Hello. Does anyone know what is the best way to export a 3D DGN file for use with Revit? We are just starting a project with another architectural firm that uses Revit. They will be doing the architectural and we will be doing the MEP stuff. My contact at the other firm mentioned an IFC file would work the best but I am unfamiliar with that format. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
John K.
John -
You say you are "doing the MEP stuff" but with what? If you are doing it with the Bentley Building Mechanical Systems, IFC export is avaible from that application. If you are using just plain MicroStation, IFC export is not available and another format (dumb DWG?) is probably the best you can do.
Hope this helps,
Mike - Bentley Systems, Inc.
Okay, thanks Mike. We typically use plain Microstation but for this project I guess it would be best if we used the Bentley Building Mechanical Sysytems. Thanks again for your help.
John,
this will be a good move.
Besides the enhanced functionality in Bentley Mechanical IFC is the format of choice for "intelligent" data exchange with any other package, not just Revit. For example Bentley Architecture, Nemetschek ArchiCAD, Autodesk AutoCAD Architecture and Autodesk AutoCAD MEP and many others can exchange data via IFC. IFC, in my opionion is the necessary prerequisite to make multi application Building Information Modelling (BIM) possible.
If you don´t know about IFC yet, it´s time to get informed: http://www.buildingsmart.com/
HTH
Gunnar
Hello everyone-
I am the individual from the Revit Architectural firm in question. :) I had a couple of questions that i thought i might find some answers for amongst the Bentley Community. (Hi John!, hehe)
I have tried various methods for getting the Bentley Microstation DGN in to Revit, for the sake of having the geometry in our drawings.
1. DGN: Revit wont input DGN file format newer than v7. Taking the v8 file and saving it down doesnt work either, as Revit recognizes that the file did not originate as a v8 file... And it then tells you to export to DWG and use that (lol).
2. 3D DWG: The microstation model exports to 3D DWG file without incident (all of the geometry is there), but this workflow isnt ideal for the project team. Virtually, its not usable in Revit. DWG imports are handled as "one solid object" which means Revit uses a "show/no show" decision making process in views. (So, pipes that are overhead show as if present on the floor in Plan, and you can override or control visibility by object). We have by-layer control of visibility, but it will not show what is correct and visibile the way the intelligent model should.
3. IFC: Microstation > IFC export > Revit. This workflow works the best (so far) in terms of the model displaying and being workable inside Revit... but with one major issue: For whatever reason, the majority of the pipes/cylinders in the DGN file do not export to IFC. The elbows/connectors/equipment/diffusers/clamps all show up, just the straight run of pipes/cylinders do not. I opened the IFC in DDSviewer to make sure the issue wasnt an IMPORT problem that revit was creating too. Ive tried various IFC schemas (2x, 2x2, 2x3) to no avail. So if i export to 3D DWG all the geometry is there, and if i export to IFC it displays correctly, lol.
I guess most of this post is uesless fluff, heres what im wondering: Do any of you have much experience with exporting to IFC? If we can isolate the issue with the pipes/cylinders not displaying, i think we will have a winning way to coordinate and collaborate efficiently...
I'll put my contact info here as well.
Windows Live: armaller@gmail.com
Email: amaller@qpkdesign.com
Thanks in advance, and im excited to be on yet ANOTHER AEC software forum, LOL...
Hello Twiceroadsfool and welcome to the forum. I believe the reason that the file (3.IFC:) you are refering to as far as the cylinders not showing up is because those cylinders do not have any 'intelligence' to them. They were not created using Bentley's mechanical package, they were created using plain Microstation. I am posting this response in this forum instead of emailing you directly so that the other viewers know what is going on. I will send you another test file on Thursday.