Conceptual 3D Cost Modeling with DProfiler

Approximately 70% of construction cost drivers are set during the planning and conceptual phases, yet mainstream BIM software does not produce a reliable cost estimate at these stages. Most early budgets are terribly inaccurate, take too long to produce, and provide no visual way to confirm assumptions with the team. DProfiler™ software is the solution to these problems.


DProfiler™ is a first of its kind Macro BIM solution offering all-in-one:

• 3D Modeling
• Cost Estimating
• Energy Analysis
• Site Topography & Cut/Fill Analysis
• Sequencing
• Real Estate Dashboard

Among others, DProfiler™ exports IFC (model & cost), DWG (model), Excel (cost), and PEE (Timberline estimate) to support different BIM workflows. Beck Technology also has developed a Revit Add-In that creates a native RVT (Revit file) from the DProfiler™ model.

There's more information available on the Beck Technology website.

Browse and Manage Revit Families with BIMlist

The next generation in Revit family browsing is here. BIMlist is a Revit family browser that makes organizing, locating, and inserting Revit families fast and easy. Advanced search functionality and administrative controls make BIMlist the most sought after Revit family browser available today.

Quickly Locate and Insert Families

The days of fumbling through network directories to locate Revit families by name are over. BIMlist enables users to locate Revit families with lightning speed. Sort and group your Revit families for logical organization, then browse to the desired family to preview and insert it into your project. Or use the advanced search capabilities to query the data contained within the families to find the specific type of family you are looking for.

Advanced Search Functionality

Rapidly locate the desired content with BIMlist's advanced search functionality. Locate families by searching for specific parameter names and values, and use filters to narrow the search results. Search across tabs, groups, and categories. Use reverse filters for even more precise search results:

GSA Building and Revit Structure Bi-Directional Link

Building design and analysis in one powerful package

GSA Building is the software of choice for structural engineers around the world. It gives them all the tools they need to design and analyse even the most complex buildings.

The complete solution for building design and analysis

With this intuitive software, engineers can design structural models with skeletal frames and two-dimensional finite elements. GSA Building also combines steel and concrete design, footfall and soil-structure interaction analysis in the same tool. For seamless working, GSA is fully integrated with Revit Structure and works to a range of international codes.

Why design concrete slab or wall reinforcement by hand? GSA Building saves time and money by designing reinforcement directly from the analysis results. And if steel beams and columns had to be chopped up into elements for frame analysis, the software puts them back together and designs them automatically. It even analyses how the structure interacts with the ground or predicts the footfall vibration on irregular floors or staircases, whether they’re concrete, steel, or composite.

GSA Building also integrates with BIM applications such as Revit for design coordination across the team.

Designed by engineers for engineers, GSA Building has met the demands of projects like 32 St Mary Axe in London (The Gherkin), the National Assembly for Wales in Cardiff and the CCTV building in Beijing.

There's more information available on the Oasys Software website.

Credit: aec-apps.

Manage Revit Families with familyManager from familit

With the Revit familyManager, a tool is available, which saves the users from time consuming searches.

All families, whether local or in the network, can be gathered and managed. A clearly arranged dialogue Layout arranges all that important information, the available family types as well as image viewer and 3D viewer for families converted into dwf files are at a glance.

familyManager runs as an application under Revit Architecture/MEP/Structural. Using double click, families can be opened for editing directly from the familyManager or imported using drag&drop in actual projects. Also individual types from the type list can be downloaded und be put directly into the actual project being used. The existing Revit 'Load From Library' function can be substantially optimized with the adoption of familyManager, furthermore it is possible to quickly establish new types. Revit familyManager includes multi converter for Revit files turning them into DWF format. This way is the user being offered a possibility to access families in perfectly detailed 3D view.

In addition Revit Objects Browser is included. Now you can quickly find out asked elements and change parameter values.

NEW: Executable version of familyManager that runs without Revit.

Manage Revit Projects from Universal Databases with dbManager from familit

The familit dbManager exports element's attached parameters to external database table. The exported elements are linked from the external database into the Revit project.

The dbManager includes many helpful functions to work with Revit projects /modifying, searching, grouping, sorting, zoom, export, import, calculator, selector, etc.

The dbManager supports many database engines: Oracle, MySql, MsSql, Access, XML.

