AU2012-MP1477-L - Faster Families For Autodesk® Revit® MEP

Faster Families for Autodesk Revit MEP
David Butts – Gannett Fleming, Inc
MP1477-L
New and improved for Revit MEP 2013! It is time to learn how to get your content modeled quickly—and
quickly
save money on your projects. This hands
hands-on
on lab starts with creating your own family templates; we will
provide great samples you can take home with you. We will cover using the Shared Parameter Exporter
and present guidelines for defining your own shared pparameters.
arameters. We will examine in detail editing object
styles to use the improved materials, and we will wrap up by modifying fittings for duct and pipe to
improve your designs. This extremely popular lab, which filled up quickly last year, can really help you
yo get
the most out of your Revit for MEP engineers.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this class, you will be able to:
• Set up a family template and work with manufacturer content

• Import multiple parameters at once with Shared Parameter Exporter
• Maximize materials for families and object styles
• Customize pipe and duct fittings
About the Speaker
David is a BIM Specialist for Gannett Fleming, a multi

multi-discipline
discipline engineering firm based in Camp Hill, PA,
with 60 offices in the US and overseas. Based in the RalRaleigh,
eigh, NC office, he provides BIM Implementation
and training for the firm's engineering design software, including Revit, Navisworks, AutoCAD MEP/P&ID
and more. He has 27 years of experience in both the design and Autodesk VAR channel, spending 13
years working
rking as an instructor and consultant for the Autodesk building design product line. David also
worked as a training manager while in the channel, and was a member of the Autodesk ATC Advisory
Board for 2009-10.
10. He is a Revit Architecture Certified Profess
Professional,
ional, and also earned the MEP
Implementation Certified Expert title.
David has spoken at AU for several years, and was named the Top Speaker for both labs and lectures at
AU 2011. As an author, he also contributes to 4D Technology's CADLearning training programs and has
written several training manuals on Revit MEP.
You can reach David via email at dabfvnc1@nc.rr.com.

Introduction
Revit 2013 represents the next generation of building information modeling software for
Autodesk. One thing that hasn’t changed is the need for each firm to develop families that
match their design process needs. Since our firm works on a large variety of projects, from
water and wastewater treatment, to transportation facilities and more, the amount of content can
be daunting.
As we progress into our implementation, developing content experts becomes critical. Having
specialists that focus on equipment and systems that are related to their practice area greatly
enhances our ability to keep this cost to a minimum. But without consistent guidelines and
matched practices, a company can get into trouble in a hurry. Inconsistency between groups
can really drag the process down, so we train our specialists to do things the same way, and
follow one standard. Most important, they have to be able to create their content quickly, so the
bottom line is not impacted.
In this lab, we’re focusing on four areas that will help you get your families finished faster, while
helping you save time in the project. The resources for the lab also include samples of families
to help you get started, so let’s take off – and get your families fast!
Setting up Family Templates and Working with Manufacturer Content
In order to streamline this process as much as possible, it’s important to use a common starting
point. The best method I’ve found is to set up what we call starter families, or family templates.
You can define these families to include default parameters, object styles, reference planes and
more. I typically like to break these down by family type, but at a minimum, I would create one
for each category. In the case of mechanical equipment, you can go further – for example, I
have separate templates for pumps, air handling units and more, that include the specific
shared parameters that are used in schedules for a project.
The next several steps cover setting up these default families and templates, so let’s get
started.
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Family Types and Categories
Our first exercise examines how Revit address the different types of families in a project. In
Revit MEP, we work with two default types of families:
- Non-hosted – similar to a block in AutoCAD, this item can be placed anywhere in a

