How To Use Revit To Design A Wall Family?

Revit Family Creation is a step-by-step process for creating a point-based Wall (Floor, Ceiling, Roof) Family (RFA) for modular construction design. To create a new wall type, choose any of the many families available in Revit, such as the “Basic Wall” wall family, the “Single-Flush” door family, and annotation families like “Text” or “Linear Dimension Style”. Walls are system families, which exist only in the project environment and cannot be exported or imported through a RFA file.

To create a 3D wall panel family in Revit, open the CreatingWalls. rvt exercise file and click Wall: Architecture. Expand the Type Selector to specify the type of wall you want to place. Walls are built in to the Revit system, not added by custom imports. This video shows how to create simple and compound walls in Revit.

To create a family containing custom tiles or bricks that can be stretched to cover the whole base surface, start with the family editor, specifically for a basic wall. Each wall system family type includes different Type Properties parameters, but the wall editor will follow the examples below.

To create a complex but useful wall type, stack two similar wall types together, modify their layer constraints, and add various profiles. However, there are difficulties in creating walls as they are “System families” and cannot be exported or imported through a RFA file. Instead, duplicate one of them in your project.

In summary, creating a wall family in Revit is a simple procedure that allows you to create a point-based wall family for your modular construction design process.

How Do I Create A Wall In Revit?

When working in a plan view, the associated level is set from that view. To begin, open the CreatingWalls . rvt exercise file and select Wall: Architecture. Expand the Type Selector to choose the wall type; an exterior wall type is already selected for this example, which you can change if needed. To create a linear curtain wall, add an architectural wall and select a curtain wall type. Revit 2021 introduces a slanted wall feature, previously achievable only with an in-place wall family.

To create different wall types, navigate to the Project Browser under Floor Plans and select 01 - Store Floor. In the Build panel, choose an interior wall type and set its height. Revit allows for creating various wall types including shear, bearing, or structural walls. To add a new wall section, duplicate an existing type and give it a new name. For editing profiles, draw in plan view and adjust in elevation or section view.

When working with CAD plans, load your profile, select Wall, and follow steps to create complex wall types, including multi-layer assignments for materials, functions, and thicknesses. Use Dimensions for precise wall placement.

How Do I Create A Stacked Wall In Revit?

To create stacked walls in Revit, navigate to the Project Browser and find the Stacked Wall Families section. You can edit an existing family to insert a new layer and stack one wall on top of another. Revit’s Stacked Wall system allows for modeling walls composed of two or more subwalls. Key steps include duplicating a wall type from the Project Browser, defining subwalls, and assigning the stacked wall to existing model walls. This tutorial will guide you through foundational aspects of creating and modifying stacked walls in Revit.

To stack walls, right-click on the wall and select Type Properties, then duplicate it to create a new type. You can modify the wall structure in the Type Properties dialog. It’s important to create the individual walls first, and any sweeps or modifications should be set up before stacking.

When creating a stacked wall, each subwall can have varying thicknesses and heights. Note that stacked walls lack a dedicated category in parameter properties or view filters, which might affect scheduling. Users should consider if the stacked wall method is the best approach or if alternative techniques are preferable. For detailing, you may use profiles with wall sweeps to achieve desired aesthetics.

How Do I Create A Component Family In Revit?

Revit users have the ability to create, delete, and modify component families along with their associated types within the Family Editor. Each family can be saved as a unique file with an RFA extension. Similar to system families, component families may contain multiple types. If the existing Revit library lacks a specific detail component, users can create a tailored detail component family.

Familiarity with the Family Editor is beneficial before starting this process. Users are guided through creating a custom glass dining table and benches in Revit. To incorporate nested components, one must create or open a family in the Family Editor and use the Insert tab to load from the library.

A general procedure for creating detail component families includes sketching reference planes and utilizing tools on the Create tab to design the shape of the component. In an introductory session, users can learn to create a fully parametric model family using reference planes, constraints, and parameters, as well as how to nest components and establish a parametric array.

While Revit is versatile enough for various creations, this tutorial focuses on constructing a table family from scratch. Starting with essential basics, users will learn to draw the desired shapes, create additional families for a parent family structure, and incorporate elements like doors, windows, stairs, railings, and more. All elements within a Revit model are organized into families, enhancing user efficiency and project management.

Do All Revit Elements Belong To A Family?

All Revit elements belong to families, which can be seen as collections of similar items sharing the same appearance and behavior. Revit includes various families, like the "Basic Wall" and "Single-Flush" door families, as well as annotation families such as "Text" and "Linear Dimension Style." Elements in Revit fit into a clear hierarchy, starting from Categories, which are predefined and unchangeable.

The two primary types of families in Revit are System Families, built into the software, and Component (Loadable) Families, which users can create or modify. Essentially, a family serves as the DNA of an element, defining its geometry and attributes.

In Revit, families are divided into three types: System Families, which include basic building elements; Loadable Families, which can be customized; and In-Place Families, created directly within projects but challenging to reuse and potential performance detractors. All elements, including walls, doors, structural members, and mechanical equipment, are organized into these families, allowing for structured management.

Each family corresponds to a specific category and physical item within a project, ensuring consistency and organization. Users can also retrieve family names programmatically, adding another layer of functionality during model creation.

What Are In-Place Families In Revit?

In Revit, along with system and component families, there exists a third type called "In-Place Family." In-place families are custom components created directly within a Revit project, useful for unique geometries that may not be reused. To create an in-place family, use the Model In-Place feature by selecting a category and utilizing family editor tools to model the element. However, while in-place families can leverage many editing functionalities of loadable families, they may lead to performance issues since each in-place family is unique.

For example, copying an in-place element does not create a true duplicate. Unlike loadable families, in-place families lack thumbnails or names in the properties palette, making identification challenging without a proper naming scheme. Most project elements typically come from system or loadable families, which perform better than in-place counterparts. Use in-place families for custom elements specific to a project, like unique gutters or trim, but it is recommended to minimize their use in favor of loadable families to ensure better model performance.

What Is A System Family In Revit?

System families in Revit encompass both physical model elements—like walls, floors, and roofs—and non-physical items, including views and project data. Those physical elements that serve as hosts are termed "Host" elements. System families are critical for creating foundational building components such as ceilings and stairs, and they also govern project and system settings that shape the project environment. In Revit, families are categorized into three types: system families, loadable families, and in-place families.

System families are predefined elements embedded within the software and cannot be modified or imported from external files. Examples include walls, roofs, ducts, and structural columns, forming the basic structural framework of a model. While system families form the essential building blocks of Revit, loadable families can be added and customized as needed. A family is essentially a collection of elements that share common parameters and geometry, making it practical for various sizes and shapes of components, such as desks. Overall, these families facilitate effective modeling in Revit, contributing significantly to the BIM process by representing digital versions of physical building elements.