StruSoft StruXml Revit Add-In 1.1.006 is released

A new version of StruSoft StruXml Revit Add-In is now available to download from the StruSoft Installer or from a Download Page. The StruSoft StruXml Revit Add-In is now compatible with FEM-Design 15.00.003 new struxml schema.

 

For the full list of changes, please look into the release notes.

Current tool version:

StruSoft StruXML Revit Add-In 1.1.006

Release date:

March 18th, 2016

StruSoft StruXml Revit Add-In 1.1.005 is released

A new version of StruSoft StruXml Revit Add-In is now available to download from the StruSoft Installer or from a Download Page. The StruSoft StruXml Revit Add-In is now compatible with FEM-Design 15 new struxml schema, and brings some improvements in comparison to the previous version.

For the full list of changes, please look into the release notes.

Current tool version:

StruSoft StruXML Revit Add-In 1.1.005

Release date:

January 25th, 2016

StruSoft StruXml Revit Add-In 1.1.004 is released

A new version of StruSoft StruXml Revit Add-In is now available to download from the StruSoft Installer or from a Download Page. The StruSoft StruXml Revit Add-In is now compatible with Revit 2016, and brings some improvements in comparison to the previous version.

Most of the improvements are made to the Import StruXML mechanism. Among other things, more informative messages have been implemented in case of import errors. For the full list of changes, please look into the release notes.

Challenges at importing FEM-Design model to Revit

The latest version of our StruSoft StruXML Add-In contains a new workflow possibility, which is import a FEM-Design model into Revit. The new transfer direction is a great opportunity for those who usually start their job in FEM-Design and want to be able to reuse that model in Revit.In this article I would like to highlight some of the issues that one may encounter while integrating a FEM-Design model into Revit.

"Unknown section" error at opening struxml file in FEM-Design

The situation is following: 

You have successfully exported your Revit model into a struxml file and you tried to open that struxml file in FEM-Design. But instead of seeing your model, you came across a following warning dialog:

Connection between Revit and FEM-Design

The transfer of data between Revit and FEM-Design is possible thanks to the StruSoft StruXML Revit Add-In. Data are saved into a XML format and the file is exchanged between Revit and FEM-Design, in both directions. It is not required that both Revit and FEM-Design are installed at the same computer. All the possible information, including links to external articles are gathered on or Revit - FEM-Design integration page. 

If you want to try the connection between Revit and FEM-Design, the first step is to download and install the free StruXML Revit Add-in. After installation, a StruSoft FEM-Design panel will be added into Analyze tab in your Revit Structure.

Current tool version:

StruSoft StruXML Revit Add-In 1.1.004

Release date:

September 2nd, 2015

Compatibility:

Revit Structure version 2015 and 2016

FEM-Design 13.01.003 and later

Download:

Click here to download StruSoft StruXml Revit 2015 Add-In 1.1.004 Win64

Click here to download StruSoft StruXml Revit 2016 Add-In 1.1.004 Win64

Release notes:

Click here to download the release notes.

Manual:

Click here to download the StruSoft Revit StruXML Add-In User Manual.

Tutorial videos:

Click here to go to the Revit- FEM-Design YouTube playlist.

New version of StruXML Revit Add-In

A new version of StruXML Revit Add-In 1.1.003 has just been released. As always, you can find it in the StruSoft Installer.

The new version is primarily adjusted to work with FEM-Design 14 however, we have also fixed three minor bugs and added two new features: 

- 'Search GUID' command, that allows to find a Revit object by his GUID number,

- mapping list is now filtered to selected elements at export.

Revit analytical model - part 2.

In the first part of this article, I tried to gather some ideas and tips on how to adjust and check the Revit analytical model before exporting it to FEM-Design.

This time I gathered some video tutorials that I came across while browsing the Internet. I think they are really useful for someone who wish to master the Revit analytical model.

• A few videos explaining the essential skills are available in the playlist 'Revit for Structure Getting Started' at the Autodesk Building Solutions YouTube channel.
• Video explaining the analytical model visibility.
• Video showing and example of analytical columns and analytical walls adjustment.
• Video showing and example of analytical floor adjustment.
• Video showing and example of filtering unconnected analytical nodes.

Revit analytical model - part 1.

StruSoft StruXML Revit enables two - directional communication between Autodesk Revit and StruSoft FEM-Design. It is a powerful, but at the same time easy to use, tool that transfers the analytical model along with its properties between the two programs. 

One can fully benefit from the link, when the analytical model in Revit is well prepared and contains all the necessary information. And this part - preparation of the analytical model, appears to be a rather common problem. 

The majority of support issues that I receive from our users does not apply to our Add-In itself (for which we provide a full customer support), but to the analytical model issues (which in theory is not really StruSoft's area of expertize). Anyway, I am always trying to advise the customer and at least, give some hints about the possible issues with the model. I will also try to collect some ideas in this article.
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Second part of this article is available here.

