Notable Extensions for Revit 2016

By James Philip 

Collaboration for Revit 2016

Autodesk® A360 Collaboration for Revit® connects project teams with centralized access to BIM project data in the cloud. Stay connected in real time using the Communicator chat tool within models. With Revit software and Autodesk A360 integration, Collaboration for Revit enables the entire project team to work on shared building information models.

This is a product to be purchased and a per seat cost linked to each users login that is managed from the Autodesk Account.

Advance Steel 2016 Extension

With Advance Steel 2016 Extension, Autodesk® Revit® 2016 users can quickly connect their models to Advance Steel 2016 using the export, import, and synchronize functionalities to transfer the model BIM data. This interoperability allows users to rapidly produce general arrangement drawings, fabrication drawings, BOMs, and NC files for steel structures.

The synchronization of BIM data between applications allows the user to update the modifications without having to reimport the entire structure. Synchronization also reduces the risk of potential errors by offering the possibility to track changes made on the same model in different applications.

Using Advance Steel 2016 Extension, the BIM data from the Revit model can be imported or exported also in other formats such as SDNF (Version 2.0 and Version 3.0), CIS2, IFC, and PSS

Revit 2016 Extension for Fabrication

This extension allows Autodesk® Revit® users to read and write files compatible with Autodesk® Fabrication products (CADmep, ESTmep, CAMduct).

Autodesk® Revit® Extension for Autodesk® Fabrication, Autodesk® Revit® 2016 software users can save models that have been produced in Revit 2016 or Revit MEP 2016 using Fabrication Parts to a file compatible with Autodesk® Fabrication 2016 software products (Fabrication CADmep, Fabrication ESTmep, Fabrication CAMduct).  This interoperability allows users to utilize fabrication model data authored in Revit for use in Fabrication workflows.  Additionally, supported parts in models created in the Fabrication software products can be opened for continued modelling in Revit, or Revit hand-off at the end of the project.

STL Exporter 2016 for 3D Printing

The STL Exporter for use with Autodesk® Revit® is a proof-of-concept project designed to create an STL file from a 3D building information model, thereby enabling easier 3D printing. STL is a popular file format for stereo lithography (3D Printing) used for rapid prototyping and computer aided manufacturing. In the building space, it is used by architects and engineers to build 3D models. This is an add-in for Revit products that provides the ability to export geometric data from Revit to ASCII and Binary STL files.

Structural Analysis Toolkit 2016

The Structural Analysis Toolkit for Autodesk® Revit® software is a suite of tools that supports the Building Information Modeling (BIM) process and allows structural engineers to analyze structures from within the Revit environment.

The toolkit contains the following items:

• Structural Analysis for Revit
• The link with Autodesk® Robot™ Structural Analysis Professional 2016
• Structural Results Storage & Exploration tools

Using this toolkit structural designers and engineers can optimize their workflows in the cloud and on the desktop by using the analytical model built in Revit to conduct cloud-based structural analysis with access to Autodesk 360 services and by extending the Revit model to Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis Professional software or supported third party analysis solutions. Once complete, analysis results can be easily stored and explored in the Revit environment.

Composite Beam Design Extension 2016

Using this application, you can quickly check and design the behavior of composite beams, or design the whole composite floor system on a floor-by-floor basis within a single Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis Professional 2016 model.

You can also use the application to design non-composite steel beams.

The design is performed according to the ANSI/AISC 360-10 code.

Using the application allows full bidirectional integration with Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis Professional 2016.

Space Naming Utility 2016

The Space Naming Utility for Autodesk® Revit® MEP software is an intuitive tool that automatically assigns the names and numbers from architectural rooms to Revit MEP spaces. By downloading the Space Naming Utility for Revit MEP software, you can eliminate the need to manually assign names to the spaces, helping save time and simplifying your workflow.

Autodesk Site Designer Extension for Revit

Autodesk® Site Designer Extension for Revit® software helps architects, designers, and planners convey building site planning concepts to engineers. Site Designer runs inside Revit software and uses native families, components, and toposurfaces, so site designs become part of the overall model.  You can model alternatives for mass grading, building pads, streets, sidewalks, parking lots, and retaining walls all within the Revit environment.  More easily convert a sketched line into a street, sidewalk, curb and gutter, retaining wall or parking lot in the model.  You can manipulate Site Designer components using editing tools to change their location, elevation, grade or geometry, and Site Designer automatically updates and maintains the underlying toposurface.

• Report and schedule areas, volumes, and cut and fill volumes to better understand the impact of site design changes on requirements to move or add fill.
• Iterate conceptual designs and create more realistic visuals of the building site by incorporating grading features directly into the Revit model.
• Better communicate conceptual design ideas about the building site to engineers  who can then complete the detailed site design using professional civil engineering tools like Autodesk® AutoCAD® Civil 3D® software.
• Share the appearance of site plan designs for better communication with everyone involved in the project, including owners, architects, designers, planners and civil engineering firms.
• Share a site model between Revit and Civil 3D through Land XML files, improving collaboration between architects and engineers working on a project.
• More quickly add design elements to your site such as berms and drainage swales, minimizing the time required to mass grade a site and to try alternatives at the design development stage.
• Special terrain families within Site Designer provide you with parameters that control widths, cut and fill slopes and other projection settings.
• Locate hardscape components such as streets, intersections, sidewalks, curbs and walls that can follow the existing terrain and have controlled elevations and slopes – all while the toposurface is automatically maintained.

IFC 2016

The IFC for Autodesk® Revit® 2016 contains up-to-date improvements on the default IFC import and export capabilities of Revit contributed by Autodesk and our Open Source contributors. This app also includes an alternate UI for the export that has extra options from the default.

While this app is not necessary for IFC support, it is recommended that users that depend on the quality of their IFC files download this app and keep it up-to-date, as new enhancements and defect fixes are added.