AS125183 Designing with Custom Railing Panels in Revit

AS125183

Designing with Custom Railing Panels in Revit Daniel Dixon The Beck Group

Description

Calling all architects! Want to add more than basic railings for your monumental stair in Revit software? This class is for you. Custom railing paneling can be fun to design but challenging to model, even with a good fundamental knowledge of Revit software’s railing systems. In this session, you will learn to create the custom parts you need and put them together in an accurately modeled railing that will look great in 3D and still be easy to document in your drawings. We’ll also cover some shortcuts and ways to avoid common issues throughout the process. At the end of the class, you’ll be able to take home all sample files and family templates for your own use. Prerequisites for this course include a working knowledge of railing systems in Revit, as well as some experience with the family editor. It is highly recommended that attendees watch AR18637 "Handrail Hacks" using Autodesk University online prior to the class to ensure maximum benefit.

About the Speaker

Daniel Dixon has an extensive background that combines engineering, architecture, 3D visualization, and digital fabrication. He has been using a wide array of Autodesk products since 2001 including 3ds Max, AutoCAD, Maya, and Revit. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Architecture from Florida International University and a Master's Degree in Architecture from Georgia Tech. Since 2012, Daniel has been coordinating architectural projects at the Beck Group's Atlanta office. He is also a frequent Revit resource in the office, supporting multiple projects. He is a member of the Atlanta Dynamo users group and a past speaker at AU.

Learning Objectives

Learn how to generate unique baluster patterns and panel families.

Learn how to modify railing designs to fit any length or slope.

Learn how to add detail and materials to custom railings.

Learn how to create accurate railings that convey design intent in drawings and renderings.

Table of Contents

Getting Started (Read this section first) ...................................................................................... 3

Class Prerequisites .................................................................................................................................... 3

Additional Resources ................................................................................................................................ 3

General Strategies ..................................................................................................................................... 3

Managing Railing Types ..................................................................................................... 3

Removing Extra Parts from Railings ................................................................................... 5

Navigating Baluster Patterns and Families in a Project ............................................................................ 7

Understanding Baluster Placement ..................................................................................... 7

Tip: Marking the Panel’s Location Line ............................................................................... 8

Hosting Railings So That They Work Properly .................................................................... 9

Calculating Custom Panel Widths ......................................................................................10

Generate Unique Baluster Patterns & Families .........................................................................12

Create Patterns Using Center Justification ............................................................................................. 12

Best When Used For .........................................................................................................12

How It Works .....................................................................................................................12

Using Start/End Balusters ..................................................................................................16

Example ............................................................................................................................18

Creating a Panel with Center Justification .............................................................................................. 19

Creating Patterns Using Beginning/End Justification.............................................................................. 21

Best When Used For .........................................................................................................21

How It Works .....................................................................................................................21

Example ............................................................................................................................23

Create Panels with Lower/Upper Justification ....................................................................................... 24

Modifying the Family to Use Lower/Upper Justification ......................................................25

Hacks for Custom Panels ......................................................................................................................... 26

Hack #1: Overall Width vs Actual Width .............................................................................26

Hack #2: Partially Sloped End Panels ................................................................................27

Hack #3: Perpendicular Panels ..........................................................................................27

Adding Materials to Railing Panels ............................................................................................29

Best Practices .......................................................................................................................................... 29

Adding Material Parameters to Panels ................................................................................................... 29

Getting Started (Read this section first)

Class Prerequisites Prerequisites for this course include a working knowledge of railing systems in Revit, as well as some experience with the family editor. It is highly recommended that attendees watch AR18637 "Handrail Hacks" using Autodesk University online prior to the class to ensure maximum benefit.

Additional Resources For more on handrails, visit the following resources online:

1. Class files from the AU website 2. “Handrail Hacks” course video & handouts from AU online (see link above) 3. Email the speaker for more information.

General Strategies

Managing Railing Types Because baluster patterns are set “by type” in Revit, there will be a different railing type whenever the run length, panels or pattern change on a stair. I have had as many as 6-8 railing types on a single monumental stair. However, using naming good (and consistent) naming conventions throughout the project will make this less daunting.

