Top Autodesk BIM Mobile Apps You Should Know

TOP Autodesk BIM Mobile Apps YOU SHOULD KNOW: Tools to create successful projects

Constructware Field

The Constructware Field mobile app, developed by Autodesk allows users to view, download and upload documents and designs of construction projects from anywhere. Users can access through this application, the file directory to display documents in DWF, standard office documents and images and even specify files that remain available even offline format.

In addition, devices with built-in cameras, Constructware Field users can capture and upload photos directly to the cloud application to be displayed later and 'linkadas' to the project.

OPERATIVE SYSTEM: iOS

Buzzsaw Mobile

Buzzsaw is a mobile application developed by Autodesk, which allows users to securely access designs and construction project documents from anywhere.

This tool enables the display of metadata models and Revit and Navisworks made with and supports 2D and 3D DWG format, also office documents and images. Upload photos of projects directly to the Buzzsaw cloud is another of its features.

Users of this application can access all project documentation, collaborate and interact with the team, capture, annotate and share photos, videos and pictures with the group.

                                                          OPERATIVE SYSTEM: Android; iOS

BIM 360 Glue

BIM 360 Glue is an application that lets you access and explores multidisciplinary BIM models whether they are online as if disconnected.

BIM 360 Glue facilitates the review of projects and project coordination tasks quickly and efficiently.

OPERATIVE SYSTEM

Windows Phone

BIM 360 Field

The BIM 360 Field application has been designed by Autodesk to create and update issues, reference project documents and implement quality processes, enhancing security and creating checklists from virtually anywhere either online or offline.

This application is ready to work with the 'Apple' operating system, whose version 4.7.1 is now available in English and can be downloaded for free.

OPERATIVE SYSTEM: iOS

AutoCAD 360 Mobile

Autodesk is moving all its applications to the cloud while keeping the desktop alive and in perfect condition.

AutoCAD 360 mobile application replicates the cloud containing all the information so that access to software functions can be done from any device.

This application can be downloaded for free on its website and is compatible with both AutoCAD Revit as.

OPERATIVE SYSTEM: Android, iOS, Windows Phone

Autodesk Remote

Autodesk Remote mobile application includes elements that allow you to tunnel back to your desktop Inventor, Revit or Maya, winning authenticity and run special versions of these applications with touch interface overlays remotely on an iPad.

OPERATIVE SYSTEM

iOS

InfraWorks 360

360 InfraWorks mobile application allows users to view, access and collaborate with Autodesk InfraWorks models project a tablet and also see designs within the existing environment without additional desktop software.

OPERATIVE SYSTEM

iOS

Autodesk Formit 360

Autodesk Formit is a 3D design tool development that allows the user to work on digital tablets and browsers.

The new program is experimenting with new capabilities and different interfaces.

Autodesk Formit 360 lets you work with Revit and AutoCAD and can be downloaded for free on the website of the tool itself.

OPERATIVE SYSTEM

iOS

Any apps/tools mention on this post is made acknowledging this ownership. Refer to Autodesk's own website and product pages for specific trademark and copyright information. Autodesk represents a great many products and every attempt will be made to respect their ownership whenever one of these other products is mentioned on this site.

How Revit Works

Revit is different from AutoCAD as it's a modelling program. AutoCAD historically has been a line (vector) based program. Revit is the application you use to build your model (Lego) and then display the deliverables (drawing sheets). You are able to take snapshots (views) as required. It's a BIG database. Controlled using 'Families' (Dynamic Blocks).

Revit uses RVT files for storing BIM models. Parametric objects -- whether 3D building objects (such as windows or doors) or 2D drafting objects -- are called families and are saved in RFA files, and imported into the RVT database as needed. Families do not require programming skills and there are many sources of pre-drawn RFA libraries.

The main difference is that AutoCAD is a general computer-aided design and drafting software used to create precise 2D and 3D drawings, and Revit is software for BIM (building information modelling) with tools to create intelligent 3D models of buildings, which can then be used to produce construction documentation. While AutoCAD is a general drawing tool with broad application, Revit is a building-specific design and documentation solution, supporting all phases and disciplines involved in a building project. Both programs are often used within the same firm and even by the same practitioner.

