{"id":2038,"date":"2017-07-25T09:15:59","date_gmt":"2017-07-25T09:15:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/andekan.com\/?p=2038"},"modified":"2022-08-08T13:35:38","modified_gmt":"2022-08-08T12:35:38","slug":"10-key-specs-manufacturer-revit-content","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/10-key-specs-manufacturer-revit-content\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Key Specs for Revit Content: A Primer for Manufacturers"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>Some quick background before we begin<\/h3>\n<p>When we started Andekan nearly a decade ago, the vast majority of our customers were architects and engineers who needed Revit content for specific projects. Things have changed quite a bit since then, and today most of our customers are manufacturers who want Revit families of their products to distribute to those same architects, engineers and contractors.<\/p>\n<p>While building product manufacturers are increasingly alert to the importance of having their products in Revit, most still remain in the dark as to what they should be looking for from their content. We regularly field inquiries from manufacturers who have paid handsomely for content from other providers that&#8217;s woefully inadequate if not unusable, or who know they need content but have only a vague idea as to what that means.<\/p>\n<p>We wanted to create this primer as a resource for manufacturers seeking quality Revit content. Our aim is to help shed light on questions of how to evaluate potential content partners and how to determine if your Revit content will be satisfactory for use in actual projects (as opposed to in a content provider\u2019s demo).<\/p>\n<p>The list below covers 10 key aspects of Revit families that we at Andekan think about whenever we\u2019re defining specifications for a content project. While the list is not exhaustive in terms of how you can specify Revit content, it should be sufficiently comprehensive for manufacturers buying content to get a solid grasp of whether they\u2019re getting what they pay for.<\/p>\n<p>Of course there are other ingredients that go into high-quality Revit content development, such as clear product documentation and good model QA. But those are beasts of a somewhat different nature and substantial topics in their own right that deserve their own posts or primers. So without further ado, here are our&#8230;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>10 Key Specs for Revit Content<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3>#1 3D Geometry \u2013 Keep it clean and use all levels.<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2051\" src=\"https:\/\/andekan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Render.png\" alt=\"Revit family rendering\" width=\"1342\" height=\"790\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Render.png 1342w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Render-300x177.png 300w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Render-768x452.png 768w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Render-1024x603.png 1024w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Render-120x71.png 120w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Render-600x353.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>3D is the one thing that anybody seeking and making Revit content is likely to know about \u2013 Revit can do 3D! But the devil is in the details, and there are some key ones for manufacturers to be aware of:<\/p>\n<h4>Levels of Detail. 3D geometry can be defined at three levels.<\/h4>\n<p>Revit offers three levels of detail for viewing 3D geometry: Fine, Medium and Coarse. Your Revit families should make use of all three. Fine geometry should be detailed enough that you can tell it\u2019s your product, or at least tell the exact kind of product (some product categories are more generic-looking than others). Coarse geometry should just show the geometrical mass, since it will be used for simplified views. Medium, as the name suggests, should be somewhere in between those two, with the appropriate amount of detail being different for different product categories.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2050\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2050\" style=\"width: 1298px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-2050 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-11.44.00-AM.png\" alt=\"Revit 3D view in three levels of detail\" width=\"1298\" height=\"396\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-11.44.00-AM.png 1298w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-11.44.00-AM-300x92.png 300w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-11.44.00-AM-768x234.png 768w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-11.44.00-AM-1024x312.png 1024w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-11.44.00-AM-120x37.png 120w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-11.44.00-AM-600x183.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2050\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">3D views of a Revit family at three levels of detail \u2013 fine, medium and coarse<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4>Logos and Branding. Not helping your image.<\/h4>\n<p>Logos and other pure branding elements are to be avoided, as they only add to the model\u2019s complexity, file size and constraints, without serving any purpose within Revit. Adding them might quell the fears of your sales and marketing team, but not the needs of your customers working in Revit. In fact, any logo included on a Revit family will end up looking like nothing more than a blob or dot at most view scales needed for project deliverables.