Forums >> General Discussion >> Revit Project Management >> Splitting Master Model into separate Interiors and Docs Models

Shoeusc

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At my office we are currently using a system that involves three models on the architectural side that will be linked with the consultant models. So we have A-Master, A-Site, A-Shell + S-Structure & MEP. Because of Model size / performance we are discussing separting the A-Master file into two models in the futre - Interiors model that holds all the modeling information & and docs model that holds all the sheets, schedules, annotation, detailing information. I think having the annotation/detailing separated from the modeling elements could hold potential problems if the Interiors model is changed, updated, relinked. Am I being overly cautious or is this a potential issue? What other issues could result from splitting this into two models? Any potential issues for the consultants? Thanks for your comments.

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WWHub

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Why are you going this route?????  You are really looking for problems.  The documents really need to be with the model elements.

One architectural model should be sufficient for all of the architecture and interiors.  The Site could be another, structural another and the MEP model.  Now every discipline can tag all of their model elements because they are in their model and all of their sheets are in their model.

You don't say what your file size is but I don't really care.  Using worksets will allow you to work well in almost any model size.

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Shoeusc

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I totally agree with you. I really think that this is a terrible option, and that's why I am on here looking for support. And I'm sure that part of the problem is that we probably don't use worksets to their fullest ability.

That being said, I am really looking for some positive and negatives of what could potentially happen as a way to persuade them not to do this.......The last project that we took all the way through CD's had a size of 350 MB. But that was before we had the shell broken out in our latest system. Basically we are looking at 45 story mixed use tower with parking / podium block with a lot of typical floors above.

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WWHub

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When you link .... you basically have no smart elements.  No material tags, door tags, window tags, wall tags.

When you dimension a wall and you need to move the d#* thing 2", you have to close your model and open the linked model.   <<< Do you really need this problem?

The question isn't whats bad about this process, the question is what's GOOD?  Read about using reduced worksets.  When you open a file, you have a choice of what worksets you want to load.  ALWAYS have linked items in seperate worksets that can be loaded/unloaded turned on/off.  << Great tool!  Other than that, you may only need a few other worksets.  

I recomment the default Levels and Grids and workset 1 (Your primary workset) then I use an exterior shell workset and an interior workset.  That means exterior elevations only have the exterior shell and workset1 on.  No reason to make Revit hide all interior partitions stairs ....whatever.   And interiors can be controlled as well.

Now - how big is your model?  You don't say but if need be you may then look at worksets for multiple levels (NOT EACH ONE).  Too many worksets is also a problem.

Just an FYI.  We had a 200 meg architectural model with added linked in structural revit and linked CAD MEP plus site running in a 2008 Revit on a 4 mb system .... and we did it!

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Shoeusc

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Seems like Doors, windows, walls can still be tagged on linked models. We are using Revit 2013, and again final CD model size was around 350 MB.

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WWHub

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Yes - they can be tagged but how about changing the number - no.  You will see other problems like scheduling.  Many of your door and room schedule items require that you modify the properties of the element.  You can't do that with a linked file.

350 mb should not be a problem if you use worksets properly.

BTW - If you have a lot of CAD crap, that will slow you down.  Move as soon as you can to get all legacy items revitized and for now, keep that stuff linked in seperate worksets and not imported and especially not exploded.

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