Exporting pile foundations from Revit to FEM-Design

How to export pile foundations from Revit to FEM-Design?

In the current version of Revit StruXML Add-In (1.1.002) and FEM-Design (13.1.003) we do not support exporting piles or pile caps. It is simply because we can not handle analyzing or designing piles in FEM-Design yet. 

If it comes to foundations, we can only export foot pads, wall foundations and foundation slabs from Revit to FEM-Design (as those can be analyzed in FD). Here is some information of what we can do instead:

New version of StruXML Revit Add-In is available

A new version of StruXML Revit Add-In 1.1.002 is now available to download from a StruSoft Installer or our download center.

The new service version brings a lot of new features in the Export StruXML and Import StruXML mechanism.

Wrong kind of material parameter when exporting from Revit to FEM-Design

I have a structural material assigned to an element but I cannot export it due to Lack of structural material assign to an element.

UPDATE: September 10th 2014
When using Revit StruXML Add-In in version 1.1.002, structural material for Beams, Columns, Isolated foundations can be both Instance and Type parameter.
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The reason user may receive the warning about a missing material, even though the element has a material assigned to it, is a wrong kind of Structural Material parameter. 

Structural material has to be an Instance parameter in case of:

• Beams,
• Columns,
• Isolated foundations,

and a Type parameter in case of:

• Floors,
• Walls,
• Wall foundations
• and Foundation Slabs. 

Errors when xporting elements from Revit to FEM-Design

Why some elements are not exported from Revit to FEM-Design?

There are two main reasons why some elements are not exported from Revit to FEM-Design:

• lack of structural material assigned to the element,
• analytical model is not enabled for the element.

If some elements are not exported, user will be notified about it along with the information of element type and reason why the export failed. In the export dialog user can see a list of all errors. To see the detailed report of exported / not exported elements, one can choose to see the Export Report. Both are shown in the example below:

New service version of Revit Add-In is available

The new service release of Revit StruXML Add-In is now ready and available to download at the StruSoft download page and in StruSoft installer. There are two versions of the Add-In for both Revit 2013 and Revit 2014, and each is available for Win32 and Win64 system.

The new service release 1.0.004 contains following bug fixing:

• Floor, curved walls and isolated foundation elements were not exported correctly at some very specific cases.

Following new features have been added:

• Export of loads and load cases.
• Extended export report.
• Publicity level of Add-In data has been changed. It means that the dialog warning about missing StruXML updater (when Revit model exported once to struxml was opened in Revit without add-in installed) will not appear any more for files exported using the add-in in version 1.0.004.

Please download the newest version of the Revit to FEM-Design manual in order to read more about the new features. The release notes are available here.

New version of StruXml Revit Add-In is available.

The new service release of Revit StruXML Add-In is now ready and available to download at the StruSoft download page and in StruSoft installer. There are two versions of the Add-In for both Revit 2013 and Revit 2014, and each is available for Win32 and Win64 system.

The new service release 1.0.002 contains following bug fixing:

• Export of boundary conditions under curved walls was not correct.
• Error message appeared when analytical model of wall foundation was disabled.
• Error message appeared when analytical alignment of a wall was projected to a reference plane or a grid
• User defined boundary conditions could not be exported from Revit 2014.
• Horizontal size of the building was calculated based on physical model instead of analytical one.

Following new features have been added:

• Option to export only selected elements. 
• Option to export foundations as boundary conditions or as foundation elements.
• Family names of elements are included in warning messages in the export report.
• Revit StruXML Add-In Manual is reachable from the export dialog.
• Update dialog will appear when a new release of Revit StruXML Add-In is available.

Using StruSoft StruXml Revit Add-In

Export from Revit to FEM-Design:

Before trying to export the model from Revit to FEM-Design, make sure that:

• all the elements you wish to export have enabled analytical model,
• the analytical model of the structure is consistent,
• all the elements you wish to export have a structural material assigned.

Look at the example on how to use the StruSoft Add-In in order to export Revit analytical model to FEM-Design:

More information about the new Add-In.

StruSoft StruXml Revit Add-In 1.0.001

We are happy to announce that the new Revit StruXML Add-In is now ready and available to download at the StruSoft download page.

There are two versions of the Add-In for both Revit 2013 and Revit 2014, and each is available for Win32 and Win64 system.

• StruSoft StruXml Revit 2013 Add-In 1.0.001 Win32
• StruSoft StruXml Revit 2013 Add-In 1.0.001 Win64
• StruSoft StruXml Revit 2014 Add-In 1.0.001 Win32
• StruSoft StruXml Revit 2014 Add-In 1.0.001 Win64
• Manual: StruSoft StruXML Revit Add-In