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
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:


