3ds Max to Revit

[Anonymous]

Hello-

Is there anyway to import a 3ds Max file with materials into Revit? I am exporting from 3ds as a DWG but when I go into Revit I cant change the materials. Is there a way in 3ds to set up material layers that will transfer to Revit? 

Thanks!

[ToanDN]

Open Manage > Object Styles > Imported Objects > Expand the Imported files to see the Layers, and change the materials per layers.

[Sahay_R]

First things first - WHY are you doing this to yourself? Revit works SO much better with native geometry, rather than imported geometry.  It is SO much more effort than it's worth!

In your MAX model - make sure that objects are named and on separate layers. I like to create layers for different materials. Or you can have a gazillion layers for each object - whatever floats your boat. Make sure that the layers have really really outlandish colors! An additional touch - for complex curved geometry which may come in triangulated into Revit, I select edges and make them invisible. Then export your MAX model to AutoCAD 2007 (nothing else - for some reason this is the only one that works!) DXF and then into Revit.

In Revit - go into Manage>>Object Styles. You will see your layers in Imported Objects. With your model in Shaded view, open the material library and start deleting materials from the materials library. Delete and Apply. There will be a time when the outlandish color of the geometry WILL change to a grey - that is when you undo the delete. That is the material associated with the geometry - rename it so that it makes sense to you. And no, you cannot select a material and add it to the layer in Object Styles. It just doesn't work that way.

A word - now that you have associated the specific material to the geometry, don't be surprised if it looks 'off' Save yourself some grief and just tweak the material in Revit. Or better still, create the entire geometry in Revit. Take it from someone who learned this the hard way!

[Anonymous]

Hi Rina,

I think you are into something that I have been looking to figure our for a long time!

Please take a look at my situatuon:

Could you please explain your steps related to where I go from here?

Would I start by highlight all the layers and right click -> Properties -> Choose a "Object Color" for the object? And then Export to DFX Revit 2007?

[Sahay_R · Accepted solution]

@Anonymous - are you trying to take this into Revit? Were you not able to find a Revit combat vehicle on the net?

No you will not start by right clicking anything. Not before you are sure about the following - 

The first thing that strikes me about your model is a complete lack of object naming conventions. Take the objects with the camo material and put them into a Camp layer, objects on different materials on different layers, assign a default wildly colored material. 

THEN you may give the layers outlandish colors, and export to DXF. I would export each layer to a separate DXF. Then in Revit, import each DXF to a separate generic model family with material parameters, nest them into a final family and associate the material parameters. Do the selective material purge that I had described in my previous post. 

[Anonymous]

Hi, thanks - I sent you a PM

[s.besseling]

Hi Rina, 

I followed your instructions and this works. Thanks! 

[fael097]

I found this thread, so I'm gonna give a try here, rather than making a new one. 

I work for a product design and architecture company, and we're thinking of migrating from autocad to revit.

currently I model the products in 3ds max, let's say a chair for example, and then I convert it into sketchup with a 3rd party plugin. the architects do their stuff in autocad, and then in sketchup they build the 3d rooms and just use my exported chairs.

with revit our intention is to eliminate autocad and sketchup from our workflow. but we still need to bring our chairs into revit. how would this work? we make original products, so obviously I won't find our products in native revit. 

btw, what IS native revit? do you actually model complex stuff inside revit? you suggested he should find a revit combat vehicle in net, but how does anything you find onine get into revit in the first place?

[L.Maas]

I would advise to start a new thread. Your question is different from the OP and is already marked as solved. A new thread will give you better opportunity to receive answers

[fael097]

right, will do. thanks

[Base12]

Not sure if you are still following this thread from some time ago.  I'm looking for a material for a Revit project.  I can't find it anywhere as a native sdsk file.  I don't care about the object, I just want one material out of 3DS.  So in 3DS, I would just make a simple extrusion and map the material to it.  I know how to get the geometry into Revit, but how to bring the material in with it?  I tried the technique you described with the layers in Revit - but the material doesn't show up in the Revit materials library.  Any advice?

[TranslateEdgeRender]

Hello!
Revit is a powerful tool for working with imported geometry from 3ds Max. However, in order to use it successfully, you need to have some knowledge about working in both packages.
##1. Import to Revit
Revit supports many import formats, but to work with complex geometry from 3ds Max, we will need the OBJ format with the Rhinoceros preset. This preset will allow you to hide the extra edges and correctly import the model with materials. Carefully study the preset settings to achieve the best result.
## 2. Model preparation in 3ds Max
When preparing a model in 3ds Max, you must follow several important rules::
1. Your geometry must be in Edit Mesh mode.
2. The edges should be hidden in Edit Mesh/Edge. Surface Properties/Invisible mode.
3. Geometry fragments should not contain more than 30,000 triangles.
4. Use standard 3ds Max material and sign the material slots to ensure their correct transfer.
5. Sign the geometry to simplify the identification process.
6. Lay out the geometry into layers — this will simplify the work and allow you to organize it better. Don't forget to sign the layers.
3. Please note that you will not be able to make changes to the imported geometry in Revit.

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@TranslateEdgeRender wrote:

4. Use standard 3ds Max material and sign the material slots to ensure their correct transfer.
5. Sign the geometry to simplify the identification process.
6. Lay out the geometry into layers — this will simplify the work and allow you to organize it better. Don't forget to sign the layers

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Could you explain signing in 3dsmax. I've worked in it for some time, but don't remember anyone mentioning signing.

Do you mean naming?