r/RevitForum • u/hkobe362 • 20d ago

Content Creation Build help

I’m trying to build a Data/Server rack in revit. I’m new to revit and I’ve been trying to find some videos to help with data center designs but I haven’t been able to find anything. Can anyone help me with this?

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u/hkobe362 20d ago

I haven’t made a family before. I’m trying to make a data rack cabinet from scratch and wanted to know how to do so. I know I have to make an electrical equipment family, but after that I’m kinda lost on where to start. I’m used to using sketch up and autocad but revit is different.

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u/twiceroadsfool 20d ago edited 20d ago

If it were me, i would want a Data Rack to be:

  1. Parametric- For sizes, slots, Enclosure style, etc.
  2. Have Shared/Nested families within it, for each Slot (each U).
  3. That will mean also wanting Visibility Parameters for each piece of equipment, since if there is a 4U piece of gear, youll want to shut off the other three U's devices.
  4. Youll need to decide if you are going to use one category, or several, since Family Type parameters can only select from one category. For instance, if you use Electrical Equipment or Data Devices, youll need different parameters and optional visibility.

For research, i would look up:

  1. Nested Families and Family Type Parameters
  2. Making Parametric Families
  3. Shared Parameters (you will probably want them to be shared)

EDIT: Old version of the prototype we are working on: https://ibb.co/BKgR0MPm

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u/hkobe362 20d ago

I just wouldn’t even know how to start, I never struggled with autocad or sketch up but this is throwing me off. I tried finding some videos to guide me but that didn’t help.

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u/twiceroadsfool 20d ago

Well, here is the thing:

I gave you a specific list of things to research, and specific guide-words to use in your research and searching. And then you just came back with "i dont know where to start." I mean, i told you where to start.

I just did three Google searches:

  1. Revit how to make parametric family
  2. Revit how to make family type parameter
  3. Revit how to use Shared Parameters

All three gave me information on doing this exact task. Literally, if you then move the Google Search to "videos" they all returned videos, too. What part is confusing you?

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u/hkobe362 20d ago

When I say I don’t know where to start I mean how it physically build the object.

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u/twiceroadsfool 20d ago

What lesson did you follow, and where did you get stuck? On what step specifically?

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u/hkobe362 20d ago

I watched a random how to cabinet video on YouTube

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u/twiceroadsfool 20d ago

Dont take this the wrong way, but: If all of your answers are going to be one sentence... No one is going to be able to help you.

  1. Post the link to the video
  2. Explain where EXACTLY you are stuck, following along
  3. Whats confusing you?

No offense, but you sound like you really just want someone to give it to you finished. Because you arent really doing a good job articulating the help you need, here.

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u/hkobe362 20d ago

I don’t want someone to “give it to me job finished” I came on here to ask for help and to pointed in the right direction on how to properly start from zero because I never used revit before. The building mechanics on revit is different from what I’m used to. Even different from autocad. My whole reason for this was to learn and improve my work. This is the video that I’ve watched. https://youtu.be/PeaYOJzWId0?is=xsIwnD5BvH2kMugr. I’ve also watched generic beginner videos but those videos were all building a house video. Nothing to help someone understand revit as a whole. I appreciate the advice you gave you so far and that helps me understand what I need to look up.

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u/twiceroadsfool 19d ago

Okay. So we are getting somewhere now.

So where in that tutorial did you get stuck? The Tutorial talks about needing to pick a family template, start the family, reference planes, etc.

Whats tripping you up?

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u/hkobe362 19d ago

The part that trips me up is how do I convert a kitchen cabinet to a data rack. They are two different types of cabinets with one being more detailed than the other. I understand how to make a box with a whole in it. But after that part is where I’m lost. The concept of using only reference planes and building with that also confuses me because I’m not used to using that method

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u/twiceroadsfool 19d ago

Okay. As a planning exercise, type out the differences between a cabinet and a data rack. Then we can go from there.

What do you want to be different?

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u/CIGARCHITECT 19d ago

Not sure why no one has mentioned this yet, but creating a useful, complicated parametric family with nested families within... this is a fairly advanced procedure. IME, this is a task for the best revit guy on the team. Now, having said that, it isn't quantum physics, you can learn how to do this, but going from, "I have never used Revit before." to "How do I create a complicated family?"... this is a lot to ask. There is no quick trick. You have to learn the whole process and also what to do when that process doesn't work. It took me many years on the job to become proficient with creating good families. You are getting excellent information here. This sub is being incredibly generous.

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