By Dennis Collin
Repeating details have been in Revit for many years, but I find many users are still unaware of their existence. They are a system family which resides in a project and repeats a 2D Revit detail component family in different ways, from floor linings, raised access panels, detailed floor components etc. which augments the display of modelled geometry appropriate for detailed drawings.
When Revit is installed, users are provided with an out of the box library that contains all kinds of elements, including detailed elements of such things as fixings and typical frame sections. By default, this is installed to the user’s local drive, but in a larger collaborative environment this should be held on a central server, so as the content is added to with manufacturer and more tailored content, the whole team will benefit from this continually evolving library.
A sample project of content is located, in a default metric library folder within the Windows’ places section of the file access dialogue. Named GBRENU Repeating Details, it contains many repeating Elements such as brick and blockwork coursing, studwork, linings and finishes.
Whilst there is a lot in this file, it will need to be added to and customised to suit needs and projects, but it is certainly a helpful starting point to get your company library started.
To transfer a repeating detail, you can simply copy and paste the desired repeating component from one project to another. Alternatively, use the built in Revit’s Transfer Projects standards function. This command however, is rather limited in how much information is transferred, so it may be worth considering a more effective plug-in for family management as was discussed in a previous blog here:
In a future blog I will show how to make a custom repeating detail, with a bespoke detail component and explore the different array options therein.