More information on the familit website.

Credit: aec-apps.

b.i.m.m Tools

b.i.m.m GmbH offers a suite of tools for the Autodesk Revit family of BIM products (Architecture, Structure and MEP)

All tools are centrally managed by the b.i.m.m ToolManager. Once you install the b.i.m.m ToolManager you have access to all tools currently available.

Our tools focus around ease of use as well as advanced access to the data in your BIM Model.

Currently there are the following b.i.m.m Tools available for public testing (with English localization):

• FilterTool
• ParameterTool
• Explorerlein
• Helferlein
• DeleteDWGTool
• UpdateTool

More information available on the b.i.m.m Tools website.

Credit: aec-apps.

Clean Up Revit Models with ModelMedic

ModelMedic helps BIM Managers, Architects, Engineers and Designers manage their Autodesk® Revit®  models.



ModelMedic is model analysis software: it quickly and easily finds all the loaded elements - even hidden elements - within a Revit project.

ModelMedic is a diagnostic tool: it shows which elements may be impairing Revit's performance and stability. It makes finding and fixing problems faster and easier. You don't have to be a Revit Guru to spot the potential problems in your model.

ModelMedic is a reporting program: detailed model reports can be saved to PDF, Microsoft Excel or Word for archiving and sharing with all project participants.

ModelMedic is inexpensive: it can pay for itself in just one use by finding problems that could keep you from meeting a critical deadline. Our Multi-pack licenses and unlimited use Site License pricing makes it affordable to deploy ModelMedic to all Revit users in your firm.

BIM-based Quantity Takeoff, Estimating and Scheduling with Tocoman BIM Solution

Tocoman BIM solution offers state-of-the-art software tools for modern design and construction companies. They enable you to increase productivity of your quantity and cost management from the first sketches to the completion of the project.

Tocoman's solution has been used in over 500 construction projects (see examples) during the last 10 years. Our depth of experience with BIM guarantees you a safe path from the 2D processes into e.g. Revit, ArchiCAD or Tekla based quantity take-off, estimating and more.

Tocoman iLink - BIM based Quantity Takeoff

Tocoman iLink is an add-on to your favourite Building Information Modeling (or BIM) application. You can use it to analyze your Revit, ArchiCAD and Tekla model contents, calculate quantities, create Excel reports and visualize the results as Navisworks models. iLink also connects the BIM based quantities with your existing cost estimating and scheduling application when used together with Tocoman Express.

From Autodesk Labs: Structure Generator

Generate real structures from mass objects.




OVERVIEW

Project Structure Generator for Autodesk® Revit® Structure and Autodesk® Revit® Architecture software is a free* technology preview that provides a connection between massing models and objects created during conceptual design and structural elements such as beams, column, walls, plates. With Project Structure Generator, structural engineers and architects, from the earliest stages, can very quickly create and visualize a physical and analytical model of a structure based on the massing model.

WHAT DOES PROJECT STRUCTURE GENERATOR DO?

Project Structure Generator for Autodesk Revit Structure and Autodesk Revit Architecture is a technology preview that provides a connection between massing models and objects created during conceptual design. Project Structural Generator enables structural engineers and architects to:

• Automatically create and visualize a physical model of the structure with mass objects
• Generate variants of the physical and analytical model with structural systems based on the massing model.
• Predict volume and weight of materials used.
• Extend model to Revit Structure or Revit Architecture.
• Extend massing model to structural analysis with Project Storm a cloud based technology preview on Autodesk Labs that allows static analysis to be performed or to Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis Professional software

Download Structure Generator from the Autodesk Labs product website.

ADN Plugin of the month Nov 2011: Revit String Search

Search Revit project elements and their parameter values for a given string.

Download the plugin here.

SDS/2 Connect by Design Data

Design Data and Autodesk® have collaborated to streamline the BIM workflow, incorporating new technology between Design Data’s SDS/2 software solutions and Autodesk® Revit® Structure.

SDS/2 Connect enables structural engineers using Revit Structure for BIM to intelligently design steel connections and produce detailed documentation on those connections. SDS/2 Connect is the only product that enables structural engineers to design and communicate steel connections based on their Revit Structure design model as an active part of the fabrication process. Bridging this information gap between design and fabrication shortens timelines, enhances project communication and ultimately lowers project costs.