MONUMENTAL STAIR CAMERON INDOOR STADIUM, DUKE UNIVESITY

DETAIL VIEW

http://au.autodesk.com/au-online/classes-on-demand/class-catalog/classes/year-2016/revit/ar18637

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RAILING DESIGN IN REVIT

RAILING TYPES ARE REQUIRED FOR EACH RUN OF A

DIFFERENT LENGTH OR SPACING.

RAILINGS AND PARTS CAN EASILY BE CONFUSED

IF THEY ARE NOT THOUGHT THROUGH.

GOOD NAMING CONVENTIONS HELP IDENTIFY RAILNGS AND

PARTS EASILY.

Removing Extra Parts from Railings For purposes of this class, we will focus on baluster placement. The best way to understand this is to remove all other railing parts. Handrails, top rails, and other elements can be added back to the railings later, or modeled as a separate railing family if desired.

To “clean out” a railing family we must first create a new one. Duplicate any railing in the project and rename it, then open the properties for the newly created railing.

A. LEAVE AT LEAST ONE LINE ITEM WITH A BALUSTER FAMILY IN THE PATTERN. B. SELECT “HOST” FOR THE BASE WITH AN OFFSET OF 0’-0”. C. SELECT “HOST” FOR TOP. D. SET THIS NUMBER TO ANY NUMBER ABOVE ZERO (USE THE RAILING PANEL HEIGHT IF KNOWN) E. REPEAT THESE STEPS FOR BASE AND TOP IN THE “POSTS” F. APPLY CHANGES AND CLICK “OK” TO RETURN TO THE MAIN RAILING PROPERTIES MENU.

Navigating Baluster Patterns and Families in a Project Creating custom railings in Revit uses the same fundamental structure as standard ones. Each railing type contains rules for creating baluster patterns, non-continuous rail sweeps, handrails and top rails. In custom applications, the most important aspect of railings is to understand baluster placement. Without the right spacing and location of custom panels, the railing will not achieve the desired result. Once the parts (baluster families) are located correctly, they can be easily modified to the correct dimensions.

Understanding Baluster Placement Let’s look at a typical family template. Start by clicking the “R” logo in the upper-left hand corner of the Revit window. Select “New”, then “Family”. Browse to your family template location and select “Baluster Panel”.

The center reference plane is the location line in the railing pattern. This should remain pinned at all times to ensure it will work properly. Because the reference plane will not be visible once the family is loaded into a project, a model line can be added in this view as a placeholder. It is recommended that the model line be kept in the baluster family permanently and assigned a visibility parameter to help the user track where panels are located.

Tip: Marking the Panel’s Location Line While editing a panel family, create a model line locked to the center reference plane.

Hosting Railings So That They Work Properly Drawing a sketch line and choosing the host (ramp, floor, stair, etc.) will work for most applications. Hosting to a stringer, however, is different. Revit will not automatically know when to host to a stringer versus a stair tread. To host to a stair tread, simply do so using the “Railing” tool, and selecting “place on host”. Select “stringer, then pick the stair desired. Sketch lines will be created automatically and the railing will now host to the stringer rather than the stair run itself.

HOSTING A RAILING TO THE STRINGER.

Calculating Custom Panel Widths The best way to calculate panel widths is to not perform any calculations at all! As always, start with the design intent. It can be a sketch or diagram, and only needs to show the rules for positioning the railing (equal panels, etc.). Once the intent and a work point is relative to the stair determined, the layout can be put into Revit with detail lines. Focus only on the horizontal positioning and the center-to-center spacing for each panel/post. This is all Revit will be looking for to position the railing components. The specific panel widths can be adjusted in the family later.

PANEL LAYOUT DESIRED.

The panel width and center-to center spacing is now calculated! No math needed. Setting the panel family width and distance from previous will help in achieving the desired results quickly.

Generate Unique Baluster Patterns & Families

Create Patterns Using Center Justification The simplest way to create a railing pattern is to justify the baluster placement to the center. Using it will cause Revit to center the pattern on the sketch line. It can be easily repeated and is a great starting point for those who are new to laying out custom railings.