model, and is referenced to the level it’s placed on.
- Hosted – Including face based types for generic faces, walls, ceilings, etc., this type is
attached to another surface – if the surface moves, the family moves.
Typically the most widely used type is non-hosted, and is common for most end-of line
mechanical and electrical equipment. In our firm, we prefer non-hosted for plumbing and light
fixtures as well.
For hosted families, we start with generic face based for data, communication, lighting,
electrical, security and telephone devices.
It’s also important to understand how different types of families serve different purposes.
An example of a hosted family that I would use for electrical equipment includes power
panelboards. Power panels, which are defined by how they’re used, automatically include a
connection for devices, so they can be assigned to a panel.
This is controlled by the family category. By changing the category to a different subtype, such
as “other panel”, the behavior of the panel changes.
Exercise 1 – Reviewing Family Types and Categories
To run this exercise, begin by opening 1477-1.rvt. Once the file is open, set the 1 – Power view
current.
1. Pick the blue electrical panel, and then choose Edit Family to see how the panel is
defined.
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2. Review the category – change it to other panel.
3. Load the family into project and use the overwrite parameters option.
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4. Try to connect the receptacles in the room to the panel (select all of the receptacles in
the room – choose the Power option on the Create Systems panel – when the Electrical
Circuits tab appears, pick the Select Panel tool) – they won’t do it, since it isn’t a power
panelboard.
5. Edit the family again, and change it back to panelboard. Reload into project – check its
distribution system (which should have stayed as a 120/208 Wye), then try to connect –
it will work this time because the category is correct for the use.
6. Select the panel again – note the instance properties. The category tells Revit how to
associate power panel specific parameters:
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7. Select the Motor Control Center, and notice how the type of information changes – we
use Switchboard as the part type for our MCC panels, to get the panel schedule to look
and behave the way we want.
8. Change to the 1-Mech view. Pick the outdoor air handling unit, and then edit the family.
Go to category, and review the types.
Mechanical Equipment is a little less complicated – there are only two types. The Normal
part type is used for equipment that sits at the end of the duct line, while the Breaks into
option allow it to be attached to a duct component.
Both mechanical and electrical equipment are end of line sources, so they have different
behavior – they only define systems when they’re connected up to other higher devices,
but in most cases the rest of the MEP families for HVAC and electrical connect to them.
9. From the application menu, select New > Family. Take a look at the default list, which
includes architectural, structural and MEP family templates all in one location. Revit
provides both generic family templates, and templates that already have the category
assigned. Usually, you can select one of these templates and start to create your
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family…but we’ve got a better way to do this. We’ll come back to this – the next step is
to learn how to use a repeatable process to quickly create the families you need.
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Four Starter Components – Reference Planes/Labels/Solids/Constraints
Mechanical and electrical equipment represent the majority of content that we create. In order to
do this efficiently, you have to understand the key elements to making a family. There are four
parts:
1. Reference Planes – these invisible surfaces are used to create the boundaries of your
family. They also are used to control the size and shape, and are associated with the
dimensions of the model. Reference planes also are used to place connectors for
electrical, duct, pipe, conduit and cable tray components.
2. Labels – After the references planes are defined, you add dimensions to control the
reference planes. The dimensions are edited after they’re placed to create a dimension
label. The most common example of dimensional labels are ones that control length,
width and height of a solid in a family – but they can also be used to set the size of
connections, and more
3. Solids – the shapes that define the model, we add these once the reference planes are
located in the model, and the dimensional labels add. To define the solid, you create the
sketch by snapping to the reference planes – once the solid is defined, if the reference
planes move, the solid changes shape.
4. Constraints are the final step you take to associate the solid to the reference plane. You
can add constraints while you’re defining the solid, or after the solid is created. The
constraint defines the relationship between the reference plane, the label and the solids
in a family.
Let’s walk through the steps of creating the components – keep in mind that if you consistently
repeats these steps in sequence, you’ll gain speed quickly.
Exercise 2 – Creating the Starter Components
Start by creating a new family from the generic model.rft file – the RFT file is the template that is
used to create an .RFA, which is the file that gets loaded into the project.
1. From the application menu, select Open. Browse to the Family Templates folder, and
select the Generic Model.rft file.
2. From the Create tab, Properties Panel, select the Family Categories and Parameter tool:
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3. Set the filter to Mechanical, and then set the category to Mechanical Equipment, since
we want this to control the visibility and behavior of the part. When finished, select OK to
close the dialog.
4. Begin by defining the reference planes. Start with the floor plan view, ref level – this is
the same view you would have if creating a 2D block – from the top. The reference plane
tool is on the Create tab:
There are already two reference planes in the view – the vertical plane divides the left
and right sides, while the horizontal plane defines the front and back – the front is always
the bottom side of the intersection. The intersection represents the insertion point (0,0
for the AutoCAD users).
5. The reference plane tool is located on the Create tab. If the component is to be placed
by its center, add four reference planes around the centered planes as shown:
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Before After
6. Once the planes are added, add dimensions to define labels. From the annotation, tab,
pick the aligned dimension:
7. Pick the reference planes in sequence as shown – left, center, right – then place the
dimension string by picking a point between the planes.
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8. Once they’re placed, choose the EQ grip to make them equidistant – this will make the
object grow or reduce in size based on the overall dimension, from the center of the
model.
9. Repeat this step to add the equidistant dimensions to the front, center and back planes:
10. Once these are added, we can place overall dimensions for width (pick the front and
back planes) and length (pick the left and right planes):
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11. Now that we have the horizontal planes defined, let’s add the 3D aspect by added a
reference plane for the height. Change to the front elevation and add a reference plane.
12. After it’s placed, add a dimension to indicate the height of the unit. A quick way to do this
is to pick the dimension grip – the dimension will become permanent:
One note – I always name planes – name the plane controlling Height as Unit Top (not
to be confused with Carrot Top).
BIG tip: Name all your reference planes – it makes it easy to pick them out when setting a work
plane current!
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13. Once the dimensions are added, we can add the labels. Pick the height dimension – on
the options bar, select the label tool.
14. Choose ADD PARAMETER – when the dialog appears, name the parameter Height
(these are case sensitive, so use Title Case so it looks professional).
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15. Select OK to finish. Close this view to go back to the plan view.
16. Edit the left to right dimension, and add the label, LENGTH.
17. Edit the front to back dimension, and add the label WIDTH.
Here’s the tip – be consistent, try to use the same labels for all types of equipment, regardless of