<\/p>\n<p>Your brand will come through in other ways \u2013 parameter data, fine-level geometry that looks like your product, how you distribute your content to customers, etc. Most of all, it will come through in having high-quality content that makes customers happy by helping them to deliver great projects in Revit. Now this rule does have some exceptions. For example, creating a Revit family for a sign that goes on a restaurant or store is a case where modeling a logo simply can\u2019t be avoided. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2070\" src=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Illuminated_Sign-LED-Cummings_Signs-Kroger-Oval_7.5X9.8Ft.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"599\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Illuminated_Sign-LED-Cummings_Signs-Kroger-Oval_7.5X9.8Ft.png 921w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Illuminated_Sign-LED-Cummings_Signs-Kroger-Oval_7.5X9.8Ft-150x150.png 150w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Illuminated_Sign-LED-Cummings_Signs-Kroger-Oval_7.5X9.8Ft-300x300.png 300w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Illuminated_Sign-LED-Cummings_Signs-Kroger-Oval_7.5X9.8Ft-768x767.png 768w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Illuminated_Sign-LED-Cummings_Signs-Kroger-Oval_7.5X9.8Ft-120x120.png 120w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Illuminated_Sign-LED-Cummings_Signs-Kroger-Oval_7.5X9.8Ft-200x200.png 200w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Illuminated_Sign-LED-Cummings_Signs-Kroger-Oval_7.5X9.8Ft-600x600.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<h4>Native Geometry. The sustainable approach to creating content.<\/h4>\n<p>Importing geometry from other formats is a killer for Revit content. Just don\u2019t do it. Ever. This probably deserves its own post to explain, but while we work on that please just trust us and stick to using Revit\u2019s native geometry.<\/p>\n<h3>#2 2D Geometry \u2013 Revit also does 2D. Don&#8217;t skip it.<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2049 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/FRONT-ELEVATION-FINE-1.png\" alt=\"Revit Front Elevation View - Fine\" width=\"842\" height=\"565\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/FRONT-ELEVATION-FINE-1.png 842w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/FRONT-ELEVATION-FINE-1-300x201.png 300w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/FRONT-ELEVATION-FINE-1-768x515.png 768w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/FRONT-ELEVATION-FINE-1-120x81.png 120w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/FRONT-ELEVATION-FINE-1-298x200.png 298w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/FRONT-ELEVATION-FINE-1-600x403.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Surprise! Revit also has 2D geometry elements: model lines, symbolic lines and masking regions. While Revit\u2019s 3D geometry gets all the attention, it\u2019s very important to consider 2D geometry for application in the drawings and sheets that are issued during design and construction.<\/p>\n<h4>2D or Not 2D? That is NOT the question.<\/h4>\n<p>For cleaner and faster 2D views, such as plans and elevations, your families should include 2D geometry applied specifically to those views. Any professional content provider worth its salt will include 2D geometry as a matter of standard practice. Some will argue that Revit\u2019s view rendering, and computers in general, have improved enough over the years that it\u2019s entirely possible to skip 2D geometry and just use 3D geometry in 2D views. They might be right, at least for certain types of families, and that can be a perfectly acceptable choice at a firm or project level. But when it comes to making Revit content for public consumption, it\u2019s important and worthwhile to cover your bases and include 2D geometry for 2D views. Having good 2D geometry is one of those details that an end-user will really appreciate about good content and which will help keep them using your families in projects.<\/p>\n<h4>Levels of Detail, Again. 2D also shows in three levels.<\/h4>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2055\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2055\" style=\"width: 1274px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-2055 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-12.07.58-PM.png\" alt=\"Revit side elevation view in three levels of detail\" width=\"1274\" height=\"314\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-12.07.58-PM.png 1274w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-12.07.58-PM-300x74.png 300w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-12.07.58-PM-768x189.png 768w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-12.07.58-PM-1024x252.png 1024w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-12.07.58-PM-120x30.png 120w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-12.07.58-PM-600x148.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2055\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Revit side elevation view in three levels of detail &#8211; fine, medium and coarse.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Just like with 3D geometry, Revit gives you Fine, Medium and Coarse levels of detail for 2D geometry. In general, you should follow the same principles as with 3D geometry, although certain product categories have special requirements based on industry practice for construction documents. For example, pipe fittings should display as model lines only, and light fixtures should display as symbols. Speaking of symbols\u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Symbols. Create separately and then nest.