Revit MaterialsLiving in a Material World

Elise MossAdjunct FacultyLaney College

How are Materials used in Revit?

For RenderingFor SchedulingTo control hatch patternsTo control appearance of objects

Revit manages Materials

Revit divides materials into TWO locations

Materials in the ProjectAutodesk Asset Library

You can also create one or more custom libraries for materials you want to use in more than one project

You can only edit materials in the project or in the custom library – Autodesk Materials are read-only

Materials have FIVE ASSET definition tabs

Materials have FIVE asset definitions – Identity, Graphics, Appearance, Physical and Thermal

Materials do not have to be fully defined to be used- YOU DON’T HAVE TO DEFINE ALL FIVE ASSETS

Each asset contributes to the definition of a single material

MATERIALIDENTITY GRAPHICS

APPEARANCE

PHYSICALTHERMAL

Assets are the

ingredients that make

up the Material

Assets act separately from materials

You can define Appearance, Physical, and Thermal Assets independently without assigning/associating it to a material

You can assign the same assets to different materials An asset can exist without being assigned to a material

BUT a material must have at least THREE assets (Identity, Graphics, Appearance)

Assets can be deleted from a material in a project or in a user library, but you can not remove or delete assets from materials in locked material libraries, such as the Autodesk Materials library, the AEC Materials library, or any locked user library.

You can delete assets from a user library – BUT be careful because that asset might be used somewhere!

You can duplicate an asset and re-define it

You can only duplicate, replace or delete an asset if it is in the project or in a user library

Reading the Material Editor

This material only has three assets assigned – Identity, Graphics and Appearance. You can add additional asset definitions by clicking the + button.

This Appearance definition is being used by eight materials.

A zero next to the hand means that only the active/selected material uses the appearance

Adding an Asset Definition

Clicking on the + shows a drop-down of the remaining assets you can add to a material

By default, any material has THREE assets defined:

• Identity• Graphics • Appearance

The Identity Tab

The most useful for me is filling out the keynote information

Product Information is useful for material take-off scheduling

Using comments and keywords can be helpful for searches

The value in the Description field can be used in Material tags.

Material Tags use the values from the Identity tab Description field

To Add a Class

Just start typing in the Class text field to add a custom class definition.

The custom class will appear in the drop-down list.

Keep in mind that any changes you make are only valid to the active project unless you copy the material to a custom library

Keynotes

It is helpful for students and users to become familiar with the way keynotes are assigned

Once the keynote is located, it is auto-filled in the dialog box.

The keynote value is automatically copied from the keynote database.

The user has to enter in the desired Mark/Callout.

The Graphics Tab

Graphics control how the material looks non-rendered, such as: The color that displays in a shaded view. The color and pattern that display on the surface of an element. The color and fill pattern that display when the element is cut (section view).

The Graphics Tab

Shading –Determines the color and appearance of a material when view mode is SHADED.

If you have Use Render Appearance Unchecked – then the material will show a color of the material when the display is set to Shaded

If Use Render Appearance is checked – then the material uses the Render Appearance Color when the display is set to Shaded

Comparing Checked to Unchecked

SHADED

REALISTIC

UNCHECKED CHECKED

Graphics tab – Surface/Cut Pattern

Surface Pattern will be displayed in all the following Display settings:Wireframe/Hidden/Shaded/Realistic/Consistent Colors

Cut Patterns appear in section views

Another Place for Fill Pattern

The Coarse Scale Fill Pattern is used in floor plans to designate different wall types, flooring, slabs, or materials – these should correspond to any legends used.

It is defined in the Type Properties for the object – not in the Materials.

Display setting must be set to coarse to see hatch/fill pattern

The Coarse Scale Fill pattern is used to designate materials in legends

The Appearance Tab

Appearance controls how material is displayed in a rendered view, Realistic view, or Ray Trace view.

Different Material Types can have different Appearance Parameters

The assigned class controls what parameters can be assigned to the material – if you create a custom class, it will use Generic parameters

Physical Tab

This information may be used for structural and thermal analysis of the model

You can only modify physical properties of materials in the project or in a user library

Thermal Tab

The Thermal tab is only available in Revit

This information is used for thermal analysis and energy consumption

Material Libraries organize materials by Category/Class

You can only add or remove categories from custom libraries

Material Structural Classes

Material structural classes are organized into the following types:

Basic Generic Metal Concrete Wood Liquid Gas Plastic

This family parameter controls the hidden view display of structural elements. If the Structural Material Class of an element is set to Concrete or Precast, then it will display as hidden. If it is set to Steel or Wood, it will be visible when another element is in front of it. If it is set to Unassigned, the element will not display if hidden by another element.

When assigning a material

Material already

in Project?

Assign the MaterialYES

NO

Material in Asset Browser?

Copy Material to

Project

Create a new material from a

similar material or use GENERIC

NOYES

Creating a new material

Material will be used in more than

one project?

YESADD MATERIAL TO CUSTOM LIBRARY

NO

CREATE NEW MATERIAL IN PROJECT

Identity Tab Check list when adding a new Material

Will Material Tags be used?If yes, then add desired description for

material tagWill keynotes be used?

If yes, then assign keynoteWill material be used for cost estimating?

Add cost and manufacturer informationAdd comments and keywords to help with

material searches

Graphics tab Checklist

• What color do you want to see in shaded views?• What hatch pattern do you want to use to identify the

element/object type?

Appearance Tab

Do you want to render the material using Color Image Metal

When do you use Color only?

For paintsFor ceramic surfacesFor plastics

Just Because it is a Color doesn’t mean Boring

By adding finish bumps, a relief pattern and tint, you can add interest to any color

Don’t be afraid to experiment – the more you play, the more you learn

When do you use an Image?

To convey a sense of 3D/depthFor plants, wallpaper, decals, murals,

wood, tile, etc.Revit supports image files of the following

types: BMP, JPG, JPEG, and PNG.

Use Maps to enhance Images

The Different Types of Maps

Reflectivity – controls what appears in reflective surfaces – like metals

Transparency – controls the transparency of a surface – like glass or water

Cutout – adds a see-through appearance – apply to chain link, screens, catwalks, or fences

Self-illumination – makes the object appear to glow – use on LED screens, billboards, or televisions

Bump- gives the appearance of bumpiness or “noise” – use on cobblestones, lawns, fabric, marble, or stone

To select/assign an image to a material

Right click on the image and select Edit Image, then browse for the desired image file

Added a Checkered Cutout to this fabric

Steps to create a new material

Locate a material similar to the one you want, if you can (otherwise, use Generic)

Duplicate the materialRenameModify the Identity, Graphics, and

Appearance TabsApply to the objectPreview using Realistic or RaytraceAdjust the definition as needed

Locate a similar material.Right click and select Duplicate

Rename

Fill out the Identity Data

Assign Colors and Hatch Patterns

Edit Image and then select a new image

Click on the link and browse for a new image to be used

Edit the Information and preview the image

Select a new Bump image or adjust the other map images as needed

See how the new material looks in the model

Be Familiar with the different panels in the Material Browser

Project Materials

Material Libraries

Asset Manager

Toggles the display of libraries

Controls what you see in the dialog

Opens/Closes the Material Editor/Asset Browser

Material Libraries

You can create your own custom library of materials to be shared across projects or use someone else’s custom library

Questions?

Elise Mosssmoss@peralta.edu