how they’re used.
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Next, we’ll add the solid – some users add this first, but by already having the planes, I
can use them to create the solid, and constrain it while I create it – so it moves when the
reference planes move.
18. From the Create tab, select Extrusion. On the ribbon, pick the rectangle to create box
shape.
19. Snap to the lower left corner first, then pick the upper right corner.
We’re going to jump ahead to the constrain part – notice all the locks – these are
constraint locks and appear whenever you use a reference plane or other surface to
create a solid. Pick all four locks to constrain the solid to the reference plane.
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20. Pick the green check mark on the ribbon to finish the solid.
If you don’t create all constraints when you build the part, you can always come back
and add a constraint later.
21. Change to the front view – notice how the top of the solid doesn’t match the height. Pick
the modify tab, and then pick the align tool.
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22. Always pick the item you want to stay in place first when using the align tool, so pick the
reference plane first.
23. Next pick the top of the solid – the solid will match the plane. Pick the lock icon to
constrain the top of the solid to the plane.
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Pick Modify to complete the command. Now you’ve covered the four main parts for
defining the geometry of the model. Here’s the fast part – save this family as Raw
Mechanical Equipment – NON-HOSTED.
You can now use this family as a starter family, instead of using the RFT template. If
you were to rename the family by changing its extension to an RFT file, then everything
you’ve created to this point is locked and uneditable – so we don’t do this. We just leave
it as an RFA file, and keep it with our other family templates. There’s more you can add
to this family to save you time – we’ll cover this a little later.
24. Undo what you’ve done back to the start point. Name this Vendor Mechanical
Equipment – Non-Hosted.
Now you can import a vendor’s 3D .SAT, .DWG or .SKP (Sketchup) model to create
your part. From here you can add a connector, parameters, etc. as needed to complete
the model.
Exercise 3 – Importing a DWG Model into a Family
Once the starter family is defined, you can use it to create a new custom family, based on a
manufacturer’s model. In the next exercise, we’ll use the starter family we just created, and
create a new pump family.
To begin, continue from the last saved family, the Vendor Mechanical Equipment – Non-
Hosted.rfa file. Make sure the Ref Level view is the current view.
1. Since this file is already open, we can use it to make a new pump model for the project.
From the insert tab, select Import CAD. When the dialog opens, select the Sludge Pump
drawing. A couple of notes about this model:
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o The original model was defined in Solidworks as an SAT file. Use the Autodesk
Inventor Fusion program to save the file as a DWG if you want to edit it in
AutoCAD – that’s what I did for this lesson.
o Converting a SAT file to a 3D DWG creates an Autodesk “freeway component”.
To get Revit to use individual surfaces, explode it in the DWG. I take mine all the
way down to individual shapes, so I can delete any extraneous geometry that I
don’t want to show in the model. I recommend renaming the block to something
specific, so that it clearly defines the object in the model.
o Make sure you purge the model prior to importing it into you model.
Change the colors to Black and White; I only use the default colors if I’m trying to do a
rendering, but with the new materials behavior, it’s better to control this in Revit as
opposed to the source model
Set the positioning to Origin to Origin,
And you can uncheck the Orient to View option if inserting into a 3D view, but leave it
checked if importing into a plan view:
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Revit 2013 includes a new feature that helps get the linework into a model cleaner. The
Correct Lines that are slightly off axis tool will correct lines that are 0.1 degree off axis.
While this works great with equipment models, don’t use this option when importing a
site plan into a project.
2. Open will bring the model into the family. If you get a warning dialog box, ignore it.
3. Change to front view. To move the part, you’ve got to unpin it, so select the 3D model –
pick the pushpin grip to unpin it:
4. Once it’s unpinned, use the align command to move the pump up to the Ref Level
workplane:
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5. Now that you’ve got the model defined, you can add connectors and other parameters
as needed. We’ll add the connectors for now, so switch to a 3D view. From the Create
tab, choose the pipe connector tool. Add connectors to the pipe connection point on the
pump:
This works best when the model is exploded first, but you can also use the workplane
option to locate the connector. My preference is to use the face on an exploded model,
for ease of use.
Note: Use the View Cube to orbit around the model to place connectors. The connectors
will be constrained to the surface they are placed on (the only exception is the conduit
surface connector, which can be located anywhere along a specific surface).
6. Next up – pick the Electrical Connector tool from the Create tab, and add the connector
to the top of the lift pipe:
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7. Pick Modify to complete the command – then pick the electrical connector. Change the
properties of the connector to match the image below:
8. With connectors, you need to edit each connection and define its parameters.
Remember that any parameters you want to include in a connection (such as the
voltage), in most cases, should be defined as a shared parameter.
9. With the pipe connections, select one – make sure that you set the parameters such as
size and flow to what you want. One item you’ll want to change is the name of the
connection – be clear, so that when it’s picked, you can see what’s purpose is:
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Once you’ve added the connectors, load this one into the project. It’s controlled by
Mechanical Equipment since that’s how we started this family, so use the visibility
graphics command (VG) to turn its visibility on and off.
The part is now ready to use – review the type and instance properties, and connect pipes if
you’ve got the time. You now have a more accurate representation of the part, when you work
with the vendor to provide the true models.
When to Use Shared Parameters vs. Family Parameters
Now that we have the modeling part of the family complete, let’s take a look at the data
associated with the model. Revit includes a couple of primary parameters you’ll use with
families – shared and family.
The key difference is that Shared parameters can be used to populate schedules and tags.
Shared parameters are stored in a text file, which can only be edited in Revit. Family
Parameters are for the most part dimensional parameters – but some default values, such as
electrical load classification, or apparent load, can still be added to schedules depending on the
part type. The best approach is to make any parameter shared, if you might use it in a schedule,
tag or both.
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Super Tip: Once a shared parameter is added to your family or project, that parameter belongs
to that family or project. If changes have to be made to the parameters, the change should be
made in the shared parameter file, and then updated in the affected family or project file. It’s
critical to plan how you’re defining the Shared Parameters before placing them in families or
projects.
One way to get the parameters exposed is to use an associated parameter, which looks at the
default family parameter, and makes it available to use in a schedule. It has to be the same
units and format to work, so we’ll check to see if the parameter is a family parameter first.
Exercise 4 – Adding Family Parameters
To begin, make sure you have the project 1477-2.rvt open, and the 1-Lighting view set current.
1. Select one of the light fixtures. Choose the Edit family tool on the ribbon to review it:
2. Once the family is open, check the family types:
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3. When the dialog appears, select the Load Classification Parameter. Choose the modify
icon to review how it’s defined:
4. Right now it’s a family parameter, so we need to convert it to a shared parameter in

order for it to be scheduled. Select the Shared Parameter option, and then pick Select:
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If you get a dialog asking you to choose a shared parameter file, browse to the class
dataset folder – under the model guide folder > general_guide,, and select the Revit
Master Shared Parameters v2_1.txt file. If the default parameter group is not
Construction,, choose the Edit button, and then locate this file. We’ll talk more about this
file in the next section.
5. Once you get to the shared parameters dialog, change the group to Electrical – Loads.
Select the Load Classification parameter, and then choose OK:
6. Notice than the name is now grayed out – since it’s now controlled by the shared
parameter. Leave it as a type for now, since we want this to apply to all examples. Select
OK twice to complete the command and exit the family types dialog.
7. Now we want to check the connector, to make sure the connector’s load classification
value is exposed, and can be used in a schedule. Select the electrical connector, and
look at the properties palette:
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8. Notice how the Load Classification is grayed out – that means it’s already associated
with another parameter – to check this, pick the associate button on the right side of the
field (note – if it’s not grayed out in your model, go ahead and associate it):
9. This opens the Associate Family Parameter dialog. As long as the units and format are
the same, the parameter is associated with the one we just made into a shared
parameter – so now it can be scheduled. Select OK to close this dialog.
Normally, you’d have to actually edit the family and assign this value directly to the connector,
but with some families, they’re already assigned. By having it defined as a shared parameter
now, it has great flexibility and use in the model. In the next section, we’ll examine how to
quickly load shared parameters into your families.
Important note: Avoid using a character in a parameter name that can be interpreted as a
mathematical symbol. Example: parameter name “Load Classification” or
“Load_Classification”, NOT “Load-Classification”. So characters such as: +, -, *, /, or ^ are no-
no’s.
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Importing Shared Parameters into Families
There’s a lot more to families than we can cover in one lab, but one of the biggest time savers is
the Shared Parameter Exporter. In order to get the most out of this, I’ve split this lesson into two
parts. The first part covers the Revit Modeling Guidelines, which give you a great place to start
when defining your standards. Once you review this, you need to know how to quickly add these
parameters to your families. Let’s take a look at how to improve the data in your models.
Revit Modeling Guidelines
A few years back, Autodesk published the Revit Model Content Style Guide. Version 2.1 was
release in late 2009 but it still have relevance in how it identifies parameters. Here’s the fast part
– it already comes with a master shared parameter file to help the MEP engineer get started.
To help you get started and see what’s available, begin by opening the Revit Master
Parameters List XLS file. This file shows you the category, part type, parameter name, group,
type, GUID, discipline and type of parameter. What I really like about this file is that it also lists
what parameters are default system parameters that occur in every Revit project:
Use this file to help you plan how you’re going to use these parameters in your families.
Exercise 5 – Adding Shared Parameters
In this exercise, we’ll take a look at how to add shared parameters to your families. To begin,
make sure you have the project 1477-2.rvt open, and the 1-Lighting view set current.
1. On the Manage tab (either in family or project files), select the Shared Parameters tool.
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2. Browse to the class dataset folder – under the model guide folder > general_guide,
select the Revit Master Shared Parameters v2_1.txt file:
3. Select Open. This will set this file as the default source for your shared parameters.
Once it’s set, change the group to electrical – loads. Pick the Apparent Load parameter,
and then pick properties:
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4. You can’t modify a shared parameter once it’s created, so you have to create it from
scratch if you need to add one. Be aware – if you delete a parameter, then add it back
with the same name, the GUID identifier will also be changed – so you could have two
parameters in a model with the same name, but sourced by different components. Once
you get your parameters set, stick with them – and test, test, test.
Big tip: Load your shared parameters to your starter families.
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Exporting and Converting to Shared Parameters
Every once in a while, you’ll need to export parameters you have loaded into a project, so they
can be used in another project. You may also want to convert family parameters to shared
parameters, so they can be used in a schedule. Revit includes an extension, the Shared/Project
Parameter tool that helps you convert these parameters.
For example, we might have received or edited a family where Ballast Voltage and Load
Classification were defined as a family parameter, but we want to use them in a schedule. Let’s
see how this works.
Exercise 6– Using the Shared/Project Parameter Tool
To being, make sure you have the project file, 1477-2.rvt open.
1. From the Extensions tab, select the Tools option on the Autodesk Revit Extensions
panel. Select the Shared/Project Parameters tool.
2. When the dialog appears, there are three file locations and a file you need to select:
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Note: Your locations can vary from the ones displayed above - for the source files,
choose the Shared Families folder under the course dataset. Set the course dataset
location for the destination and log file locations, for this lab.
• Source Files Location – Specifies which files will be changes – use the Skip option
to exclude backup files;
• Destination Files Location – Specifies the location of the modified files;
• Log File Location – The program generates a log activity file here;
• Shared Parameter file - specifies what shared parameter file will be used as a
source of the data.
3. Once you have all of the locations set, copy and paste any number of families you wish
to convert into the source folder. These original files will not be modified. In your
dataset, we’ve already included a series of light fixtures from the default library that have
the Ballast Voltage and Load Classification set as family parameters.
4. Then click Configuration; this will read all of the groups and parameters from the shared
parameters text file you specified. Expand any groups and highlight a parameter. Click
the right arrow to add it to the list to replace as a shared parameter. Specify which
category to group the parameter under:
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Note: When you copy a parameter from the left column to the right, it no longer appears
in the left column.
5. Click OK when complete.

