With the hsbModel add-in for Revit you can print Revit models on a large scale by splitting up objects in Revit and adding connections to them.
Movie hsbModel (3dPrinting)
hsbModel ribbon
The hsbModel tab in the Ribbon shows the workflow of turning a Revit model into batches of .stl files, these batches contain FreeForms with connections.
The workflow is:
- 1. In the settings you set the scale, the splitting, the labelling and the connections.
- 2. Create SplittableSolids over Revit objects, these SplittableSolids can be divided into FreeForms.
- 3. Label the Freeforms
- 4. Add connections
- 5. Stack the FreeForms into batches
- 6. Export the batches to .stl files
Before you start make sure you load the following family’s in your drawing:
These families can be found in the support folder in the install file path.
Settings
3D Printing Settings
In the settings you can set the 3d printing settings for all individual Auto commands and the commands in the ”hsb Generate’’ tab.Make sure you set the scale and your printer dimensions, before you make FreeForms.
Settings
This shows a dialog where you can configure the settings for different modules of hsbonrevit.
Auto
From Host
Create FreeForms, do splitting, connections, labelling and stacking automatic with the values from the settings.
From Link
Ceate FreeForms, do splitting, connections, labelling and stacking automatic with the values from the settings from a linked drawing
Printparts
Auto
Create SplittableSolids from Walls, floors and roofs and split them in to Freeforms from the values in the settings.
Manually
Create SplittableSolids with a non-splitted Freeform from Walls, floors and roofs.
Create From Parts
Create Freeforms from Revit Parts.
Generic Solid Creater
Create a SplittableSolid and a non-splitted Freeforms from any object.
Auto Link
Create SplittableSolids from Walls, floors and roofs and split them in to Freeforms from the values in the settings from a linked drawing.
Manual Link
Create SplittableSolids with a non splitted Freeform from Walls, floors and roofs from a linked drawing.
Edit
In Edit mode you can split up a SplittableSolid by drawing or modifying modellines.
Delete
Delete only Freeforms and SplittableSolids.
Validate
Checks if any FreeForm exceeds the maximum sizes from the settings or if a split goes trough an opening.
Labels
Label Parts
Labels Freeforms of selected SplittableSolids.
Connections
Labels selected connections.
Create Label Views and DWF
Creates views of the SplittableSolids and 1 view with all Freeforms and export them to DWF.
Explode
Explode the FreeForms in the view.
Labelling
Adds a Label to the FreeForms as a family (Generic Model) and as a propertie of the FreeForm.
Connections
Auto
Select PrintParts and add connections from the settings.
Manually
Manual select connections and add them to FreeForms.
You can edit the connection by selecting the family-instance that adds the connection. It is placed in the center of the 2 faces that connect.
When you select it you can change the Edit type parameters of the family to change the connections, also there are some instance parameters witch will change the connections:
Type parameters
For example when you change the distance between tenons to 500 a third connection is placed.
Stack
Auto
Auto select FreeForms and stack them in seperate 3D views with offsets from the settings.
Rotate
Rotate a Stacked FreeFrom.
Stacking
This will make Printviews with the FreeForms stacked according to the settings.
Export
Export STL
Export views or pick elements to be exported to STL format.
Modify
Edit
This will make you go into Edit Mode
Set UCS
This will switch your view to the ucs of the element
Stacking Alignment
Rotate a Stacked FreeFrom.
Validate
Checks if any FreeForm exceeds the maximum sizes from the settings or if a split goes trough an opening.
Terminology list
Splittablesolids and Freedoms
To print objects in Revit we add our own object over a Revit object, this is a SplittableSolid (Generic Model), this SplittableSolid can be divided into FreeForms (Structural Framing) as an example see the Wall below:
Note: SplittableSolids that are not split have 1 FreeForm