Detailing in Revit - ARCXL

There are a growing number of resources available for Revit families. I'm not aware of anyone focused entirely on providing complete details. I received an email from Mark Siever with ARCXL.

He wrote:
We have created a native Revit built library and web based interface for accessing the library. Currently it exceeds 36,000 completed architectural details. These standard details (not simple component families) currently fall under the following categories; Roof, Window, Door and Foundation. We are presently working on stair details, railings, and a system of linking our details and included parametric components to specification sections.

He put together a video demonstration of what they offer (hosted at YouTube) and I've embedded it here if you are interested (nearly 9 minutes long). The service they provide isn't free and each detail will cost you around $15 if you buy them individually. The website says they are offering introductory prices of $12.99 each and they'll reduce the price to $9.99 each for orders of 50 or more details. You can request some free samples for evaluation via email. Here's the video.

Off Topic: I liked the opening/closing music, in the video, by Ronald Jenkees. Reminds me of Michael Lee Firkins style as well as Michael Reese.

Product Pitch - Mach Studio Pro by Studio GPU

Check out Mach Studio Pro!

So what is Mach Studio Pro? William mentioned it in his blog recently and Steve Bennett mentioned it in his blog in May 2009 after getting to see it and again in November 2009, so you can read their thoughts too. Here's a description from the Studio GPU site.

"Working at the Speed of Thought"
"Real-time interactive workflow and rendering has always been the holy grail of the CGI industry. But crossing this boundary has proven elusive even to those with the highest-end multi processor environments .... Until now.

Here's an image capture of one of several sample videos you can watch.

If you try out or buy the product and want to use it with a Revit model you can download the exporter which will install and provide the export functions within Revit. You can check out the download page HERE.

If you want to check out the tutorial that is available for it then you can download that HERE.

It was very impressive seeing rendering results as soon as I made any change, immediately, no waiting. Revit models do suffer a bit from performance issues similar to Autodesk's Max environment but some careful model exporting can provide a model you can set a scene for quickly and then test out everything else. When you are ready for a final it still takes a fraction of the time for the final than anything else I'm aware of.

Part of the price is the included high end ATI 8750 Video Graphics card.

I've been quietly waiting for a chance to write about this. Last fall I got a chance to see this product up close and work with them to support Revit more directly. They released the exporter for Revit really quietly, so quiet I missed it too.

Time to check them out!

Revit Family Editor Videos

Warning!! Sales pitchy...

In the category of "Things I've meant to get around to but haven't", Paul Aubin HAS taken the time to record and produce videos from the summer series of online classes he did on the Revit Family Editor.

It is comprised of five DVD's (sold as individuals) and yes they cost money, but not a lot of money. Any seasoned family editor will tell you that doing the work, using the tools is the key to success. Not doing the work over and over and over, wrong and wrong...and finally correct, has value too. If Paul's videos can help you get there then I can put my hurt ego aside long enough to mention them to you here.

So if you've got some serious family editing ahead of you...you might want to take a minute or two to check them out, they could save you some time in the long run? If you use this super secret code (don't tell anyone else) you'll be able to get 10% off the regular price (and I get a small share of the "riches" - full disclosure). Check out his site for details.

The DVD's are sold as individual purchases and Paul says he is working on a solution to provide a bundle order but as I wrote this it wasn't finished.

Hey Paul I'm looking forward to retiring early, thanks for putting them together!

[P.S. The code is displayed when you hover over the Secret Code hyperlink, in a tool tip. The secret code will be valid for purchases made from 12/28/09 to 1/28/10, one month]