Revit for 2D??

[norcaljess]

Hello,

We have an architect (client) who told one of the owners of my company that they have not renewed their AutoCAD license and that they are using Revit ONLY to produce construction documents from now on.  They have asked that we also use Revit to produce our CD's.  The statement that our owner passed along to me was, "They use Sketch Sheets and Details".  I'm not sure what that means and this is a new one by me.  Does anyone know what it would take to create all of our drawings in Revit rather than CAD seeing as how we haven't done this before?  We have no 2D families in Revit.  Would it be easiest to draw our mechanical documents in CAD, like we normally would, and then import them into Revit and transfer the lines into Revit?  Or should we use Worksets for the 2D items just like we would use layers in CAD?  Anyone have some insight on this for me?

Thanks!
~ Jess

[norcaljess]

Just to make it clear, the client is requesting that we use Revit for 2D documents, as they are, and they do not want us utilizing 3D/BIM.

[julianjameson8403]

Can't you just do your normal work process and then deliver the views on sheets. Ideally you would work in 3 dimensions but if you are only delivering 2D then you could just model withouth worrying about vertical coordination.

[sconrad77]

Don't use the worksets for layers, Revit has Subcatergories for this.  Worksets are designed to create clear boundaries for dividing up work amoung a design team.

Revit has some pretty great tools for 2D detailing including parametric components, repeating components, parametric symbols, so you may want to learn how to use and create your own to fit your project needs.  Although if you already have a comprehensive library of CAD details, you may want to import and clean them up in Revit.  I suggest changing all the layers in AutoCAD to names that appear as line types in Revit, then after importing these layers will be directly translated to the Revit Subcatergories.

[CoreyDaun]

If they aren't looking for any sort of "intelligence" from the model, what is preventing you from doing the work in AutoCAD (or whatever you program was) and then importing it into a Revit file? What is the point of using Revit if there is no intelligence in the model? That's contradictory to the entire concept or Revit, isn't it? If you are ultimately forced to draft in 2D Revit like it was AutoCAD, all I can say is "ouch"...

[julianjameson8403]

From a draughting/modelling point of view it does seem to be a waste doing it in Revit but if you still create systems, etc, you should be able to combine parts of your design process for your own benefit and then save yourselves some time and improve your internal co-ordination between documents.

It's a way we have tried a couple of times wiht recently trained people to give them some practice and get familiar with the software before throwing them into BIM projects.

As for the worksets, I would see them still being used in the same way you would a normal BIM project and not using them like layers. Also I wouldn't try and make Revit behave like AutoCAD despite what the end deliverables would be.

It would be interesting to see what the Architect provides you if they only want to do 2D in Revit and avoid 3D and BIM. Are they doing a 3D model and then giving you 2D plans - if so why not still work in 3D but deliver 2D so you still get some benefit of using Revit?

[embolisim]

Sorry, no answes, only questions..

1. Is it possible that your owner has completely mis understood the client?

2. Would you be delivering a 2D revit file to the client? Or prints/pdfs? If the latter it's irrelevant what software you used.

3. If the building is actually documented with 2d detail lines, presumably either in drafting views or direct on sheets, how on earth are you going to get this information into your Revit file? Copy and paste? What will you do when the updates/changes come hrough?

I think you need to talk to the client directly & find out what really is going on.

If they are doing what your owner says, you should think about refusing to work with them.

It's not often said, but some clients cost you so mch, that you're better off without them.