323290

Family Planning—from Custom Templates to

Preparing for LOD and Sustainable Design
Cody Cummings
TriMark Strategic

Donnia Tabor-Hanson
TriMark Strategic

Learning Objectives
• Learn how to develop custom Family templates
• Learn about and compare Family parameters and Shared parameters and their
usage
• Learn how to identify and maintain a desired level of Level of Detail (LOD)
• Discover workflow practices to speed production, manage data allocation, and
categorize common causes of file bloating

Description
Family building in Revit software takes time, planning, and a lot of rules. Creating family
templates for consistency and time saving can get things started off on the right foot. Building
the bones and setting up the parameters will help set the structure and brains of the family.
Families also need some meat on those bones in the manner of what is built. Builders should
have a better-developed idea of how to maintain their desired Level of Detail (LOD) without
compromising the size of their files. They should also be able to identify common scenarios
where these skills can be deployed.

Page 1
Speakers
Cody Cummings
Cody is an industrial designer with over 10 years’ experience in 3D modeling and CAD, and
most recently in Revit Architecture. His experience spans both consumer and commercial
product design, materials engineering, fabrication and commercial kitchen design. He has his
Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design from Auburn University.

Donnia Tabor-Hanson
Donnia has worked extensively in Revit Architecture. She has used CAD for over 30 years, and
her experience covers a variety of fields, including architecture; atomic waste removal and
containment; civil; log home design; kitchen design and kitchen equipment Revit families. She
has taught college-level courses and has run an Autodesk Authorized Training Center. She has
Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Technological and Adult Education from the University of
Tennessee. Her associate degree is in Architecture. Volunteering with the Autodesk User Group
International, www.augi.com, for over 30 years has kept her in touch with industry changes and
advancements. Along with her connections with AUGI she was provided chances to travel with
AUGI CAD Camps for many years speaking at these conferences. Donnia was also Speaker of
the year at Autodesk University 2000. She has worked with the Speaker Mentor program for
years assisting others in preparation for their own times to teach.

Page 2
Choose Wisely for a Starting Template

With a variety of templates available with which to start, choose the one to match, or is the
closest match to the family to be built. There are many from which to choose.

These are just the component templates. (Well, there is one Tag family that snuck in.)

Components that are based on having a host such as a wall, floor, ceiling, roof, two levels, or
just face based are very restrictive when it comes to finding a host. The Profile grouping of
families are required to have a host. Annotations and Titleblocks have their place for
documentation and some of this class material can apply to these as well.

Caution should be taken in setting a family to be that of a “based” type. Know the user. Does
the user work in the main model or will the model be a linked model? Will there be a wall when
layout is being done by the interior designer? Will that wall be moved? Will it be deleted? If it is
deleted by an architect will it be replaced with another wall? Does the family need to be set on a
counter or other level? Can the Offset from a level be used or does it need to be based on a
face of some kind?

Page 3
Another consideration is how and where the family is used. Generic Model can fill in for
something but is it the right choice? A template starting choice will determine the category the
family is in once it is placed in the project. Plumbing or Specialty Equipment may be great for
a soiled dish table, but will there be a need for it to show in a section? That is an argument for
using a Generic Model.

Each category of template also comes with its own linetypes that will be added to projects when
the family is loaded.

Page 4
Materials, linetypes, object styles all will be added to any project when a family is loaded.
Consistency on naming linetypes, naming materials, adding properties, and other parameters
can be most easily done when these are developed in a template.

The Shared Parameter File

Located on the Manage tab and the Settings ribbon is the Shared Parameters.

The first thing to know about the Shared Parameters file is

whether or not users have permission to edit it. Next would be
to find out who all has permission to edit this file. This file
controls tags, schedule and family parameters. If a parameter
does not have to be tagged or scheduled it can be a Family
parameter and does not have to go into the Shared
parameter file. The last thing to find out about this file is whether or not it is write protected. The
VDC or BIM manager should be the one to consult in this case. This individual would know
where the file is located and if the parameter file can be edited.

Page 5
To allow room to grow and not be so limiting, try adding some parameters that can be used for a
variety of things without actually having to create a parameter. Some parameters of various
types that can be added to families, tags and schedules.

Our company has the XYZ Parameters. The group name forces these to the bottom of the list
of parameters. These can be used by anyone building families If they need a shared parameter
that will be scheduled or tagged in something custom in a project. An example would be working
on a store or restaurant chain where the customer may require a certain schedule look or a
custom parameter on their equipment to be tagged.

