Victaulic, a manufacturer of mechanical pipe joining systems released a new update for Victaulic Tools for Revit® (VTFR), which greatly improves BIM workflows through the use of its newly enhanced fabrication and routing tools. The updates were inspired by the construction industry’s growing need for software content that streamlines the transition from design to fabrication to meet tighter project timelines.
Fast, efficient, and precise
“BIM workflows are constantly evolving, and we’ve been in lockstep with the industry to create innovative Revit® add-in software that allows users to be fast, efficient, and precise from design to construction,” said Ralph Schoch, Victaulic’s Revit, Technology, and Internal Support Manager.
“Last year, we brought fabrication spool management into Revit® for the first time. Our latest iteration builds on that functionality and is a testament to our never-ending commitment to continuously enhance content for the benefit of our users in more than 65 countries.”
Revit® features
The features are very intuitive, and my team was able to pick it up immediately without any additional training
“Since switching to Victaulic Tools for Revit®, we have decreased the amount of time it takes us to create one spool page from 15 minutes to five minutes, increasing our productivity by fourfold,” said Shannon Williams, PMLBC’s BIM Manager and a Victaulic Tools for Revit® user.
“The features are very intuitive, and my team was able to pick it up immediately without any additional training.”
Advanced fabrication solutions
VTFR is now compatible with additional software and programs, including GTP Stratus, 3DPP, and PypeServer, which enables digital communication of pipe cuts, effectively reducing manual input during the transition from design to fabrication. A sample of the suite of new fabrication tools include:
- Package Manager: Allows for automated skid creation, modular design, and fabrication maps within Revit® by building upon familiar design workflow approaches.
- Sequence Manager: Assists project managers in assigning multiple milestones to project sequences such as drawing completion, material to fab shop, pipe to fab shop, and export schedules to calendars, or in Gantt chart format.
- Auto Assembly: Automatic spooling function identifies and defines fabrication spools with a single click. This tool helps navigate and resolve Assembly and Views settings to quickly allow for spooling and the easy output of sheets, views, templates, and BOMs with the click of a button.
Routing and design enhancements
VTFR introduces new routing tools aimed at increasing productivity by allowing customers to, among other things, create customized templates and improve pipe routing across trades.
A sample of the latest routing and design tools include:
- Systemizer: Automates piping selections by allowing the user to force and save piping systems, creating templates for future projects, while applying optimal parameter values based on Piping Systems within Revit®.
- Pipe Rack Tool: Selection-based tool aligns horizontal Pipe, Duct, Conduit, and Fabrication Pipe by the bottom elevation. Taking into consideration any Insulation specified, this tool can expedite the aligning of multiple trades that all share the same supports.
- Component Bank: Captures an entire selection within a model, allowing the user to save and recall a selection from project to project.
- Tap Creator: Database-driven tool to create tap connections off a pipe. Historically, the task of tap placement has involved section and elevation views, as well as multiple Pipe Types for correct family placements. The tap creator can create complicated tap configurations in seconds based on user-defined presets.
- Project Maintenance: This multi-faceted tool transfers system families and loadable families into the user’s project with the click of a button. Users can now select parameters to update specific values to allow for formulas in schedules, while also having access to a quick way to install specific Victaulic Pipe Types without the fear of duplicated families from a copy/paste approach.
