies can be quite a pain if you use Revit out of the box.

Here’s an example with precast sandwich wall panels. In my test project I drew a couple of panels in different directions and created assemblies with Revit. Revit creates the assembly origin, which gives information about view directions.

Below you can see the axes of the origin, the green arrow being the direction of the front view. Notice that the orientation of the origin for most of the wall assemblies that I have created below is wrong.

Revit Assembly Rotation – Manual vs Automatic

How to Create Grid Lines in Revit Assembly Views [VIDEO]

Ever wondered how to make grid lines appear in assembly views in Revit?

By default in Revit, grids are only visible in model views. So, to remedy that, we spiffed up the shop drawing configurations of our Smart Assemblies add-on.

Now there’s an option to show grid lines in assembly views if they cross your element in the model. It works with different categories, and grids can go in both directions. All you need to do is to select ‘Insert Grids’ in the far right column of the Shop Drawing Configurations window for the views that you would like to see gridlines on.

Wall Reinforcement in Revit: Latest Updates

During our recent webinar about reinforcing precast concrete walls in Revit [WATCH], I showed some of the new features of our Wall Reinforcement add-in. These updates resolved several important issues that had come in from clients, so now the tool is better than ever, thanks to the Revit and BIM experts who use our software in their design work.

What we have done is add a new tab at the bottom-left of the configuration window – Additional reinforcement. Basically, it is reinforcement that can be distributed along any horizontal or vertical edges of the wall. There are different shapes, layout, and cover options, everything you need to automate the process of modelling reinforcement in Revit.

How to Create Dowel Bars in Precast Walls in Revit [WORKFLOW+VIDEO]

Dowels are used in precast concrete walls for forming connections between wall panels, usually in conjunction with grout tubes or cast-in-place elements. In this context, they’re also known as tie bar, lap bar, starter bar, or projecting bar. With our Wall Reinforcement tool, you can add straight or bent (L-shaped) dowel bars in Revit walls automatically according to the configurations that you define.

Follow the steps below to auto-insert dowel bar in precast wall panels in Revit.

How to Place Grout Tubes Automatically in Precast Designs in Revit [VIDEO]

Grout tubes are used in the construction of precast concrete buildings for connecting elements like walls, tilt-up panels, beams, and columns. They’re also known as grout ducts or sleeves. The way it works is a starter bar (also known as a lap bar or dowel) is precast in one element, say, a wall panel, and then on site that dowel slides into a sleeve that was precast into, say, another panel. The sleeve – typically made of plastic or corrugated steel – is then filled with concrete to form a connection between the wall panels.

Since precast designs can contain quite a lot of grout tubes, placing them is certainly worth automating. That’s where the Smart Connections feature of our Precast Concrete BIM Solution for Revit comes in. It has options that you can configure so that grout tubes will be placed in walls automatically, reducing the amount of time you need to spend on repetitive, manual tasks.

Here’s the workflow that I would recommend. Steps are also laid out below the video.

How to Set Up Automatic Dimensions using Smart Assemblies

With our Smart Assemblies BIM tool, you can quickly place dimensions on many kinds of Revit elements. In this post, we will look at precast walls since walls are one of the most time-consuming elements to detail. The same approach could be used for beams, columns, floors, and other elements. Smart Assemblies cuts out a ton of clicking that goes along with preparing shop drawings in Revit, reducing BIM stress and leaving you with more time for actual design work.

No matter where in the world a client may live, one thing that many of their drawings have in common is that two different dimension styles need to be used in the same view. And with Smart Assemblies that is no problem. Just use the Smart Dimensions configurations.

Let’s walk through an example to see how to set up the configurations, using a precast wall as an example.

New Feature added to Wall Reinforcement Revit Tool: Automated Rebar for Wall Corners

Walls can be connected in different ways, depending on the country and type of wall, whether it’s precast or cast-in-place. It takes quite a lot of time to model connection bars for walls in Revit, so we went ahead and automated it based on examples that some of our clients from seismic regions sent in.

This new update for our Wall Reinforcement tool lets you define how rebar should be placed at wall corner connections, so it eliminates the task of modelling those connections manually. One more reducer of BIM stress, right there. Use it on cast-in-situ or precast concrete walls. Here‘s a quick look at what you can do now for wall corners automatically.

Wood & Metal Framing in Revit: 5 New Features

The latest release of our Wood Framing and Metal Framing BIM Solutions includes five useful new features for Revit users. Our thanks go out to those BIM and Revit experts with whom we’ve been in contact to bring these to fruition. Together, we’re building BIM up and making it better for the good of the industry.

Let’s take a look at each of the updates.

WATCH our webinar (February 18, 2021) that goes through these and other updates.

Framing in Groups

This feature lets you frame walls in groups that may be replicated and mirrored throughout a project. Needless to say, it can save architects and designers copious amounts of time, especially with large framing projects in Revit.