11034 Advanced Building Information Modeling (BIM)

Exercise 02
Learning objectives

Revit Families: Creating a Host-based Family, a conceptual and a detailed, modular Window
Earlier we have created a simple family, a Standalone family. Now we will deal with host-based. Host-based families have components that require hosts. An example is a window family hosted by a wall family. The window family template contains a generic wall (system family) and an opening (Opening Cut) and two dimensions defining the opening vertically as parameters: Default Sill Height and the Height for the opening. One parameter defines the Width of the opening. These parameters are type parameters, but are adjustable after the window is part of the project. In this opening you create more or less detailed window families. In BIM design we have a concept, Information Level, expressing a proposals degree of concretisation, from an early stage to a fully detailed project. In this task, we work with two of 6 levels of information: Level 1 (exercise A) and level 4 (exercise B). A reference to cuneco materials about Information levels: http://cuneco.dk/informationsniveauer#3

Tutorial:

Creating a Window Family The tutorial is taken from the Autodesk website. You can download it from the URL address: http://revit.downloads.autodesk.com/download/RAC2009/Families_Guide/E NU/Family_Guide/PDF/ArchitectureFamiliesMetENU.pdf Part 1: creating a simple window family. Page 241 to 258. Here you only create a custom window family on the definition of a fixed rectangular window. You do not create the grille or mullions. You use a sweep operation to create the window frame, and extrusion for the sash and glazing. Part 2: You create and assign materials to the windows components, glass and pine finish. Page 271 to 274, Assigning Materials to the window components.

Exercise 02A

Making a window family on a conceptual level, Information Level 1. It is a very simple representation of a window: an opening covered with a piece of glass. There are no details as frame, sash, joint etc. The procedure is simple. You make a New / Family. You choose a window family template. Here is the opening created with parameters. You make e piece of glass (Extrusion) aligned to the surfaces in the openings and then lock the constraints. Finally you define the material for the piece of glass. Make several types with different modular dimensions (900, 1200, 1500 mm.). A CCS Classification Code We want to give the window family a classification code after the Danish cuneco system CCS. The classification code is a parameter and you have two types: 1) a shared parameter (it has its own file and can be shared between different families and project plus you can see it in a schedule) and 2) a simple parameter included in the family file. In this exercise we use the simple one. The procedure is as follow:

DTU Byg E13/fv

In the family file you choose Modify > Properties > Family Types > and in the Parameters field you choose Add In the Parameter Properties window you choose Family parameter. In the Parameter Data field you choose Type and under Name write: CCSclassificationCode, Discipline: Common, Type of Parameter: Text and Group parameter under: Identity Data. Now you have your parameter in your family file. Now we will give a value (CCS code for window). Cuneco have made a tool to get the classification tool (it is only in a beta version). You can get it from the website: http://cunecoclassification.dk/. Here you can search for vindue (window) (unfortunately only in Danish for the moment). Vindue is a komponent (component) and you write the value in the value column. Exercise 02B Component specifications: Making your own Window Family: A Single Window after Danish Standards with fixed parameters. Detailed as Information Level 4. A Danish windows manufacturer wants a Revit Window Family containing all the types of his single rectangular windows. He wants it in height detailing, so it can be used in digital 3D projects by the consultants in the Detailed Design phase. Height detailing means, that a joint (Danish: joint) and the real dimensions of the window are included in the window specification. It is a single rectangular Window. The Width and the Height of the window are Type parameters. The Sill Height is an Instance parameter. The Window Family want to be constructed with some dimensions fixed and some dimensions parametric. In the following specifications the parameters is emphasized with a bold font, and de default values is in normal font.

Frame

The dimension of the frame profile is partly parametric. In the drawing you can se the dimensions and parameters: The Frame Width is parametric (Type). The Frame Height is parametric (default 50 mm). The insertion Sash Length is parametric (default 50 mm). The Sash Stop plane (Danish: anslaget) is fixed 20 mm.

Sash

For the profile of the sash: the Sash Width and the Sash Height is the same (the type parameter: Sash Length).

Glass Window insertion

The glazing is located 25 mm from the sash exterior plane. The glass dimension is 12 mm or you define it as a parameter: Glass Thickness. When you insert the window in a project you can specify an offset from the external plane of the wall. This parameter is called Window Insertion, and is an instance parameter. It is a detailed window construction, so we want the joint contained in the construction. In the other hand we want to make window types of a modular kind: 600, 900, 1200 mm etc. That means that we subtract half a joint inside the window and inside the wall around the border of the window. An example: We insert a window with a modular width at 900 mm. The concrete window have the width 888 mm and the opening have the width 912 mm. To do so it can be beneficial to make a bigger opening in the wall for the window: the modular width plus 2 x a joint. See later how to make a bigger opening.

Joint

Materials

You assign materials to the window elements. We want two different materials at the frame and at the sash and we want the glass transparent with a green colour. If you make the joint solid we want it light gray. We want hatch in the materials when you make a cut view.

CCS Classification

We want the Code for the CCS classification implemented in the family file as a parameter. Use the same procedure as in exercise 02A. Template You select the Family Template: Metric Window.rft Modelling the geometry: You start making all the reference planes. Remember reference planes for the joint. You make dimensions and you add parameters. After that you make the solids by sweep operations or other operations. Remember to lock the vertex to the reference plane. Making a new opening You make a new opening in the wall by Void Extrusion. In order to use the void as a new opening, you need to delete the standard rectangular opening cut. Also, the void needs to be cut from the wall geometry. Go to a 3D view. Select the left vertical edge of the default opening and press Delete. The opening in the wall is deleted. On the Tools toolbar click Cut Geometry. Select the void, and then select the wall geometry. The void is cut from the wall. Making Family Types: Make 6 Types based on: Width modular: 600, 900, and 1200 (Module unit: 3M = 300 mm). Height modular: 600, 800, 1000, and 1200 (Module unit: 2M = 200 mm).

Procedure for the exercise

Create a parameter: CCSclassificationCode and give it a value. Implement the types in a project Use the Family Types in a concrete project. On the campus net you can find a Revit project: VM Building from exercise 01. Upload your Family to the project and use your Family Types to exchange some of the windows. Output from the exercise On the campusnet/Assignments you upload the files from your exercises: .rfa files from exercise 02A and 02B. A plot in PDF of the exterior of the VM Building including the new windows in a 3D view. Make a render image.