Model Merging
Model A + Model B = Model C...or maybe... Model A.1 + Model A.2 = Model A.3
Model Merging with Konstru
What is Model Merging?
Model merging with Konstru refers to the process of taking two or more un-linked BIM models, and via a comparison process, transfer chosen data between them.
The power of merging models with Konstru comes from the ability to gain the immense time saving benefits of round trip data translation, without any of the need to closely coordinate all the models that might be part of a project's delivery. This 'detailed mash-up' approach gives Konstru users great flexibility in planning and implementing the time savings possible via linked BIM models.
Model merging can be applied to models from the same authoring software, or to models created in different platforms. Both of these types of merge have benefits, depending on your particular workflow, and can even be combined if needs dictate.
Merge User Example: SAP + SAP....to Revit
Senior Engineer Maggie has been working on a multitude of SAP analysis models for her current pavilion project. She has broken up the larger project model into parts to help her understand how each will interact. She now needs to share her work with the project Architect in Revit, who is asking for the full model. Maggie can upload each SAP model to Konstru, then merge each into a single Konstru model which she can download to Revit.
Merge User Example: RAM + ETABS data to Revit
BIM Modeler Grace has built a highly detailed Revit model to produce the drawing set on her tower project. Liz the Engineer, who is working on the gravity system, has a ETABS model of the tower which includes all the analyzed profiles and force values that Grace needs to show in her drawings. With Konstru, Grace can upload her Revit model, Liz can upload her ETABS model, and via a merge comparison of the models, all the pertinent data to display in Revit can be automatically merged from Liz's ETABS model.
Model Comparison: Geometry or ID?
The comparison of the models is achieved via one of two routes. Where the models being merged may have been translated previously, Konstru will search for database ID matches. More likely however is that the models have never 'spoken' to one another, and in these instances a geometric comparison is made between the models to be merged, allowing for object's modeled in the same general location (via a user defined tolerance) to be considered 'matched' by Konstru.
Line based elements need to match by start and end point.
Arc based elements are compared via all three points.
Spline based elements are compared by all control points.
Model Merging via Geometry assumes the models being compared use the same global origin point. If this is not the case (as it can be for many projects) never fret! Konstru Model Merging includes the ability to translate models via a user defined vector to position the models in the same spot for merging. You can learn more about model origins for Konstru below:
Merge Settings
Tolerance
Used to define the range by which Konstru will search for matching object in a model being compared. Tolerance units will be defined by the Konstru model units.
Identify By
Comparison by ID utilizes any stored identifier to match objects between Konstru models. Comparison by Geometry will assume no ID's are available, and simply looks for any object that exist
Comparison Options - Ignore Type for Framing Elements
Often the models being compared will include objects whose structural type (Column / Brace / Beam) in the different models is not aligned. When comparing models to merge, your goal should be to allow for the largest set of 'matched' objects, and in some instances matches may be missed if you specify Type specific merging.
User Example: A sloped column modeled in Revit will be uploaded to Konstru as a Column object. The same geometry, as modeled in SAP will be uploaded to Konstru as a Brace object (why this is the case is addressed in section linked to below). When comparing these two models, the user would want to ignore Framing Types to allow the SAP Brace to be matched with the Revit Sloped Column.
Merge these differences
One of the most powerful of the merge options, 'Merge these Differences' allows users to specify exactly which attributes they wish to merge between the models in question. This fine grained approach allows the user to better manage the significant changes that Konstru is able to apply to your model, with a mind to maintaining many of the necessary differences between the models.
Geometry :
Yes? By allowing geometry to be updated during a merge, you bring the models into exact geometric alignment, where the position of the matched object will be updated so each is coincident.
User Example : Engineer Jennifer has updated her Revit model of the steel framing for her multi-story building due to new slab openings dictated by the Architect. She has been working with Francis, the Steel Detailer, who has been building a Tekla model for the connection design process. Jennifer want's to make sure Francis has the most current changes to the project in her Tekla model, so Jennifer upload's her Revit model to Konstru, and also has Francis upload her model to Konstru. Jennifer will then use the merge tool to find the analogous object from Francis's Tekla model, and update it's geometry with that of the Revit object.
No? Where there are known differences between the models being merged, preventing a geometric merge will allow each model to maintain it's object's relative position.
User Example : BIM modeler Mike has a Revit model which includes many offsets and justifications to the structural framing and slabs due to the complexity of the project. He's spent a lot of time creating sectional drawings and details to illustrate this complexity for the contractor. He is working with Engineer Jenny on the project, who has been working in RAM Structural System to analyze the slab and framing for the building. Jenny is done with her work in RAM, and needs to bring all of her designed profiles and forces into Mikes Revit model to be displayed in the drawings for the coming deadline.
Jenny will upload her RAM model to Konstru, as will Mike upload his Revit model. Jenny will then use the Merge Model process to compare her model to Mikes to identify matched objects for data transfer. Jenny know's that her RAM model does include all the various offsets and justifications present in Revit, so she first set's the Geometry Tolerances to a large enough value to account for this. Jenny know's also that she does not want her 'mostly flat' framing geometry in RAM to update Mike's highly detailed Revit model geometry, so she will un-check the 'Geometry' option from 'Merge these differences'....ensuring that Mike's model receives the appropriate profile and data updates from Jenny's RAM model, but critically keeps the desired offsets and justifications applied in Revit.
Attributes :
Konstru 'Attributes' are lots of things..... needs some back end work. *Separate forces / camber / stud from attributes.
Material :
BIM Material parameters are generally software specific and can be hard to directly translate. In the case of Analytic modeling software, the material properties are critical for correct analysis results. With this understanding, it is often necessary to prevent Material values from making the translation with the other aspects of the BIM model, and as such users can directly prevent their existing model Material properties from being overwritten by a Konstru model merge by un-checking this option.
Profile :
Profiles refer to the structural shape associated with a Konstru geometry. It generally refer's to structural framing objects profile (i.e. 'W14x90'), but can also include the type description for Floor and Wall objects (i.e. '6" Concrete'). The translation of Profile data is one of the most time saving aspect's of Konstru, as they constitute a large part of the BIM data displayed on the printed page of a drawing set and are most often generated in one software, and delivered in another. As such, the ability to selectively merge this critical BIM attribute is provided for in the Merge settings.
Name :
The Konstru Name attribute is used to capture the platform generated object ID (not this is note the GUID), if one is present. When merging models, it is often desirable to not have Konstru overwrite a native platform ID with the translated Konstru model ID .
Add/ Update Elements:
Add New: If an object is present in the model used to merge from, but not present in the model being merged to, then this object is considered as being 'Added New' by the merge process. In most cases the addition of object to a model via a merge is not the intention, by leaving this box unchecked you guarantee that no new objects will be added to the merged model.
User Example: When merging parts of a model created in the same platform together to create one large model (apples plus apples model merge) users will need to have the 'Add New' box checked to ensure the merge process adds all the parts of one model to the other.
Update Existing: Any object found to have a match by the model comparison, will have it's specified properties updated by the Konstru model merge. This is the default setting for all model merges.
Choose Element Types to merge:
Users can include or discount any of the specific object types from a model merge. In the following image, the only object's that will be compared are those with a check mark. Used in combination with the 'Merge these differences' selections, this give each user a super fine grained level of control over exactly what takes place during the model merge.
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