How to Create Parts and Divide?  Revit Structure Tutorial

Quite often in structural projects you will be required to turn an in situ element into multiple pre cast elements, a typical example is perhaps a wall. Here we will learn how the use of parts to divide an in situ wall into pre cast sandwich panels that Revit can then schedule and tag.

 

The above example shows a composite wall style by creating some additional layers and assigning a precast inner and outer face to cavity filler.

 

This wall is used within the project you will generally see the wall as if it were one single object in 3D but if you section the wall it is possible to see the layers.

 

If parts are used then the wall can be split into individual layers and then these layers can be manipulated. To create parts first select the wall/walls and then click the Parts icon on the contextual panel.

 

The wall may then appear similar to the lower left image. The individual layers are clearly visible in the 3D view.

 

 

The parts can then be further manipulated by selecting the Show Shape Handles option within the instance properties of the selected part. This can then give you control to edit the physical size of the object. Other info is also shown here such as Volume and area of the part as well as its new physical dimensions.

 

This method of manipulation is suited to individual parts but if you wanted to divide panels and also add options such as joints and gaps then the Divide Parts command will be utilised.

 

 

 

First you have needed to create some reference planes to control the division of the wall. A wall may be divided by named reference planes, levels or grids. In the below example shows some named reference planes and then made these equal.

 

In the 3D view select the three parts of the wall and then click the Divide Parts command from the ribbon. Then Click the intersecting References tool.

 

 

Now see the Intersecting Named References Dialog box. Select the All option from the Filter and you may then select all named Reference Planes as well as any Grids and Levels that may be relevant.

 

 

Then see a preview of the divisions and also can select a division profile and gap if required. Anyone can create own profiles which can then use to split the wall. Note that you have to select individual parts and then select the exclude parts command from the context ribbon to hide these objects.

 

 

It is worth noting that only see the parts in a view if have set the parts visibility to Show parts. In most views the parts visibility setting is set to show original. So make any edits to the original wall then the parts will automatically update.

 

 

Once the parts are created then start to add data to each panel. The first task could be to give each element a unique number. This may be achieved by using the Element Positioning command from the Extensions Ribbon (Note - need to be a subscription customer and will then have access to download these tools.)

 

 

 

Then can add data as Project Parameters such as Panel Type, Mould Type etc. A schedule can then be generated based on this information which could be very useful for a contractor to understand quantities, repetitive natures and areas.

 

 

Remember that a very similar set of tasks can be performed on the following objects as well as in place families.

 

• Walls (excluding stacked walls and curtain walls)
• Foundation Walls
• Floors (excluding shape-edited floors of more than one layer)
• Roofs
• Ceilings
• Structural slab foundations
• Slab Edges
• Fascias
• Gutters
• Structural Framing
• Columns
• Structural Columns