Switch from Autocad and 3DS Max to Revit

[JLMMA]

I have been ask to look into Switching from  Autocad and 3D max  to Revit, so I do a lot of architectural work from design and presentation of the projects in CAD and 3DS max  for rendering, then back to CAD for final planning and CDs, so I been told and read that I can use Revit and eliminate Cad and 3Ds Max, so I want to find out how this can be done and how long will take to do it.

I do not believe that Revit will be as good and easy as CAD on CDs and better than 3DS Max for modeling and rendering. 

Any advice on the approach that I should take so I can make that move, it looks too way complicated and more time consuming at first glance.

Thanks in advance. 

JLMMA 

[ryley.g.h · Accepted solution]

Revit is mainly about attitude, if you go into it with a negative mindset you will not get good results. Furthermore, if "out of the box" Revit doesn't have something, you can create it yourself no matter how difficult you may think it is. There is some limitations to Revit in terms of really difficult geometry, but you can usually do the work in Rhino, and import the massing into a Revit file. For rendering, don't use the Revit rendering (it's slow and not great) I would highly recommend the Vray plugin rendering - it uses both your CPU and GPU, and you will see a huge improvement in render times over 3DsMax CPU only rendering. To get Revit up and running for working drawings, expect it to take 4 full projects from start to finish to flush out all the big elements, and a continuous development of small detail items after that.

[RobDraw]

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@JLMMA wrote:

I do not believe that Revit will be as good and easy as CAD on CDs and better than 3DS Max for modeling and rendering. 

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On what do you base that opinion? It sounds kind of subjective.

You are leaving out the big bang that Revit offers. The "I" in BIM. If you don't put much value on information, then Revit might not be the program for you.

[JLMMA]

Ryley.g.h

Thanks for your answer, you right I need to change my attitude to approach this, I really like the idea of full 3D environment it just happen that I open the software thinking should be like mix of CAD and 3Ds Max and such of surprise it is a bit different so add that to my current workload and is overwhelming so I will start learning on the side while I continue with my usual workflow from CAD, Sketch up and 3D Max and I already use V-ray. 

Also thanks for the data about the 4 full projects I will start right away I may run the same projects on both workflows till I understand Revit, I see long nights ahead and very short weekends! 

Best. 

JLMMA     

[JLMMA]

Rob, 

Yes, totally subjective I don't have any experience on it just open it for about one-two hours and of course I could not do anything, I was expecting I can start modeling something but not, there is some prior work to do. 

 It is just a bit overwheming, also I put a lot more work on presentations and photorealistic renders you may be right may Revit is not for me, but I kind of re-thinking this and I will give it a shot will evaluate that and see if is really for my office to do the switch or not.  

Thanks for your answer. 

Regards, 

JLMMA

[syman2000]

You should look at Revit with real time rendering like Enscape, lumion and twinmotion. It is an alternative workflow to AutoCAD with 3dmax. I find Revit to real time rendering way more flexible and saving time than you doing model translation between CAD and Max.

As for complex modeling, it depends what you want to achieve. Revit can built some crazy stuff. People did built Notre Dame. https://therevitkid.blogspot.com/2020/08/rebuilding-notre-dame-in-revit.html

[JLMMA]

Syman2000, 

Thank you, I follow the links so I'm in with revit, in fact I started to learn I see it is possible to do intricate models and details, I just need to know the rules. 

You and the other guys changed my view point.  Thanks.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

I would advice you to look for some plugins, which would help you to work in both CAD platform and Revit, as both have their own values. I suggest you to try out BIMDeX plugins for the same, as it can support you working in multiple platforms.