NESTED ASSEMBLIES

[haydenwse]

I am producing precast concrete assemblies for production of shop drawings.  I am creating embedded structural assemblies for components but then I cannot show them on the panel assembly.  Is there a way to have nested assemblies?

[Joe.Charpentier · Accepted solution]

There is currently no way to nest  Revit assemblies.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Joe

[haydenwse]

Okay. So, what is the work-around?  I use structural components for my embedded items and have not found a good way to produce the part drawings for the shop to produce them other than as assemblies.  I also schedule them so that the counts are generated by Revit. 

I am sorry Autodesk, but that it seems really dumb to think that an assembly would not be made of other sub-assemblies.  The addition of assemblies is a great new feature because it makes it easy to produce drawings of components but to get the full value, those components need to be used in other larger components.

[bjur]

I agree 100%.  The assembly feature is amazing, but the ability to nest assemblies is a mandatory feature that needs to be added.

[haydenwse]

I keep hoping that they will fix this huge shortcoming in the assembly process.  Maybe in 2014.

[joseph.brand]

Amazing that this conversation was being had in 2012. Seems like such a crucial update for Revit. 2019 and we are still waiting.

[YarUnderoaker]

This is never be realized. But if you think a little, you can understand that the assembly is just a built-in filter. You can replace its functions with your own. 

[joseph.brand]

Yes but, the ability to use assemblies to create shop drawings is unique and would require some automation in addition to filters.

[YarUnderoaker]

I agree, but in other side will you use all assembly functions for subassembly or only one - creating separate views?

[sfadeev]

There is one more scenario of using assemblies that require to be nested: assemblies are the most useful for "as-built" models, while they let you all this:

1. Click less while elements can be edited without "opening assembly edition mode". Families and groups require to "double-click" at first.
2. See LIDAR cloud points during element editing. Nested families don't let you to see cloud.
3. After element edited new instance of assembly created without affecting other instances of this assembly.

All this would make assemblies the best choice for "as-built" models nested hierarchy if it can be nested.