How to Establish a Standardized Revit Family Library

written by Alix Tissier

One of the most frustrating aspects of Revit design is searching for suitable families. This can be time consuming and counterproductive, diverting precious hours from actual design work.

An internal standardized library provides a central location where all families are available, cutting down on the time spent scouring the internet for the right components.

Also, searching for families in previous projects may cause compatibility issues, necessitating time-consuming adjustments and modifications. By maintaining a standardized library that’s updated to the latest software version, users can ensure smooth interoperability across projects, reducing potential rework.

While the internet might offer a wide variety of families, their quality and accuracy can be inconsistent. Families downloaded from unreliable sources might contain errors, inaccuracies, or improper parameters that need to be corrected before they can be used. This not only wastes time but also introduces the risk of design errors.

In a collaborative environment, having a standardized library simplifies the sharing and synchronization of families among team members. It removes the need to send files back and forth or communicate about which families to use.

In conclusion, the benefits of establishing an internal standardized Revit family library are undeniable. By doing so, users save time, reduce frustration, and bolster project consistency. The investment in creating and maintaining such a library pays off in the form of increased productivity, improved quality, and enhanced design outcomes.

GRAITEC PowerPack for Revit provides several features that allow you to establish and manage a dynamic family library seamlessly within the Revit interface.

When creating your Revit library, you have the option to apply a fortified, password-protected watermark. The Watermark Manager populates the manufacturer parameters of each family with your configured information.  This meticulous approach ensures that families shared across projects cannot be repurposed under a different company’s identity.

Watermark Manager

Once your library is set, the Family Manager will facilitate the seamless integration of your library directly into the Revit interface. This integration empowers users to effortlessly peruse the library, selectively importing families compliant with their project requirements. Notably, it provides the flexibility to cherry-pick specific family types for importation, thereby upholding the integrity of your Revit project, while optimizing its performance by reducing unnecessary overhead.

VIDEO: PowerPack for Revit Family Manager

Enriching your Revit family’s library is crucial, and the Family Exporter proves to be valuable. This advanced feature enables the swift transfer of newly created or updated families from your ongoing project into your central Revit library. This not only encourages the reuse of families across diverse projects, but it also facilitates sharing valuable work across your company.

Family Exporter

By establishing an internal standardized Revit family library, you can save time, reduce frustration, and bolster your project’s consistency. By creating and maintaining such a library, you benefit from increased productivity, improved quality and enhanced design outcomes.

If you’re interested in saving half the time you spend with the Revit tools you already use, contact Graitec Group today to learn more about PowerPack for Revit.