Revit Families Lesson #1

There are 3 ‘Types’ of Revit families; System, Loadable, and In-Place.

System families are predefined and cannot be created, modified or deleted by users. System families can be duplicated and modified to create custom types within system families. Example system families are ceilings, conduit, duct, floors, fluids, pipe, stairs, structural framing, and walls.

Loadable families are completely customizable and can be created from scratch as needed, pre-loaded into templates, or added into projects on the fly from a shared location.

Annotation families are a type of the loadable family that contains no 3D geometry. Used for tags and drawing symbology.

Profile families are a type of the loadable family used to define profiles for sweeps and revolves.

In-Place families are created for use within the specific project only.

Categories

Loadable families are sorted in Revit by their categories. Categories can not be created or altered by the user. The current Revit categories for Loadable families are;

Architectural

Boundary Conditions

Casework

Columns

Doors

Entourage

Furniture

Furniture Systems

Mass

Parking

Planting

Specialty Equipment

Windows

MEP

Air Terminals

Cable tray Fittings

Communication Devices

Conduit Fittings

Data Devices

Duct Accessories

Duct Fittings

Electrical equipment

Fire Alarm devices

Lighting Devices

Lighting Fixtures

Mechanical Equipment

Nurse Call Devices

Pipe Accessories

Pipe Fittings

Plumbing Fixtures

Security devices

Sprinklers

Telephone devices

Structural

Structural Columns

Structural Connections

Structural Foundations

Structural Framing

Structural Stiffeners

The categories of families listed above are also how the default displays of families are sorted in the Object Styles dialog and the Visibility Graphics dialog.

The selected category also dictates the available Family Parameters. Revit MEP families will have different Part Types based off the Family Category selected.

Templates

Autodesk Revit products install with a host of templates meant to give the user a jump start when creating families. These templates are found in the Imperial Templates folder. There are Annotation templates (used mostly for tagging different categories of families), Hosted templates (wall, ceiling, floor, and roof hosted), and non-hosted templates (everything else). Choosing the correct template, while relatively easy, is an important first step to success when creating families.

Naming Conventions

Families that have a naming convention are easy to identify and find within the any family folder structure. An ideal family name has four parts, a Major, Minor, and a Descriptor, followed by a Version Number.

A-Furn Casework_v1

M-Hv Diffusser_v1

E-Po Receptacles_v1

G-Tb Logo_v1

Geometry Creation

Geometry for families is created by using Solids and Voids. Both solids and Voids are created through one of the following forms; Extrusions, Blends, Revolves, Sweeps, and Swept Blends found on the Home tab in the Family editor.

Between the 5 solid forms and void forms nearly any shape can be made. Complex shapes can be broken down into basic pieces and joined together and voids can be cut from solids. When creating the 3 dimensional component of a family it is important not to over-model it or under-model it. Think about its use and function then gauge the usefulness of the detail that should added.

When saving and exiting a Revit family, always close every view except for the view best suited for the thumbnail image used when inserted into projects. Often the preview image should be the Home 3D view with Shading with Edges on. Reference planes, connectors and dimensions should be hidden in the preview image view.

Homework

Create an Table family.

Construct an Table family that utilizes 3 of the following tools; Extrusion, Sweep, Void, Blend, Sweep/Blend and Revolve.