<\/h4>\n<p>If you need your product to be represented by a symbol in plan or elevation views, then you should create the symbol as a separate Annotation Symbol family and nest it within your main family. And don\u2019t let anyone tell you that <a href=\"https:\/\/andekan.com\/annotationsymbols-for-lighting-fixtures-showing-in-plan\/\">a symbol won\u2019t show if your product is placed in a wall<\/a>, or that you can\u2019t <a href=\"https:\/\/andekan.com\/offset-parameter-for-overlapping-plan-symbols\/\">avoid overlapping with symbols<\/a> from other objects placed in the same space.<\/p>\n<h3>#3 Flexibility \u2013 Make sure your content can adapt.<\/h3>\n<p>The bad news is that product dimensions and exterior appearance usually change over time, and when they do you\u2019ll have to update your content. The good news is that your <a href=\"https:\/\/andekan.com\/manufacturer-revit-families-made-to-flex\/\">Revit families can be built to handle this eventuality with relative ease.<\/a> One of Revit\u2019s key features is the ability to create \u201cflexible\u201d geometry, i.e. you can enter new dimensions and the model geometry will automatically \u201cflex\u201d to the new size or shape. The more flexible a family\u2019s geometry is, the easier it will be to incorporate future changes, and the more likely that a manufacturer can make those changes without outside help.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2027\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2027\" style=\"width: 1309px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-2027 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Wall-Mounted-Speaker-Types-in-3D-Fine.jpg\" alt=\"Wall-Mounted Speaker Types in 3D Fine\" width=\"1309\" height=\"833\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Wall-Mounted-Speaker-Types-in-3D-Fine.jpg 1309w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Wall-Mounted-Speaker-Types-in-3D-Fine-300x191.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Wall-Mounted-Speaker-Types-in-3D-Fine-768x489.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Wall-Mounted-Speaker-Types-in-3D-Fine-1024x652.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Wall-Mounted-Speaker-Types-in-3D-Fine-120x76.jpg 120w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Wall-Mounted-Speaker-Types-in-3D-Fine-600x382.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2027\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Building with flexible geometry makes it easy to add new sizes, angles and options.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s also possible to create Revit families with non-flexible geometry, and sadly there are still cases of manufacturers paying for fancy-looking models that break as soon as they try to change a dimension. While it\u2019s true that, for very specific products, non-flexible families are not necessarily a bad thing in Revit, there are still reasons for a manufacturer to keep geometry flexible. Documentation might have mistakes, and a flexible family will more easily cope with such changes at little or no cost. Additional variations of products developed in the future will be able to use a flexible family as a starting point. And for certain kinds of products, say pipe fittings, you want to go the extra length and have geometry that can flex to a whole range of sizes and angles so that the family supports the required workflow in Revit projects.<\/p>\n<h3>#4 Types \u2013 Define your major product variations.<\/h3>\n<p>Types represent different variations of a product or object within a single Revit family \u2013 which is why it\u2019s called a \u201cfamily\u201d. For example, a table that comes in red or blue and 8ft or 12ft could have four types to cover the different length and color combinations that someone might order.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2048\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2048\" style=\"width: 1182px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2048\" src=\"https:\/\/andekan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/TC-1-e1500921069847.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1182\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/TC-1-e1500921069847.png 1182w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/TC-1-e1500921069847-300x95.png 300w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/TC-1-e1500921069847-768x244.png 768w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/TC-1-e1500921069847-1024x325.png 1024w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/TC-1-e1500921069847-120x38.png 120w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/TC-1-e1500921069847-600x190.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2048\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">All Revit families contain one or more types for a user to choose from.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Not every product option needs to be covered by a type, and we\u2019ll talk more about other kinds of options below. But every family in Revit will always have at least one type by default. For manufacturer Revit content, there are two key points we always try to bear in mind regarding types:<\/p>\n<h4>Define types by your most common, standardized versions.<\/h4>\n<p>Types should be used to cover a product\u2019s most common and standardized options. In general, your Revit family types will match up to the different models of your product that you sell. For example, if you sell a lamp with either a circular shade or an elliptical shade, it would make sense to set those options as types within your lamp family. On the other hand, if your lamp is available in any length from 4ft to 8ft, it doesn\u2019t make sense to cover that option using types because there is an open range of possible values. There are also some options that are not possible to cover using types, such as optional electrical connections.