Importing Sketchup furniture into Revit and applying materials

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I have been trying to import some sketchup furnitures from sketchup into revit, I have no problem doing that but when I try to apply any material this doesn't work at all. Some links say I have to separate each piece and assign a layer "bylayer" before importing into Revit, some people say I need to explode the furniture and then I will be able to apply materials but when I explode the furniture disappear and I window pops up saying something about 3D elements were not recognized.

Somebody can guide me step by step from skethup exporting, then importing into Revit and then be able to apply materials without a problem?

I have even tried exporting into autocad, fixing layers in autocad and then into Revit but still no success at all (maybe I am missing som important step).

So, please, some body guide me step by step.

Thanks. 

[L.Maas]

In short...do not do it. Importing foreign file formats tend to slow down Revit. In general the only times I link foreign file formats is as a reference.

If I receive foreign file formats I usually try to remodel them in Revit. After remodelling I remove the foreign files.

As you have seen exploding files can give other problems. Especially when exploding you will get a load of 'garbage' with it, like new linetypes, patterns and so on. If you have several of those families, your project will become one big mess.

It is best to learn to model in Revit. Your families become leaner and wil behave more predictable in projects.

If you get familiar with creating families you will see that making them yourself is almost as fast as looking for the right model on the internet and modifying it to your needs.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for responding...
I know it is silly to do that, but this client has set in her mind to make it work in that way and I need to find a solution (that means, make it work in that way).
They do not care about the mess caused later, they just want to be able to do it in that way.
Anybody can guide me step by step to do this process?

Thanks.

[L.Maas]

I had a look. Took a sketchup family from the internet and had a look how it was made.

-Opened file in Sketchup

-Changed the style to "by layer".

-Saved Sketchup Model

-Opened the modified sketchup model in a Revit family.

-Used the object styles to assign materials

[DigitalMemory]

Yes it is complicated process. Please try to find the furniture family in the manufacturers website ( most of them have them by now), try Autodesk Seek or Arcat.

If you still want to do it the long way is follow the export by layer suggestions and modify the layers. You can also export to CAD open in Rhino and export each component as a SAT file then reassemble in the Revit Furniture Family (make sure to change the layer name and materials after each import as Revit defaults it to Layer 0)

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all your responses...
I already figure the way to do it and make it work correctly.

[L.Maas]

Please share your solution. It might help other users which have similar/same question.

[RDAOU]

There are tons of turtorials on SKP import to Revit...The only difference would be if you link or import (Preferable to link) and the colors settings. (The only wrong one can do is import the SKP straight into the model) And same apply for Autocad 3Ds

　

1. First your SKP file best be saved at the earliest version acceptable by your Revit Version (if you are using and earlier version of Revit (say 2013/14 and in Sketchup you save to the latest version; you might be having problems with your Revit Model)
2. Next step would be to either create an in-place family in a Revit project, create a family in the Family Editor (Mass or Generic) or start a New Conceptual Mass file.
3. Insert tab > Import/Import panel > Import/Link CAD. (I prefer Link) lighter on Revit
4. Select the appropriate SKP file type.
5. Select the file to import/link and specify the desired import settings.
6. I use the following settings:

Colors: Preserve (Only if I need materials/renders from SKP otherwise I would use invert or B&W

Layers: All

Import Units: Auto-Detect

Positioning: Auto - Origin to Origin

Place at: Level 1 or Ref. Level

Orient to View 

You might need to set Visual Style to Shaded and if you are using a mass family, click Massing & Site tab >> Conceptual Mass panel >> (Show Mass Form and Floors).

[Anonymous]

Hi, 

I am having the same issue, did you import the cad to revit furniture - then set the materials through manage? when i try to do this the materials don't show. 

[Anonymous]

Can you please share your solution 

[Base12]

We've figured out how to import the model - the point of the thread is how to attach Revit materials to Sketchup geometry.

[cbcarch]

From previous post above:

-Opened file in Sketchup

-Changed the style to "by layer".

-Saved Sketchup Model

-Opened the modified sketchup model in a Revit family.

-Used the object styles to assign materials

[Base12]

"-Changed the style to "by layer"."

Style of what? Entities? Materials?  I don't immediately see in Sketchup what this is referring to.  Maybe it's something super basic that I never learned?  I know bylayer in Autocad, but haven't seen it in Sketchup.  Thanks for your patience.

[cbcarch]

That was a quote from a previous post--sorry. I think the post meant to say export from SU to Acad.

Load the Cad version into a Revit Family.

Then keep going per the rest of the post.

[Base12]

Ah, yes that makes all the sense!  Thanks for the clarification

[Base12]

Still can't crack this nut.  Imported Autocad geometry behaves the same as Sketchup.

Screen shot of somewhat of a summary.

[Base12]

Well, I got it.  It took me Sketchup (export to .dwg), Autocad (open, do stuff, save), and Revit (make new family, do stuff).  But it works and looks great.  Here's my work flow, with the key attached as a screen shot.

-Clean up your sketchup file by deleting everything you don't need.  Make sensible layer names for the materials you want. Use the "Purge Unused" option, and save it to v8 (or as old as you can).

-Export from Sketchup as a .dwg file

-Open .dwg in Autocad.  Change all objects color AND material (material is what I missed before because the 3D Visualization drop-down was closed) to Bylayer.

-Run the -purge command and get rid of everything. Do it again with the R option to also purge registered applications. Save as a v2000 or as low as you can, and exit.

-Start Revit and open a new .rfa template type appropriate to your use (Furniture, Lighting, Entourage, etc).

-Click the Insert tab, then Import CAD, select .dwg file type and browse to your .dwg file.  Click to place instance.

-On the Manage tab, click Object styles, go to Imported Objects and change the material to what you want.  Save and close.

-Open your Revit project file (.rvt) and Insert --> Load Family and browse to the .rfa file you just made.

-Find the family (Clt+F helps if you have a ton of families) and drag/drop, or create instance in your view.

-The materials you assigned in the Family will not be changeable, unless you make material parameters in the .rfa file before inserting it.