Family Package
The DucoWall is a louvre wall that is defined in a Family Package. A Package is a Revit Project (template) with the different Types. For the DucoWall we use a System Family. System Families are Families that are predefined in Templates and Projects. You cannot create, customize or load yourself from a library. You can define additional Types within the System Families in a Template or Project. For the DucoWall we use the Curtain Walls. The Curtain Wall uses a Basic Wall and Mullions (support profiles).
For each louvre blade type, a package is provided with the different support profiles. There are 3 Types defined for each louvre type : blades and support profiles, only blades and only support profiles. In this order You get a correct visual representation of the louvre wall.
As shown in the image above, you can place the combination of louvre blade and support profile. This allows you to work out a project and get the required amounts in Schedules (louvre blades surface and support profiles lengths). If you also want a correct view of the louvre, you must double the louvre wall in 2 Types, the curtain wall with only the louvre blades and defined the curtain wall with only the support profiles. In the combination of blade and support profile, Revit splits the blades at each support profile. Later more on this.
If you want to transfer System Family Types from Project to Project, or from Template to Project, you can use the ‘Transfer Project Standards’ tool in Revit. To do this, follow these steps:
- Open the Project where you want to load the System Families (target project).
- Open in the same Revit application the Package (source project).
- Make the Project Active (on a Project View).
- Manage <Transfer Project Standards <Copy from: Select the Package (the source project).
For the DucoWall, select 'Curtain Wall Types'. This will load all the required Families, Types and Settings into your project.
This will load all types of curtain wall into your project. However, you can also select and copy a particular Type of Curtain Wall from the Package and paste it into your own project. In this way, you will only load the selected Type with its necessary definitions.
Curtain Wall Placement
To place a Curtain Wall, browse the Project Browser to Walls - Curtain Wall and select the Type which you want to place as an instance. Right-click and select ‘Create Instance’. Now that the command is activated, you can select the ‘Level’ on which you set the wall (by default, it takes the View Reference Level). You can also set the height of the Curtain Wall by select a Top Constraint Level, or set your ‘Unconnected Height’ for your Base Constraint Level. You can also customize this at any time with the Instance Properties of the Curtain Wall.
Depending on the direction you draw, the support structure and the louvre will be positioned differently.
When you place the Curtain Wall, you can get the message 'Could not create integral wall sweep for wall instance. Sweep position is outside of its wall '. You can just ignore this message. This has to do with the Basic Wall definition. The Curtain Wall is built up of a Basic Wall (the louvre blades) and Mullions (support profiles). But no further attention should be paid to this.
When you select your posted instance, you can see and customize the Instance Properties. Here you can customize the Base Constraint ,Offset and the Top Constraint or Height. You can also customize the statement as desired. This causes the distribution of the support profiles to be different (with Vertical Grid) or the separation of the support profiles (at Horizontal Grid). In the Type Properties you can see the properties here.
When you change the height of an instance, you can get the Autodesk Revit Warning 'Could not create integral wall sweep for wall instance. Sweep position is outside of its wall. ' This is the same as the previous message, but first click on 'Ok' to continue. Furthermore, it may be ignored.
Curtain Wall Properties
The Curtain Wall has certain features that can be customized by the user as desired. When you double click on a Type in the Project Browser or ‘Edit Type’ of an instance you will see the Type Properties.
Most of the features cannot be changed by the user. Some others can be set as desired. These are:
- Vertical Grid: This determines the position of the support profiles.
- Layout: Maximum Spacing or Fixed Distance. At Maximum Spacing, the spacing of support profiles will be smaller or equal to the value of the Spacing parameter. With Fixed Distance, the spacing will be fixed value to the Spacing Parameter.
- Spacing: This is the distance between the support profiles. This depends on the type of support profile. By default, the maximum spacing for louvre blades + support profiles is specified by Duco Projects documentation. This value can therefore be smaller and determined by the user.
- Horizontal Grid: This determines the length of the support profiles.
- Layout: See above.
- Spacing: This is set to the maximum value of the support profiles. This may be adjusted if desired.
Editing Curtain Wall
Curtain Wall Opening
When you select a drawn Curtain Wall, you can customize the support profiles. For example this may be used when you want to draw a window. Best to do this it’s when you look on the louvre wall in a front view ( elevation or section).
Select the Curtain Wall and in the Revit Ribbon “Edit Profile” tool. You are now in a mode where you can customize the shape of the curtain wall or make an extra opening.
When you make an additional opening in the louvre wall, you will see that the 2 additional support profiles are added and are on the wrong side of the opening. If you want to see this correctly in your project, you can select, ‘Unpin’ and customize Type (left must be right and vice versa).
Here are some steps to do this:
- Select the support profile you want to change.
- In the Revit Ribbon click on the ‘Unpin’ command
- After that you can change the Type in the Properties window
Add or remove support profiles
You can add or delete support profiles in the louvre wall.
To delete a support profile, you must always select a profile with tab. Once selected, you can unpin and delete.
To add a new support profile, first you must create a new curtain wall grid. Here's how you can do this:
- Select the Architecture Panel in the Revit Ribbon
- Select Curtain Grid in the Ribbon
- Then you can add horizontal or vertical extra grid depending on where you place the cursor
- Vertical: This allows you to place additional vertical mullion
- Horizontal: This will split the vertical mullions into two parts
- When creating a vertical grid, a support profile will be placed by automatic (as defined in the Curtain Wall Type)
- When a horizontal grid is created, this does not happen automatically and a manual action is required.
You can also customize existing Grids. To do this you need to place a Dimension line on 2 (or more) Grids. Select the Grid you want to modify, unpin, and then click ‘Activate Dimensions’. You can now adjust the Dimension value to the desired value.
Splitting Curtain Wall into two walls
As mentioned, Revit will split louvre blades in the Curtain Wall Types with both louvre blades and support profiles each time. If we want a continuous louvre blade wall (with maximum possibility length of the blade) we should double it. Doubling means we have a curtain wall with just the louvre blades and in the same place a second Curtain Wall with support profiles only. This can be done manually by first copying and pasting the Curtain Wall in the same place.
The intention of that solution is that you first work on the complete continuous louvre wall with openings and changes in the support profiles, add or remove them, so that nothing else needs to be done. When you first double and then make changes you must perform this 2 times, once in Curtain Wall with louvre blade and once in the Curtain Wall with support profiles.