Is It Possible to Import Revit Into Sketchup?
By Erin McManaway
3-D graphics software, such as Revit and Google SketchUp, allow you to design models of buildings and objects using your computer. These models can be rendered as 3-D art and used in a variety of website and document design, or used as a model in 3-D projects. Revit can export models in a specific file format that you can then import and edit using the Google SketchUp program.
About Revit
Autodesk Revit Architecture is a 3-D graphics program used to model and design buildings and building components. The program also supports 2-D drafting tools, which allows you to create blueprints that later transform into a 3-D model. You can design buildings down to very small details including windows and door designs, furniture placement and even the type and look of materials used within the building. After you have designed your building, Revit allows you to render it and explore the structure in a full 3-D environment.
About Google SketchUp
Google SketchUp is a 3-D modeling program that allows you to build and edit 3-D objects of any kind, including buildings. It features the ability to export 3-D projects to an online catalog where other users can download and use objects in their own SketchUp projects. The basic version of the program is free to download and use. However, you must pay for the Pro version, which provides more features and support for different file types.
Exporting from Revit
You can import a Revit 3-D model into Google SketchUp if you export it in the ".DXF" file format. Click the “R” icon on your toolbar and select the “Export” option. Click “CAD Formats” and select “DXF” from the list of export types. SketchUp will automatically discard additional information that does not pertain to the 3-D model when you import it, so you do not need to edit the default export settings. Click “Export” and select a location to save the ".DXF" file on your computer.
Importing to SketchUp
If you use SketchUp version 7.1, you can download the DWG/DXF import plugin for free. If you use a newer version of SketchUp, you will need to purchase a copy of Google SketchUp Pro, which natively supports the ".DXF" file imports. Click the “File” menu and select “Import” to browse your computer for the ".DXF" file you exported from Revit. After the model has imported, click the “Window” menu, select “Layers” and choose the “Purge” command to remove all unused layers. The 3-D Revit model is now ready for you to edit in SketchUp.
References
Writer Bio
Erin McManaway holds a B.A. in professional writing from Francis Marion University, where she earned the Richard B. Larsen Memorial Award for Business and Technical Writing. She has worked in materials development, media and information technology in the nonprofit sector since 2006. McManaway has also been a writer and editor since 2008.