Export Infrawork to Revit

[soorajdk]

How to export infrawork360 model to Revit 2017?

[Matt__W · Accepted solution]

You can export to FBX, import the FBX into Navisworks and create an NWD file that can be brought into Revit. This Screencast will walk you through the steps to do that and more.

[JasonArtley · Accepted solution]

In addition to Matt's video walkthrough, there are a couple other ways you can do it as well. Matt has also created another walkthrough here: Infraworks to Revit

Note, for bridges, there's a new simple export directly from Infraworks. Just right click on a bridge and select "Send to Revit".

The other way is by using Civil3D and shared reference points. You'll need to download and install the extension here: Autodesk Shared Reference Point Enhancement

This YouTube video walks you through the process: Autodesk Webcast: Shared Reference Points

I hope these additional resources help!

[John_DeLeeuw · Accepted solution]

@soorajdk, and here is another nice workflow I came up with some time ago to get InfraWorks models into Revit by converting them to DWG and using CADLink.

This workflow is using InfraWorks > 3DS Max > Revit.

[soorajdk]

Thanks for the support and solution.

[oikeajussipartanen · Accepted solution]

Here in short is my preferred workflow for urban design:

1) Make base terrain, or "coordination model" with base roads and things in Infraworks because it's fast to do it here, prehaps make basic sketches of the proposal in IW too. Make the big edits to terrain here, because it's fast and you can do road gradings and geometry with ease in IW. 

2) Infraworks terrain to Revit through Civil3D

- open IW model in C3D

- make contours from edited IW terrain and send them as DWG to Revit

- make terrain in Revit from contours

-> you get editable terrain in coordinates in Revit, in small file size link

-> you can fine tune the terrain in Revit while the big picture is right in Infraworks

3) Infraworks features to Revit through 3dsMax 

(Prehaps this could be done through C3D in coordinates and with high fidelity? Anyone chime in?)

- for example roads:

- export with "merge objects by material" option on, FBX, split to different FBX by feature type

- open terrain in 3dsMax

- delete the terrain so that only roads (which had their own materials and grading materials, hence merged) remain

- save the mesh as DWG or similiar file type in max (prehaps optimize if need)

- make Revit family with the roads dwg geometry imported so that it clips correctly in viewports

- import family to main Revit project -> high fidelity road geometry that you get nice section views from

4)

- Bring the Revit file back to Infraworks for nice coordination and visuals, the workflow goes back and forth 

Please add your knowledge to this, I'll be keeping an eye out!

[soorajdk]

Thanks for the solution

[paolo_serra]

How about using Dynamo? you can export to DAE and process the data to obtain a native topography and even transfer the properties attached (warning triangulation is  most certainly going to be different) 

[WM_Ron_Allen]

@paolo_serra  - Do you have the DYN script to do that or a link to where one exists?

It would be 'super duper fantastic' if Autodesk had a direct link from Infraworks to Revit... especially with the realistic textures in 2021... a link or a pipeline to just keep everything connected.

... and is Is there a BIM 360 route to go so we don't have to use a $2300 transfer tool (AKA Navis works manage) ?

[Matt__W]

@WM_Ron_Allen do you just want to get the terrain from InfraWorks into Revit? 

You could open the InfraWorks model in Civil 3D, publish the terrain to BIM 360, then link the topography into Revit.

Another bit of a work around, if you’re looking to get contextual data into your Revit model is the Dynamaps package for Dynamo.

https://data-shapes.io/2019/08/17/dynamaps-to-revit/

[WM_Ron_Allen]

@Matt__W  I have been thinking through possible workflows now. There are tools like PlaceMaker- but if the 3D content is already in Infraworks- and the capability to lay out sidewalks, streets, drainage, modify topography, etc. are already there lets use that the best way we can!

Even if it is a low-res version -XZ-YZ profiles all in 90degree boxes for curbs, sidewalks, steps to lower the res brought into Revit, then the Revit model displayed with materials in Infraworks for site plans & exported to 3DS Max / Unity for 3d Rendering, animation and AR/VR

[andrewofabley]

@paolo_serra 

@WM_Ron_Allen 

I've taken a dive into this out of curiosity, and I can get things to behave themselves in IFC4.

