BIM News

Overview

Revit Software has got a new update for Architects, Structural and
MEP Engineers. It has got all new features that not just helps in increasing
productivity but also supports improves consistency, coordination, and provides
complete modeling solutions for a multidisciplinary design that enlarges
detailing and construction. There are some new features, and some features have
got updated for all the disciplinary to enhance project outputs. The features
are equipped with more accurate and detailed drawings that can intent design
information more closely.

All the construction professionals involved in a project generates
data-rich models to smoothen BIM workflow along with high-quality and fewer
errors in the project. All the new features help the construction professionals
to plan effectively, design, construct and manage all the projects.

For MEP, It allows working with all the aspects of Revit MEP
ecosystem were on project completion basic floor plans, design electric
circuit, and lighting systems, create plumbing plans and design documents for
fabrication and construction. For structural, here with Revit 2020 Software it
offers cutting-edge tools for designing structural views; add foundations,
reinforcing and steel framing, and more.

Development areas

Revit 2020 Software fetches real-time feedback and maintains a
public Revit Roadmap via Revit Ideas Page to outline the software’s development
in three areas:

Create: Project data is created in all the phases to capture design
intent to attain accuracy and detail for why to use Revit 2020. The add-on
features that create group nurture the ability to model elliptical walls.

The ability to schedule and tag the elevation of the objects is
also a feature included that will allow automating on pick up of the height of
the object placed in a model. With these, there has been an improvement in a
Material workflow as it has an option available for larger thumbnails to create
better material appearance and new filter icons to deprive consistency with an
interface.

Optimize: With updated tools in the software it can initiate to provide
better designs. By bringing alterations in the software’s efficiency, it adds
more productivity along with focusing more on tasks and designs.

Connect: By multidisciplinary collaboration and detailed design
engineering, you can integrate teams and products. 

Software changes:

Dynamo Integration: Dynamo 2.1
version is updated in with Revit 2020. Alignment between Revit and Dynamo
allows managing DYN file easily without any separate application.

User Interface: Full name of the filtered file
will be displayed by the update brought by Revit 2020 for Filter list in view
filters dialog.

Revit Home: This has helped in changing the incorrect information flow when
Revit cannot connect to a cloud server. BIM 360 entrance is shifted to a new
cloud model browser in Revit Home.

Common Features for Architects, Structural and MEP Engineers of Revit 2020 Software

PDF Underlay Support: Earlier in a beta version of
Revit all the design were drawn in workarounds, but with this update, import a
PDF directly into Revit and can use it as an underlay. This feature can bring
2D data into Revit and snap to the PDF to model new elements for quick tracing.

How it Works?

In the Insert tab, you will get the Import PDF tool of a 2D object
which can be displayed in the current view. Modification in PDF is done like
any other images and can be managed from Manage Image dialog. It supports
adding or reloading a PDF file. Options for small or larger thumbnails are
available that can be numbered as well. Multiple pages can be selected or can
be numbered with thumbnails which will be reported in type properties. PDF
resolution can be altered and has all the functionality of raster images in
Revit such as copy, rotate, scale and more. PDF can be used as images in
schedules. There are many options for PDF Page load configuration, where the
document can be selected based on a multipage document and can be viewed in
Revit against name or number of it. PDF pages can be changed from Reload form
or can specify the resolution for the file. More pages can be added in the same
PDF document from Manage images. Construction workflow and legacy of document
working are seamless now.

Improved “OR” in View Filters: Revit 2020
software lays an add-on feature of adding a filter in View filter panel that
not only filters by parameter but by category of system families such as Doors,
Floors, Stairs, and Walls.

How it Works?

Choose a specific category for an OR filter and then choose a
specific parameter. Earlier only common parameters between categories were
available for use in the dialog while creating OR Filter. Parts of the model
can be focused on a high level of specificity that provides enhancement on
controlled model elements. All selected categories option can be looked upon
too in this feature.

Path of Travel Tool: This is a
completely new tool added in Revit 2020 named as Route Analysis that creates a
travel path between two points selected on the floor plan. It can determine the
distance between two selected points on a floor plan. It can help MEP engineers
to evaluate the distance from a start point to end point when a fire occurs.

How it Works?

This tool will analyze the geometry in the plan by Simulex
Technology. It can be located in Analyze tab within the Revit interface along
with properties dialog box that allows the user to specify hurdles the software
will create and is optimized through door route. Line style properties of the
path travel line can be changed from line style dialog. It shows the length and
time taken to walk the path when clicked on it. Path travel line can be tagged,
scheduled and viewed. Multiple lines can be selected and updated.

Legend Copy and Paste across Sheets: Copy and
paste legends from sheet to sheet. This will help you to select views, paste to
current view or cut and paste to the same place. It is a time-saving
upgradation.

Features of Revit 2020

Let’s have an overview of all the new features added in Revit 2020
Software into various disciplines such as Architecture, Structural, and MEP:

Architecture:

Elliptical and Curtain Walls: This feature
has brought advancement in wall geometry that able to draw elliptical and
curtain walls. Earlier in Revit 2019, lines were just created, but in a new
update of Revit 2020, you can create walls drawn by sketches of Ellipse,
Partial Ellipse, and a Spline. It will have a complex and detailed wall created
for structure and is integrated into Revit software 2020.

How it Works?

