How would a Dassault Systémes Solidworks MEP manufacturing client using go about creating an MEP Revit model to share with Architects (besides contracting Micrographics)? Here is the overview on how to cross over from Solidworks to Revit

Firstly consider that:

1. The model should conform to the relevant BIM standard of the region.
2. The model should be geometrically simple enough as to occupy the least amount of memory while still representing the product with acceptable fidelity.
3. The model should have the relevant connections so that an engineer may add it to their systems.

With regard to the points above:

1. South Africa is about to finalize its BIM standard whereupon the international community will rectify it. Once that is done, there will be standards for content to conform to. If you are an interested party regard the following webpage: http://www.biminstitute.org.za/.
2. If there are internal machinations to the design they should be stripped out as they can greatly determine the size of the file. If a workflow is chosen to involve Inventor, there is a Shrink-wrap command that might be used to great effect.

1. Connections for Revit may be added in Autodesk Revit (not Revit LT) and Autodesk Inventor. Unfortunately Inventor is not part of the new AEC Industry Collection http://www.autodesk.com/collections.Unless it is decided to adopt Inventor in the manufacturing space, this is not cost-effective solution.

The following formats are particularly useful for creating Revit families:

1. ADSK (Building Component). This format also brings across Autodesk materials from Inventor to Revit.
2. ACIS (SAT)
3. DWG

The ACIS and DWG formats can be generated using Solidworks, but I will be focussing on the Inventor-Revit Workflows in my next blog.