Does anyone use rhino as their primary architectural cad application?

thank you for the detailed reply, djnelson75! If I may ask, why is it not a replacement for Revit Structure?

It mainly has to do with graphics and generation of 2d drawing for a 3d model. Structural drawings show elements slightly different than architectural drawings. For instance structural drawing typical show single lines for steel/wood beams (with a gap at connection points), for concrete beam/joist we show a double dashed line. We also show elements that are hidden under the floors, were architects typically don’t. For wood bearing wall framing we actually do something like a reflected ceiling plan to show the framing. All of which is built into 2D drawings Revit outputs.

Here is another example of where we used Rhino and in this case it many advantages over Revit. So we had to do shop drawings for pre-fabricated panel system on a 7 story building. We actually did a model of each panel and then sent them in dwg format to fabricator so they could finish creating the needed 2d shop drawings in autocad. There were some 600 panels in all, and we need to track the all the parts being used in the different panels, which I was able to do through linked blocks.

Along with that I was able to create 2D erection plans from the model. Although these were straight top views of each floor so we didn’t have any of the issues I described above.

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very interesting work. thank you, again, for sharing. it sounds a primary difference is in the degree of refinement of automating the generation of 2d drawings from 3d models, and how much control the designer has over the 2d drawing graphical conventions of the auto-generated 2d drawings.

visual arq definitely does a lot of this, but lineweight adjustment has to happen after the 2d drawings are generated.

I downloaded VisualArq but did so just before taking vacation (unwisely) and therefore have not had much time to experiment. Could you expand a bit on your comments - especially concerning graphical conventions and lineweight adjustment. I don’t need VisualArq for architectural work (I’m in retail display) but anything that will expand my ability to generate sections and expand the graphical output of Rhino is important to me.

Thanks in advance.

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visual Arq is useful for auto-generating plans, sections, elevations, and schedules from the model and updating them automatically as the model evolves. but fine control over Layers, lineweights, and linetypes may require breaking the live link to the model.

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ha. i know that story (well, similar stories)

yeah, i like where i’m at in most regards because i’m doing something i’m really interested in… as in- a lot of times, my main ‘pay’ is the fact that i’m actually creating some of the stuff that i personally want to create… the money just comes across as a bonus to me…

but yeah, i’ll often work with architects who are handling the facility side of things (electric/parking lot/restrooms/etc) and i’m always left with "geez… how boring can you get? :smile: …but the flipside is that their little stamp&signature earns big bucks for them when they are relatively doing less work/designing/thinking than me…

that said, i like to fantasize if i did go the official architect route, i wouldn’t be sitting around placing windows and doors on cubes and instead would be designing some unique buildings/bridges etc… but i guess i’m getting too old to ever really find out that ‘what if’ :wink:

Yep thats pretty much it. The thing with Revit structure is that while it’s good from drawing production, I don’t like it as a 3D modeler though. So we are constantly looking for ways to get Rhino models into Revit.

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@BrianM what is your workflow when you go from 3d model to 2d documentation?

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@djnelson75 Thanks for sharing. Did you do those drawings with Rhino and Visual Arq or just Rhino?
What was your workflow from 3d to 2d documentation?

Hi Morten, here is a bit of a summary of one of the ways I get from model to doc…

My 3D to 2D workflow starts off with an organised layer structure, using empty header layers as folders, so visibility can easily be manipulated - I have the layer panel open permanently, toggling other panels when required.

Then I’ll set up world plane 3D datums, maybe a rectangle, and a corresponding rectangle somewhere on World Top plane (2D).

I gather up geometry from the model using a combination of tools like dupedge, make2d (to current CPlane), section, silhouette etc and project that geometry to the relevant 3D datum plane as I go and also manipulating the current layer or changing object’s layers as I go.

I prefer to build up the geometry manually rather than rely on Make2d completely as it gives me better control of the output and makes further work on the 2D geometry cleaner.

I use Orient3Pt to flick the geometry 3D to 2D onto the world top plane using the datum rectangles (and back again 2D to 3D, for adjustments). I work in a maximised perspective viewport just about all the time and have custom buttons to change elevations and Cplane - set up for Stbd/Port rather than Front/Back.

I also set up a selection of linetypes, dimscales and text sizes on their own layers, and use a variety in model space depending on the scale of that particular detail or elevation - I usually just use layouts for the drawing sheet and detail windows.

If it’s a complex model with lots of 2D, I usually set up a second file for the 2D and the layouts and duplicate the datum rectangles in this second file to copy/paste back and forth. In this scenario, I have all the 2D layers organised on the second file and use a few temp layers for the transit. The second 2D file can be emailed to others more easily without the model.

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Hi All,

I thought this topic might be a good place to introduce myself. I work for a survey company called APR Services and I specialise in using Laser Scan surveys to create 3D Models. I use Rhino almost exclusively to create accurate as built 3D models, 2D CAD drawings & 3D BIM Models of real world environments and objects using a combination of Rhino + Pointools Plug-in for Rhino (Discontinued) to import Laser Scanned Point Clouds + VisualARQ Plug-in. This combination allows us to export to a number of applications including AutoCAD, Revit (via VisualARQ’s *.IFC export), 3D Studio Max & Microstaion.

Typical applications for our deliverables include As-Built Surveys, Visualisation & Simulation, Projection Mapping, Engineering Design, Video Games, Rights of Light, City Modelling & Stage Design.

Here are a couple examples of my work - Rendered using 3D Studio Max.

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I am not too familiar with Rhino but from what I have read from these users it seems like it is something I should get familiar with. It seems like something I could use to enhance my playground design. Cool examples you guys have posted. I look forward to reading more about this.

awesome, thanks for sharing

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Wow! Very cool work, Greg P!

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OK.
Sounds like a lot of going back and forth from 2d to 3d to 2d.
But great to hear your process.

Cheers

Thanks

Wonderful work Greg!
Thanks for posting
Roland M

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Hi @GregP,

Looks great.
Do you use Rhino for 2d documentation or perhaps VisualARQ?
Or do you have to export to another app for that?

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Thank you Roland