Choosing the right template, face based or floor based template

[Anonymous]

Hello All,

I have been creating Revit families for my sister companies from some time now. we used to create channel family with grates included in the same family. Since the channels are always placed on the floor, we created all the channels as floor-based template. But recently we got some feedback from the customers that, they prefer face-based template over the floor based one. I'm aware that when we chose face-based template we can place on any face. But in our case, there is no chance of placing the channels on a wall or a ceiling. It will be always placed on a floor. So why does people still prefer face-based over floor based?
Could you please share your thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance.

Please share your thoughts

[ToanDN · Accepted solution]

Face based and work plane based families are more flexible when choosing host.  For example, if your client wants to place the family on a roof, hypothetically, then a floor based family will not work.  The annoyance with face based families is that they pick vertical surface by default, so you have to change it each time you place the family.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your reply.

Channels which I created are to be placed on the ground or sides of the pavement. In such cases why does the people uses roof or ramp to place the channel?

[ToanDN]

I can't speak for other people. If you are confident about its application then I don't see any problems keeping it as a floor based family.

[Anonymous]

Not all models are created equal. There are many ways to skin a cat in Revit. I have seen roofs used instead of floors because when given a thickness, they move up from the level, unlike floors which move down. There is a known modelling method for creating footpaths following topography, roofs can be good for this. What if you are dealing with linked floors and don't have a floor as a host? I have even seen ceilings used as finished floors. The point is, with host families like walls, floors and ceilings, you have only one option. Face based gives you the same functionality but allows many modelling methods and scenarios. Then there are the issues with groups, although this has gotten better.

Personally, I don't even like face based specific families and I actively avoid content by manufacturer's built this way. I always use and create families in a generic family template and if required tick 'workplane based'. Hope for the best, plan for the worst. Everyone has their methods. Hope it helps!

[ToanDN]

One thing to keep in mind is a floor (or wall, roof) based family can only placed on a floor (or wall, roof) created in the project, not from a linked model.  That is the reason all the Architectural fixtures are floor or wall based, but the Electrical ones are face based.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your comments.

But please share your thoughts on my question below.

Why do you prefer generic family template over face-based template?

For example, if you want to create a drainage channel, which goes under the floor and only the top cover portion visible on the floor.

Such cases if you choose a generic family template for family creation and when you place it on a floor, then there will be an overlap of floor and the top of the channel right?

So don't you think that a face based template will be a better choice in order to create a void on the project floor when model is placed?

I'm just trying to know the preferences of the architects or the engineers who actually uses the model. So that I can choose the right template accordingly.

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous, 

I think we have already answered that question haven't we? Generic families are more flexible.  

As to your comment about voids, you can add voids to your generic families and then use the cut tools in the project. 

I would suggest looking at this library, http://www.mielebim.com.au particularly the 'content guide' that comes with it. In my opinion, this is the best set of manufacturer content I have downloaded before and none of them are face based. They were created by IGS who more than a year ago, merged with http://unifilabs.com/ 

[ToanDN]

@Anonymous

I looked briefly at the site you mentioned and I can understand why they don't use face based families - they are all freestanding equipment.  We should not need to draw a floor in order to place a fridge.

On the other hand, I found face based families quite handy for scenario like coring structural members, pop in and it cut automatically, and they don't get deleted when losing host like wall/floor/ceiling/roof based families do.