Importing CAD Reflected Ceiling Plan to ceiling view in Revit

[chendersonFHMWC]

Hi everyone,

We are given CAD files to work with way more frequently that .rvt files, so linking CAD has been a must for our company. Often times, we will receive a general floor plan as well as a reflected ceiling plan CAD file to work with. Whenever I try to import the RCP file to the ceiling mech sheet in Revit, the file isn't viewable, and shows up on the floor plan sheet. I don't want to create a new 'ceiling' level to place in the drawing, so I have experimented with reference planes, but so far, nothing has worked. I would really appreciate some insight into this problem.

[lee6800]

Lets say your imported DWG is placed where I have drawn a red lined. In a RCP view you are not going to be able to see it, as it is not in the range of the view.

So either create a temp level where your ceiling in and when importing dwg select that level, or modify your view range to cover where the DWG file is (red line)

[chendersonFHMWC]

How do you create a temp level? Create a level, import the CAD drawing, and then delete it? 

[ToanDN]

Create a level at ceiling to host the CAD ceiling drawing is not a bad idea.  And you need to keep the level after placing, if you delete teh level or the CAD will be deleted.

In case you don't want to create levels, you can link the CAD ceiling drawing in a floor plan, select it and change Base Offset to the ceiling elevation.

[chendersonFHMWC]

How do you have a floor plan and a ceiling plan in the drawing at the same time?

[p_barnett]

Hi @chendersonFHMWC 

We have many projects based on a DWG and build a Revit project in the middle of the plan. We don't have the ceiling plan issue you have, but the following should still be applicable.

My work around for this is to have the CAD plan flattened, except for a single line of wall or column, that isn't going to be altered in the project, and set its thickness in AutoCAD to soffit height. Then I would merge the ceiling plan into the floor plan and use layer visibility in Revit. Just so you have a single DWG to manage. Or do the same to the existing and proposed CAD files. Insert them on the floor level.

By having just a single CAD object of level height, it makes the whole DWG file have that thickness and the DWG will appear in the cut plane of that level, normal or reflected. Even if that object isn't in the view.

In addition, I always set worksharing on so that I can use Worksets. Creating a dedicated Workset for the DWGs, means you can set the default not to show in new views if you wish. I find this a useful tool similar to AutoCAD 'hidden in new viewports.' So if you have a separate DWG for the ceiling, I'd create a Workset of the ceiling. Set the default to be hidden, then you only turn it on in the ceiling plans and don't have to turn it off in every other view.

Cheers