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MasterSeries BIM Integration With Revit 2011

Posted on April 5th, 2011 in Drafting & BIM

Summary

The webinar excerpts summarise the introduction of a significant update to the Master Series Building Information Modeling (BIM) Integration with Revit Structure 2011. The presentation was delivered by Martin O'Gara, a developer with Civil and Structural Computer Services, alongside his colleague Tommy White.

Key Updates and Changes to Integration

For the 2011 update, Civil and Structural Computer Services modified the method of linking Master Series and Revit Structure to provide greater flexibility and overall ease of use in bi-directional integration.

The fundamental change is the shift from simple file exchange to a managed central link:

• Previous Method: Linking required users to manually send a file out, import it, and then send a file back for import into Revit. This demanded a conscious effort from the user regarding management, particularly when aiming for a proper round-trip bi-directional link.

• New Concept: Both the Revit and Master Series environments connect to a central link manager. This manager handles submissions and retrievals of changes, eliminating the need for the user to manage file names, saving locations, revision numbers, or member IDs.

New Features and Benefits

The new Ulink offers much improved, more robust, and more flexible round-trip integration. Specific improvements include:

• Revision Control: Allows users to see precisely what changes have occurred and offers the flexibility and control to accept or deny certain changes when conflicts arise (e.g., when a section size is changed in both Revit and Master Series simultaneously).

• Managed Information Exchange: The link provides better section mapping facilities and improved ways of dealing with the exchange of information. By and large, default Revit sections automatically map to default Master Series sections, but facilities exist for explicitly mapping unusual section names.

• Partial Model Connection: This feature, previously unavailable, is highly useful for large projects where the structural engineer may only be interested in extracting a specific part of the Revit model into Master Series.

• Managing Gridlines: The link now manages gridlines, ensuring they are correctly transferred.

Prerequisites and Technical Considerations

1. Compatibility: The new 2011 link works exclusively with Revit Structure 2011. Older versions of Revit may still use the previous interface, but they will not gain the new features.

2. Licensing: Users require the MasterCAD module license to facilitate integration with Revit Structure; having only Masterframe is insufficient.

3. Installation: The Master Series Revit add-in commands must be installed using a utility provided on the Master Series website.

4. Analytical Model Integrity: For structural analysis, it is critical that the user is conscious of and ensures the integrity of the analytical model layer in Revit Structure, as this is the data that comes across to Master Series. Disconnected elements in Revit will lead to instability in Master Series.

Demonstration Overview (Bi-directional Link)

The demonstration detailed the full workflow, starting with initiating the central link from a Master Series model. Key steps included:

• Preparing the Master Series Model: Identifying bracing members before export, as Revit distinguishes between inclined beams and braces.

• Initial Import to Revit: Connecting Revit to the central link and creating the new model. Warnings were generated regarding sections (like a specific SHS size) that Master Series specified but for which Revit standard families lacked an equivalent.

• Applying Changes: Changes made in Revit, such as substituting a default section for a proper one, modifying geometry (e.g., dragging a column end), creating a new beam member, or deleting a bracing member, are submitted to the link.

• Managing Conflicts: When retrieving changes back in Master Series, the system clearly highlights geometry changes, member creation/deletion, and section substitutions . In cases where a member's section was changed in both Master Series (to a CHS) and Revit (to an SHS), the revision control prompts the user to keep the change from either program. The process of updating changes back and forth, including creation of new members in both applications, demonstrates the effective round-trip integration .

Summary with Timestamps

The following table summarises the key topics and features discussed in the webinar excerpts regarding the Master Series Building Information Modeling (BIM) Integration with Revit Structure 2011, drawing on the provided sources.

Time Range	Topic/Area	Summary of Content and Key Concepts
00:00:03,680 – 00:00:59,680	Introduction and Core Update	The webinar, hosted by developer Martin O'Gara and colleague Tommy White, introduces a significant update to the Master Series BIM Integration with Revit Structure. The linkage method was modified to provide greater flexibility and overall ease of use for bi-directional integration.
00:01:00,480 – 00:02:03,760	Managed Central Link Concept (New)	The previous method required manual file management (send out/import/send back), demanding conscious effort from the user to manage a proper round-trip link. The new concept uses a managed central link manager that both Revit and Master Series connect to, handling submissions and retrievals of changes centrally. This removes the need for users to worry about file names, saving locations, revision numbers, or member IDs.
00:02:26,160 – 00:03:24,240	Improved Features (Ulink)	The new Ulink offers much improved, more robust, and more flexible round-trip integration. New features include managing gridlines, better section mapping facilities, and the highly useful capability for partial model connection. This allows structural engineers to extract only a certain part of a large Revit model into Master Series, which is crucial for bi-directional linking.
00:03:25,360 – 00:03:55,040	Section Mapping	By default, Revit sections automatically map to standard Master Series sections. Facilities are available for explicitly mapping unusual Revit section names to Master Series sections if needed.
00:04:25,200 – 00:05:59,120	Technical Prerequisites & Compatibility	To enable the exchange, users must install the Master Series Revit add-in commands using a utility available on the Master Series website. The new 2011 link is exclusively compatible with Revit Structure 2011. Older versions of Revit may still use the previous interface but will not receive the new features.
00:06:27,680 – 00:07:34,960	Analytical Model Integrity	It is essential for users to be conscious of the analytical model layer in Revit Structure and ensure its integrity, as this is the data that transfers to Master Series. Disconnected elements in Revit's analytical model will result in instability in Master Series.
00:10:18,360 – 00:11:07,200	Export Verification	After exporting (even unilaterally), a summary shows what was exported and if any elements were skipped (e.g., non-structural Purlins). Users can view a log file detailing skipped elements and their Revit ID numbers, which are key for locating elements and providing the linkage for bi-directional exchanges.
00:12:38,720 – 00:14:46,880	Managing Section Mismatch	During import into Master Series, warnings may appear if sections (e.g., those renamed in Revit with unusual tags) are difficult to understand. This requires remediation, either by using the section mapping database in Revit beforehand, or by manually fixing the sections using the Global Section Changes utility in Master Series.
00:17:45,120 – 00:18:01,360	Licensing Requirement	The integration with Revit Structure requires a license for the MasterCAD module; Masterframe alone is insufficient to facilitate this exchange.
00:16:14,080 – 00:17:15,760	Model Preparation	When initiating the exchange from Master Series, it is necessary to identify and specify bracing members (distinct from inclined beams), as Revit requires this distinction.
00:18:18,800 – 00:23:28,080	Setting up Bi-directional Link	The workflow involves setting up the central link manager (e.g., 'mylink1') in Master Series and submitting the model. In Revit, users connect to this existing link and create a new model. Warnings are generated if Master Series specifies sections (e.g., 250x250x5 RHS) for which Revit standard families lack an equivalent.
00:25:31,040 – 00:35:12,800	Round-Trip and Revision Control	The demonstration highlights the bi-directional exchange by making various changes in Revit (section substitution, geometry modification, creation/deletion of members) and simultaneously creating a conflict in Master Series (changing the section of the same member to a CHS). The central link manages the submission of changes from Revit. When retrieving updates in Master Series, the system uses revision control to clearly show each individual change and provides the flexibility and control to accept or deny certain changes when conflicts arise. This comprehensive process demonstrates a robust, easy-to-use central managed link environment.