New Canadian CISC Standard 9.2 Structural Shapes Available

If you rely on Canadian size structural shapes for your work then you'll wish you had a valid subscription if you don't. The Canadian Structural Content Extension for Autodesk® Revit® RST 2015 software provides the latest CISC standard 9.2 hot rolled structural steel shapes is available in the Subscription Center for you to download. This extends the current out-of-the-box content offering, reducing the need for users to seek alternative sources of content.

This was announced via the BIM & BEAM blog earlier today.

I have to admit my first reaction was that it ought to be available regardless of subscription status. I'd prefer that anybody using Revit Structure and relying on accurate structural shapes also has the latest shapes to use. If it is truly supplemental, as opposed to updating critical existing shapes, then perhaps it is a subscription benefit?

Starting my Project after Receiving a Model

From a Revit MEP or Structure perspective getting a project started, without delving into subtlety, should look something like this.

• Link the architecture model - Auto - Origin to Origin
• Examine an elevation - Make sure your levels match theirs (it's also helpful to get a better sense of the scope vertically)
• Use Copy/Monitor to create (levels you don't have) and watch the levels for coordination (optional but a good idea)
• Room Bounding (MEP) - The arch link has a Type Parameter called Room Bounding, this should be checked if/when you are using Spaces
• Create views for each level after you've made sure yours match theirs
• Repeat this for each discipline, HVAC, Plumbing etc...
• Phases between files should be mapped (same place as Room Bounding, and to truly work they need the same names too)
  
• If you need your own grids to adjust how your documents look - use Copy/Monitor to get a watched set of your own grids

As I alluded to in the beginning, there are other subtle things like worksets that can factor in as well, but assuming the above is all done, you're ready to start adding your own work.

Beam Joins

Quick tip Thursday: The shortest beam in a join will force the longer beam(s) to cutback. In other words the shorter beam will not cut back. We can use the Beam/Join Editor to adjust relationships.

Two Minutes with Beams and Columns

Brian Mackey recently wrote on his blog about a subtle feature that seems to have crept into the product without much fanfare. You can read his account. I decided to capture it in video format to pass along to a client who was asking about the concept (having beams aware of column ends) so I've posted it here too.

Dept. of Subtle - Load Type Properties - Linear Force Scale

The Autodesk Wikihelp says that this is for graphic display only yet the Type Properties dialog offers a value to change using a structural unit instead of integer or number data type. It does affect the height of the annotation as suggested by help but the value you enter seems a little odd?

From Wikihelp:

...snip Force Scale The display size parameter; this value visually changes the display of the force symbol. Scale is for display only....snip

Same thing for Moment Scale.

Dept. of Bugs - Revit Framing Does Not Play Nice

Avan Amalsad wrote to me today asking me if I could corroborate her observations and those of one of her clients, she works with Microdesk and specializes in Revit Structure. She was asking about that version but I had Revit Architecture open. The two applications share these features so if it happens in RST I expected it to happen in RAC, it did! Okay okay...what is it?

If you have a grid, column and framing layout and adjust the position of a grid by a value of around six inches or less (150mm) you'll find that the framing doesn't follow the grid.

If you change the spacing by a value greater than six inches (150mm) then it seems to wake up and follow the grid. If you keep changing it by small increments the framing may not wake up until you've move it enough that it does again. Odd foible. Avan's client says that they saw a larger increment of failure back in Revit 2009 so it is better now. I guess we have to define better loosely? I recorded a little video to demonstrate it to make it easier to see.

Blogger Day - Feature Focus 3 - Structural Enhancements

Here's a slide of the three items getting presented.

Revit Structure - Composite Floor Design Extension

BIM and BEAM announced yesterday that an update for the Composite Floor Design Extension is now available to subscription customers.

...snip
This newly updated Extension, which is now available on the Subscription Center, allows for the design of composite and non-composite floor layouts to current US codes. The integration of this code checking capability inside a native Revit Structure model removes the need to create a separate analysis model and allows the option of performing the analysis in Revit Structure or externally in 3rd party Revit Structure analysis partner solutions. The Composite Floor Design Extension also enables structural designers the ability to perform analysis and make code check centric decisions earlier in the design process.
...snip

Check it out!

Revit Structure - Missing Columns - Graphical Column Schedule

Have you seen this message?


If so the solution is pretty simple. When was the last time you checked your elevation views? Notice the grids in the image? Just make them tall enough to encompass all the columns and "she'll be right"!

Steel Tonnage Technique - Link to Tip

At the Revit Structure User Group (STRUG) meeting (Irvine, CA) last night Ed Tallmadge of Kelar suggested that I post a link to a recent post on an Autodesk Blog called Connected. They've provided a tutorial to allow users to report the tonnage of the steel they've modeled in their project.

It was also mentioned on the BIM and BEAM blog naturally.

Done Ed!

Revit Structure Meeting - Sept. 3, 2008 - SoCal

If you use Revit Structure, are reading this, live in or will be in Southern California AND have time on September 3, 2008 you ought to visit this relatively new Revit Structure user group.

Meeting Details:

Host: Avan Amalsad & KPFF Engineers
Location: KPFF Consulting Engineers
18500 Von Karman Avenue., Irvine, CA 92612 US
When: Wednesday, September 3, 6:00PM
Phone: 949-252-1022

Parking: Kindly do not park your vehicle in the building premises as you will be charged. You can park across the street at 2500 Michelson Plaza.

After hours the elevators will only allow access to the 10th floor.

Topic One - Exporting from Revit
Presented by: Matthew Gonzalez

Topic Two - Revit Phase Features
Presented by: Behzad Sanikhatam and Edward Tallmadge (Kelar)

Topic Three - Revit Design Options
Presented by: Behzad Sanikhatam and Edward Tallmadge (Kelar)

This is an Autodesk and Kelar sponsored event hosted by KPFF Consulting Engineers - Irvine.

Want to get on their mailing list? Contact Avan Amalsad

If these topics interest you perhaps we will see you there!?!

Subject Matter Experts - Steel Reinforcement - USA

Wai Chu (Revit Structure Product Manager) posted the following inquiry on the AUGI forum. I've posted here just to echo the request...echo....echo... he writes:

Hi all!

Our structural product's team is currently searching for some USA steel reinforcement subject matter experts. We would like to do on-site research with you. We would conduct an extensive interview consisting of three (3) full days on site with one (1) day follow-up by phone or email. We want to do this during September 2008.

Very important:
The ideal candidate should be familiar with other software programs for reinforcement detailing in the USA. They should have lot of experience in detailing and reinforced concrete design, rebar modeling, shop drawing and fabrication drawing generation.

Our team has some budget to pay the candidate for the time they will spend with us for this research and interview.

If interested, please contact Wai Chu and Dariusz Kwolek

Thank you

Wai Chu + Dariusz Kwolek
Autodesk Structural Products Team

STRUG-OC Revit Structure User Group - Orange County

I attended the second meeting for this group last Wednesday night. I tried to attend their first meeting but I arrived one day late, on time but wrong day. I have no excuse except "knucklehead syndrome".

This meeting was a nearly full room of 20 and hosted by the Irvine office of KPFF and Avan Amalsad was the "hostess with the mostest". She ran a smooth show marred only by some "EyeTee" meeting jitters, a computer that wouldn't cooperate for a bit followed later by the third presenter's PC offering only the "blue screen of death". This second item struck Daniel Hebert with U.S.CAD but he was equal to the task quickly assembling an alternate model to do his discussion on the Copy/Monitor features.

Avan discussed some Revit basics and then spent some time covering using legacy details in a Revit project.

Margarito Garcia, CAD Modeler with Thornton Tomasetti gave a short and sweet run down on scheduling features. I think he whetted the attendees appetite for more so I bet he gets an encore at another meeting so he can go deeper into the subject.

Avan Amalsad found an ally in Ed Tallmadge of Kelar Pacific LLC to start this user group. He also started a group in San Diego called STRUG-SD.

Thanks to the KPFF staff who setup the room and stayed late to rebuild it as well as the firm's management for permitting the group to meet on site regularly. Be sure to show your support and attend the next meeting if you can. They meet on the first Wednesday of each month. If you'd like to contact Avan, just let me know and I'll pass your info along to her.

New Build for Revit Structure - (20080602_1900)

From the Autodesk Web Update PDF:

Download it NOW!

REVIT® STRUCTURE 2009

Web Update Enhancement List

Improvements made in Web Update 1 build (20080602_1900):
Structure enhancement

Improves stability during upgrade when line-based and structural framing families with geometry containing planes are almost parallel to the X axis.
Floor slab thickness at cantilever of metal deck profile bound to layer above is now correct.
Reduces the recurrence of getting “circular chain of references” error messages when braces are usedthe top and bottom chords of an API assembled truss.
Improves joist girder families and tags.
Improves the fidelity of printing and exporting of hidden lines shown in structural and MEP views.
Section cut through joined beams at a column will now display properly in the beams cross-section.
Line pattern of a level type for the default metric structural templates is now changed to "Center" from "Solid".
Elevation value of Level 1 in structural metric templates no longer displays as "-0".
Some pre-loaded UK metal deck profiles have been renamed with manufacturer product names in the Structural Analysis-DefaultGBRENU.rte.
Restores some structural components in SouthAsiaLibrary content bundle.

