Rhino to Lumion + Revit origin/geolocation query

Rhino Rhino for Windows
1

Hi all,

This isn’t strictly a Rhino question, more about the whole 3D workflow -

I work largely in Rhino+ Lumion for a landscape architects and we are having a discussion at the moment on the best 3D workflow for the whole office – projects are now often needed to filter into larger Revit models which is causing us a few headaches… especially those using Lumion, the issue is around modelling on the geolocation or the origin location.

Currently I receive a .dwg/Revit file which is set at the geolocation, I then move it to 0,0,0 to model to avoid any snapping/mesh distortions caused by modelling away from the origin – I presume that is still the preferred way to model in any 3D program? Once the model is ready I can export to Lumion and as the model is at 0,0,0 I should not experience any issues.

The problem is to fulfil all the needs of Revit the model needs to often be moved back to it’s geolocation and then exported out. In a small team that’s an easy process, when the team is larger and people dip in and out they may not know to move the Rhino model in order to get it into the correct position for Revit – some of my colleagues have suggested that we should just model on the geolocation, I have strongly disagreed with that for reasons already given.

So I’m looking for possible solutions you may have in your workflows.

There are two possible solutions I’m looking at –

  1. https://wiki.mcneel.com/rhino/farfromorigin - there is a workflow here where you make a copy of the original file and move it to the origin, then link and embed it back over the original – then whenever you work on the copy and save the original will save as well at the geolocation.
  2. Revit isn’t my thing but I understand there is a ‘survey point’ and a ‘project basepoint’, in some of the models I notice the Revit model is coming in close to the origin and others it’s very far away, is it general practice to create a Revit file where the ‘project basepoint’ is close to 0,0,0? – it would solve a lot of issues if that was the case.

Many thanks,

Martin

2

Hi Martin - just a thought, and I have no idea if it will work or do anything at all but I’m wondering if setting the model base point in Rhino at the relative geolocation (in the opposite direction) would move stuff on export to dwg. (ModelBasepoint command)

-Pascal

3

Thanks Pascal, worth a try - changing the model base point doesn’t seem to change the location that a dwg imports in, it just imports at the true 0,0,0 - though when I insert a .dwg into Rhino and then select to manually set the insertion point I can then choose the opposite direction model base point which then puts the CAD file in the correct place - I’ll have to further test it, it’s more or less the same amount of clicks of the mouse doing it my normal way

4

Hi Martin - Yeah… works on 3dm files, but I guess not on export. @martc442 - you can also try ExportWithOrigin, that does displace the geometry in dwg.

-Pascal

5

Hi Pascal, thank you for your help. Rather than make a new thread can I ask another related query.

Is it still important to model in Rhino close to the origin (0,0,0)? - I remember having issues some years ago in Rhino 5 and ever since I’ve modelled close to origin, I only ever move the model if it needs to be placed on the CAD/Revit position.

I understand it’s to do with single/double precision, AutoCAD is double precision which allows you to draw far away from the origin - 3ds Max is as far as I know single precision so important to model near the origin.
Am I correct in thinking that Rhino is double precision, does that mean it shouldn’t have display/snapping issues?
Thanks again,
Martin

6

Is there anyone that might be able to answer the above query?

Thank you,

Martin

7

Hi Martin - Rhino is double-precision, but there are problems even with that if the numbers get very large - tens or hundreds of millions.

-Pascal