Interdisciplinary file linking system in Revit

Need for linking a file in the current Revit project is often felt by BIM modelers for various purposes while working on it. 3D Revit modeling is a complex process in itself and hence it requires its modelers to collect information from various sources so that effective models can be generated. When it comes to interdisciplinary file linking it means linking the files of various Revit discipline together such as linking a Revit architectural file to Revit structural model or linking a Revit structural file to Revit MEP model.

Now the first question that might come to the minds of readers is, ‘why is interdisciplinary file linking is even required?’ Well, file linking is required at various stages of a project such as during design development and at the time of interference checking in Revit.

File linking during design development

• During design development whenever a 3D model is created in Revit’s environment, it becomes crucial for design development team to collaborate with each other so that effective building models can be developed by technicians.

• When we say the collaboration of design development team it means collaboration on design.

• Design collaboration is nothing but sharing of crucial design data among each other.

• For example, while the development of MEP and structural model in Revit, both MEP and structural engineers need to be clear about each other’s designs so that they don’t take any wrong design decisions while developing their own models.

• So to get clarity about design developments and to reduce confusions all the engineers involved in the development of multidiscipline building models have link one another’s files to each other’s models.

• When it comes to Revit files are linked with the assistance of File linking tools.

File linking during interference checking

• File linking is also required by multidiscipline engineers while interference checking is administered in Revit.

• Interference can only be checked by Revit users once they link a file in a hosted model.

• For example, to conduct interference checking between model elements of plumbing model and electrical model, either plumbing engineer is required to link the files of the electrical model to his plumbing model or else electrical engineers will link the files of plumbing model to his electrical model.

So file linking is very important when it comes to working on Revit projects.