Converting FBX to IFC certainly does appear to be a missing link...as well as FBX import to Revit....

Nevertheless, here's an IFC I produced, viewed in Autodesk's viewer.

It's just Infraworks Terrain + some road and building I sketched.

As best I understand it, IFC doesn't officially support materials / textures as a standardized feature, or if it does it's a hard task to embed it correctly, with no guarantee the software reading the  IFC will interpret it correctly.

Still, if one exports from Infraworks and unifies by material, then it's probably not too much drama to add your own in Revit.

I didn't use Navisworks to build this IFC. I haven't tried writing the data georeferenced as yet, but I have confidence that it should work. Overall time to create was ~2mins.

If people are really interested in doing this on the regular, I'll consider setting something up.

[WM_Ron_Allen]

Great find and good work. That can at least push to the white museum board models for relevant massing and context.

with al lthe tools Autodesk has - why are they not working out the Civil aspect (& landscape I guess) to port to Revit and infraworks? 

IMO it should be a point to a link to the Infraworks could and select what elements to import/link (Including aligning to the USGS coordinates systems)

[andrewofabley]

@WM_Ron_Allen 

Agreed.

I'm not sure if I should point the finger at Infraworks in terms of Export functionality, or at Revit's import limitations.

Solutions would include:

• Allow export of IFC from Infraworks directly
• Allow Revit to import IFC, sqlite or similar via live link as you suggest.
• Open the Revit .rvt format a little so 3rd parties can write natively.

Any way you slice it, the left hand isn't talking to the right...

[WM_Ron_Allen]

And I really want to stay in the same eco system as well to prevent data loss or 'dumbing down' of objects.

Everyone points to IFC as a solution - but it doesn't support mapping or reintegration of meta data outside the content back into other solutions - where it should be bridging content. Instead it is the lowest common denominator that breaks everything for alight 'CAD'ish model. 

If I had a few million dollars for development I would put together a team of coders and vendors to build a bridge for a 100% interoperable bridge - (to save Revit models down 😜 ) and fully interoperable data transfer between platforms... with a goal of zero data loss. Lofty aspirations! ; )

[Karsten.Saenger]

Hi @andrewofabley , @WM_Ron_Allen ,

maybe FormIt can be used to export/import different formats?

Seems that OBJ Format is supported for InfraWorks export and FormIt import with textures. Then Revit can read the FormIt format or any export from there.

However, product interoperability has always been a big topic...

Regarding to bridge exchange, there is a good starting point with the new workflows in version 2021, see InfraWorks Help: Civil Structures Workflows

Regards,

Karsten.

[WM_Ron_Allen]

Nice- had a similar form for Revit<>Infraworks<>C3d workflow at my AU presentation : )

[AnnikaH08]

Hello, 

when I export the Infraworks model the projet structure and every object with all the data and the characteristics assigned (for roads, bridges...) are being lost. Is there any workflow to import my model in Navisworks or Revit and work with the model like the model of my building? Or is the model just for the visualization? 

Thank you. 

Best reagards

Annika 

[eblackburnEFFVJ]

I, too, am lamenting the inability to use Autodesk's preferred contextual site modeling tool, InfraWorks, in conjunction with Revit, their preferred architectural modeling tool. We use Enscape for live rendering of the Revit model and the InfraWorks > NavisWorks > Revit workflow does not work at all because Enscape won't render NWD files. Other transfer options are incomplete and I lose materials, context buildings, etc. DynaMaps is a partial solution because the accuracy of the terrain data is suspect. (One example video I saw showed downtown Chicago as pretty hilly.) The quality of IW is great. I just can't get it into Revit. Come on Autodesk! Get with the times!

[WM_Ron_Allen]

You may be able to export as OBJ or ADSK FBX from Infraworks- that may import to Enscape : ) (Apologies- I don' t have it in front of me at the moment)