Alignment vs. Osnaps 

Autodesk Revit offers AutoCAD users new sketching tools like Temporary Dimensions and 

Alignment Guides. Alignment guides are similar to the Object Tracking feature in AutoCAD.

Temporary line and arc extensions, as well as other useful snap points relative to your current position in the model, appear to aid you as you design. Whether you are sketching new objects or inserting components, the appropriate dimensions and guidelines assist placement in the Autodesk Revit model. This is a contrast from the osnap feature of 

AutoCAD which snaps to any entity that fits the current osnap settings. With Autodesk 

Revit, the designer can quickly place doors, windows and other components correctly with the option to easily modify the design later. Doors open in the desired direction and windows are placed at the correct height on the wall. You can place these components in either 2D views or 3D views, whichever is easiest. 

No Command-Line or Layers 

The user interface changes that will be most noticeable to the AutoCAD user are the absence of a command line and the layer control feature. In Autodesk Revit, all building tools and components are presented on a single, easy-to-use toolbar. And the user interface in Autodesk Revit is designed to look and work like other familiar Windows applications, 

making Autodesk Revit easy to learn and fun to use on a daily basis. 

Designers stay more focused on the model rather than the keyboard and command line. Layers are not needed to control the visibility of components. Visibility is controlled through the Category Visibility feature in Autodesk Revit, which works on a per-view basis, comparable to the AutoCAD 

Freeze/Thaw/On/Off by viewport feature. Colour and line type are also controlled by category. Another advantage Autodesk Revit offers is components that know how to display themselves depending on the view in which they are seen. In Revit, components know to only display a footprint in plan view, while all geometry is shown in the 3D isometric view, 

for example. 

Single file, Multi-User projects 

AutoCAD users are accustomed to storing and retrieving project data from multiple files. In 

Autodesk Revit, all project data is stored in the single Autodesk Revit project file. This eliminates the need to work with external block and Xref management. Autodesk Revit allows multiple users to work on the same project file and merge their changes with every save, or work on their own versions of the file and then merge changes at any point in the design. 

Intelligent Components 

Dimensioning and alignment locking in Autodesk Revit allow the designer to place building components in relation to others - and keep it that way throughout the design - thereby preserving design intent. Components may be locked together in more than one place to preserve wall alignments, room areas, and door and window placements while the model is being altered in other areas. Component relationships may be constrained and overridden at the designer’s discretion. Dimensions may be locked or editable while the parent objects behave accordingly. Because objects can be aligned and locked into place, many repetitious editing commands are eliminated, allowing for faster work and fewer errors. 

"AutoCAD and Revit are interoperable and can be used together, for example, to incorporate designs created in AutoCAD within a Revit project. Firms may use AutoCAD on some projects or components of a design and use Revit to generate BIM deliverables and to enable collaboration with other design disciplines."

Source: What is the difference between Revit and AutoCAD?

.RVT	The file format of a project model. There are three separate applications for Structure, Architecture, and MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing). Each of these applications saves a standard project file in the .RVT format. Each file can be opened directly in any of the three applications and .RVT files can be linked to and inserted into one another. This is crucial for coordination between disciplines. If groups of elements are created and saved separately, they are also in the .RVT format.
.RFA	The file format of a component Family. These files can be opened directly, inserted, or loaded into an .RVT file
.RTE	The project template file. When a new model is started, an .RTE file is used to create the model. When you save the file, it is saved as a new .RVT model. The file contains all of your company’s standards and settings. Views, sheets, and families should be set up and ready to use in the project template.
.RFT	The family  template  file. When a new  family  is  started, an .RFT   file is   used to create  the  family. You can use a default or custom  template. When saved, the file becomes a new .RFA family. You can customize the family template to include commonly used reference planes, parameters, etc.