Platform enhancement

Improves the plotting consistency of certain components that are placed over hatched elements in coordination and architectural discipline views.
Spot elevation with Display Elevation = Top & Bottom Elevation will now report the correct bottom elevation for sloped elements.
In plan view with medium or fine detail level, spot elevations now report the correct top or bottom elevation of a beam that is joined to a column.
Improves stability when changing the visibility of a link in a view template.
Improves stability when exporting to CAD formats.
Improves stability when closing SteeringWheels.
Improves stability when adding elements to a group.
Families that contain arrayed voids will now function properly in the project.
Improves stability for users with non-English operating systems when using the Open/Save dialog.
Notes created in Revit for a DWF markup object will now propagate to the DWF after selecting publi• Corrects
Model lines now remain in the correct design option when split.
Join order changed for structural columns and non-bearing walls.
For sweeps on an arc wall, you now have the option to change sweep
When rendering, the progress bar reports correct percent complete.
Lights that were in a light group that was deleted are no longer controlled instead they are controlled by the Ungrouped Lights status.
Improves the ability to enter custom DPI value in the Render dialog
Enabling daylight portals will now affect the rendered appearance.
Spotting on interior renderings with many internal light sources no longer occurs.

API enhancement

Parameter binding performance has been improved.
The Join Type method has been implemented for the Locationcurve of structural members.
Mullion LocationCurves are now accessible through the API.
External programs may now suppress VSTA startup warning messages.
The built-in parameter MATERIAL_PARAM_TRANSPARENCY now returns the correct set value.

New builds for the others should follow shortly!

New Build - Revit Structure - 20071209_1300

Apparently a problem I reported was among issues that have prompted the Revit Structure team to post a new build just one month later. The issue I reported had to do with copy/paste tools applied to concrete beam families. I'm glad they figured it out!

You can download the BUILD HERE!

This is the list of comments in the pdf file found at Autodesk:

Improves API for beams creation with NewFamilyInstance (ref XYZ location,..)
Improves API for element coping.
Improves API for instance creation of cellular beam.
Improves API for rebar group distribution.
Improves File > Open performance time when opening some project files in Revit Structure software.

Allows the ability to array face-based families placed on a vertical face.
Allows the ability to maintain face-based instances on curved surfaces of a Revit file linked into Revit Structure when the link is unloaded.

Improves stability when selecting sections.
Improves stability when accessing the Help menu in Revit Structure on a computer with the Microsoft Windows Vista™ operating system.

Improves stability when applying a view template to a sheet.
Improves performance when views contain many objects with overridden graphics by element.

New Builds - Revit Architecture, Structure & MEP - (20071109_2345)

A new build has been posted for each:

Revit Architecture, DOWNLOAD HERE!
Revit Structure DOWNLOAD HERE!
Revit MEP DOWNLOAD HERE!

This is the text from the pdf file listing the issues addressed by the new build.

Allows the ability to array face-based families placed on a vertical face.
Allows the ability to maintain face-based instances on curved surfaces of a Revit file linked into Revit Architecture software when the link is unloaded.

Improves stability when selecting sections.
Allows the ability to insert an electrical receptacle into a legend view.
Improves stability when accessing the Help menu in Revit Architecture on a computer with the Microsoft Windows Vista™ operating system.

Improves stability when applying a view template to a sheet.
Improves performance when views contain many objects with overridden graphics by element.

New Build - Revit Structure 2008

New Build Number: 20070810_1700

This is the text from a pdf posted at Autodesk's download page for Revit Structure, download it from THIS LINK.

Improvements made in the current Web Update SP2 build (20070810_1700):

Straight beam joins and cuts back properly when supported by vertical curved beams.
Improves stability after receiving a corrupt element warning when opening a project.
Improves stability when saving a Project with a linked DWG™ file that contains an image.
Improves stability when applying a view template to a sheet view.
In Windows Vista™ operating system, allows the ability to write to revit.ini, licpath.lic, KeyboardShortcuts.txt, and the Journals folder.
Line based families contained in a group are no longer flipped when the group is mirrored.
Improves stability when importing group into Titleblock family.
Allows the ability to export renderings to TIFF format.
When temporary dimension text too small to read, user can adjust the size of the font through Revit.ini.
Linked DWG added by another user will now show up in Manage Links after reload latest.
“Relative” spot elevation updates automatically with the change in Level elevation.
When exporting to DWG file, overlapping lines that share a point are no longer missing in the resulting DWG.