The parameter names are generic and there are 10 in each

grouping. Again, this is just a suggestive sample for allowing some
options.

Page 6
Materials
Located on the Manage tab and the Settings ribbon is the Materials.

Any company’s standard materials can be preset in

a family template. This maintains the consistency of
look and feel with the families within the
organization’s projects.

Maintaining one family where all materials can be

found is an easy way to be able to transfer
materials from one family to another.

Page 7
Object Styles

Located on the Manage tab and the Settings ribbon is the Object Styles.

Developing Object Styles in a

template keeps consistency of
names, line weights, colors, and
patterns in these categories.

Project Units

Located on the Manage tab and the Settings ribbon is the Project Units.

Project units can be set to match the company settings. Most will
be with the Feet and Inches. Some companies do work in Inches.

Page 8
Family Framework – Reference Planes

Most component and annotation family templates come with a vertical

and horizontal Reference Plane with which to start. In component
families they are named and are Center (Front/Back) and Center
(Left/Right). These are pinned by default. They are also set to
Defines Origin. Defining the origin with these Reference Planes can
be changed by having other Reference Planes to check for Defines
Origin.

A Reference Plane reports many things once selected.

Reference Planes can be 2D or 3D. 2D ends have a
blue dot. 3D ends have a circle. Click on the 2D to put
it back to 3D if circle and dot are not separated. If they
get separated just bring the circle to the dot to reunite
them. The name of eah Reference Plane shows up on
the back of the plane. Drawing them in a counter
clockwise motion around the center keeps the outside
away from center.

Add and name the Reference Planes that are typically

used in your families. Examples could be Front, Back,
Left, Right, and Top.

Be sure to name the Reference Plane on the Ref.

Level. Should there be a case of the
model Bottom not being on the Ref.
Level, it might be suggested to name it
something like Base.

In either Front or Back and also in

either Left or Right views pull in the
Level line tight to your overall depth
and width shown by your Front or
Back and then again in your Left or
Right views.

Page 9
The main reason of pulling these in is that they determine how far out future Reference Planes
extend when drawn.

The Ref. Level should not be

changing so the target and other
information can be turned off. This
helps viewing the elevation views
without that info overlapping the
model.

Another thing to set up with the

Reference Planes is the insertion point or Origin. By default,
the two Reference Planes in the plan view will have Defines
Origin checked. Choose one Reference Plane going
horizontal and one going vertical to determine which Defines
Origin. By default, the reference plan on the Ref. Level
defines the height’s origin. It can be changed if desired.

These planes would be the logical planes to pin down. Pinning

keeps a Reference Plane from moving when flexed by
dimensional constraints. Just select the plane then choose Pin
on the Modify tab.
The original Reference Planes are pinned down. Should another
Reference Plane parallel to one of these be selected to Define
Origin, it would be best to unpin the original pinned Reference
Plane. The pinned planes should define the point where all
dimensions to other parallel planes are based.

Preparing to Flex the Family

Add dimensions to the Reference Planes in

preparation to adding parameters. Setting EQ
dimensions to center line reference planes keeps
them centered within the family.

Page 10
Check elevation views for any dimensions that
should be placed in those views. Dimension each
option only once. It could be detrimental to try to
dimension the Front to the Back planes in plane
and in elevations if they have already been done in
plan view.

Adding Parameters

Add parameters to dimensions by selecting the dimension and then choosing the
Create Parameter command.

For most dimensional parameters they can be a Family

parameter. Be consistent among the families being created. Use
the same phrase for the different basic dimensions:

Height
Width
Depth

It may not be a good choice for the word Length to be used as a

parameter. After all, Height is a Length as well as Depth and
Width.

Page 11
The Shared parameter file may need to be located. Use the Browse button for this if
necessary. A Shared parameter can be added to a component family’s parameters, a Tag
family as a Label, and a Schedule in a project. Using a Shared parameter in any of these will
prompt for selecting the parameter from the existing Shared parameter file.

A Family parameter cannot be tagged or scheduled.

Back to adding the parameter to the dimensions.

Give the parameter a Name: and choose whether it will be a

Type or an Instance parameter.

Suggested names for overall parameters:

Height
Width
Depth

Plan Front Elevation

Page 12
If there are any other company specific parameters these can be added during
development. Start with the Family Type command to bring up the dialog box. The best
way to find out what parameters are needed would be to review the template schedules.

Select the New Parameter button to begin adding

parameters.

If choosing the Family parameter option give the parameter a

Name: and choose Type or Instance.