Learn more? Click The BIM Process: Essentials for Complete Beginners to find out.

Locating 2D Details in Revit Structure

Locating 2D details in Revit Structure

Sometimes it can be a real challenge trying to find 2D details within the Revit Structure library. What a surprise it has!. If it is available in the library, why CAD? I even didn't know there was a DWF file located in the root of the Detail Components folder.

This has 30 drawing sheets with all the graphic 2D details and the folder locations. Today I am using Revit 2017 and surprise me only one DWF in that UK library folder, and why I wonder I am looking DWF if I have these choices for Revit family for 2D details. Some option or scenario in a working environment, the CAD file can be 2d details if the library is insufficient. But the downside, you have to detail it from scratch or modify it from existing.

The 2D detail items can be located in Windows 10 here:

C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\RVT 2017\Libraries\UK\Detail Items

6 Tips and Tricks Why Revit Elements are Missing/Hidden

Why Missing or Hidden:


1. Properties--> Under Structural--> Checked out or ticked the "STRUCTURAL". This happens when the 3D model element is showing but plan and section are missing.

2. Look or Hit the Visibility Graphics? Under model categories, Annotation Categories, and Filter. It's all there for you to check and find out. For example, steel won't show a stick symbol. Check the visibility graphics, next model categories, look the structural framing under that tick the stick symbol.

3. Reveal or unhide HIDDEN ELEMENTS. It's a blue bulb icon. Under the view control bar and reveals the elements you froze before.

4. Deleted or Purged. Oh My!. The only way you to chase the missing element is to look up the local backup

5. Override by linework using invisible. To get back the element use linework too, choose linestyle by category. Or checked the linestyles, for example using the white colour.

6. Steel section not shown in 3d Views but visible in plan, section and elevation. Check the family visibility settings. Look up the details, and check what is missing.

What's New in Revit 2020 Full webinar

Hear and watch webinar replay  about new features and enhancements in Revit 2020 including:

• PDF underlay support
• Path of Travel tool
• Improved design-to-fabrication detailing for concrete and steel
• Electrical design and mechanical fabrication workflow improvements
• Steel connection improvements

Revit: Using Best Practices

Using Best Practices

Good file maintenance is critical to keeping your files running smoothly and your file sizes low. The following are some best practices and workflows that were identified in other areas of the book but are consolidated here as a quick reference:

Manage the amount of information shown in views. Learn to manage the amount of information needed in a
given view. Minimize the view depth and the level of detail so you do not show more than you need to show in a view.

Minimize the level of detail. Set your detail level, found in the view control bar, relative to your drawing scale. For example, if you are working on a 1/32? = 1'-0? (1:500) plan, you probably do not need Detail Level set to Fine. This will cause the view to have a higher level of detail than the printed sheet can show, and you will end up with not only black blobs on your sheets but also views that are slow to open and print.

Minimize view detail. Along with the amount of detail you turn on in the view using the Detail Level tool, make sure you are not showing more than you need to show. For instance, if you have wall studs shown in a 1/16? = 1'-0? (1:200) scale plan or the extruded aluminium window section shown in a building section, chances are it will not represent properly when printed. Turning off those elements in your view will keep things moving smoother as well as printing cleaner.

Model only what you need. Although it is possible to model to a small level of detail, do not fall into the trap of over-modelling. Be smart about what you choose to model and how much detail you plan to show. If it is not conveying information about the project, maybe it is not really needed. The amount of information you do or do not model should be based on your project size and complexity, your timeframe, what you need to document, and your comfort level with the software. The amount of information required in the model is also influenced by the LOD requirements of the project. LODs are discussed in Chapter 1, “Understanding the Principles of BIM.”

Use three rules of thumb when deciding how much to model. When you are trying to decide how much detail to put into a model or even a family, there are three good rules of thumb to help you make the right decision for the particular element you are looking to create.

Scale. What scale will this detail be seen in? If it is a small scale (such as 3? = 1'-0?), it might be simpler to just draw it in 2D in a drafting view.

