We need your input! How can we expand the Mechanical RFA library?

37 votes

We are looking to greatly expand our Mechanical RFA content offerings and we want your input to ensure we prioritize accordingly.

We believe a base library of configurable, generic mechanical equipment, accessories and devices would provide extensive value, from packaged rooftop equipment to air terminal devices and everything in between. These families could include parametric sizing of key geometry, configurable duct and pipe connections, customizable clearance areas, optional accessories (hoods, roof curbs, etc.) and embedded metadata. We want to provide generic, configurable content with just the right amount of geometry and information, effectively putting the days of searching for that exact RFA file from a manufacturer behind us all.

Is this the right direction? What equipment do you want to see first? What functionality should be included?

Please Upvote this suggestion and provide your feedback in the comments. Thank you!

Planned (Added to Roadmap) Content Suggested by: Lucas Espinosa (28 Jun, '23) • Upvoted: 27 Mar • Comments: 20

Comments: 20

28 Jun, '23
Mike Goodale
My one suggestion is that I would prefer this be an "opt-in" type feature where we can choose whether we download these or not. Having excess stuff that we don't need or want is always a pain. The eM Shared Parameters make a huge mess in our projects as it is and I would love to be able to opt out of those being in there.
1
29 Jun, '23
Tony
Great idea!
Suggestions:
Wall hung boiler
Boiler accessories such as air separator, keep fill assembly, expansion tank, pump isolation flanges, pressure gauge, boiler drain, coin/screwdriver air vent, motorized control valve
Water/steam unit heater with side outlets
1
12 Jul, '23
Tye Austin
J.R. Smith and Zurn Drains, Floor Sinks, Roof Drains, Roof Receptors ect that all carry trimble points and are model accurate.

RPV, PRVs. Recirc Pumps that are model accurate.

Expansion Tanks and Air Seperators that are either model accurate or have the option of adjusting and resizing the POCs

Post Bases that you can drop to the TOC and adjust the top of the vertical strut.

Cal Sils that will cut in to ITM pipe and report Pipe Material/Pipe size/Insulation Thickness
1
12 Jul, '23
Beau Bebout
Expand the hanger library with more pipe hangers and multitiered allowing a clevis to hang off a strut etc. with more options for beam clamps similar to the Anvil families.
2
12 Jul, '23
Chris Hansen
We could use remote cable operated dampers that will report the cable length and have a symbol where the control point would be.
1
13 Jul, '23
Dillon stebbins
I would like if you guys could add 5/8", 3/4". 7/8", 1" to all hanger rods, all thread, and hardware. We make alot of pipe ricks that need larger then 1/2" Rod and hardware.
1
13 Jul, '23
David Kortekaas
I've been thinking about building similar items for our team and clients, so I love this idea coming from Evolve. It will be a great value add. The key will be the workability of the instance and family parameters. Must be able to adjust the overall size of equipment, connection sizes, and connection locations. Clearance zone options as well with the ability to turn certain clearance zones on and off as well as adjust their size out from the equipment and vertically so clearance zones and drop to the floor if needed. I would be glad to help in this development if needed in any way. The first items I would love to see would be air boxes, FCUs, VAVS, etc; pumps (inline and base mount); and rooftop mech equipment.
1
13 Jul, '23
Dillon stebbins
Add Pressure gauges and Adjustable Thermometers. 1/4" up to 1"
1
13 Jul, '23
Brady
Nested and hosted families come with a whole heap of issues for the end user.

Model categories need to easily configurable.

Families are good but a quick and easy way to edit family parameters and manage categories would be even better.

Most families we make or download are specialty valves.

If there is a way to request families and build an evolve library over time that would be a great value add.
2
13 Jul, '23
Michael Johnson
I would like to see a well built clearance area that would have eVolve shared parameters that could be nested into manufacturers equipment. I imagine a clearance that uses the same rules as the hanger clash detection, therefore changing color or alerting the user of other Revit geometry passing into or through it. If there could be multiple versions of this clearance like one that goes down to the level, down to a ceiling, and perhaps use the means of how the eVolve areas work where we can make a custom generic model and apply the parameter and it would inherit the clash ability.
1
14 Jul, '23
Keon Ferguson
In my opinion, a good idea, however, "generic" equipment is not always good unless the parameters are easily to be adjusted per the submittal spec.
If the parameters are not easy friendly, then I just stay away from generic equipment and constantly look for spec equipment.