Best When Used For This method is ideal for very repetitive patterns with little complexity and few unique elements. A short stair run with equally sized panels and no landings is a great candidate for this application. It is also the simplest way to lay out balusters and panels, and works well with the default baluster panel family template (location line in the center).

How It Works When center justification is used, Revit only needs one of each part in the “Main Pattern” area of the baluster placement dialogue. Add the parts (baluster families) needed and their center-to-center spacing for each using “distance from previous”. Truncate the pattern and Revit will do the rest! Note: Be sure the sketch is centered on the host where desired. The pattern will shift if a sketch is extended in only one direction.

Railings will create the pattern and then center it. Pay close attention to the “Truncate Pattern” option in the railing properties (enabled in this example). This pattern is truncated to allow individual posts to fill in the space. It is a best practice to leave this turned on for these types of patterns. To make the pattern work, the distance from previous should be one-half the desired post-to-post spacing. In this case, let’s say the desired spacing is 3’-0” O.C. That would make the distance from previous 1’-6”.

Now that the spacing between posts is correct, the panel family needs to be updated to the correct width. To calculate the panel width, simply subtract the width of one full post from the established spacing. In this case a ½” wide post is being used, so 3’-0” – ½” = 2’-11 ½” panel width.

Find the panel family in the project browser and edit its type properties. Scroll down and the width parameter will be under “Other”. Once this is updated the railing should look correct.

RAILING WITH CORRECT PARTS AND SPACING.

RAILING WITH CORRECT PARTS AND SPACING, SLOPED.

HORIZONTAL DIMENSIONS REMAIN THE SAME.

Using Start/End Balusters To add start/end balusters, use the “posts” section at the bottom of the “Baluster Placement” dialogue. The placement properties are the same as in the “Main Pattern” area above it. If “space” is set to zero, the start and end posts will remain at the very ends of the railing’s sketch line.

END POSTS ADDED TO PATTERN. NOTICE THEY ARE LOCATED AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE

SKETCH LINE (MARKED BY THE REFERENCE PLANES).

END POSTS ARE POSITIONED USING THE “SPACE” FIELD. SINCE THE PATTERN MOVES IN THE DIRECTION OF THE

SKETCH LINE, A POSITIVE NUMBER FOR THE BEGINNING POST IS USED, AND A NEGATIVE FOR THE END POST.

Example The pattern below uses the same railing system as above. The pattern has been adjusted to the new run length and the panels are resized accordingly.

COMPLETED RAILING ELEVATION

SECTION WITH DIMENSIONS

Creating a Panel with Center Justification Panel families that use center justification tend to work best when applied to a railing that utilizes center justification. The Revit family template for baluster panels is already set to work this way. In fact, it is strikingly similar to a baluster post family. Simply add geometry to the panel as needed and load it into the project. Remember, a model line can be added easily at the center reference plane to make locating the panels easier. Begin with a new family using the “Baluster Panel” template.

The completed panel should conform to the reference planes provided. It will adjust the slope angle automatically in the project. No other edits are required.

Creating Patterns Using Beginning/End Justification When Beginning or end justification is used, all of the components in the railing must be listed in the “Main Pattern” area of the baluster placement dialogue. Although this method is not as common for typical railings, it is very powerful in a custom application. This method more closely mimics the way railings are laid out in construction documents and in the field.

Best When Used For This method is ideal for both simple and complex patterns, as well as unique elements. A stair run with one or more landings is a great candidate for this application. The baluster panel families can also be modified such that they are easier to locate with this method.

How It Works The user will have to lay out the specific parts (baluster families) in order from one end of the railing to the other. It is important to note that the “Beginning” and “End” in this case refers to the beginning and end of the sketch. Be sure to understand how the sketch was drawn and try to keep this consistent throughout the project if possible to minimize confusion.

In this application, the panel family is located to one side of its origin, making it simpler to lay out. Note: Setting the first baluster to have a distance of 0’-0” will omit the first panel from the pattern. This is because an offset of zero would place the first baluster at the very beginning of the sketch (which is reserved for start/end balusters). It is best to leave a simple offset number and shift the pattern to one side so that a beginning and end panels can be added for unique railings.

