Imported Revit model brings materials into FormIt

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I see that the FormIt model maintains its materials when it is brought into Revit. How can I have it work in reverse? When I export the Revit model with walls and floors, that it will keep the materials that were set when I open it in FormIt?

1. Model in FormIt and apply preliminary materials

2. Import into Revit to begin development: model maintained maintain materials, materials can be modified in Revit

3. Export back to FormIt for further exploration: Model maintained materials upon import

Thanks!

[Tobias_Hathorn · Accepted solution]

Yes, That is a great request we've heard a few times since releasing the newest FormIt Add-in that does the material conversion.

Great suggestion and workflow outline! Sorry the only recommendation I can make:

- When you export the RVT via SAT back to FormIt - there will be no materials (future project that FormIt and Revit team can do)

- You can Group the parts of the FormIt geometry that make sense to Group (doing this automatically would be a nice improvement too!)

- You can Paint a material onto the Group with a single click - using the same Materials you defined previously

Thanks for using FormIt, please let us know what you think and other questions you may have!

Tobias

[Anonymous]

Thanks Tobias! I can try that. Is there any development towards being able to export system families from .rvt to an .axm? Eliminating the .sat? If I import a .rvt into 3ds Max, I can export it as a .3ds and import into other programs and it maintains it's forms and materials. So can FormIt be developed to import a .3ds or .fbx? Most wished for is a .rvt to .axm 🙂

The biggest advantage to moving our team to FormIt is being able to model within the space, which is the resistance to designing in Revit. Our Design team will develop ideas in free modeling tools like FormIt, and the technical team will develop the document set within Revit. The designers feel limited in their creative thinking trying to design in Revit.

So to improve the workflow for both teams, it would be helpful to see something like this:

1. Design Team (DT) conceptualizes an idea, and "sketches" it digitally in FormIt

2. Present and easily explore the concept(s) open and flexibly with the client making on the spot adjustments (it will look together even though it is not finished, as opposed to Revit, all pieces need to be more exact to look less in process])

3. Once the initial concept is approved, further space investigation can continue, and the Technical Team (TT) can start building the Revit model

4. As the two teams work at the same time, the FormIt and Revit models can speak back and forth to each other (ex: TT adjusts the location of a wall to dimensions, and it updates, or notifies FormIt of the change so that the DT can respond to it and have a continuously current model; conversely, the DT develops a custom railing, and Revit is informed that the railing has been updated)

5. At some point the design is set and all work will be continued in Revit.

I have some imagery of the difference we are working with and how we envision it working but I can't share them on the public post. If that would be helpful, please let me know. 

Thanks for the continued development!

[pieter4]

This is the biggest thing holding us back from integrating formit in our workflow.

I have added an idea about this on the platform. Please add your vote if you want to see bidirectional integration (so not only formit to revit but also revit back to formit with materials, update capability, etc).

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/formit-ideas/bidirectional-integration-with-revit/idi-p/7165640