Can't export my AutoCAD Plant 3D 2013 content into Revit Architectural 2013

[Anonymous]

I am using Plant Design Suite Ultimate 2013. I was awarded a Project with an Architectural Firm using Revit. My job is to model up all of the process equipment into 3D, and then route utility and process piping to all equipment for a Milk Processing Plant. I am receiving some equipment from suppliers as Inventor 2013, and the rest I am modeling up using Plant 3D (such as pumps, tanks, etc.). The challenges I have had so deal so far are file size issues and exporting the content for use in Revit.

To deal with file size I chose to use the Autodesk exchange method of exporting model content from Inventor, and then create the equipment as Plant 3D by importing AEC method. This seemed to greatly reduce the file sizes of the equipment, goal one achieved. Now I have my Plant 3D equipment located in AutoCAD relative to the building. [Note: The Building content is an

export from Revit to AutoCAD 2013, and we are all using Origin to Origin method for coordination]

Before reducing the file size by the method above, we were exchanging data in native AutoCAD 2013 files. The process was straight forward, and yes it took a few minutes to load a linked AutoCAD file to Revit, but once it was complete it seemed to work. However, there were many groans from the architect that the files were growing in size so much that it was impractical to work with.  Also, we still didn't have any pipe, only major pieces of equipment, and a long way to go so we knew we were in trouble.

Now I am using the Plant Suite 2013's Revit Structural, and importing the AutoCAD content created from Plant 3D directly into Revit. It seemed to work fine on my end. I can open and see my equipment from AutoCAD in Revit, however the architect is not seeing my content at all. So, we have discussed the issues in great lengths, including topics such as creating Families of each part in Revit, and basically rebuilding the equipment by placing each component into the Revit model in it's correct position. I have not been successful with this method yet. I admit, I am not a strong user of Revit, but there must be an easier way to solve this issue.

1. Why can't the architect see my Plant 3D content as linked AutoCAD after creating the components from Plant?  I can see them in Revit Structural, but when the architect links my Revit project to theirs, they see nothing?
2. What is going to happen when I start adding pipe? I can not rebuild the pipe as Revit Family components.

Signed,

One frustrated Plant 3D user 

rworland@dsidsc.com

ron.worland@gmail.com

[TomislavGolubovic]

With the Linked AutoCAD file, are you exporting using EXPORTTOAUTOCAD or linking the actual Plant3D file?

[Anonymous]

We are processing and generating the equipment through several phases of the construction.  Phase I was generated preliminary proposed equipment for coordinated design proposals.  At this phase everything generated was created using native AutoCAD 2013. These files linked straight in to Revit.  At this Phase, we didn't have any Plant 3D content, but we were having trouble with file size  Everything was strictly AutoCAD generated geometry.

Now we are in Phase II.  This Phase is updating equipment from proposed to actual equipment supplied by the vendors or manufacturers.  At this point we are receiving content from Inventor. Here i swhere the AudoCAD files became too large fo rRevit to handle.  Since we were having trouble with file size, and now cross platforms, we went straight to Plant 3D for solutions. We didn't try linking the Autocad Plant 3D files directly to Revit, because the client is insisting we deliver Revit files to aid in file size.  So, we didn't try linking the Plant 3D files to Revit.  Instead, we began exploring importing the Plant files into Revit Structural.  This is where we are today, and what we created seemed good to us, however our delivered Revit was empty when linked to the Revit Building Project file.

[Anonymous]

We have been dealing with the same thing for the last 4 months on a wastewater plant.

The only thing that has worked so far is to export the piping from Plant3d, turn this into a block, and

load this intoa Revit family. If you do not make it a family when you cut sections in Revit it will not cut the pipe.

Another frustrated Plant3d User

[Anonymous]

Make sure you're exporting from Plant 3D first. Then, in Revit, you don't have to import into a family if you don't want to. Try this: In the Revit project, start an In-Place family (Component > Model In Place). Then, link the exported dwg into that. That way you can keep the export up to date. Hope this helps.