When making the baluster pattern, ensure that all “Distance from previous” items in the “main pattern” section add up to the length of the pattern (in this case the panel’s total width). In this case, the panel is 3’-0” and the pattern length matches, allowing the panels to space correctly.

Example

The pattern below uses the same railing system as above. The pattern has been adjusted to the new run length and the panels are resized accordingly.

COMPLETED RAILING ELEVATION

SECTION WITH DIMENSIONS

Create Panels with Lower/Upper Justification Panel families that use lower/upper justification tend to work best when applied to a railing that utilizes beginning or end justification. The Revit family template needs just a few modifications. Remember, a model line can be added easily at the center reference plane to make locating the panels easier.

Modifying the Family to Use Lower/Upper Justification 1. Unconstrain “EQ” and delete dims (incl. width) 2. Make sure the center ref. plane is pinned, add dimension from center to one side

or the other & assign existing width parameter 3. Draw geometry and load into project

Hacks for Custom Panels Because baluster panels are based on baluster post families, they will function like posts if the default settings and templates are used as they are out of the box. Using standard procedure will produce standard results. In order to create custom content, we need to customize the panel families and challenge the norm. Here are a few tips and tricks for getting good, consistent results when working with baluster panel families.

Hack #1: Overall Width vs Actual Width If a panel uses an overall width parameter to determine its size, it must be adjusted to account for any posts or gaps. Adding parameters to offset the panel geometry can make this easier and reduce the need for performing any mathematics when constructing a railing in the project environment. For example, a glass panel could include a simple offset for a small gap. This can be done in an extrusion sketch or by using reference planes (which is recommended).

INSET PARAMETERS IN THE FAMILY EDITOR (LEFT) CAN HELP IN THE PROJECT ENVIRONMENT (RIGHT).

GAPS WILL CAN BE ADJUSTED TO ACHIEVE THE LOOK OF A REAL RAILING.

Hack #2: Partially Sloped End Panels Baluster families are designed to be sloped or flat depending on its location on the railing. They are not meant to do both at the same time. Fortunately, the families can be modified to include two more reference planes (one for the top and one for the bottom of the flat portion). It is recommended that there be a type parameter for an offset measuring from the panel’s height at the origin (sloped top height) to its height at the flat area. This allows unique conditions to be formed at the beginning and end of a stair run, which is a common characteristic of custom railings. Tip: This approach can also work for panels at the top of the run.

Hack #3: Perpendicular Panels Panel families can be programmed to stay perpendicular to the sloped host object in a railing run. The trick is to use reference lines to control the angled elements. Add a reference plane for height and snap a reference line to the intersection. Add an angular dimension and assign it to 90 degrees (don’t forget to lock it). As always, flex the family by changing the parameters around a little bit to make sure it works. Create the geometry needed then it will be ready to load into the project.

FAMILY EDITOR: ADDING PERPENDICULAR REFERENCE LINES.

WHEN ADDED INTO THE RAILING SYSTEM, THE PANELS TILT AUTOMATICALLY.

Adding Materials to Railing Panels

Best Practices All materials are controlled by type. It is advisable to set material parameters in the family and select materials in the project environment. This is especially helpful when using similar glass or metal materials in other systems in the project.

Adding Material Parameters to Panels Open the family and add material parameters to all objects in the family using the steps below. Load the family into the project and select materials from the type properties dialogue. Remember, this must be done from the project browser as individual panels cannot be selected in any Revit view.

SELECT THE GEOMETRY THAT NEEDS A MATERIAL.

ADD THE MATERIAL PARAMETER VIA THE PROPERTIES DIALOGUE.

ONCE LOADED INTO THE PROJECT, FIND THE PANEL FAMILY IN THE PROPERTIES WINDOW AND EDIT ITS TYPE

PROPERTIES TO ASSIGN THE DESIRED MATERIAL. REPEAT THIS STEP FOR EACH PANEL TYPE IN THE PATTERN.

AS125183 Designing with Custom Railing Panels in Revit

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