Ellipse tool is available in draw panel, and this add-on feature
can aid to create temporary dimension and center marks for wall creation. Walls
can be easily switched for a different type of walls. Functions such as wall
join, openings, and family heating will work as it is. It will enhance design
development for wall forms. Elliptical walls would be similar to arc walls and
function similarly.

Scope Box Parameter in View List Schedules:
Revit 2020 brought a feature of managing space box parameter efficiently from
the scheduling rather than going to each individual view.

How it Works?

Scope box parameter from the View list schedule assigns scope
boxes without entering manual view and is beneficial for a project with many
views. Cropping region of multiple views can be controlled easily where levels
and grid expansion is easier and manageable.

SketchUp 2018 Import: This feature improves upon the
import and link functionality for SketchUp files in Revit. It enhances material
translation and higher version support of SketchUp files. Data is then
connected in the early design stage through design development for modeling
effectiveness along with parameters like colors and transparency will add more
consistency. Material names in imported SketchUp files will see new dimensions.
Appearances color still won’t match with the graphic color and get a default
set to RGB 80.80,80

Structural:

Steel Connection Improvements: You will
notice a lot of improvements while working with steel connections such as new
tags and dimensions.  Revit 2020 allows
reconditioning of a steel connection that is added for an existing project with
various situations such as to add parameters for weight, paint area, and bolt
length to steel fabrication elements and it allows steel connection grouping;
this means that all the instances of the same steel connection from one place
can be updated. 

How it Works?   

Automate connection in Revit project by circulating connection
from the same place. Pick one connection that is inserted in the 3D model and
can access the “Propagate” option through the contextual menu. Steel
connections can be automatically inserted in various other locations which
combine in the plan similar to it. Modify a steel connection from multiple
locations of the same type by selecting different configuration saved. It
overall saves time and improves effectiveness.

Various parametric steel connections can be accessible to be added
to the structural model effectively. The propagate connection feature can save
time by inserting the same connection type. Connection properties can be
adjusted according to connection type.

Creating parts from Imported Geometry:
Imported Geometrical shapes can be divided into parts within Revit. Using
Revit’s opening and cut tools, you can cut and adjust to the parts. For bridge
designers, with Revit 2020 they can change the parts imported from Infraworks.
For construction and detailing, use of detailing lines or other parts tools
enables work efficiency in the CD and CA phase of design.

Rebar Versatility and Annotation Enhancements:
It built the foundation on the use of rebar in Revit 2020 that has expanded
functionality of using multi-rebar annotations and has improved the experience
when copying and moving shape-driven rebar. It has laid the ability to host any
type of reinforcement for structural elements. If shape-driven rebar is not
snapped, adjustments would be eliminated, and rebar geometry remains accurate
and consistent. Due to which no new rebar numbers are created. Rebar is
automatically connected to dragging individual bar segment handles or by
sketching rebar. Any face can be hosted to rebar and can manually select any
face as a constraint target, that is parallel to the bar segment if not within
range as well. In Revit 2020, it aids in improving documentation for concrete
projects by allowing multi-rebar annotations for continual parallels from
concrete faces and rebar sets.

Detailed Steel Model’s Performance: If you
choose to change floor beams or distance between two levels of the building,
Revit uses the background processes to carry out performance tasks to continue
the project workings. Inserting a vertical bracing can be done at the same
time. Notification in a window will show work being in process and highlights
the structural framing and steel connections.

MEP:

Electrical Homerun Wiring Enhancements:
Revit 2020 software got a homerun wire tool option to update the style and
quantity of arrow and tick-marks that offers improvement in creating electrical
documentation.

Export Fabrication Data: Ability to
generate CSV or TXT files from MEP fabrication models from Revit files directly
that can be imported into a spreadsheet application or any other tools. This
fabrication data can be used in pre-construction and fabrication workflows such
as procurement and quantification.

Improvement in Service Change: In a single operation, there is
better support for multi-shape services that can be placed or preserved.

Energy Analytical Model: Logical
properties have been added to analytical surfaces in the properties panel for
read-only view. Energy analytical model is less than 100% of the parent surface
area to stimulate by allowing enhanced openings does while creating Energy
Analytical Model; 3D Energy model view is replaced with Analytical Spaces.
Aligned small surfaces were merged by energy analytical model to create simple
surfaces.

 Miscellaneous: Elevation parameter can be used in tags, schedules
and view filters with cable tray fittings, conduit fittings, and duct fittings.
Elevation parameter is added for non-hosted elements and to relocate them on
properties palette while renaming few parameters for specifying offset.

File formats

API: 2D exporter API is created through Revit 2020 for exporting
geometric elements and its properties such as elevations, plans, and sections.
Ability to create, modify and view templates through API and manage it without
Revit User Interface. Dockable dialogs width is enhanced with new API method. A
new method is added to know the name of the built-in category without opening
the project file.

Export FBX: Latest security update is included in the FBX exporter file
format.

Import/Export/SKP Files: SketchUp import supports SketchUp
files and enhances transparency in color. Set material class value property to
import file extension for better element creation during SketchUp Files. When
SketchUp file has a non-uniform scaling, it adds warning automatically.

Conclusion

Revit 2020 Software is an updated version that aids in transforming some features and making it easier to access and use by Architects, Structural and MEP Engineers. It will improve the quality of their work and enhance coordination among all other disciplinaries in the overall construction. Productivity gets better and improved and allows timely deliverables in a construction project. Revit Software has advent experts working on BIM Modeling Services for this new version of Revit 2020 to enhance the features better with a project.