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Modeling curved surfaces

8 REPLIES 8
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Message 1 of 9
danbush
5362 Views, 8 Replies

Modeling curved surfaces

I've been given the job of recreating some curved walls in Revit that were origianlly modeled in sketchup.  The modeler did not keep the original curved surfaces.  I've tried importing the sketchup model into a mass in revit but I cannot snap to the geometry to place points.  I've tried the same thing in a conceptual mass but to no avail.

 

How can I EASILY use the sketchup mass to create new surfaces to apply walls to?  Please be as specific with your recommendations as possible (use conceptual mass environment, use in-place mass, splines, points, reference places, etc) as I am new to 3d modeling in revit.

 

Walls

8 REPLIES 8
Message 2 of 9
scott_d_davis
in reply to: danbush

I would like to tell you that you can import the SKP file and use it as a Mass in Revit.  Well, you can, but there is a problem.  Because sketchup is a surface modeler, it actaully does not draw a "curve".  It approximates curves by faceting the curve into flat planes, and when it displays it on-screen, the sketchup graphics displays what looks like a beautifully curved object.  In terms of geometry, its not.

 

So when you bring this SKP file into a Mass family in Revit, it will be made up of many flat surfaces to approximate the curve (a sketchup limitation, not a Revit limitation) and when you try to "pick" the faces of the Mass to make walls, each piece will be a separate wall element that is flat/straight.

 

So what do you do?  You can use the sketchup file in a Mass Family, which it sounds like you have already done.  Then drop that family into a project, and do an In-place mass and use the sketchup file to get as close as you can.  You should be able to snap to points at the base of this geometry in plan view, to help to start remodeling the geometry.

 

its hard to tell exactly what's going on from your image, but it looks pretty straight forward and you should be able to model it easily in Revit.

 

Can you attach the SKP file here and give one of us a crack at it?



Scott D Davis
Sr AEC Technical Specialist
Message 3 of 9
danbush
in reply to: scott_d_davis

Scott:

 

I have NOT been able to snap to the sketchup.  It is probably me not knowing what I'm doing.

 

Here is the sketchup model.  I am sure interested in a detailed explanation of your workflow if you are able to reproduce it. 

 

You mentioned starting in plan view:  The geometry is curved in plan but then after lofting, it is leaned over at 7 degrees or so.  It is then sliced off at a certain height, etc.  Mamy, many steps that I do not and cannot seem to figure out in revit.  Very frustrating and perhaps I'm trying to do something that is better done in some other software but unfortunately, I am restricted to Revit.

 

Thanks again,

 

Dan

Message 4 of 9
scott_d_davis
in reply to: danbush

Capture.PNG

 

ok attached is your Revit RFA Mass family, to be inserted in a project.  In a nutshell, I used the sketchup geometry by importing it into a new Mass family, using the Mass template.  Once imported, i used the Point tool, and the Set button over and over again to place Points on key lines in the sketchup file.  The Set button allows you to pick an indivual face from the sketchup model, and then place points on that plane, with snapping.  thats key in Revit...snapping only works in the plane you are working in.

 

Once you have a string of points set up to follow a curve, you pick the points and then select the Spline Through Points button.  this draws a spline curve between the points you have made.  Essentially the goal is to make spline curve profiles that then can be "lofted" together using Revit'c "create form" button.  When 3 or more points are slected you get a spline curve.  If you select only 2 points, you get a straight line.  Thats how i "closed" the loops at the ends of the arcs.  The other great thing about spline through points is that the points can have an x, y , and z.  So thats how i got the sloping top, canted over, arc'd in plan wall.  (well mass at this point.)

 

When you open the file, i have ref planes and lines turned off for clarity, and i have the sketchup pieces "hidden temporarily", because frankly those faceted skecthup objects look like crap. Smiley Happy

 

I know this is a lot to take in, and for someone thats new to modeling in revit, it can be a challenge.  let me know if this description, and you "reverse engineering" the revit file is good help for you.  If you don't get it, let me kniow and we'll work something out to show you how its done.  Maybe i'll make a movie or something...

 

oh, one last thing...the "notch" in the bottom of the wall was done with a void.  the challenge was "projecting" where the form would go without the notch to get the forrm right, then subtract it ack out with a simple void form.

 

 



Scott D Davis
Sr AEC Technical Specialist
Message 5 of 9
danbush
in reply to: scott_d_davis

Thanks Scott:  I'm going to dig through this and develop questions as I go to make sure I understand the background of what you've done.

 

One simple question right off the bat:  I understand from a lot of reading that the in-place mass tool should only be used for one off elements that won't need a lot of editting.  Is this why you chose to use a mass family?  Also, why did you do this in the family editor instead of the conceptual mass editor?

 

Thanks,

 

Dan

Message 6 of 9
scott_d_davis
in reply to: danbush

I could have gone either way.  This is really a one-off piece of geometry, as I would expect you aren't going to use this form again on another design.  So in-place Massing would have been ok, especially if I have the rest of the building as context to work with. 

 

I did it in the family editor (conceptual mass editor, these are the same. Start a new family and choose Massing, and you are using the family editor in the conceptual massing environment) for a couple of reasons:  Simplicity, number one.  I didn't have your "project" file, only an SKP file, so i started in an RFA. This also allows me to easily import the SKP file and use it, and then get rid of it when i'm done.  You really don't want the SKP file in your project in the end adding cluttter. The family enviroment is also "cleaner" as fas as massing goes, so i prefer to work there.

 

In the end, its all preference.  there is no right or wrong way.  Doing it the way I did, I had a relatively small RFA file to post back here, rather than a (probably) larger RVT project file.

 

Hope that helps!



Scott D Davis
Sr AEC Technical Specialist
Message 7 of 9

HINT:  as you reverse engineer the RFA i sent...select the Revit solid form, and then choose the Dissolve button that appears in the Ribbon.  This will break the form back down to the comonents that I used to make them.

 

The bigger form was made from two profiles from the base to the top, while the smaller form was made from two profiles from the "sides" of the form.

 

Edit: attached image shows "all" the geometry...the sketchup are all the "triangles".  This is the true nature of a sketchup model.  the purple points are the points i placed along the sketchup geometry to make spline curves.  The Revit Mass is hard to see, becuase its simply plain white, and coincidental with the sketchup model. Capture with points.PNG



Scott D Davis
Sr AEC Technical Specialist
Message 8 of 9
caddesign9
in reply to: scott_d_davis

Hello friends:

Greetings!

I would like to introduce myself as entrepreneur running small CAD setup.

Hope I enjoy posting here and you guys may benefit from my insights in CAD industry!

Regards
Richard

Message 9 of 9
danbush
in reply to: scott_d_davis

here's a view of the walls after reconstructing.  Thanks for the help...

 

DanRendering - Entry View.png

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