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Collaboration with other software
About model and data exchange with 3rd party solutions: Revit, Solibri, dRofus, Bluebeam, structural analysis solutions, and IFC, BCF and DXF/DWG-based exchange, etc.

Revit Structure and ArchiCAD coordination

Anonymous
Not applicable
Good Afternoon,

My firm is currently using Revit Structure and we are getting ready to do a project with a local architect who uses ArchiCAD. Has anyone here had any experience with trying to coordinate the 2 formats of models?

I'm wondering if we'll need to utilize some 3rd party software like NavisWorks?

Any insights would be great,

Rick McElvain
14 REPLIES 14
Anonymous
Not applicable
I had no idea the thread got moved ! I did export the doghouse to IFC and am waiting to hear from our architectural client. He sent me a 3D dwg export and it's just as Scott said, uncategorized solid (no clash detection capabilities). I'll update the post once I hear back from our client.

Rick
Anonymous
Not applicable
I'm the Architect working with Rick M.

ArchiCAD needs to be upgraded to IFC ver 2.2 and then the import of Revit Structural works fine . The upgrade can found at http://www.graphisoft.com/support/ifc/downloads/public/.

The Revit objects come in as walls (with composites), slabs, library objects, etc. Many of the objects are not as "editable" as I would like to see, but it is a start.

It should be interesting & exciting to see how well this collaboration works out!
Djordje
Ace
Rick wrote:
I had no idea the thread got moved !
Sorry, I should have notified you!
Rick wrote:
I did export the doghouse to IFC and am waiting to hear from our architectural client. He sent me a 3D dwg export and it's just as Scott said, uncategorized solid (no clash detection capabilities). I'll update the post once I hear back from our client.
Please do!

We are all hopeful that IFC will finally break down the file exchange barriers.

The horrible thing is - most of the industry, suspiciously not so computer literate, does NOT realize that there is a problem! I encounter that frequently - they call and say "send me the CD" OK, what file format? Blank.

Good luck!
Djordje



ArchiCAD since 4.55 ... 1995
HP Omen
Anonymous
Not applicable
Well, we're really getting the project underway now. The initial IFC file that worked well can no longer be replicated. I have available to email anyone who's interested some sample IFC files in the hopes that someone will be able to have the steel ones work for them. It seems that the WF Column and WF Beam families are not coming across very well (okay, that's an understatement .... really badly would be closer to the mark).

This is a LINK to a free IFC Viewer so you can see what the files are supposed to look like (they all work fine with this Viewer).

I can't attach the files due to the size restraints, so if you are interested please let me know and I'll forward the files to you directly.

I would appreciate any feedback given in the hopes that I can narrow down what I need to change in my Revit Families to get this translation to work.

Thanks in advance,

Rick
Anonymous
Not applicable
For anyone interested, we are able to import the Revit Structural model via IFC. There are a few things the Structural Engineer (Rick)needed to do in Revit so steel shapes would come through properly. There are also a few things we do with the IFC file so ArchiCAD can utilize the Structural model.
On our end (Architects'), we open the structural IFC file and save it to a PLN and a PLA.
In our architectural model, we attach the stories of the PLN as modules and load the PLA as a library. As we get updated structural information via IFC, we simply open the IFC file and save over the PLN & PLA files.
All the steel automatically updated in our architectural model.
We are still having difficulties with the concrete (footings and foundations), but I'm sure we will resolve that shortly.

Later,
Brett Luecke, AIA
Connolly Architects, Inc.
Milwaukee, WI
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