Next, select the Discipline: as needed.

Page 13
The Type of parameter: will be a limiting factor as to what type
of information can be used for the new parameter. When using
a dimension to select a parameter it will default to Length.

Some parameters will default to a certain Group parameter

under: option. It depends on the Type of parameter: that was
selected as to the group in which it defaults.

Page 14
The Group parameter under: can be changed as required.

Group the parameters consistently in all families. For example,

Elec Conn RI Height defaults under the Dimensions because it
is a Length. It might appear to fit better under Electrical with
the other parameters concerning Electrical properties.

Page 15
RFA vs RFT

Using Save As there is only one option of a type of file to use

and that is to save as a Family. The Template option is
greyed out. A Family file is an RFA file type. A Family
Template is an RFT file type.

If the file is kept as an RFA file it can be opened and used as a

starting point. The problem is that hitting the Save will
overwrite that file. Using a Save As is the way to start a new
Family file from an RFA file. Keep a back up copy somewhere
else if using this method. Encourage users to put a copy in
their local directory for use is yet another method to keep the
originals safe.

Creating an RFT or Family Template file is as easy as

renaming the file extension to RFT on the file previously
saved as an RFA. Best practice is to use lower case
letters for consistency.

There will be an alert box with a message in it warning of

changing a file name extension. Yes is the option to
complete the renaming.

Page 16
What kind of family is needed?

When starting a family, the first and most important question should be “What does my family
need to do?”

The answer to this should fall under the following three categories: Detail, Function or Size
Each of these considerations will drive the way the family will be built.

Detail
Suppose a project places a high importance on graphically detailed renderings for use in
promotional materials. In this case the project’s families should be modeled to have a higher
level of detail. While this may seem time intensive, there are several tips that can be used to
save time.

Hierarchy of visibility – When rendering a view, there will be families or features that draw the
eye, whether due to its prominence in the view, the color of the materials or location in the
natural flow that the viewer takes when looking through the image. Knowing which pieces of
equipment stand out in these rendered views will allow you to delegate which families need a
higher level of detail. The caveat to following this concept is that all supporting equipment in the
view needs to have an established minimum level of detail to prevent them from detracting from
the overall composition.

Utilize Bitmaps – A great way to add a higher level of detail without adding modeled detail is to
insert bitmaps into family’s material properties. These can be used to add to the level of realism
that can fool the eye into ignoring shortcuts in the actual geometry. This can be used to insert
logos, texturing, or realistic “Flaws” in the model to help draw the eye to a specific part of the
model and away from areas of low detail.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff – Keep in mind that simply having small items in a rendering adds
to the level of detail, but there is no sense in spending hours modeling a high level of detail
when creating small families unless they are the focus of a close-up rendering. A good way to
think of this is to use items in your immediate surroundings, look at something from 10, 20, 30 ft
away and note what stands out to you. That’s the level of detail you should add to your model.

Function
A family does not have to be a solitary work of art. Families can be built in a way that it can
bend and conform to your needs for many instances in a project. A family that places a high
importance on function should be one that repeats itself frequently and in many differing
configurations. These families can be some of the hardest to construct but have the most return
on investment when it comes to large projects or chain builds. Place a heavy focus on defining,
naming and dimensioning reference planes, as these will drive the family’s functionality. It is
imperative that all the information covered in the first half of this handout is considered when
establishing a functional family. There are several questions that need to be answered in order
to identify how to build this type of family.

• Do multiple graphically different variations of this family need to schedule?

Page 17
• Does this family have a manufacturer’s established catalog?
• Is this a family that is customizable?
• Does this family have optional schedulable accessories/components?
• Does this family need to flex in one or more dimensions when being inserted into a
project?
• Do options need to toggle on and off depending on a live variable from project-to-
project?

If any of these fit the family in question, then the object falls into the category of a functional
family.

Addressing these questions one-by-one we can look at strategies to aid in the creation of a
family that suits the functional requirements.

Do multiple graphically different variations of this family need to schedule?

There can be many cases where a family has multiple variations that need to be scheduled as
different items but is essentially the same object. I.e. a table with varying dimensions or a
lighting fixture with varying arrays of bulbs.

This can be accomplished by establishing what about features that need to change between
options and what parts are stationary or do not change between types. From here reference
planes with parameter driven dimensions can be placed to flex as a type parameter. Yes/No
parameters can also be set to toggle on and off type-based visibilities for components or nested
families needing to be distinguished one type from another. If the count of a component needs
to change depending on the type, and array can be utilized in combination with an integer type
parameter to drive the array count.

