Autodesk Revit Families:

A Step-by-Step Introduction
Paul F. Aubin
Author/Consultant

2011 Autodesk

Paul F. Aubin

Author The Aubin Academy Master Series:

Revit Architecture and MEP
AutoCAD Architecture and MEP

Author Video Training

lynda.com

Consulting Services
Project Setup Assistance
Project Coaching (Train the Project)
CAD/BIM Manager Assistance

Live hands-on training

Fundamentals, Advanced & Custom Classes
Face to Face and Online Sessions

2011 Autodesk

The Aubin Academy Master Series

Revit Architecture 212

Revit MEP 2012

Paul F. Aubin, Darryl McClelland, LEED AP, Martin Schmid, PE & Gregg Stanley

AutoCAD MEP 2012

Paul F. Aubin

Paul F. Aubin, Darryl McClelland, LEED AP, Martin Schmid, PE & Gregg Stanley

Exclusive AU discounts available!

2011 Autodesk

Your Lab Monitors Today

Desire P. Ratley, PE , CE, LEED AP BD+C

Dezi is an uber-nerd who went to MIT and now is a structural engineer at
Martin/Martin in Denver, Colorado. She is a regular Autodesk University
speaker; she spoke at Revit Technology Conference USA; she is the Structural
Director for the Denver Revit Users Group and is currently serving as AUGI
Treasurer. And as if this is not enough Revit in her life, on the last binary day of
this year, she married a Revit geek she met at the AU 2009 speaker social, so
you can only imagine how exciting their evenings are.

2011 Autodesk

Your Lab Monitors Today

David A. Butts
BIM Specialist at Gannett Fleming
Fishin Movie Producer
27 years industry experience
AU Instructor for Revit MEP/ACAD MEP/ACAD Arch for past 7 years

2011 Autodesk

Your Lab Monitors Today

Matt Dillon
VP Technical Services D|C|CADD
ATC Certified Instructor
Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure
Navisworks Manage
3ds Max Design
AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD MEP

Distinguished Speaker Award - Autodesk University 2010

Client consulting and mentoring
E-Learning www.dccadd.com/e-learning

2011 Autodesk

Your Lab Monitors Today

Matt Stachoni
Matt is the senior AEC applications and building information modeling (BIM)
implementation technical specialist for CADapult Ltd., an Autodesk Silver
reseller in the Mid-Atlantic region. Matt specializes in Revit training and BIM
implementation for design firms and the construction industry. He has over 20
years experience as a CAD and IT Manager for several A/E firms in Delaware,
Pennsylvania, and Boston, Massachusetts, and has been using Autodesk
software since 1987.

2011 Autodesk

Your Lab Monitors Today

Darryl McClelland, LEED AP

has 26 years of practical design experience in MEP engineering. Although his
primary focus was the design of mechanical systems, he spent 11 of those 26
years designing electrical and plumbing systems as well. He also ran his own
engineering business for eight years. His design experience ranges from
complex research laboratories and institutional facilities to medical and
professional office buildings, and everything in between. He is a graduate of
Purdue University and an active member of ASHRAE, ASPE, and a LEED AP.

2011 Autodesk

Your Lab Monitors Today

Harlan Brumm
A really swell guy. Expert at all things Revit. Has a really cool blog called the
Revit Clinic: http://revitclinic.typepad.com. And no, just because he has a
goatee, he is not my twin brother.

2011 Autodesk

Your Lab Monitors Today

Doug Bowers
Doug is a LEED accredited licensed architect and an independent BIM software
consultant performing training, implementations, and Revit family development
across the United States.

2011 Autodesk

Class Summary
This hands-on lab will introduce you to the basics of the Revit Family Editor. In this
short introduction to the Family Editor, you will create a Revit component Family
from scratch, complete with constraints and parameters.

2011 Autodesk

Class Summary
This is AB3737-L Autodesk Revit Families: A Step-by-Step Introduction
This is an INTRODUCTORY class
You will learn the BASICS of creating a Revit model Family.
I am teaching the class in Revit Architecture using Architectural examples.
However, most if not all concepts should apply equally to other flavors of Revit.
I assume NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE of the Family Editor. We will start at the
beginning.
This is a Hands-on lab. If you dont wish to follow along, please pass the mouse to
the person sitting next to you.

2011 Autodesk

Learning Objectives
At the end of this class, you will be able to:
Create a simple, fully parametric model family
Describe reference planes, constraints, and parameters
Nest components and set up a parametric array
Apply materials and other accoutrements

2011 Autodesk

What am I Skipping?
The lab is Hands-on, therefore:
I am skipping a lot of background info
Kinds of Families
Family terminology
Basic hierarchy and concepts

Relevant background info is included in the handout

Please read the handout!
Lets start building something

2011 Autodesk

Family Editor 000

Setup

2011 Autodesk

Datasets for this lab are located in this folder:

C:\datasets\AB3737-L
If you are on your own laptop, ask one of the lab assistants for the
files on a thumbdrive

2011 Autodesk

Family Editor 101

Building a box

2011 Autodesk

Family creation procedures

Lay down Reference Planes

Create Parameters and Constraints
Flex
Build Geometry
Flex
Repeat

2011 Autodesk

Family Editor 102

More than a box
CATCH UP! 102 Shelf_A.rfa

2011 Autodesk

More than a Box

You guessed it

Box

Box

Box

Box
Box
Box

2011 Autodesk

Family Editor 103

Solids and Voids
CATCH UP! 102 Shelf_C.rfa

2011 Autodesk

Solids and Voids

Turn our box into a shelf bracket

Create a Blend
Create a Void

2011 Autodesk

Family Editor 104

Nesting Families
CATCH UP! 104 Shelf_D.rfa

2011 Autodesk

Nesting Families

Nest Families
Position Nested Instances
Save, Load and Flex

2011 Autodesk

Family Editor 105

Creating Family Types
CATCH UP! 105 Shelf w Brackets_A.rfa

2011 Autodesk

Creating Family Types

Create Family Types

Flex

2011 Autodesk

Family Editor 201

Assemble a Complex Family
CATCH UP! 201 Shelving Unit_B.rfa

2011 Autodesk

Parametric Arrays

Array the shelves

Make the quantity Parametric
Flex

2011 Autodesk

Family Editor 301

One-sided or Two-sided?
CATCH UP! 301 Shelving Unit_D.rfa

2011 Autodesk

One-sided or Two-sided?

Create a Visibility Parameter

Apply to Family
Make new Array
Load into Project to Flex

2011 Autodesk

Family Editor 302

Tweaking the Graphics
CATCH UP! 301 Shelving Unit_E.rfa

2011 Autodesk

Family Editor 303

Adding Materials
CATCH UP! 301 Shelving Unit_F.rfa

2011 Autodesk

Family Editor 401

Bonus Material Formulas
CATCH UP! 401 Box_A.rfa & 401 Shelving
Unit_H.rfa

2011 Autodesk

Please Visit

www.paulaubin.com
paubin@paulaubin.com

Thank

you!

34
2011 Autodesk

Autodesk University Session Feedback

Your feedback is very important to Autodesk.
You can complete the session survey on your mobile device,
PC, or at a survey station.
Each completed session survey enters you in that days
drawing for a free AU 2012 pass.
You can help make AU 2012 better!
Complete the AU Conference Survey at a survey station and receive an
AU 2011 T-Shirt.

2011 Autodesk

Autodesk, AutoCAD* [*if/when mentioned in the pertinent material, followed by an alphabetical list of all other trademarks mentioned in the material] are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and
services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document. 2011 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.

2011 Autodesk