Interoperability: Animated 3d Studio Max AEC Objects and Revit Models

Only a camera can be animated within Revit, but we often need opening doors, windows or other animated objects in a presentation. This workflow shows how we can reuse our Revit model, minus doors, plants and people, and add animatable objects from 3d Studio Max. The model we will be using as an example is a prefabricated house as proposed by Lt. Russell M. Amdal, Art and Architecture Case Studies, 1945. 

By combining the best features of both products we get, from Revit, the majority of the required building elements, and the AEC objects from within 3d Studio Max. We can use their parametric properties to animate them – such as the angled opening of the door.

This example shows a 3d Studio Max pivot door in the door opening that can be animated.

For a close-up look at this workflow, watch my video Interoperability: Animated 3d Studio Max AEC Objects and Revit Models.

Thank you for reading. For more information on the software solutions, training and consulting Ideate provides, please visit the Ideate Inc. website.

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Jim Cowan

AEC Senior Application Specialist

Jim Cowan’s extensive AEC design industry experience, Autodesk design solutions expertise and status as an Autodesk Certified Instructor have made him a sought after University Curriculum developer, instructor and presenter. Jim’s areas of expertise include eLearning, interoperability between solutions and overcoming barriers to the adoption of Building Information Modeling (BIM). Educated in Architecture at Edinburgh College of Art/Heriot–Watt University and in Landscape Architecture at the University of Manitoba, Jim has a special focus on sustainability issues: daylight analysis, sun studies, lighting analysis, modeling buildings and conceptual energy modeling (models with shading devices). You can learn more from Jim on his YouTube Channel.

Interoperability: Manage Linked Content

This blog post is the result of a question asked by a contractor who wanted to maintain links to many different types of content, such as equipment specifications and documents. Their goal was to deliver a complete package, including this linked content, to a client so the virtual building could be managed after construction.

The example I am providing here is a modified scenario, explaining a historic building using multiple content links created within Revit families. Schedules in Revit or Ideate BIMLink with external spreadsheets can be used to manage the links. It is not difficult to come up with your own scenario where linked content lends itself to both a better understanding of a building proposal and management of the building.

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The URL links can be made within existing families, say furniture with links to content, or can be custom-made for presentation purposes.

You can author the URL link in Revit, link the Revit file into 3D Studio Max, Showcase or Navisworks, to create deliverables such as rendered images or animations, and link the Revit file with its URL links to Navisworks for easy sharing, using a secure and free viewer. Note that the content is not embedded in Navisworks so the content folder also has to be available.

To get started with creating your own linked content in Revit, watch this video.

For more information on training and consulting for the various products Ideate services visit our website. Don't forget to keep an eye on our blog for continued solutions.

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Jim Cowan

AEC Senior Application Specialist

Jim Cowan’s extensive AEC design industry experience, Autodesk design solutions expertise and status as an Autodesk Certified Instructor have made him a sought after University Curriculum developer, instructor and presenter. Jim’s areas of expertise include eLearning, interoperability between solutions and overcoming barriers to the adoption of Building Information Modeling (BIM). Educated in Architecture at Edinburgh College of Art/Heriot–Watt University and in Landscape Architecture at the University of Manitoba, Jim has special focus on sustainability issues: daylight analysis, sun studies, lighting analysis, modeling buildings and conceptual energy modeling (models with shading devices). You can learn more from Jim on his YouTube Channel.