6. Click Run to start the conversion process. The modified family files will be copied into
the destination files location
location.. Open one of the families and make sure the parameter is
now a shared parameter:
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7. From the dataset folder, load the updated Plain Recessed Lighting Fixture.rfa file into
the project, using the overwrite parameters option. Select one of the lights, and review
the type parameters – the updates parameters can now be used in a schedule.
A BIG point – in order for this to work, the matching shared parameter already has to exist –
and be formatted the same way for units – in the shared parameter file, in order for this to
work.
One nice side effect of the utility – since it’s also saving the file, it will save it in the current
release – so that’s a step you won’t have to take when converting old files.
If you run the utility to add shared parameters to a file that doesn’t have the family parameter, it
will simply load the shared parameter in the file. In some cases, you’ll still need to associate
parameters with connectors, but this still saves a tremendous amount of time, especially if
you’re tailoring a lot of families to meet your standards.
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Here are a few more tips from the help file about using the Shared Parameter Converter:
• For some family parameters with same name already exist in source files -- Change the
parameter from family parameter to shared parameter, and assign to the group (except for
"other" group) according to configuration.
• For some family parameters with same name and different properties (Instance/Type) that
already exist in source file -- Change the parameter from family parameter to shared
parameter only, and leave the other properties the same.
• For a shared parameter with same name that already exists in source file -- it will regard this
file as failed file and copy it to failed folder, which is at the same level of the destination
folder. For example, if Voltage is already defined in a file, but has a different GUID number,
the import will fail if you are loading it from a different shared parameters file (and also a
different GUID number).
Maximizing Materials for Families and Object Styles
When it comes to adding materials to objects, Revit 2013 has got us covered. The
improvements to materials helps Revit create a better analytical model. MEP Families are no
different; it pays to understand where and when to apply these and get useful results. Let’s take
a look at how we would assign materials in a project.
Exercise 7 – Adding and Editing Materials for a Family
To begin, open the Sludge Pump.rfa model.
1. From the Manage tab, select the Materials tool. The Material Browser and Material
editor will open.
2. In the lower left corner of the dialog, select the AEC Materials section. The top side of
the dialog shows all materials that are loaded for the current family. Browse to the Metal
category, and then pick the Steel, Paint Finish, Blue material:
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3. In this case, we want to make some changes to the material. Once the material is
selected, two icons appear on the right. Select the right icon, which loads the material
and opens it in the Material Editor.
I used to think that materials were only applicable to renderings, but Revit 2013 added
more data to the material definition. For example, this material includes four assets,
which address graphics, appearance, physical and thermal conditions.
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The last two are the important ones – these properties can be used to sort data in a
project, and impact energy analysis results.
4. Under Assets, select the Steel ASTM A36 values. Take a look at the bottom of the
dialog:
5. The material now contains data about the material, including:
a. General information – this covers the name, description, keywords, subclass and
source for the information
b. Basic Thermal Properties – includes the Thermal Expansion Coefficient, which
describes how the size of an object where this material is applied changes with
temperature. This value measures the fractional change in size per degree
change in temperature at constant pressure.
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c. Mechanical properties include:

i. Behavior, which can be isotropic, transverse isotropic, or orthotropic.
ii. You can also assign Young’s modulus value, which measures the
stiffness of the material.
iii. Poisson’s Ratio, when an object using the material is stretched or
compressed, to an extension or contraction in the direction of the applied
load;
iv. Shear Modulus, which measure the ratio of shear stress to shear strain;
v. Density, which measures the density per pound to cubic feet
vi. And Damping Ratio, which measures how an object oscillates after being
moved from their default position.
d. Strength – this lists yield strength, which is measured in kips per square inch,
reduction factor for shear, and tensile strength.
You can select the option to indicate if a material is thermally treated. The Material Editor
dialog also allows you to add and delete materials, and create custom properties as
needed.
6. In the dialog, go back up to the Graphics section. Select the Steel, Paint Finish, Blue
graphics setting. Select the color:
7. Let’s select the teal color as the default for this material. You can use a variety of
sources to set the color, including RGB values and PANTONE colors. Select OK and
then select Done to close the material editor. Close the material browser to complete the
command.
This will set the color for the material when it is assigned to an object. And this is where
the important part comes into play. You have several ways to assign a material:
39
o It can be assigned by the family, to solids that are created directly from Revit
tools. This does NOT apply to imported object’s instance properties.
o It can be assigned to an object style category or subcategory in a family. We’ll
take a look at this in a minute.
o It can be assigned to a family or object style in a project – again, this only applies
to Revit solids, not imported categories.
o For imported models, use the imported categories visibility graphics settings to
control the applied material.
8. Save the family to store the changes. From the Manage tab, select Object Styles.
9. On the Imported Categories tab, select the 0 layer, and then select Rename. Name the
new subcategory Pump – Sludge:
Note: If you are working from an imported DWG file, and want to apply different
materials to different parts, such as the flange, edit the AutoCAD drawing and assign the
solids to their own specific layers.
40
10. Click OK to exist the rename dialog. Select the material cell for the subcategory, and
change the material to the new blue material:
11. Select OK to close the dialog. Save the family and then load it into a project.
Once the file is in the project, toggle the graphics display options between shaded and realistic.
You’ll see the materials as they were assigned:
Since we didn’t change the appearance, the realistic option will display the original assigned
material:
41
While we are just touching the surface of materials (pun intended), taking the time to do this will
help you produce a better quality rendering or image. But don’t go too crazy - make sure you
limit your assigned materials and include only the ones you need on a project, to keep the file
size reasonable.
Customizing Pipe and Duct Fittings
Our last topic includes getting your fittings to look and drive the way you want. And it’s really
simple, since editing an existing part is one of the easiest things to do in Revit. In this lesson,
we’ll take a look at two of the most important – editing the lookup tables for fittings and editing
default duct fittings
Editing Pipe Lookup Tables
The key to getting piping to look and behave you want lies in the lookup tables. With some
parts, you have a lot of combinations – for example, pipe fittings use hundreds of combinations.
In our case we needed a ductile iron flange instead of a grey iron flange, so we’ll duplicate the
part, since it already has the same values. In this exercise, we will make a copy of an existing
lookup table and use it to create a new lookup table for a modified pipe library/
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Exercise 8 – Editing a Pipe Lookup Table
To begin this exercise, Revit can be started with any project or family file open.
1. Use the open command to open a family – from the dialog, pick the Imperial Library
content shortcut. From the default content library, browse to this folder –
Piping\Fittings\Gray Iron Flanges\Class 125 folder. Open the Flanged – Threaded –
GI – Class 125 family:
Note: For this class, the file is also located in the class dataset folder, under Gray Iron
Flanges.
2. Once it’s open, go to the Family Types dialog on the properties panel:
There are two things to look at here –
• the first is the lookup table name