Repetition. How many times will this detail appear in the drawing set? If it will appear in only one location or only one time, it might be easier to just draft it in 2D rather than try to model the elements. If it will appear in several locations, modelling is the better solution. The more exposure an element has in the model (the more views it shows in), the more reasons you have to model it. For example, doors are good to model. They show in elevations and plans all over the sheet set.

Quality. Be honest—how good at modelling families are you? Do not bite off more than you can chew. If you are new to the software, keep it simple, use 2D components, and keep the parametric properties to a minimum. The more projects you complete, the better you will understand the transition to a BIM workflow.

Do not over-constrain. Embedding user-defined constraints into families and the model helps keep important information constant. However, if you do not need to lock a relationship, do not do it. Over-constraining the model can cause problems later in the project process when you want to move or modify locked elements. Constrain only when necessary. Otherwise, let the model be free. However, if you do over-constrain your model, Revit has a feature to show you where the constraints are located in any given view.

Watch out for imported geometry. Although you have the ability to use geometry from several other file sources, use caution when doing so. Remember that everything you link into a project or a family takes up around 20 times the file size in your system’s RAM. So, linking a 60 MB NURBS-based ceiling design will equal 2 GB of RAM and more than likely slow down your model. Deleting unused CAD files, using linking rather than importing, and cleaning up the CAD geometry before insertion will help keep problems to a minimum.

Purge unused files and family types. You will find that you will not use every family, group, or material you create in your model. Revit has a tool that will allow you to get rid of those unused elements to help keep your file sizes down to a reasonable level. This tool, Purge Unused, can be found on the Manage tab in the Settings panel. If your file is large, it can take several minutes to run, but eventually, you will be presented with a list (Figure B.6) of all the unused elements within your file.

Model correctly from the beginning. As you refine your design, it is critical to model correctly right from the beginning, not taking shortcuts, so you do not have to fix things later. If you can begin by thinking about how your project will be assembled, it will save you a lot of time later in the process. It is good practice to plan ahead, but remember that the software will allow you to make major changes at any stage in the process and still maintain coordination. If you are still in an early phase of design and do not know the exact wall type, use generic walls to capture your design intent; changing them later will be simple.

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AutoCAD Drafting in Revit- 2D Drafting Tools

As Revit is a modelling program that enables you to model (draw) an entire project in 3D 

you need to display this model in a manner that can be viewed by others for construction.
To ensure these views are in a manner that matches your current office drafting standards and to 'tell the story' you will need to do 2D drafting at some stage. Revit keeps it simple and generally has enough for what you need.

Some of the items include:
• Detail lines
Use the Detail Line tool to draw detail lines to provide additional information to the model geometry in detail views and drafting views.

• Filled regions 
Create a view-specific graphic that fills an area with a pattern. You can use filled regions when detailing a view or creating an annotation family

• Detail components 
Detail components are line-based 2D elements that you can add to detail views or drafting views. They are visible only in those views. They scale with the model, rather than the sheet.
Detail components are not associated with the model elements that are part of the building model. Instead, they provide construction details or other information in a specific view.

• Detail groups 
A detailed group is a collection of view-specific elements that you can then reuse within other views.

• Masking regions 
Masking regions are view-specific graphics that can be used to obscure elements in a view.
Masking regions may be useful in scenarios like the following:

1. You need to obscure elements in a project.
2. You are creating a detailed family or a model family and need the background of the element to mask the model and other detail components when it is loaded into a project.
3. You need to create a model family (from imported 2D DWG files) that obscures other elements when placed in a view.

• Repetitive details.

2D drafting should only be used when there are limitations to the 3D model. Apply when you just need a quick detail or need additional information with your model element.

Note :

2D drafting elements are often called “dumb intelligence”, i.e. if a steel member moves from its original position the 2D detail element WILL NOT move. Try to lock the 2D drafting elements to the 3D model components wherever possible. This way they will move with modelled elements.

Related Post:
How to Approach Migrating from AutoCAD to Revit