Revit Steel Tools

[panastos]

I'm curious, do people use these tools to detail connections on large projects? I keep trying to use them and make the move from face-based families, and am overwhelmed with issues.

Just today, trying them again -

1. They can't be used in assemblies. This remains the most critical issue, if I can't detail the connections on drawings what good are they? They make a pretty picture but I can do that without them. I don't want to move to another software solution, we are supposed to be using BIM here.

2. Using bolts sometimes fails, with no explanation

3. Connections sometimes fail, with no explanation (seems to be an issue with irregular geometry.)

4. Using bolts breaks the end connections. Cut with reference planes (which I need for this connection) and even copes just disappear.

5. The tools seem buggy, for instance trying to place bolts I get a warning that the solids are different for medium and fine detail level. Well if that is an issue why are the OOTB families built that way? Just ignore the medium detail level, it is not the real shape of the elements, and not relevant to what I am doing anyway. Then another warning, "Cut with voids, by reference plane and Start/End Join Cutbacks (from Geometrical position parameters) will be ignored." Nothing I selected was cut or had cutbacks. Then all I can do is cancel out despite these both being warnings. No explanation for the failure is given.

I'm using 2022 so maybe I need to get with the newer version? I'm sure they work great for connecting regular beam A to regular beam B with double angles (though I still seem to have to override and manually configure the connection even in Revit 2024 - it puts 3 bolts in an 8" beam), but for the custom connections we often detail I am still feeling like they need more work.

[jay_colcombe]

My first point would be to try and use the latest releases for Steel Tools and Connections as the big advancements I feel have come in 2023 with Connection propagation and automation and continues into 2024.

i still have issues when editing the standard library connections and save them as custom connections to reuse at other locations but feel it is a lot more achievable than previous releases.

Overall I can get a good interpretation of design intent in Revit but without fabrication tools will always rely on a more dedicated platform for detailed designs and outputs where the software is more geared for Steel Fabrication than modelling.

I also even used exported 2D details from Connection Design application inside drafting views combined with Detail Call-outs.

Have a look at the 2023 Connection updates they may be the step you are looking for or may not be a step far enough?

[panastos]

Thanks, I will give the latest version a spin and hopefully some of the issues I found have been worked out, but still without the ability to make assemblies on any connection I am detailing pieces for I will not be able to use these tools.

[jay_colcombe]

I appreciate your viewpoint, as regards assemblies would the Custom Connection option suffice on creating reusable connections which are parametric driven rather than assemblies?

Do you see assemblies purpose for detailing and fabrication?

If so take a look at this thread, a little old but shows how you can get what you possibly need and those guys really know Advanced Steel as it was theirs once!!! 

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-structure-forum/include-structural-connections-in-assembly/td-p...

[panastos]

It is not just the issue of being able to replicate the connection though of course that is a part of it, but also the ability to detail the connections for fabrication, which we are often tasked with doing. I know I can export to Advance Steel (do the connections export with full parametric data? I did not have success getting face-based families to do so), but that's not the workflow I am looking for. Being able to generate shop drawings straight out of Revit would be great. After all, we are using BIM, and did all this modeling... why go through all of the work all over again and "dumb down" the data to CAD.

I am glad to see that the elements can at least be scheduled now, a couple versions back this didn't seem to be the case.

Are you involved with the Autodesk team on this?

[jay_colcombe]

I have spent way too much time in the Autodesk Partner Channel so a bit corporate probably in my responses but your viewpoint is one I heard way to often where all work should be able to be completed in one platform and I fully agree.

i helped CADS introduce an addin for Revit for rebar where it fell short of industry requirements and a lot of these tools are slowly being incorporated into Revit also one of the Pinned Threads at the top of this forum show is that Revit is committed to Revit as a full solution hence the Advanced Steel decision so we can all but hope that full functionality of detailing and fabrication process will at some point be available in Revit?