Does this family have a manufacturer established catalog?

If a specified piece of equipment is part of a catalog of equipment and has specified models
denoted by a manufacturer, a catalog family can be created to drive the parameters of the
family. This can be any of the afore mentioned controls. A catalog will also reduce the time
needed to create all the necessary family types, and regardless of whether all models are
needed for any one project, a catalog makes for a great asset in a Revit library.

*note*: Catalogs should be used when exceeding 5 types in a family regardless of

an established manufacturer catalog.

Is this a family that is customizable?

A common occurrence in quoting equipment for space utilization is the need for custom
fabricated or modularly constructed equipment. These families also lend themselves to either
catalog driven files or a flexible family that has a few types. I.e. Site-specific millwork or a
custom kitchen island.

It is a good idea to build custom fab families on a solid framework depending on what kind of
object it is, especially if there is the chance that a similar item needs to be fabricated by a
different equipment provider. A solid framework built around reference planes and basic
geometric components can serve as a basic model for future fab work. A great example is a

Page 18
stainless-steel prep table for commercial kitchens. Most kitchens will have several variations of
these, and while many can be spec’d as standard models, many are fabricated by the
manufacturer to suit specific requirements. There are a multitude of optional components and
dimensional constraints that can change depending on what is needed, so creating a basic
family that plans ahead for these options can allow for quick family generation on a tight
deadline.

• Does this family have optional schedulable accessories/components?

This question serves a similar question as the one above, but this addresses the
possibility of integrating other existing families that may or may not schedule. The driving
factor is having all the options in one family so the type can be selected during a project
without having to slow down to build it from the base model or find it in a directory. This
can also aid users in a team setting as they can confidently select the base file and find
the specific type they need.

• Does this family need to flex in one or more dimensions when being inserted into a
project?
• Do options need to toggle on and off depending on a live variable from project-to-
project?
These last two questions go together and were already mentioned as part of first
question but can stand alone as good reasons to create a functional family. The need to
flex or change components visibility depending on a family’s type is an immediate flag to
the user that the family needs to have a higher functionality apart from a static model.

Page 19
File Size
The file size of a family can seem like an ignorable attribute, but given enough items and a
large enough project scope, what appears to be a small file size can bloat a file
tremendously. An ideal file size for a typical family should fall between 500Kb-800Kb and
for very complex geometry or core components with high levels of functionality between
900Kb-1.2Mb. The Purge command is the best way to keep file bloat down, and file should
always be thoroughly purged before saving. There are, however, some more nuanced
practices to keep the file weight to a minimum.

Extrudes
An extrusion has a weight of roughly 4Kb. This is a fairly reliable way to estimate the amount
of file space of a given object when planning out how to build any given family. (# of
extrudes*4Kb + empty file base weight)
Revolves
A revolved shape that could also be extruded, like a cylinder will weigh the same as that
extrusion, but the geometry’s weight grows proportionally to the complexity of the revolves
profile. This correlates to the general number of differing sections in the revolve.

For instance, in the image below a single revolve made of 2 short cylinders pierced by a
longer cylinder. When saved this object has the same weight as a file that has 4 extrusions
in it even though you could make the same geometry with 3 extrusions. The benefit here is
that no joining is required, and the dimensions can be constrained much more easily. The
additional 4KB is a small price to pay for convenience and future manipulation.

Page 20
Using splines in the profile is a bit trickier, depending on the severity and complexity of the
curvature. The revolve can grow in file weight considerably more than the previous rules
would dictate. The number of curved surfaces created by the revolve will also affect the file
size as seen in the images below.

Sweeps
Sweeps have the same initial condition as revolves. If it cab be made with an extrusion, then
it will weigh the same as said extrusion. A path created with a smooth arc will weigh more
than a straight linear sweep, and a sweep with a profile created with a spline will have a
dramatically higher file size.

The models below show the correlation between file size and increasingly more complex
profiles along a spline-based path.

Page 21
Blends
Blends are generally going to be double the size of an extrusion, with the exception of when
the top or bottom of a blend has exaggerated spline based profiles or when blending
polygons with many aides. Expect about 10-20Kb more depending on severity.

Swept Blend
Just stay away from them! They bloat families by a ridiculous amount. A single spline based
blended sweep used 340Kb of information to generate the solid. Only use them if
necessary.

