Today, construction planning is increasingly carried out using the BIM method. Public clients and the organizers of large-scale projects often require their suppliers to have the technical capability to participate in BIM processes. If a precast concrete plant has not met these requirements, it will be excluded from bidding opportunities.

Autodesk's Revit software has established itself worldwide as the undisputed market leader in building design and project execution using the BIM method. Anyone considering BIM cannot ignore Revit. For this reason, IDAT offers RevitPrecastLink, a simple and reliable solution for BIM-integrated precast concrete design using Revit building models.

RevitPrecastLink is a customizable interface between Revit and IDAT CCAD, the comprehensive solution for designing precast concrete elements. RevitPrecastLink is an add-on for Revit that transfers data in both directions.

The workflow with revitPrecastLink includes the following steps:

1. Configuring the various Revit families in the building model and assigning a precast concrete type, including details (e.g., shell thicknesses for multi-layer elements, etc.) for CCAD
2. Assigning Revit component types (e.g., electrical outlets) to the existing components at the precast concrete plant (material inventory)
3. Automatic transfer from the Revit building model (or parts of it) to IDAT CCAD
4. Precast concrete design in CCAD, including the creation of all elements with connection details and reinforcement, the preparation of production and installation plans, the generation of machine data, and material quantification
5. Transfer all additionally generated objects (elements, including additional components such as lifting anchors, glass fiber connectors for insulated elements, etc.) back to Revit

Bidirectional change management ensures that both models always have the same release. Changes made to the Revit model are automatically applied in CCAD down to the drawing level. Modified elements are marked for later review.

Together, RevitPrecastLink and CCAD offer by far the simplest and most reliable method for precast concrete design directly within Revit. Other options, such as IFC or Open-BIM technologies, involve significantly more effort and come with compromises in terms of reliability (keyword: change management).