Rendering of imported 3D CAD file

[Anonymous]

If I import 3D CAD file with 3D model of the house  and  I need to save it as my Revit project and then change materials of every surface and place any 3D component and lights from Revit family in order to do renderings. Is this the same as working with project created in Revit ? Or how to do that ? Thank you.

[ennujozlagam]

usually what i did is model the project in revit, assign materials and render from there. i haven't try to insert 3d cad and render from revit, you will have difficulties assigning materials to it. thanks

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your response but I do really need to know if that going to work. My client architect works in CAD and he likes my renderings in Revit. He asked me if he sends me CAD files with his house modeled in 3D in CAD can I open it in Revit and apply materials and components from Revit family including lights, furniture and plants and render it or the only way is to model his house design all over in Revit ???

[syman2000]

As long as the 3d objects are placed in the correct layers, you can easily apply the material in Revit. Next time you want to reinsert or relink, those material will apply correctly.

[Anonymous]

What do you mean by 3d objects are placed in the correct layers ?

[syman2000]

If you don't placed in the correctly layers, there is no way Revit is able to switch those object material to another material. This means you are at mercy of the file and have to rely on material editor to edit those material that object is set to. If Architect manually override object style in AutoCAD (IE: Set object by color or material override), there is no way Revit able to modify those override. You basically are going to stuck with messy CAD file.

[Anonymous]

Basicaly what I am trying to know is this:     If I can create topo surface from imported 3D CAD file and then turn CAD file OFF in VG or even delete CAD file completely and then  change material and add any new walls and 3d component and render.

The same exactly procedure I want to do with 3D CAD file of the house. I do not need that CAD file - I need to copy it and save it as Revit Project and then use Revit family for rendering. Is that make sense and is that possible ? 

[syman2000]

If you rebuilding CAD model using Revit component, that's a different issue and you don't need CAD. However I am try to understand your scenario where you mentioned client sending you CAD and you want to manipulate the material in Revit. If you want to do that and not model anything, then the object in AutoCAD should be put in proper layer or you won't be able to manipulate it in Revit.

If you want to translate the 3d CAD object to Revit, the CAD object in AutoCAD needs to be 3d Solid and not mesh. If they use mesh, you will get the triangulation which you cannot manipulate. With 3d Solid, it will turn into Revit solid object and it is much cleaner and sometimes you can manipulated it. Once you explode the CAD into Revit, object in the layers will group together as a category.

[Anonymous]

Yes, that is what I need -  translate the 3d CAD object (house model) to Revit in solid form and then change materials of walls, floor, roof and add lights and other 3D components and render. I do not really need the CAD file itself after that - I need to copy 3D model as Revit Project so I could work with it the same way as with any of my other Revit projects. Does that make sense ? Can it be done easy ? Any better suggestions ?

[syman2000 · Accepted solution]

Unfortunately I've work with this workflow and it isn't really that great. You have a higher chance of corrupting your Revit model. AutoCAD errors sometimes don't get detected inside Revit when you explode them. If you really want to use those 3d from AutoCAD, you either use their and only change material or you rebuilt everything inside revit from scratch.