Aligning RFA file accurately into RVT file

[Anonymous]

Hi, 

My company has provided me with an RFA model. Our client has asked that this be aligned with an RVT model and an NWC model.

I have been trying to export grids and coordinates from the clients RVT file into the RFA supplied to me by my company but am having difficulty.

I can import the RFA file into the RVT model but I have to move this into the correct location which is difficult to do accurately as there are no shared points on the models.

Is there a way of importing grid lines and coordintes into an RFA file? Or do I need another RVT file to be able to do this?

Thanks for your help

Dean

[RobDraw]

Yes, RFA gets inserted into the project (RVT) not the other way around. If you can provide more details about what the RFA is, it might be helpful in providing a solution.

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

You can copy grids and coordinates from the project file to a blank project file, then insert your family in that new file and move it to where you want. Then send that project file to your client and tell them to import it in as a model group.

I can tell you that your client is just lazy but you probably want to keep it to yourself.

[barthbradley]

May I ask what they provided you an RFA (Revit Family) of?  It sounds like you have been tasked with an impossibility. That is you've been asked to precisely align the RFA in a Project.  I wouldn't be bashful about asking asking them elaborate.  This is not a typical scenario.   If you gave me an RFA and an RVT and told me to align the RFA precisely to the RVT model and its coordinate system, I'd give you a strange look.    

Just saying. 

[Anonymous]

Hi Rob, thanks for your response.

I have several RFA's of different lifts and all of their fixing components etc. I need to align this into our clients model of the building.

These need to align perfectly with the lift shafts in the model to ensure all fixing locations are in the correct place and that we do not have any clashes.

Kind Regards

Dean

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your response.

I am very new to Revit and have had no official training yet. The issue I am having is that it is extremely difficult to place the components of my lift model (supplied as RFA by my company) into the exact location of the shaft into my clients model.

This is being used for clash detection so must be 100% accurate. Are you able to offer any advice on this?

Regards

Dean

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the response.

I am aligning a lift and all of its components into a shaft. From other responses I believe I need to create a new model - copying the coordinates and grids from my clients model - and then insert the RFA's into this.

The difficulty is positiong the RFA's in the correct location on the new model before I send this back to the client.

Regards

Dean

[RobDraw]

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@Anonymous wrote:

The difficulty is positiong the RFA's in the correct location on the new model before I send this back to the client.

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What is making it difficult? It should be a simple task to place the family and then move it into position.

Is there something about the family that is preventing you from moving it the way that you need to?

[kadmonkee]

open the Lift family in the family editor and confirm the properties of that family 

there may be parameters that constrain the sizes and the origin for placement 

the lift family may have different types associated to it.

each type may be a different size

load that into your model and place it manually into one of the shafts

you may need to adjust the Shafts in your model (RVT) to fit the lift family (RFA)

if you are uncomfortable in the family editor then I would suggest making a copy of the original family and reverse engineer the copy to investigate how it was put together.

[barthbradley]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Thanks for the response.

I am aligning a lift and all of its components into a shaft. From other responses I believe I need to create a new model - copying the coordinates and grids from my clients model - and then insert the RFA's into this.

That doesn't make any sense  -- unless the Project is being built around the lift and in relationship to the lift's project coordinate system.  That would be analogous to building a house around a piece of furniture.  Of course, that's just plain silly.  

The difficulty is positiong the RFA's in the correct location on the new model before I send this back to the client.

How much information from the Architectural or Structural Model have you been provided? It sounds like you've been provided an RVT containing just the Grids.  Is that correct?  If so, this is the RVT you insert and place your Lift into.  You don't create a new and separate RVT for the Lift.  You insert it into the RVT they gave you and then return that RVT with Lift in it.  Now the question remains: where to place the Lift and Lift Components in this RVT.  Well, the answer is: WITHIN THE SHAFT.  That Shaft location is either shown in the RVT File they gave you -- or,  you've been given 4 GRID COORDINATES for the location of the Shaft.   Either way, you have the information to place it accurately in the RVT.

Regards

Dean

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[ToanDN]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Thanks for the response.

I am aligning a lift and all of its components into a shaft. From other responses I believe I need to create a new model - copying the coordinates and grids from my clients model - and then insert the RFA's into this.

The difficulty is positiong the RFA's in the correct location on the new model before I send this back to the client.

Regards

Dean

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That doesn't make any sense.  Equipment are universal, they can be placed in different locations in a building, and in different buildings.  You just need to show in your model a box for the shaft with correct dimensions, and make sure your equipment fit into it with all the clearance criteria.  Send your family to the "architect", and it is their job to locate the family within their shaft.  Everybody does it. 

What you are being asked is ridiculous, by someone who doesn't know what he is talking about, or extremely lazy, most likely both.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your response. This how I solved the issue.