• the second are the parameters that are associated with the dimensional
parameters.
43
3. The family refers to a lookup table which is a .CSV table file that is used to list sizes for
the default parameters. Since CSV files can be associated with Excel, you can use that
program to open the file.
4. From Windows Excel – open Flange – Threaded – GI – Class 125.csv file located in
the class folder:
Note the headers across the top – the first column nominal size of the fitting. The
remaining headers are associated with the parameters in the family. The format goes
something like this: PARAMETERNAME##PARAMETERTYPE##PARAMETERUNITS.
For the second parameter, FDIA is the flange outside diameter parameter. Looking back
at the family types, it’s associated with the Flange Diameter value:
Rather than taking up a bunch of instance parameters and having to define a large
number of types, you can duplicate this table, and edit the parameters.
The parameters in a lookup table can be these types:
44
• Number – just a raw number, up to 6 decimal places;

• Length – a measurement, which can be made in feet, inches, millimeters, etc.
• Area – square footage/yard/meter… value;
• Volume – cubic footage/yard/meter… value;
• Angle – measured as number values, but applied to the rotation angle – for example,
the angle of elbows would use this value
So if I wanted the table to read inches instead of millimeters, change the last part of the
statement, from FDia##length##millimeters to FDia##length##inches.
5. Let’s edit this file – delete the rows for sizes 1 to 3.5 by deleting the entire set of rows:
6. Save the file as Flange – Threaded – DI – Class 125.csv. If you get the follow warning,
select Yes:
7. Copy this to the default library for lookup tables, under the Pipe folder (note: the file
cannot be used unless it is saved as a .CSV file, and located in the folder specified for
your lookup tables – this is usually in the same location as your default content.
8. Go back to the fitting family type – change the lookup table to look at your new table.
45
If you don’t copy the CSV file first, you’ll get an invalid formula error, so make sure you have the
CSV file in the pipes lookup table folder (can’t say this enough)/ Now the part can be placed
with the new sizes. The sizes you deleted will no longer be available.
Here’s a big tip: When possible, use and edit existing tables – it’s much faster!
Editing Duct Fittings
Our last edit is so easy, it’s almost stupid…but it bears repeating since I keep getting asked
about it. Revit includes a pretty comprehensive set of fittings, but this one is the one they
missed. In this lesson, we’ll learn how to make a transition elbow that allows for two different
shoulder lengths.
Exercise 9 – Editing an Existing Duct Fitting
To begin, open the default family, the Rectangular Elbow – Mitered Transition.rfa file, located
in the default Duct > Fittings folder in the Imperial Library.
1. Make sure the Ref Level view is the current view.
2. Notice how both shoulders use the same family parameter for the length. Select the
Shoulder Length label at the top of the fittings. Once it’s selected, pick the Label tool
on the options bar:
46
3. Select the parameter, to access to drop-down menu. Select Add Parameter.
4. When the dialog opens, create a new family parameter. Name the new parameter
Shoulder Length Right, and set the default value to instance. When adding
dimensional values that don’t need to be in a schedule, this is normally a family
parameter. If you need to use it in a schedule, you can also set this to be an Instance
Reporting Parameter, but for now we’ll leave this step out.
47
5. Select OK. The label is now defined. For the other shoulder parameter you don’t
need to follow the same steps. Open the Family Types dialog. Select Shoulder
Length, and then pick Modify.
48
6. Once you’re in the Modify dialog, you can change the parameter type, name, and
whether it’s type or instance. You can also select a different group. Change the
name to Shoulder Length Left:
7. Select OK to close the dialog. Once you’ve made the changes to the part, save the
family as Rectangular Elbow – Variable Length Shoulder Tap. The part is now
ready to use.
Not everything in Revit is complicated. The range runs from the simplicity of editing a duct fitting
to the complexity of editing pipe lookup tables. For either family, practice these steps and
improve your library.
49
Conclusion
Now you’ve had a chance to get a quick look at the things I look for in families, how to build your
starter families, and how to edit them quickly. As you get your library built, you’ll appreciate how
this consistent approach has helped your designers get their projects out the door faster and
better coordinated.
For more tips and trick, refer to my blog, The MEP CAD Engineer, at http://mep-
cad.blogspot.com.
Thanks for attending!
50

