Gump, we are looking at our first BIM project in the next month or two, in Triforma. Would you have any other advice or bits of information you can share?
I've heard the first couple of projects with Triforma are pretty rough. Whenever we bring in a new drafter, it takes about a year for them to get up to speed on 3D modeling. We've even had drafters leave because they couldn't wrap their heads around the 3D concepts.
Bently is pretty responsive to our questions and requests. I think it's important to communicate usability questions and problems to them so that the software is continually improved. It's in their vested interest to make us happy and keep us from jumping ship to Autocad.
Don't give up after the first try. The first project may be difficult, but I think it will get easier after that.
I suggest all of you check out TEKLA Structures. It is one awesome Structural BIM program. In ten years revit still wont be close to where TEKLA is. And if they are, thier file sizes will probably be close to 1 GB. The one thing Revit has that Tekla doesn't: Marketing Power.
I have used Revit Structure for about a year now, and I have used it in conjunction with Risa Floor/Risa 3d. I believe it is very much quicker, once you are familiar with the program, to set up the initial take of the structure in Revit with the very Basic gravity load cases and dump to Risa. Supposedly you can do cyling back and forth between the two now with the latest link, but I have not tried it because of scheduling reasons/fear of polluting my model(s). I have dumped maybe 3 models. Most of the other time I simply have designed it with Mathcad as I built the model in Revit. Most of my structures are fairly simple. But if the Revit Risa link works as advertised, it should be slick.
I wonder if anyone else has done the model dump to RISA and I would like to know the success/failure they have had.
I attended a seminar the other day where a principle in a Structural Engineering firm 30 people) gave a speech. They are supposedly leading in Revit Implementation , and they said they used Etabs. He indicated that there were issues with the strucutral model dump, and I can say it is not smooth with Risa right now, but it does give you a great leg up on the Risa model.
