Exporting to FabMep

[uneducateddude]

I am not sure if this is the correct forum but there is no FabMep forum available to answer these questions.  Seems like a major oversite by autodesk.

I am able to export a revit design out to FabMep and I am able to open the design in FabMep as a Map entity but the entities are not mapped to any of the services.  I have set the services up the best I know how.  There doesnt seem to be any documentation available for this program.  The help file is just a link to the help file for the old Map software.  Nothing in it about fabmep that I can find.  Has anyone been able to successfuly do this?  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks.

I am also interested in the plug in on Autodesk labs that will then take the fabmep model and bring it back into revit.  I only have the trial software and I am trying to figure it out to see if it is a viable option for my company. 

[uneducateddude]

Anyone have any ideas on this?  I am able to bring a revit model into FabMep but the model is not being mapped to any of the services.  It is just coming in as generic.  Anyone have an idea on how to fix this?

[engineering]

I am having the sam issue here as well. My company is interested to get the Fab suite but I just found out the help files in the trial versions are total rubbish, I just don't know what to report to my boss.

[tim.winnington]

The help files in FAB are lacking and outdated.  I am expecting now Autodesk owns it they will incorporate it into the Wikki and over time it will improve.  Hopefully a complete overhaul of the help file will also happen but will have to wait and see.

The conversion from Revit to Fab is relatively easy once the systems are setup and correct button mappings configured.  I know of several companies who are successfully converting from Revit to Fab.  Much of it depends on the construction of the Revit model and a wel constructed Revit model will convert to FAB with a high conversion accuracy.  A recent conversion of a deisgn model gave about 70% conversion.  A few minor changes to families and substituting others brought this to about 80%.  Conversion on one of my construction models gave about 90% with main issue around transitions.

[engineering]

Yes, I am having such a pain in the neck when it comes to mapping. All of the revit exports only gives me strange straight ducts, all of the tees and fittings will not show inside the MEP environment. I also have tried to create a simple duct run with the revit default family, but having the same issues.

by any chance do you know how to fix this? or any tips of making a better revit model? Thanks!

[tim.winnington]

Much of the conversion relies on button mapping which is similar to routing preferences to assign a priority order to which fitting to use.  If that fitting does not work then onto the next fitting in that category.

When you are performing the import there is a section which lists the fitting and has a column ignore.  For the fittings to be converted you need to say yes.

Also when doing the conversion duct objects you have in fab are the elements you store as design line and equipement and accessories are the items you store a graphical objects.

The straight duct lengths will convert dependent on the specification you have assigned to the duct at import.

As for the Revit model all of my families are built with detail fabrication drawings as the end product.  Using the intelligence of Revit along with consistent families and connected systems all assist in allow for mapping and converting the Revit file into FAB.  BimMepaus is an initiative by AMCA which is being developed with this specific process in mind, to allow for conversion of Revit models into FABmep.  But even this does not have a full library of components.

Setting up CADmep and FABmep properly is a big job as is setting up Revit.  The conversion has been a trial and error determining what works and what doesn't but the inintial conversions of the in house models gave an extremely high level of conversion.