AU2012-MP1477-L - Faster Families For Autodesk® Revit® MEP

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Faster Families for Autodesk Revit MEP

David Butts – Gannett Fleming, Inc

At the end of this class, you will be able to:

• Set up a family template and work with manufacturer content

About the Speaker

David is a BIM Specialist for Gannett Fleming, a multi

You can reach David via email at dabfvnc1@nc.rr.com.

Setting up Family Templates and Working with Manufacturer Content

Family Types and Categories

- Non-hosted – similar to a block in AutoCAD, this item can be placed anywhere in a

Exercise 1 – Reviewing Family Types and Categories

2. Review the category – change it to other panel.

Four Starter Components – Reference Planes/Labels/Solids/Constraints

Exercise 2 – Creating the Starter Components

Exercise 3 – Importing a DWG Model into a Family

Set the positioning to Origin to Origin,

When to Use Shared Parameters vs. Family Parameters

Exercise 4 – Adding Family Parameters

2. Once the family is open, check the family types:

4. Right now it’s a family parameter, so we need to convert it to a shared parameter in

Importing Shared Parameters into Families

Revit Modeling Guidelines

Exercise 5 – Adding Shared Parameters

Big tip: Load your shared parameters to your starter families.

Exporting and Converting to Shared Parameters

Exercise 6– Using the Shared/Project Parameter Tool

5. Click OK when complete.

Maximizing Materials for Families and Object Styles

Exercise 7 – Adding and Editing Materials for a Family

To begin, open the Sludge Pump.rfa model.

5. The material now contains data about the material, including:

c. Mechanical properties include:

Customizing Pipe and Duct Fittings

Editing Pipe Lookup Tables

Exercise 8 – Editing a Pipe Lookup Table

There are two things to look at here –

• the first is the lookup table name

The parameters in a lookup table can be these types:

• Number – just a raw number, up to 6 decimal places;

Editing Duct Fittings

Exercise 9 – Editing an Existing Duct Fitting

1. Make sure the Ref Level view is the current view.

3. Select the parameter, to access to drop-down menu. Select Add Parameter.

Thanks for attending!

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