Page 22
Joining
Joining geometry adds extra weight to your family as Revit is trying to create a new piece of
geometry while retaining the geometry from the original bodies that make up the newly
joined item. Use this tool sparingly.

Voids
Joining brings up the topic of Voids. Voids as a singular geometric entity hold the same data
allocation (roughly 4Kb of space); however, when cutting a geometric element with a void,
this joins the two bodies creating the above scenario. A better solution to cut geometry than
using voids is to put the feature that is needing to be created through this test. If the
negative space created by the feature is a linear shape, then it can be incorporated into the
sketch of the geometry that is needing to be cut. The only caveat is if the negative space
does not penetrate the entire geometric shape.

Your functionality and file size will suffer, but your family will look great. This does not mean
the family has to be complex, but it does mean that more time will be spent refining the
geometry

Page 23
Levels of Development Prep for Families

In preparing the LOD Prep section, the 2019 Level of Development Specification Part 1 and
Commentary – For Building Information Models and Data was referenced. (BIMForum)

Preparing families that conform and fall in line with LOD specifications should follow the basic
linear progression from level 200 to 400. This example’s data set involves the commercial
kitchen industry, but the principles explored here are focused on the broad principles used
across all industries utilizing LOD.
LOD Prep – Place Holder Families (LOD 200)

Page 24
In the early stages of a project, place holder families can be used as a stop-gap for equipment
that may not have been spec’d but general information about the object may be known, i.e. LOD
200 families. Following the same structure as any other family, a template with the correct
category should be selected and named in a way that denotes basic information about the
family e.g. Stand_Toaster_Level 1.rfa

In the LOD 200 phase of a project, families need to contain minimal information, and will serve
as three-dimensional place holders until items can be spec'd by a PM for a quote.

Start with a blank family template with the correct category

needed for the future piece of equipment. In this example, the
Family Template_Elec.rft will be used to create the initial
electrical family.

Once the file is open, begin by saving the file with a generic name such as,
LOD200_Electrical_Family.rfa, in
order to designate it from all
other families in the project
library. Once saved, create a
basic extrusion in the Ref.
Level plane making sure to align
and lock the sketch to the
bounding reference planes (Left,
Right, Front, Back). After
completing the extrusion, be sure
to align and lock the ends of the
extrusion to the Top and Base
reference planes. This will allow
for the flexing of the basic
dimensions.

From here this family can be duplicated and renamed over and over in order to create your
LOD200 Library or the base file can be copied and renamed to be a catalog. By doing this,
Excel™ files can be used to generate a library in seconds.

Page 25
Each family type represents a scheduled piece of equipment. These types can be saved out as
individual families at later stages or simply replaced all together by existing families in your
current directory.

LOD Prep – Basic Geometric Detail and Specs (LOD 300)

When moving to level 300 the existing level 200 families can be modified to add appropriate
geometry and more specified information. The fastest way to accomplish this is by importing any
existing CAD files for the specific model needed and building the families reference planes
around the CAD. Then geometry can be modeled based on the CAD and/or specs. This will
include all mandatory clearances and physical attributes that are specific to the model.

LOD Prep – Refined Detail and Mechanical Connections (LOD 350)

Level 350 in most cases is the highest level that families need to be taken to in Revit. This level
is for the final application of detail that needs to be added, as well as adding in any mechanical
connectors that need to be linked to the project model.

Page 26
Tips
1. Keeping one Materials.rfa family can help keep all the material names and assets the
same throughout a project. To get one material from a family into this one is as easy as
copy and pasting an extrusion, or another modeling type, into the Materials.rfa family
then deleting the modeled piece.
2. To keep from seeing the Unpin symbol on the Center
(Front/Back) Reference Plane just rename the Center
(Front/Back) Reference Plane to the Back, for example.
Create a new Center (Front/Back) after that.
3. Put parameters that are to be used for flexing under Constraints
Instance Parameters so that they show up at the top of the Instance
Parameters. This consistency lets users know to look there for flexing
the family.
4. When cleaning up families, use Isolate to highlight only the Reference
Planes to pull them in tighter.
5. Set the preview of any
new families by always
saving in a named 3D
view and use SAVE AS
to bring up the dialog box
where the save Options
can be set. Select the 3D
view and check the
Regenerate if
view/sheet is not up-to-
date. option. Doing this
every time a family is
saved is a best practice
to preset the preview
view.

More References:

BIMForum,(2019 Level of Development Specification Part 1 and Commentary – For Building

Information Models and Data)

Advanced Loadable Family Techniques

Conditional Statements in Formulas

Page 27