Real world revit|archicad <-> sketchup
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Curious if anyone has real world experience and success using SU/LO and importing/exporting with other consultants using Revit or Archicad? I'm a structural engineer looking into using SU/LO only. I'm aware that it is certainly possible for me to produce drawings for construction using just this combo, having seen some of the excellent examples here. I also have some ideas for ruby scripts to help.
And I have imported dwg files into SU to help create bases for models, so not concerned there either. I assume that exporting to dwg would be similarly straightforward and fine?
What I'm concerned about is the move to BIM modelling. If an architect or client insists that the project is fully BIM, or at least want to be able to import my model into theirs for coordination/clash detection, would me using SU be a problem for them? This could sway my decision to go with Revit instead of SU.
Thoughts/experiences?
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Noone?
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While I don't think Autodesk widely promote the capability, Revit does implement a .skp import path which uses a library (the SketchUp C++ SDK) that we provide to them.
Revit can import .skp models as either Mass or Family entities. It can also 'link' .skp files rather than importing them. A google search will uncover lots of tips and tricks to make this work.
I've seen some very successful workflows where all modeling is done in SketchUp, .skp files are referenced into Revit and all construction documentation is done in Revit.
john
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I've come up with a workflow SU to Revit that uses as mass but still some things like wals with window holes in them isn't automatically transferable so workarounds have to be made. Some SU parametric walls windows/doors and such would probably be a good thing to have.
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@pixero said:
some things like wals with window holes in them isn't automatically transferable so workarounds have to be made.
Alternately, Autodesk could improve their .skp import such that windows with cutting behavior are respected. I believe that both ArchiCAD and Vectorworks, for example, are able to do this.
john
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@jbacus said:
@pixero said:
some things like wals with window holes in them isn't automatically transferable so workarounds have to be made.
Alternately, Autodesk could improve their .skp import such that windows with cutting behavior are respected. I believe that both ArchiCAD and Vectorworks, for example, are able to do this.
john
.Yeah, but Autodesk is a bit like Microsoft. They don't wont us to use any other software than their own proprietary ones.
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Thanks for the replies, guys.
If I understand correctly, you're saying that you can get SU to talk to Revit. That's fine and I have seen tutorials on doing this. I think this is more applicable if you have SU and Revit in the same office, and you start a job in SU then convert over to Revit before issuing to the outside world.
What I was getting at in my OP was if I was only to use SU and issue some exported file format (whatever it is) can other consultants (primarily architects) open and use that file in Revit/Archicad with little or no work at their end. If they need to jump through hoops to use my files, it's no good as they won't use me again.
It's sounding to me like it can't be done like that, and I need Revit in office before it gets issued externally.
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Maybe it would help if you were to describe the data you want to exchange with Revit users.
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Intresting discussion. Jbacus, couldn´t you tell little more about the RE<->SU workflow you mentioned? I´m interesting of work as much as a could with SU but want to make the drawings/construction etc in RE.
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Get the right tool for the job! I am almost exclusively using SU now BUT if my work depended on reliable file exchange and there were long term work prospects for the right money I could be pursuaded to change CAD package.
I and my insurer's wouldn't be comfortable exchanging data where there may be doubts about the accuracy of the interpreted file which is exactly how Autodesk would like to keep it.
You used to be able to provide a data file with a 2D PDF which could be used as a disclaimer; that doesn't really work with 3D data. -
Arcad, how do you make the drawings when you work with SU? Make the model no problem, make nice pictures in 3d no problem but exact drawings in 2d???? I think Layout is to instable and weak.
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@ritaren said:
Arcad, how do you make the drawings when you work with SU? Make the model no problem, make nice pictures in 3d no problem but exact drawings in 2d???? I think Layout is to instable and weak.
Bah! If that were the case I'd be out of business. Having used ACAD for over 20 years, I can tell you my drawings are far more accurate now using both SU and LO.
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We tried it the other way from Revit to Sketchup and found the resulting file to be so unwieldy that it was abandoned. There were some parametric things in Revit we wanted to do so that's why we began there. Then we want to add some organic forms to it. Rhino accepted the file and it worked. I hate to beat a dead horse but Google really dropped the ball with Sketchup. Once Mac OS X Rhino has page layout capability where one can scale and print plan, sections and elevations , then I don't see going back to Sketchup. It unfortunately isn't robust enough to create, handle or edit more complex geometry. I wish it were but I don't think I am Sketchup's intended audience. I also tried to recreate some lofting work I did in Rhino where we made chairs. Lofting in Sketchup was successful I then tried to cut and make slices that I could print in Layout as Mac Rhino is missing this function. I could make the slices with one command in Rhino. I spent hours making the 190 slices individually in Sketchup. Perhaps there is a faster way? Sketchup also crashed quite a few times. Anyway, I look forward to seeing some of the workflows you speak of and to improvements in Sketchup!
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@ritaren said:
Arcad, how do you make the drawings when you work with SU? Make the model no problem, make nice pictures in 3d no problem but exact drawings in 2d???? I think Layout is to instable and weak.
You may be right, LO3 does have many flaws, but I also believe that things are about to change for the better under Trimble's stewardship and LO will become a professional product to compete in the architectural CAD arena. For the time being I enjoy working in SU far more than I ever did in Autobad or Archicad and the output from LO is more than adequate for me to secure repeat business. As I said before "get the right tool for the job"
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I've found that Simlabs DWF importer for SU does a good job of importing from Revit to SU retaining materials.
http://www.simlab-soft.com/3d-plugins/dwf-importer-for-sketchUp-main.aspx -
Thanks for keeping the discussion alive guys. Interesting.
As an update, I have forked out and got AutoCAD and Revit as a suite. Big bucks, but for a business that needs to work as seemlessly and efficiently as possible with other consultants that are using that combination, I think the cost will pay for itself over time.
@jbacus said:
Maybe it would help if you were to describe the data you want to exchange with Revit users.
Here's where I show how green I am regarding BIM.
I'm a structural engineer that started in an office that drafted on the drawing board. The office went to AutoCAD but the drafters I've found (even recently) just use ACAD to draw lines on an electronic drawing board. They don't seem to use some of (what I understand are available) the powerful features of ACAD to make their daily grind even more efficient and fast. eg Sheet Set Manager, Layer Managers etc.
While I'm an engineer, I also have an interest (and Graduate Diploma) in IT. If I were using software like ACAD all day long, I'd spend some time learning and implementing every feature in there to make my daily use more efficient. But the drafters don't seem to have the same drive, and the company I work in wasn't big enough to have the knowledge/time/money/resources to get the standards to that level. An excuse maybe, but what's done is done.
Now BIM and Revit are here and I've started my own company. From the ground up I want to use BIM mostly and ACAD only where the project would find it more applicable. I know a fraction of what BIM is capable of.
Most consultants we work with (I believe) are just using Revit as a drafting tool. Not many use all features, 4D etc. I think most are modelling in it for plans and sections to 1:100, maybe 1:50 or 1:20 type outlines, then drawing the rest in 2D.
I'm yet to decide how far I go with it. I'm meeting with a local Revit guru to assist setting up my new company standards and families, and I'll discuss with him a practical line to draw in the sand of what gets modelled.
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