I like to see more process piping valves from manufacturers like Tuchenhagen, GEMU, etc.
25 Aug, '23
JD
it would be awesome if we could easily adjust elevation without using reference planes
01 Oct, '23
Istvan Ramirez
The majority of the RFA content seems to be geared towards electrical contractors, more RFAs that can be used with Fabrication Products for Mechanical/Plumbing would be great!

Hangers:
Hardware (All thread, flat washers, nuts, etc.) with sizes up to 1 1/2"
Strut Clamps & Cush Clamps for CU Pipe
Riser Clamps (Vertical Pipe Supp)
Simpler Strut usage when it comes to placing vertical and horizontal strut, currently strut does not allow to rotate in a vertical position without editing the family itself.
Trapeze hangers that stay attached to pipe when moving during coordination would be awesome!

Generic Plumbing Fixtures/Mechanical Equipment:
Drains (Floor Sinks, Trench Drains, Floor Drains, etc.), Domestic Water Tanks, Water Heaters, AHUs, FCUs, Expansion Tanks, etc... with generic editable parameters like (Square/Rectangular) Length x Width x Height (Round) Diameter x Height and optional clearances.
Nested Points would also be great for families like drains, equipment pad corners, etc.
3
27 Oct, '23
D. Mackey
An air device catalog that includes lay-in, surface mount, wall mount, duct mount, rectangle neck, round neck, slot and linear slot with plenums, factory obd's, etc. would be benefitial. Set up to report face size, neck size, model, tag, room, ceiling type (or mounting type), service, cfm, accessories (obd, plaster frame, etc.). Would like to see supply, return, and exhaust symbols integrated.
Would also like to see some versatility in the hangers. My organization utilizes angle bearers for pipe and duct, as opposed to strut. The hanger tool is useless to companies that don't use strut exclusively.
1
31 Oct, '23
Donovan
Gripple has an entire modeled BIM .rfa library so maybe reaching out to them and see if you can incorporate it into the hanger tab. We use it in a lot of seismic requirement areas and they have full on kits they engineer, stamp and sell. Those are also modeled.

Have the hanger end type adjust per the contact surface automatically. If a rod hits concrete, wood, etc - Have a hanger seek and destroy for steel beams as beam clamp is our most productive per hour style and we'd like to prefer that location up to 2'-0" tolerance of the normal Hanger Spacing Settings.
1
21 Dec, '23
John Armstrong
I would like to see an element for building structural steel T post or H post for supporting large, welded pipe applications. I currently build these supports from structural elements but it's an awkward process. I create a Group after the support is created. Not ideal as it is not configurable to different heights and widths without ungrouping, revising and regrouping.
If I could configure the vertical and horizontal members using one or all of the following: I-beam, Tube Steel, Angle iron or pipe. Then configure a baseplate in different thicknesses and dimensions etc. and have the entire package be one adjustable element that would be a dream come true!
11 Jan
Max Childs
I would like to see fire smoke/ fire damper with the option to add a clearance zone on either side of damper and at the bottom.
31 Jan
Nathan Kercheval
I would like to see Filter Boxes and the option to add a Filter Rack to any Straight, Elbow, or maybe even a Tap like how damper accessories are now. Also, the inline dampers and opposed dampers should be more like the round and square damper accessories as these are usually installed inside the duct with a damper tray and not with their own connectors as part of the damper body. Currently, these cut a piece of duct in two separate ducts which would not happen in production.
31 Jan
Larry Williams
Adding Insulated Pipe Shields for Mechanical Piping. With the capabilities of changing sizing for insulation thickness and having them show up in a schedule for a BOM of hangers and pipe shields.
27 Mar
Yvon Dufresne
Add hangers for round ducts