Mastering Autodesk

Revit MEP 2016

CHAPTER 17: Solid Modeling

CHAPTER 17: Solid Modeling

Solids and Voids
• Extrusions
– All of the modeling tools create an extrusion
– Extrusion tool allows you to sketch a shape in
a plane and extrude it perpendicular to the
plane
• Extrusion Start and Extrusion End parameters
determine depth

– Sketches must form a closed loop

• Multiple “loops” can be drawn in same sketch

CHAPTER 17: Solid Modeling

Solids and Voids
• Blends
– Extrusions that have a different shape at each end
• Base is sketched and then Top is sketched
• Top can be offset from Base
• Vertices formed connecting Base to Top can be edited

Base sketch Top sketch

CHAPTER 17: Solid Modeling

Solids and Voids
• Revolves
– Extrusions that follow a circular
path around a specified axis
• Axis is drawn or existing line
selected
• Shape is sketched
• Start Angle and End Angle
parameters determine arc length of
path

CHAPTER 17: Solid Modeling

Solids and Voids
• Sweeps
– Extrusions that follow a specified path
• Path is either sketched or picked from existing lines
• Profile (shape of extrusion) can be sketched or
loaded from a preset profile family

CHAPTER 17: Solid Modeling

Solids and Voids
• Swept Blends
– Combination of a sweep solid and a blend
solid
• Same as creating a sweep, but with two
profiles (one at each end)
• Each profile can be sketched or loaded from a Profile 1
profile family
Profile 2
• Profiles do not need to be in same plane,
allowing for transition in third dimension

CHAPTER 17: Solid Modeling

Solids and Voids
• Voids
– Same as extrusions but create a void instead
of a solid
– Can be used to cut space out of solid
geometry or a host

CHAPTER 17: Solid Modeling

Solid Modeling
• Reference Planes
– Used to determine orientation and location of
solid geometry within a family
– Provide dimension locations when family is
used in a project
– Define origin of family Reference Line

• Reference Lines
– Non-planar
– Start and end points
– Good for angular dimensioning

CHAPTER 17: Solid Modeling

Solid Modeling
Reference Line

• Constraints and Dimensions

– Allow for parametric behavior of geometry
– Geometry can be locked to planes or reference lines
that are parametrically controlled by dimensions
– Align tool makes it easy to lock geometry to planes
or lines
– Temporary dimensions can be changed to
permanent and then assigned to a parameter

CHAPTER 17: Solid Modeling

Solid Modeling
• Visibility Control
– Solid geometry can be set to display in
specific views
• Improved performance by not having to display
complex geometry in plan views

– Geometry can be displayed based on detail

level of view

Medium Detail Fine Detail

CHAPTER 17: Solid Modeling