<\/p>\n<h4>Type catalogs make everything easier.<\/h4>\n<p>Types are most convenient when defined using what\u2019s called a type catalog in Revit. This is especially true if there are more than just a few types. The reason is that a type catalog is essentially a spreadsheet, which can be edited and reviewed just like a spreadsheet, i.e. by anyone and without having Revit. So the more information that is fed from a type catalog, the more manageable the family will be for the manufacturer (and for the end user).<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, we&#8217;ve received plenty of requests from manufacturers to update families that use a whole series of complex, interconnected formula parameters to generate all of the type data. Any family created in this fashion takes what should be simple and turns it into something which can\u2019t be updated in a reasonable amount of time, except, perhaps, by the original content provider. In contrast, if you had a properly-built, flexible family that uses a type catalog, you wouldn&#8217;t even need to open the Revit family file. Instead, you could take care of any changes purely within the .txt type catalog.<\/p>\n<h3>#5 Parameters \u2013 It\u2019s all about the data!<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2057\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2057\" style=\"width: 1150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-2057 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Charge-point-identity-data-example.png\" alt=\"Identity Data parameters example\" width=\"1150\" height=\"689\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Charge-point-identity-data-example.png 1150w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Charge-point-identity-data-example-300x180.png 300w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Charge-point-identity-data-example-768x460.png 768w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Charge-point-identity-data-example-1024x614.png 1024w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Charge-point-identity-data-example-120x72.png 120w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Charge-point-identity-data-example-600x359.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2057\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Some of the many kinds of parameters that can go into a manufacturer Revit family<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If geometry is one side of the Revit content coin, then parameter data is the other side. Parameters are what define your product\u2019s properties within Revit. Parameters can include everything from physical attributes like width, length and height, to technical specs like materials, weight, electrical or mechanical properties, to identifying information like model number, product URL and, you guessed it, manufacturer. You can add and configure custom parameters for your Revit content, and there are also some built-in parameters that come with the Revit family templates.<\/p>\n<h4>A quick compass for navigating the sea of parameters<\/h4>\n<p>It would take many blog posts to cover the topic of parameters, and there are many technicalities that apply only to specific types of products or project use cases. For a manufacturer\u2019s purposes, below are some of the most critical things to look out for on your Revit journey.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2056 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/3D-View-11.jpg\" alt=\"Render of an oil tanker Revit family\" width=\"1319\" height=\"722\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/3D-View-11.jpg 1319w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/3D-View-11-300x164.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/3D-View-11-768x420.jpg 768w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/3D-View-11-1024x561.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/3D-View-11-120x66.jpg 120w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/3D-View-11-600x328.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<h4>Family Category. What kind of object is it?<\/h4>\n<p>Categories in Revit cover major groups of building objects like Communication Devices, Doors, Furniture, Mechanical Equipment, Pipe Fittings, Plumbing Fixtures, Windows and so on. Setting the Category parameter for your family is important. Certain categories come with different built-in parameters that are essential for their use in Revit. The Category parameter is also something that\u2019s frequently used for generating schedules of quantities in Revit, and you want to make sure that your product shows up on the right schedules.<\/p>\n<h4>Type vs. Instance. Think \u201cfactory set\u201d vs. \u201con site\u201d.<\/h4>\n<p>Parameters in a Revit family can be configured as either \u201ctype\u201d or \u201cinstance\u201d. The easiest way to think about type parameters is as being for those attributes that define your product and are set at the factory. For example, think of a valve&#8217;s \u201cconnection type\u201d parameter. If it\u2019s a threaded valve, then it\u2019s so from the moment it leaves the factory and it won&#8217;t or shouldn&#8217;t change once on site. So that&#8217;s a type parameter.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, instance parameters should be used for any parameters that need to be in a family but that could or should be changed on site. The lever of that valve can be open or closed, but that&#8217;s something that can and should be changed on site, and it doesn&#8217;t change which threaded valve you ordered. So the parameter used to set the lever of the valve to open or closed would be an instance parameter.