Archicad MEP to RVT MEP data exchange

[Anonymous]

Hi guys,

I work for a multi-disciplinary Building Services company we use Archicad for modelling our buildings and use the MEP router to model our Mechanical & Electrical systems , we are working with a client that uses Revit to put together a collective model but when we send them an IFC file of our MEP designs we are struggling to convey the information correctly. these are the problems we are facing .......

1. The client Needs to see Duct/Pipe size (mm or ø) , System name , Insulation size. (see pictures for how our currently looks when exported to Revit using the Graphisoft plug-in. and the 2nd picture for how we want our information to display) . we do not want the client to see unnecessary fields of information.

2. we also try to save our mep designs as an IFC but again we have the same problem as above apart from we cannot see anything relating to ductwork or pipework sizes.

3. when we send our models to our client they cannot edit the information in either the IFC or RVT format. (it is vital for this project that the client can edit the elements) .

if you have any insight in how I can change this information please reply . Thanks
(pictures show information from models exported to the RVT format not IFC )

[Anonymous]

see also the amount of irrelevant information it is dragging through from archicad when exported to IFC & RVT formats

[Marc H]

Hi - I'm also looking for the answer to the same question re editing an AC produced RVT formatted model.

I modeled a somewhat complex existing building in AC22 utilizing the many historical drawings associated with it. My consultant requested a model file to work up a few design options within the building for a project we are working on. I exported an RVT file from AC22. She was able to import the model (which looked great in her Revit environment with textures and all), but could not edit the model elements. I'm wondering if this is a given that the RVT model will be read-only? Or is there a setting I missed in my Export setup? Or something she needs to do in importing the file she may not be aware of?

[Bricklyne Clarence]

I'm going to ask the (probably) dumb question here, but,.....

Have either of you guys tried going the IFC route instead of exporting a RVT file?
Revit's IFC file import capabilities are supposed to be much improved over what they used to be and the standard convention for working with Revit based firms seems to be to export IFC files if they are needed to be editable on the other end since the IFC format translates your ArchiCAD objects and elements into editable native Revit elements and objects on their end that they can edit natively.

EDIT : Okay so I see the original poster did in fact try IFC format and it still wasn't taking.
So perhaps maybe it might be a question of which version of Revit they're using on the other end since Revit was notoriously really bad with IFC translation up until a couple of versions ago when Autodesk committed to making it better in this format.
Check with them that they are using a more recent version of Revit that can handle the right IFC format (there's different standards, I believe) otherwise you are indeed likely to run into these sorts of issues.

At the end of the day it just might not be possible for certain files or project formats outside of rebuilding whole parts in the other program.

[Anonymous]

You can get the information you want out of the IFC model, you will just need to ‘push’ the right information into the IFC and select the appropriate translator settings. Central Innovation here in Australia have a couple of webinars regarding this for Select customers, I am sure your reseller can point you to similar resources

Regards,
Scott

[Marc H]

Thank you both for the suggestions and questions: I’ll ask about which version they are using in their office, though I expect it is fairly current. I should clarify this is an architectural to architectural model transfer, not architectural to MEP.
Since she could not edit the RVT format, I exported an IFC format using a generic export format recommended for export to Revit (though the articles on the spec choices is sketchy). She was able to read it into Revit. However, she was only able to use it as a background model. She was unable to modify any elements, but could delete those to be demolished in the proposed design option. Therefore She considered it a bit more useful than the RVT format.
She noted some data came over as well, but it was considered too much work to make use of it, I expect similar the original posting above. I suspect a better data transfer scheme would help, as suggested.