About this video

• Video Title: Revit Masterclass: Family Creation #3 (Windows)
• Channel: Aussie BIM Guru
• Speakers: [Not explicitly stated in the transcript]
• Duration: 01:04:27

Overview

This video tutorial is a comprehensive guide on creating a smart and functional window family in Revit. It covers the entire process from setting up the family environment to modeling, parameterizing, and nesting components, with a focus on creating a reusable and robust window family that can adapt to various project needs and avoid common errors.

Key takeaways

• Modular Family Creation: The video emphasizes breaking down complex families, like windows, into smaller, manageable nested components (e.g., panels, sills, reveals) for better organization and control.
• Parametric Design: It demonstrates how to use parameters and formulas to make window elements dynamic, allowing for adjustments in size, material, and visibility based on project requirements.
• Nested Component Management: The tutorial explains how to create and load nested families, associate their parameters with the main family, and manage their types for different window configurations.
• Robustness and Error Prevention: A significant portion of the video is dedicated to strategies for protecting the family from breaking due to varying wall depths or other project conditions, ensuring reliability.
• Graphical Representation and Settings: The importance of setting up correct visibility, materials, and graphical representations for different views and project settings is highlighted.
• Advanced Features: Concepts like creating custom profiles for reveals and architraves, using void extrusions for cutting, and managing material parameters are demonstrated.

Here's a summarized list of instructions on how to model the window family, based on the tutorial:

I. Setting Up the Main Window Family:

1. Start a New Family: Choose a "Metric Window" template.
2. Understand Host References: Recognize and generally leave the default reference planes (like Sill Height) for wall hosting.
3. Establish Frame Setout:
   • Create reference planes for the window frame's outer boundaries.
   • Dimension these planes and associate them with parameters (e.g., "Frame Width").
   • Create reference planes for internal divisions (e.g., for panels, transoms).
   • Dimension these internal planes and create parameters (e.g., "Panel Width 1", "Panel Height 1").
4. Model the Main Frame:
   • Create an extrusion in elevation view for the main window frame.
   • Constrain this extrusion to the reference planes created in step 3.
   • Consider adding parameters for "Frame Depth" and "Sill Setback."
5. Add Window Sill (Optional):
   • Create a new "Generic Model face based" family.
   • Model a void extrusion to cut the wall.
   • Model a solid extrusion for the sill material (e.g., brick).
   • Constrain these elements to reference planes and associate parameters (e.g., "Sill Depth," "Sill Protrusion," "Has Brick Sill").
   • Implement formulas to control sill depth based on host wall thickness and setbacks.
   • Add visibility parameters to control whether the sill is displayed.
   • Load this sill family into the main window family and host it appropriately.
6. Add Internal Reveals/Architraves (Optional):
   • Create a new "Profile" family for the architrave shape.
   • Create a new "Generic Model" family (non-hosted is fine if purely graphical).
   • Model sweeps using the architrave profile and potentially a simple extrusion for the reveal.
   • Use parameters to control depth, offset, and visibility ("Reveal On," "Architrave On," "Excess Depth").
   • Implement formulas to protect these elements from breaking (e.g., ensuring depth doesn't go negative).
   • Load this reveal/architrave family into the main window family.

II. Creating Nested Panel Families:

1. Start a New Family: Choose a "Generic Model" template (non-hosted is recommended for flexibility). Set the category to "Windows."
2. Establish Panel Boundaries:
   • Create reference planes for the panel's width and height.
   • Associate these with "Width" and "Height" instance parameters.
3. Model Panel Components:
   • Model the subframe extrusion and constrain it to reference planes. Associate parameters like "Subframe Width" and "Subframe Depth."
   • Model the glass pane extrusion and constrain it. Associate parameters like "Glazing Thickness."
4. Add Swing Lines (for operable panels):
   • Create annotation lines (symbolic lines) in elevation view to represent different swing types (awning, casement left/right).
   • Associate visibility parameters to control which swing lines are displayed based on the panel type.
5. Create Different Panel Types:
   • Within this panel family, create types for different configurations: "Fixed Panel," "Casement Left," "Casement Right," "Awning."
   • Use visibility parameters and formulas to manage the display of frames, glass, and swing lines for each type.
6. Save and Load: Save the nested panel family and load it into the main window family.

III. Assembling the Main Window Family with Nested Panels:

1. Place Nested Panels:
   • In the main window family (e.g., front view), use the "Load into Project" function.
   • Place instances of the nested panel family, setting their work plane to the appropriate reference planes.
   • Place multiple panels to create the desired window configuration (e.g., two-by-two).
2. Associate Panel Parameters:
   • Select each placed nested panel instance.
   • In the type properties, associate the nested panel's instance parameters (like Width, Height, Frame Material, Glazing Thickness) with new parameters in the main window family. This allows control from the main family.
3. Create Formulas for Panel Sizing:
   • In the main window family's family types, create formulas to calculate the sizes of the secondary panels (e.g., Panel Width 2, Panel Height 2) based on the overall window dimensions, frame widths, and panel height 1.
4. Assign Panel Types:
   • Create parameters in the main window family to control the type of each nested panel (e.g., "Panel Type Top Left," "Panel Type Top Right").
   • Use these parameters to assign the specific nested panel types (Fixed, Casement, Awning) to each instance.

IV. Finalizing and Testing:

1. Assign Materials and Graphics: Assign materials to frames, glass, and sills. Check visibility settings and line weights for different views.
2. Add Type Catalog (Optional but Recommended): Create different types within the main window family, defining specific dimensions and panel configurations.
3. Test in a Project: Load the family into a Revit project and test its functionality:
   • Place windows in different wall types.
   • Adjust dimensions and parameters.
   • Verify that all elements (frame, panels, sill, reveal) display and cut correctly.
   • Check that formulas and visibility controls work as expected.
   • Test scenarios where the wall depth changes or is smaller than the window.
4. Clean Up: Purge unused elements, materials, and families from the family editor.