As the user inputs columns, beams and braces, connections are automatically designed with their necessary materials, bolts, holes and welds. SDS/2 Connect takes a uniquely intelligent approach in its connection design by considering framing conditions and erectability, automatically performing clash prevention as a part of its connection design. In addition, SDS/2 Connect can value engineer the connections on a project, helping users to design the most economical connections to fabricate and erect. No other 3D product can do this automatically.

Once connections are designed, they can be sent downstream to the manufacturing level. Both member and connection information is preserved and transferred to SDS/2 for detailing with the precision necessary for fabrication. Both the SDS/2 and Revit models are synched so that changes can be reflected in both software packages and updates easily made.

There's more information on the SDS/2 Connect website.

Credit: aec-apps.

Elevation Fix 2012 by Revolution Design

Revolution Design, developers of the previously posted Keynote Manager, Selection Master and Revit workFlow, have released a new add-in named Elevation Fix 2012.

Revit 2012 contains a bug that causes elevation marks to fail to update when their detail number parameter is updated. For a full description please see Steve Staffords (Revit OpEd) blog post here. Special thanks to Nick Kovach for developing a simple solution to this problem and working with Revolution Design to provide it free to the Revit community!


How it works

Download and install this simple addin from the link below and the 'Elevation Fix' command will be available in the 'External Commands' drop down of the 'Add-Ins' tab in Revit 2012. Simply click the command to run it and all your elevations that are currently placed on sheets will be updated, automatically and permanently!

Please note that this is a one time command that updates currently placed elevations. If new elevations are created or unplaced elevations are placed on sheets they will not contain the fix. However, simply run the command again and it will fix these as well.

More information is available on the Revolution Design website.

Revit workFlow by Revolution Design

Revolution Design, developers of the previously posted Keynote Manager and Selection Master, have released a new add-in named Revit workFlow. This add-in features:

autoLink

One of the Revit's greatest strengths in the realm of documentation is the automatic coordination of view callout tags and the views' actual detail location. Change the detail number on a sheet and all view tags that reference that view update automatically. However, Revit had no similar ability with general annotations and text... until now!

Revit workFlow's autoLink function allows you to place simple annotation symbols within a project that reference a view; whenever the location of that view changes the link is updated automatically, no coordination necessary!

• Reference views with a simple annotation symbol.
• Update links automatically when a view is moved.
• Fully customizable autoLink symbol.

Interactive Cloud-Based Rendering with Stadia

Stadia enables architects to generate interactive renderings straight from Revit model data.

Finally, digital representation emerges as a tool of iterative design.


Blazing Fast Performance

Stadia uses patent-pending technology to generate sixty images every second (twice the speed of film) at full HD resolution for a smooth and immersive experience.

Unadulterated Revit

Stadia handles custom materials, complex geometry, and in-house families with no extra effort.

Incredible Lighting Simulation

Reflection, refraction, color bleeding, soft shadows, and color temperature are all realistically simulated from data in the revit model.

Free Add-ins from Case (Updated)

Case, the well regarded BIM consulting firm out of New York, has released several free add-ins for Revit Architecture 2012:

Change and Replace Line Styles

Have you ever imported a DWG file into your model and got a bunch of unwanted line styles? Have you ever wanted to quickly change those line styles to your standard styles already loaded into your model? This little guy does just this!

Revision Cloud Data Export to Text File

As you are all surely aware, Revit does not offer a means to schedule individual revision cloud elements. This tool will export all instances of Revision Clouds along with the revision name, date, and description that they belong to. The view and/or sheet that the cloud element is on is also exported along with the comment data entered directly onto the element. This tool rocks for blasting a quick revision report for your revision related needs.

Door Mark Updater

This little guy uses the room number of the room adjacent to the door to number each door mark parameter. Where multiple doors are along a common room number, the remaining doors are numbered alphabetically suffix of the room number (1001A, 1001B, etc.). You will have the option to update doors by selection, common level, or the entire model all in a single click.

These free add-ins can be downloaded from the case apps website.

Update 5/8/2016: CASE and the CASE Apps website are no more but, courtesy of WeWork, the CASE Apps are now open source. They may be accessed on GitHub.

Credit: RevitOpEd.