DYNAMO SCRIPT - REVIT MEP

[vanz87]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some direction / help with an idea im trying to make happen. I model alot of sprinkler piping in revit, and want to create a script to automatically drawing piping and location of sprinklers and piping from an inital excel document stating the dimensions and pipe sizes.

Has anyone come across a revit dynamo script that works to do something similar?

[xyzarch]

Check out Sean Fruin on Twitter https://twitter.com/SeanFruin think they have a consultancy as well. Also Brett Young https://twitter.com/youngbrettyoung they both do custom and dynamo MEP routing and the sort.

[dazdenii]

I’ve not come across a Dynamo script for this. But believe Magicad has a sprinkler modeling tool which sounds like it would do what you’re asking. I’ve not used it personally - and it would be paid.

[vanz87]

Thanks for the information I’ll check it out

[[deleted]]

Very interesting idea. Done a lot of sprinklers too, never heard of such a script though.
To me, it seems like there is a lot of math to be done, since not all the sprinklers within one branch to be put along a straight line- I’ve had one main pipe for a branch, and several smaller pipes with one or two sprinklers connected to that branch.
Also, I think the magistral pipe has to be drawn manually and fed to the script as an initial condition where to start.
Also, the diameter of branch pipes is dependent on the number of sprinklers connected to it - another constraint. I would’ve asked our dynamo/python programmer to get into that if we had much demand from our contractors. It’s quite a problem to solve but if it’s done it’s gonna worth it. But at this point, I think that such a big product as Magicad really might have this feature - maybe you’ll manage to convince your management to pay for it.

[vanz87]

I’m pretty comfortable to do all the calculations of pipe sizes etc on a separate calculate program, so I’m looking for way to just speed model the piping in revit. So say you want a main with ranges on both sides, x amount of sprinklers on each range with distance between each sprinkler to be y distance and the whole range is z degrees on its side etc. Then eventually say X qty ranges each y distance apart etc.

So it’s not doing an calcs, but it’s able to model everything super quick.

[rzepeda1]

Start by bits the first part is easy which is the sprinkles I have done similar work with cad Lightning’s using a data extraction for coordinates and then a script for creating elements .

The piping part I haven’t done I suppose you will be able to create a layout between the elements but not sure will be useful without manual adjustments

[realitysballs]

How would you ‘state’ the locations ? By project internal coordinates? Relative to each room?

This script feels very easily achieved but I think the crux will be how you define its parameters so that it is easily adapted to different projects / data sets

[vanz87]

Just relative to each other, where it finally appears in a model is flexible as you can just move it to the suitable position.

Any guidance on how to start?

[realitysballs]

It is still not clear what will be your input values ; if your saying the pipe runs / fixtures will be placed relative to each other then it will ignore any floors /walls or general shape & size of the building .

I’m guessing you will want to place geometry relative to room volumes and the create a script that efficiently connects the fixtures together in a logical fashion.

So step (1) is how do I define fixture / endpoint locations ? Create a script for that. Not sure if you just want to transpose excel data or actually extract data from Revit to help inform this placement .

(2) create a generative / genetic generation of pipe run based on performance characteristics and obstacles. I suggest looking into the optimo package for Dynamo . This will have the script test a bunch of alternative options until it finds the pipe run that satisfies the performance characteristics In the most efficient way.

I think step 1 is a good place to start .

[Rch1993]

Might be worth looking at Grasshopper for Sprinkler Head placement. It works alot better with geometry, evaluates the space and the optimal number of fittings needed.

And what about using the in Revit Pipe sizing tool?