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Achieving Accurate Plumbing Design With Charlotte Pipe’s Free Revit Files
For both simple and complex plumbing projects, it’s vital for plumbing engineers to have the support they need to ensure accurate plumbing system designs.
In fact, input from plumbing engineers is what led Charlotte Pipe and Foundry to make the switch in 2012 from AutoCAD product models to Revit or BIM modeling software.
Created by Autodesk, Revit is a building information modeling software used by industry professionals, including plumbing engineers, to design, document, and visualize building plans. Since architects coordinate all the engineering disciplines, Charlotte Pipe provides Revit-compatible product models, ensuring required resources exist under the same umbrella.
“Charlotte Pipe is the only manufacturer that offers cast iron and PVC for sanitary DWV, as well as PVC and CPVC for pressurized systems,” said Paul Tully, field technical representative at Charlotte Pipe. “As a result, plumbing engineers can use Revit to download entire families of different piping materials from a single source.”
Working in tandem with Charlotte Pipe’s collection of dimensional catalogs and other technical resources, Revit simplifies a plumbing engineer’s ability to generate precise, flawless designs.
Since Charlotte Pipe is the only manufacturer that offers cast iron and PVC, plumbing engineers can download entire families of different piping materials from a single source.
The Role of Revit in Plumbing System Designs
The Autodesk Revit software uses Charlotte Pipe’s full range of product dimensions and builds them into models to be applied in plumbing system designs. Consequently, the Revit models help make complex systems (e.g., systems specified in tight spaces) more accurate.
Benefits of using Revit for plumbing system design include:
3D modeling capabilities for accurate representation of plumbing components
Ability to create custom Revit families for specific plumbing fixtures and equipment
Clash detection and resolution specific to plumbing components and other building systems
Coordination with other mechanical and electrical systems
Detailed documentation for comprehensive plumbing system understanding
Enhanced visualization of plumbing systems for better communication with clients and team members, such as plumbing designers, engineers, and contractors
Increased productivity and efficiency in the plumbing design process
Integration with other Autodesk software for a seamless plumbing design workflow
In 2023, over 14,000 Revit-compatible downloads originated from Charlotte Pipe’s website, further demonstrating how plumbing engineers rely on the company as a resource for their projects.
Charlotte Pipe’s Revit Files for Plumbing System Designs: 6 Benefits
In addition to being free to access on the Charlotte Pipe website (no profile required), Charlotte Pipe’s Revit files improve the entire design process by providing six important benefits.
Access to a wide range of Charlotte Pipe’s current plumbing products in Revit format — including pipe, fittings, valves, and fixtures — helps ensure product info is up to date.
Precise product dimensions and specifications eliminate the need for manual data entry and reduce the risk of errors in plumbing system designs.
Reducing errors and inconsistencies allows engineers to maintain consistency in product specifications throughout the project and minimizes the risk of discrepancies in the holistic design.
Tailored models aligned with manufacturing processes and standards ensure that plumbing systems are compatible with Charlotte Pipe’s products and fabrication methods.
With Charlotte Pipe’s Revit files, users can quickly search and select the appropriate plumbing products for their projects, increasing time savings in product selection and specification.
Seamless integration and connectivity with Autodesk Revit software help streamline the design process from start to finish.
When it comes to customizing product models to meet his needs, Alex Betz, an engineer at R.E. Dimond & Associates, said that Charlotte Pipe’s Revit files help him “know what fittings can be utilized during the plumbing design process to make a system work better.”
How to Access and Use Charlotte Pipe’s Revit Resources
Charlotte Pipe’s Revit files can be found through the company’s Concora site, which offers product files that are free to access and download. For a step-by-step guide on locating and downloading the right Revit files and product families for your project, browse through the embedded Lookup Table Files.
To organize and manage the Revit models, there are two download options available on Charlotte Pipe’s site. Plumbing engineers can:
Download models by product line (in an entire group)
Search for the exact pipe and fitting models to download individually
Once the Revit files are downloaded, plumbing engineers can load them into their project and place them where they are needed.
If you have questions about identifying the right Revit models for your next project, contact the Charlotte Pipe Technical Support team.