There is also some new content available via THIS LINK.


Improvements made in the previous Web Update SP1 build (20070607_1700):

Track Changes toolbar works properly with third-party application.
Fixes very small dimension rounding error inaccuracy for the levels in the default structural project
templates.
Duplication of structural steel framing and column .rfa content in UK Library no longer occurs.
Enhances the ability to open .rvt file containing imported/linked .dwg with incorrect boundary hatch.
Estimated Reinforcement Volume of rebar is calculated correctly.
Beam’s analytical model auto-adjusted to slab updates automatically when slab is deleted.
Column’s analytical model auto-adjusted to slab updates automatically when moved out of tolerance.
Manual analytical adjustment of a beam to the end of a wall functions properly.
Beam whose vertical z-Direction Justification was set to "Other" makes the analytical model in the correct position.
Improves stability when importing .dwg or .dxf with the presence of an older version of DWG TrueView™
installed on the computer.
For a selected Line, Hide Category in View no longer affects all Categories of Lines.
Some Detail, Plan, or Section Callouts are no longer erroneously hidden in cropped views.
Masking Regions in Tag Families will now obscure elements in project and in exports.
Filled Regions containing Solid Fills, which are overridden to be Transparent, now print consistently between Vector and Raster modes.
Improves stability with Overlay Planes turned off in Graphics Settings.
Crop Regions which were previously missing are now visible in Views in upgraded files and templates.
Display problems in a view no longer occur when zooming with OpenGL® hardware acceleration turned on.
Copying nested links from the Project Browser places the Link and its nested components.

Last, be sure to visit the BIM & BEAM Blog

Revit Structure - New Build (20070607_1700)

Announced today, the following is from the text at Autodesk's Revit Structure 2008 site.

This build (20070607_1700), addresses issues related to:

• Track Changes toolbar is missing with third-party application.
• Very small dimension rounding error inaccuracy for the levels in the default structural project templates.
• Duplication of some structural steel framing and column .rfa content in UK Library.
• Unable to open .rvt file containing imported/linked .dwg with incorrect boundary hatch.
• Incorrect estimated reinforcement volume of rebar.
• Crash when importing .dwg or .dxf with the presence of an older version of DWG TrueView on the computer.
• Beam’s analytical model auto-adjusted to slab doesn’t update when slab is deleted.
  Column’s analytical model auto-adjusted to slab doesn’t update when moved out of tolerance.
• Unsuccessful manual analytical adjustment of a beam to the end of a wall.
  Beam whose vertical z-Direction Justification was set to "Other" had the analytical model in the wrong position.
• For a selected Line, Hide Category in View affects all Categories of Lines.
• Some Detail, Plan, or Section Callouts are erroneously hidden in cropped views.
• Masking Regions in Tag Families do not obscure elements in project and in exports.
• Filled Regions containing Solid Fills, which are overridden to be Transparent, print inconsistently between Vector and Raster modes.
• Instability with Overlay Planes turned off in Graphics Settings.
• Some Crop Regions are not visible in Views in upgraded files and templates.
• Display problems in a View when zooming with OpenGL® hardware acceleration turned on.
• Copying nested links from the Project Browser places only the Link and not its nested components.
• Elements do not refresh in views when deselected.
• Product Registration for multiple products in Subscription returns “Invalid Serial Number.”

You can DOWNLOAD it here!

New Builds!!

Revit Building 9 (20060518_2300)

The following text is from the Autodesk site:

This build (20060518_2300) addresses a reported area tolerance issue in Revit-based release 9 project files. It also addresses measurement-related issues discovered in DWF™ files produced from Revit-based release 9 project files.

Note: This update incorporates issues previously addressed in the last build (20060426_2300). Specifically with Autodesk Revit Building 9-based projects utilizing linked files, and issues relating to cascading network licensing for the Autodesk AutoCAD Revit Series—Building 9 products.

Download HERE

Revit Structure 3 (20060511_2300)

The following text is from the Autodesk site:

This latest build (20060511_2300) fixes a memory leak problem currently found within Autodesk Revit Structure 3-based software products. It also resolves a conflict where files utilizing Links was found to impact application performance. In addition, the updates resolve an issue within cascading network licensing for the Autodesk AutoCAD Revit Series—Structure 3 product discovered when only Autodesk Revit Structure 3 was installed from the Series bundle; a condition found to prevent license access."

Download HERE