<\/p>\n<h4>Naming and Grouping. There to help users, not content creators.<\/h4>\n<p>Parameters can be positioned under different group labels within a family and can be named however you want. Usually, you just want to follow the logical groupings that you get in Revit, so that you put your electrical values in the Electrical group and the outer dimensions under Dimensions. But we also recommend putting \u201cbackground\u201d parameters (ones that are used for special options or as part of formulas) into the Other category so that they stay out of the way for users and anyone marketing the content.<\/p>\n<p>In terms of parameter naming, clear and concise is always the best approach, especially with those that will need to be used in a project. Make sure they can be easily understood by your customers and users. Autodesk\u2019s own out-of-the-box content takes this approach, with plain English labels that use Title Case for Their Words. Leave any clever formatting like CamelCase, lots_of_underscores or ACME_Prefixes, where it belongs, in the hands of any customers who are so inclined to use them.<\/p>\n<h4>Formula-Driven Parameters. Don\u2019t get carried away.<\/h4>\n<p>Parameter values can be defined using a formula, and those formulas can reference other parameters, and thus many complicated things can be achieved using formula parameters in Revit. It\u2019s hard to avoid using any formula parameters if you want to do something fancy with a Revit family\u2019s geometry or parameter values. On the other hand, the more functionality that you pack into formula parameters, the harder it becomes to manage a family over time. Even if all the individual formulas are simple, you are also adding logic that will need to be understood, modified and re-checked any time you need to make a change. And if your families use formula parameters to generate type values, then you\u2019re highly encouraged to go back and read section 4 on the virtues of type catalogs.<\/p>\n<h4>Shared Parameters. As few as possible helps everyone.<\/h4>\n<p>If you\u2019re building in-house content for an AEC design firm, then by all means you should include the firm\u2019s shared parameters in your Revit content. On the other hand, shared parameters are generally a bad idea for manufacturers developing content for public distribution. Why? Because AEC firms don\u2019t all use the same shared parameters. Sure, there are some public lists of shared parameters for different industry groups that get some usage, and it can make sense to include those if you know that most of your customers are using them or have asked about them. On the other hand, having unwanted shared parameters is a pain for users, so leaving them out keeps your Revit families neat and tidy for everyone. Those that want to add their shared parameters can still do so, and in general that process is one they\u2019ll likely have developed to be easy and efficient.<\/p>\n<h3>#6 Options \u2013 Include, Split or Skip?<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s always critical to account for any options that need to be available for the end-user in Revit. These could be mounting options, accessory options, technical options, etc. The way that options get incorporated into your Revit content will vary depending on the nature of the option and how commonly it\u2019s used. But in many cases, such as with clearance zones described below, you can configure a checkbox parameter to toggle options on and off by linking either to your model\u2019s geometry or to other parameter data. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In other cases, you may end up going so far as to create a separate version of a Revit model to cover a desired option. This could either be because Revit requires it (e.g. a motor accessory that brings with it an additional power connection \u2013 see below for more on connectors) or because it\u2019s just more practical for the end user (e.g. your product has an option that\u2019s required for use in a certain commercial or geographic market and is never used in any others). <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are also cases where it will make the most sense to NOT cover an option within the Revit family. Maybe the option is so rarely needed that you don\u2019t want to confuse users, or maybe it\u2019s something that must be customized per order, or maybe it simply wouldn\u2019t be useful within the context of a Revit building project. In all of these cases, your content provider should be able to walk you through the possible approaches and clearly describe the pros and cons of each.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>#7 Clearance Zones \u2013 Give your families their space.<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2065\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2065\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-2065 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Gas-Meter-Clearance-Zones-3D.png\" alt=\"Gas Meter - Clearance Zones - 3D\" width=\"850\" height=\"747\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Gas-Meter-Clearance-Zones-3D.png 850w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Gas-Meter-Clearance-Zones-3D-300x264.png 300w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Gas-Meter-Clearance-Zones-3D-768x675.png 768w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Gas-Meter-Clearance-Zones-3D-120x105.png 120w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Gas-Meter-Clearance-Zones-3D-228x200.png 228w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Gas-Meter-Clearance-Zones-3D-600x527.