How to Check a Model with Autodesk Model Checker for Revit

Every BIM project begins with a BIM standard. This document sets out all requirements for creating a BIM model and for the information generated through building information modeling. These requirements include naming rules for model elements, guidelines for entering parameter values, and more. When data is entered consistently, it is easy to use later.

If it is entered haphazardly, there is no reliable way to work with the BIM model's data. Such mistakes can be costly: accidentally duplicating elements in one place increases construction cost estimates, while incorrectly filled parameters cause design delays while errors are corrected. In one project I worked on, columns were inadvertently duplicated.

Only during procurement approval did the team realize it needed far fewer column formwork sets. The model had to be corrected, quantities recalculated, and documentation issued again.

If the BIM model was created in Revit, an additional Revit add-in can automatically check whether its data meets BIM standard requirements. The add-in is Autodesk Model Checker for Revit. Model Checker not only validates Revit BIM models against a set of rules but also generates a compliance report. Autodesk Model Checker Configurator must also be installed for full functionality.

Model Checker Configurator is a separate Revit add-in used to create and edit files containing custom validation criteria (configuration files) for later use in Model Checker.

Fig. 1. Model Checker and Model Checker Configurator icons

Checking a BIM Model with Model Checker

The validation process is straightforward. First, load the required configuration file in Model Checker using the Setup button under Model Checker on the BIM Interoperability Tools tab. In the dialog box, choose a preset configuration file or browse to a configuration file on your computer.

Fig. 2. Setup dialog box

After selecting the configuration file, its check structure opens, and you can use checkboxes to select which checks to run.

To run validation, click Run under Model Checker on the BIM Interoperability Tools tab. The dialog box also lets you include models that are not currently open in Revit.

Fig. 4. Run dialog box

Clicking Run Report confirms the check and automatically generates a report. In the example below, Model Checker found one element in the Doors category with an empty Mark parameter. The same check passed in the Windows category: no windows were missing a Mark value.

Fig. 5. Generated report

Further analysis shows the ID of the element found in the Doors category, making it easy to locate in the model. A faster option is to click the magnifying glass icon: Revit selects an appropriate view and highlights the element. This works only when the model containing the element is open in Revit.

The report can also be exported to html and xlsx, or copied into any text editor. To view the latest report without rerunning the check after closing it, click View Report under Model Checker on the BIM Interoperability Tools tab.

Model Checker Configurator Navigation Panel

As noted earlier, the configuration file defining all validation criteria is created in Model Checker Configurator. Launch it using the Launch button in the Configurator section of the BIM Interoperability Tools tab. The navigation panel appears on the left, as shown below.

Fig. 6. Model Checker Configurator navigation panel

Let's review the navigation panel tools.

General Settings: lets you open an existing configuration file for editing, create a new one, and change check set properties (check name, author, description, and image).

Fig. 7. General settings in Model Checker Configurator

Advanced Check Builder: lets you create custom checks without the Check Wizard. Selecting it opens a dialog box for adding check filters. Logical operators, criteria, properties, and values are used to define check conditions. Here you can enter the check name,

its description, and the message to show in the report when an error is found.

Fig. 8. Advanced check creation in Model Checker Configurator

Wizard Check Builder: lets you create custom checks by answering a series of questions about the information to validate. This produces the same result as building a check with filters.

Fig. 9. Check Wizard in Model Checker Configurator

Pre-Built Checks: adds predefined checks that cannot be created with Advanced Check Builder or Wizard Check Builder. For example, File Name checks whether a filename meets a standard, while File Size reports the size of the validated Revit model file.

Fig. 10. Pre-built checks in Model Checker Configurator

Checkset Structure and Organization: organizes created checks into a hierarchy by adding headings (Add Heading) and sections (Add Section). Unused Checks contains all checks created through Advanced Check Builder, Wizard Check Builder, or Pre-Built Checks that have not yet been placed. Drag each check into the desired section. Selecting a heading, section, or check displays the corresponding configuration or preview mode in the upper-right pane.

Fig. 11. Check structure in Model Checker Configurator

Preview Checkset: shows how the check set will appear in Model Checker.

Fig. 12. Preview in Model Checker Configurator

Conclusion

Model Checker supports both model-wide checks and discipline-specific checks for self-review. It is especially useful for assessing the quality of BIM models submitted by contractors. The add-in saves time and money: detecting design errors early can reduce the correction and approval process by 2–3 times. Autodesk Model Checker for Revit is therefore a useful addition to the toolkit of BIM managers and design engineers.

Article author

Oleg Kiryanov, CAD Department Engineer at Syssoft

Source

http://isicad.ru/