Export Structural Members

Revit columns, beams, and braces can be exported to AutoCAD Architecture, where each is converted to the corresponding type of AutoCAD Architecture structural member.

The profile and curve are exported without cutbacks (see Cutback), cuts, holes, and other such modifications. In cases when there is no uniform profile, an AutoCAD Architecture mass element is created instead of a structural member. For every family type exported from Revit, a custom AutoCAD Architecture style is created and assigned to the structural member. Objects from the same family type in Revit will have the same style in AutoCAD Architecture.

Note: Revit family profiles will not be mapped to standard AutoCAD Architecture member profiles.

AutoCAD Architecture properties are generated from Revit properties as follows:

AutoCAD Architecture Property	Revit Property
Description	Comments (Identity Data)
Layer	Revit layer mapping file. For more information, see Layers for DWG/DXF Export and Levels for DGN Export.
Style	Type
Member Type (Beam/Brace/Column)	Revit object type
Start Offset	Beams/Braces: Cutback is calculated automatically by Revit for start point Columns: Base offset
End Offset	Beams/Braces: Cutback is calculated automatically by Revit for endpoint Columns: Top offset
Logical length	Beams/Braces: Length Columns: not applicable
Roll	0 (Default value)
Justify	Beams/Columns: Top Center (Default value) Brace: Middle Center (Default value)
Justify using overall extents	Yes (Default value)
Start Point X/Y/Z	X/Y/Z coordinates of start point curve
End Point X/Y/Z	X/Y/Z coordinates of endpoint curve
Rotation	Beams/Braces: Angle Columns: Orientation of the column in the global coordinate system
Elevation	no corresponding property; calculated by AutoCAD Architecture based on the X/Y/Z coordinates of curve
Additional Information (Location)	no corresponding property
Trim Planes	no corresponding property
Hyperlink	no corresponding property
Notes	no corresponding property
Reference documents	no corresponding property

Important: If this is the first time you are attempting to export to AutoCAD Architecture you will need to do the following:

In the Export section of the Revit.ini add the key ExportACAObjects and set its value to 1.

To export Revit structural members to AutoCAD Architecture

1. Create structural members in Revit.
2. Click File tab ExportCAD Formats (DWG files).
3. In the DWG Export dialog, under Select Export Setup, click (Modify Export Setup).
4. In the Modify DWG/DWF Export Setup dialog, click the Solids tab.
5. Select the Export as AutoCAD Architecture and AutoCAD MEP objects option.
6. Under Prefer, select AutoCAD Architecture Objects or Geometry.

   If a Revit structural member being exported is not a plain extrusion (for example, it has coping, cutouts, holes, or a shape changed because of a concrete join cleanup), you can choose to create an AutoCAD Architecture object that looks approximately the same as the Revit structural member. In this case, select AutoCAD Architecture Objects.

   If you want to preserve the exact geometry of the Revit structural member and create an AutoCAD Architecture mass object, select Geometry.

   Note: You can set structural member families to be exported as geometry at all times. Open or start creating a structural member family in the Family Editor. Click Create tabProperties panel (Family Category and Parameters). Select the parameter Always Export as Geometry, and click OK.
7. Specify export options on the other tabs as needed, and then click OK.
8. In the DWG Export dialog, for Export, select <In session view/sheet set>.
9. Select a 3D view to export. See View/Sheet Sets for Export.
10. Click Next.
11. In the Export CAD Formats dialog, verify that AutoCAD DWG Files (*.dwg) is selected for Files of type.
12. Click OK.

    The selected view is exported as a DWG file.

13. To open the exported drawing in AutoCAD Architecture, do the following:
    • Open AutoCAD Architecture.
    • Click OpenDrawing, and open the exported DWG file.
      

      If necessary, you can modify the structural members in AutoCAD Architecture. For more information, search for “Structural Members” in the AutoCAD Architecture help.