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2065\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Gas meter Revit family with clearance zones showing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether it\u2019s for purposes of access, maintenance or safety, many types of building products require a certain amount of space around them. Since Revit is used heavily as a coordination tool, it\u2019s critical to include these clearances in your Revit families. Clearances should be modeled in both 3D and 2D views, and you should be able to turn them on and off using a clearly named parameter. It\u2019s best practice to assign clearance zone geometry to its own subcategory within the model, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/andekan.com\/revit-clearances-worthy-of-subcategory\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at least until the day Revit does the right thing and provides a built-in clearances subcategory<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>#8 Connectors \u2013 For MEP system parts and equipment.<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2064\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2064\" style=\"width: 1184px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-2064 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-1.03.10-PM.png\" alt=\"Revit family with many system connectors\" width=\"1184\" height=\"566\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-1.03.10-PM.png 1184w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-1.03.10-PM-300x143.png 300w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-1.03.10-PM-768x367.png 768w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-1.03.10-PM-1024x490.png 1024w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-1.03.10-PM-120x57.png 120w, http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Screen-Shot-2017-07-24-at-1.03.10-PM-600x287.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2064\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Revit family with multiple MEP system connectors. Connectors highlighted in right-hand image.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your product makes use of, or is a part of, a building\u2019s electrical, plumbing or HVAC systems, then your Revit family will need one or more system connectors. As the name implies, connectors allow a Revit family to become part of a building system so that its properties are taken into account for purposes of calculating loads and flows. Certain types of products will only need one connector (e.g. light fixture), whereas others will need multiple connectors of the same type (e.g. pipe fittings) or multiple connectors of different types (e.g. HVAC equipment).<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Connectors have their own systems-related properties, which are not shown in the Revit family parameters that are readily visible to the end-user. However, some connector parameters can be linked to family parameters, which a user can readily select or modify. Linking connector parameters to family parameters gives users a way to easily set key system-related properties that they need for project usage (e.g. selecting the right voltage type).<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Failing to include a connector in a model that should have one, or configuring connectors incorrectly, can negatively impact an entire project, so it\u2019s very important to get them right for MEP manufacturers. It\u2019s also important to be aware that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/andekan.com\/revit-connector-limits\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">system connectors have certain limitations in Revit<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. For example, if your product comes in variations with different numbers or types of system connections, then you\u2019ll need to produce multiple Revit families to cover those varying connector options. <\/span><\/p>\n<h3>#9 Hosting \u2013 Where should I put this?<b><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHosting\u201d in Revit refers to how an object can be placed in a building space. Does it need to be placed on a face, in a wall, on a ceiling, or can it be placed anywhere (non-hosted)? Hosting is a critical choice, because once you pick your hosting type template for a Revit family, you can\u2019t easily change it. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aside from a small number of special cases such as windows or doors, you generally want to pick either non-hosted or face-based hosting. While there are more specific options available, like wall-hosted, ceiling-hosted and floor-hosted, more often than not those choices only serve to unnecessarily constrain a family\u2019s usability within a project. There can be vertical and horizontal design faces in Revit that are not strictly categorized as walls or ceilings or floors in the project, so having a face-based family usually makes it easier to place \u201chosted\u201d content where it ought to go. And anything that doesn\u2019t actually affix or mount to a surface can simply be non-hosted. Again, there are cases where more specific hosting is appropriate, so it\u2019s an important choice to ask about if you\u2019re not sure what makes sense for your products.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>#10 Version \u2013 If I could turn back time&#8230;Revit can\u2019t.<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Similar to hosting, this is a choice that can\u2019t be reversed, so make sure you choose wisely. The key constraint with Revit versions is that content can never be downgraded to earlier versions, although it can always be upgraded to newer versions. So if you build your content in Revit 2016, then you should be okay NOT having it available in Revit 2015 and earlier. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is always a tradeoff between making content that is backwards compatible, and therefore available to the largest possible number of users, and making content that takes advantage of the latest and greatest in Revit. Autodesk officially support the current version of Revit and three versions prior, so that\u2019s a good reference for how far back most content ought to go. And remember, Autodesk generally release the next year\u2019s version during the current year, i.e. Revit 2018 has been out since the spring. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, if you know that a lot of your customers are still working in Revit 2013, for example, then it probably makes sense to go an extra year back and do the content in 2013 to make sure you can continue serving those customers. In certain cases, you may then need to tweak or want to optimize the content in later year versions (for example, embedding lookup tables in pipe fittings from Revit 2014 onward). But that effort will generally be minimal compared to rebuilding a family from scratch because it got made in a too-recent version.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>#11 Project Workflow \u2013 btw don\u2019t forget context.<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We always want to go the extra mile for high-quality content, so of course we had to squeeze an 11th item into our top 10 list. But project workflow is less a single spec on a checklist and more a question of the \u201creal-world\u201d understanding that\u2019s required to apply the checklist to different types of objects and products. It\u2019s understanding how those objects need to get used within a Revit project (workflows), and the features and options that Revit has available for achieving those workflows. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To give an example, although we highlighted types and type catalogs in multiple places above, if someone ever gives you a pipe fitting Revit family that uses a type catalog or that has types for different angles (e.g. a bend with 45 degree type and 90 degree type), then you should run away from that person! That\u2019s because pipe fittings use another special feature in Revit, called a lookup table, that lets them accommodate multiple angles within a single type.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So it\u2019s essential to work with a content creator that has enough experience working in Revit projects to understand your product\u2019s required workflows and how best to achieve them. At Andekan, on top of our 10 years dedicated to creating top-quality Revit content, our team has another 10 years combined experience working as coordinators and consultants for real-world building projects. Whoever you work with to create content, you should feel confident they have the experience to connect all of the technical dots in project context. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A quality content creator will be able to describe how your content will be used in a project and to explain which features and options are most important for your type of content. That can be someone in-house who has trained extensively in Revit and talked to all of your customers using Revit, or it could be a consultant who specializes in Revit and your particular industry sector and has design firm clients, or it could be a firm fully-dedicated to Revit content with years of experience doing content of all kinds for a range of customer types, like&#8230;hmm, let\u2019s see&#8230;well, you get the picture.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>That&#8217;s it! All done!<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thanks for reading our list of 10 Key Specs for Revit Content! If you\u2019re a product manufacturer developing content, or if you\u2019re a Revit user who works with product manufacturers and their content, we hope this primer has been helpful! If you have questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment here or reach out to us by email at <\/span><a href=\"mailto:contact@andekan.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">contact@andekan.com<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Some quick background before we begin When we started Andekan nearly a decade ago, the vast majority of our customers were architects and engineers who needed Revit content for specific projects. Things have changed quite a bit since then, and today most of our customers are manufacturers who want Revit families of their products to &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/10-key-specs-manufacturer-revit-content\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;10 Key Specs for Revit Content: A Primer for Manufacturers&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5,8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v18.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>10 Key Specs for Revit Content: A Primer for Manufacturers - Andekan<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.andekan.com\/blog\/10-key-specs-manufacturer-revit-content\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"10 Key Specs for Revit Content: A Primer for Manufacturers - Andekan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Some quick background before we begin When we started Andekan nearly a decade ago, the vast majority of our customers were architects and engineers who needed Revit content for specific projects. 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