This can frustrate many a Revit user.  It’s happened to everybody: You’re drawing along, pleased at the pace Revit allows you to work when all of a sudden, you realize that your finishes aren’t cleaning up properly.  AHHH!  I hope to provide some insight:

How Revit cleans joins:

• Revit Architecture connects high priority layers before connecting layers with the lowest priority.
• When layers join, the join cleans up if the 2 layers have the same material. If the 2 layers have different materials, a line appears at the join.
• Each layer must have a function assigned to it for Revit Architecture to match layers accurately.
• Layers inside the core of one wall pass through layers of higher priority that are outside the core of the joined wall.

Pop Quiz: Since it has been explained to you, can you tell what must happen to the wall join as shown above?

The walls are almost configured properly.  However, the horizontal insulation must be moved inside of the core in order to cut through the air space that shares it’s same priority level. Remember, insulation and air space share the same function (See below).  Therefore, it would be incorrect to change the air space’s priority to 4.

Layers can be assigned the following functions:

• Structure [1]: Layer that supports the remainder of the wall, floor, or roof.
• Substrate [2]: Material, such as plywood or gypsum board, which acts as a foundation for another material.
• Thermal/Air Layer [3]: Provides insulation and prevents air penetration.
• Membrane Layer: A membrane that commonly prevents water vapor penetration. The membrane layer should have zero thickness.
• Finish 1 [4]: Finish 1 is typically the exterior layer.
• Finish 2 [5]: Finish 2 is typically for the interior layer.

Some of you may have already browsed over to my “Portfolio” page.  I use a viewer called Freewheel by Autodesk.  It is a very powerful sharing utility and that is why I use it to share some sample work. Please allow me to explain why I think this is big.

Freewheel allows multiple users to collaborate online on files of the .dwf format.  What is .dwf? It’s Autodesk’s version of PDF.  Everybody knows that the PDF format is pretty much universal and will appear and print the same way on any computer or printer. DWF is a “pdf” for softwares such as Autocad and Revit.  Freewheel is an application that allows online viewing of any dwf in any browser.

I should note that this is not a tutorial in how Freewheel is used or installed into a browser.  I merely wish to display its capabilities.  It goes like this: Say I have something to share with you. So I upload a .dwf from my project onto the Freewheel server (this can be done with one mouse click from within Revit or Autocad and is free). I then send you the link to the private online sharing session I just created.  After you type your name, you then enter the session and you’ll see something like the picture above.  Any user can then feel free to orbit, pan, circle, draw and markup the drawing, be it 3D or 2D.  

Even though most of you have probably stopped reading because you’re now excitedly trying to install this into your own web interface I encourage you to read on… This means that the communication barrier that keeps many firms from outsourcing will have to be re-thought.  Firms can now outsource their projects and still feel like their draftsman is just down the hallway!

I offer a drafting service that I believe is superior.  I have tried to overcome my ego by downplaying the size of Marathon Drafting.  And I believe I’ll benefit from doing so. 

Here’s why large drafting companies often fail:

• Too much overhead.  They have to pay the accounting department, human resources, benefits to all their employees, vacations etc.. and still make a profit.
• Often ineficient.  If somebody wants to make a revision they don’t want to talk to a receptionist who then has to take all their information and pass their request down the line.  HUGE COMMUNICATION PROBLEM.  Stuff won’t get done the way they want it.
• Impersonal.  Who wants to talk to a Executive Project Analyst anyway?
• No personal accountability.  If a drafter doesn’t get it right… oh well, they’ll bill additional time to make it right.

Ever hear the term: Big government = Big money? Same goes for drafting businesses.  I’m small.  I’m myself and I’m proud of it.

So I guess Autodesk has apparently released a list of improvements made in the 2009 version of Revit.  I’m feeling pretty good now knowing that my subscription fee is paying off.  I’m super excited about the upcoming changes.  Here’s why you should be:

• Better view template managing
• The ol rendering engine got the boot! Mental Ray Rendering will bring much better rendering output to Revit.  This is huge! Old renderings were plain ugly..
• Text overrides for dimensions.  Sounds simple but we’ve wanted it a long time
• Added forms of mass geometry.
• We can now rotate schedules on sheets. I’ve personally waited a while for that one!
• More robust library

This was just announced yesterday so I’m sure there’s more to come. I can’t hardly wait!

You might be asking yourself, “Why a blog? Isn’t this guy running a business?”  Let me explain.  First off, this blog will not make me huge amounts of money.  You know that and I know that. I am primarilly interested in experience.  Experience is what matters.  I believe I’ll learn a lot by logging my Revit thoughts and I’ll be better off in the long run as a result.  Knowledge is power after all. I also want to run an open business too where clients know that what they see, is what they get.  I encourage anybody to contact me with questions or concerns or ideas.  I have opened up the registration on the blog so if you have any neat tip in Revit please post it.  I also believe in sharing files.  There is nothing better than a well built Revit family.  The kind that will work throughout all aspects of design (Conceptual, documentation, scheduling & rendering).  I have a handful myself and would love to share them.  Have I made myself clear?  HEY WORLD!!! I’M HERE TO HELP!!