Hey folks, curious on an opinion on the best way to build a model from scratch, based on the group's opinions. I'm still green with IES and I'm interested to hear what people think.
When beginning to model a new building, what's your preference?
1. Draw direct in ModelIT?
2. Draw in Sketchup + export to IES?
3. Import DXFs?
4. Export Revit to IES?
Thoughts are welcome! tx folks.
The Best Way?
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Complex Potential
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Re: The Best Way?
I'm old fashioned so I prefer tracing over a DXF overlay directly in ModelIT. I don't like relying on importing models from other software because IES generally isn't great at it and most architectural models are far more complicated than needed for a thermal analysis, which often causes issues.
The only direct import I would consider is one where a model had been carefully constructed in a very simplified and IES friendly fashion in Sketchup, but this normally means building it yourself from scratch in Sketchup.
The only direct import I would consider is one where a model had been carefully constructed in a very simplified and IES friendly fashion in Sketchup, but this normally means building it yourself from scratch in Sketchup.
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flemming89
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Re: The Best Way?
So far I have preferred ModelIT with DXF underlay. I did spent some time with sketchup import, but I had issues with modelling rooms within rooms. I think the best way to work with IES modelling is simplifying the geometry as much as your case allows, and then go with ModelIT. However modelling rooms with different height og strange-shaped roofs is a bit of a hassle in ModelIT.
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farahghanem
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Re: The Best Way?
it really depends on the complexity of your geometry. The more complex the geometry the more ModelIT will cause problems. That being said, I usually import a dxf and snap to the grid (as opposed to the dxf) as this reduces any adjacency/intersections issues that may happen.
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Wasted Energy
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Re: The Best Way?
I 'trace' over an attached DXF. But I don't use a grid, or snap to the DXF.
Rather I start, usually in one corner, with a perfect prism and then make sure all subsequent rooms are snapped to the vertices of this room. This prevents most kinds of geometry problems occurring. Where possible I copy rooms and floors, again making sure vertices are snapped together.
When it comes to roofs and other complex shaped spaces I usually create simple shapes, merge them, and then edit the vertices as necessary, which can be a bit fiddly and time consuming but results in a good looking model - (if this is required, but if not I sometimes ignore 'cold' roofs altogether).
Where I occasional encounter a problem is when using the cutting tool, which sometimes can leave an intersecting sliver, but it is usually quite easy to fix.
What really takes time, and wears my click fingers out, are windows - but it depends on the project and the degree of repetition and the level of modelling required.
Where I work we have tried importing from Revit - but the result were a complete mess, and so far we have had to generate 2D drawings and DXFs from the Revit model to work off. So I think tracing over DXFs is here to stay for a while longer.
W
Rather I start, usually in one corner, with a perfect prism and then make sure all subsequent rooms are snapped to the vertices of this room. This prevents most kinds of geometry problems occurring. Where possible I copy rooms and floors, again making sure vertices are snapped together.
When it comes to roofs and other complex shaped spaces I usually create simple shapes, merge them, and then edit the vertices as necessary, which can be a bit fiddly and time consuming but results in a good looking model - (if this is required, but if not I sometimes ignore 'cold' roofs altogether).
Where I occasional encounter a problem is when using the cutting tool, which sometimes can leave an intersecting sliver, but it is usually quite easy to fix.
What really takes time, and wears my click fingers out, are windows - but it depends on the project and the degree of repetition and the level of modelling required.
Where I work we have tried importing from Revit - but the result were a complete mess, and so far we have had to generate 2D drawings and DXFs from the Revit model to work off. So I think tracing over DXFs is here to stay for a while longer.
W
Re: The Best Way?
I import DXF that has well zoning and naming all space, put all floor in one file. Then use dxf construct to extract space and move each floor to their right place.