That depends. What is the desired useage? Do you need to model or also do lot's of calculations? Level of Detail?
It can be done with MEP but it all depends on the extents you want to model in.

Is there an easy way? Yes, but I would strongly advice you to not take the easy road (which would be creating a dummy mech family and importing the dwg's into that). Cause this will cause your project to slow down a LOT and would completely ignore all benefits RMEP has to offer.

Thanks for so short notice response.
To clarify my question, I'll give a simple example.
Currently i have a project were I have to design several pumping stations. Normally I get several offers from most trustworthy suppliers (Flygt, ABS, Lowara etc) along with 2d dwg's. It is most certenately that by the end of the project the selection of the most appropriate supplier will change several times. So, I am really not interested in creating very detailed family of every supplier pump, rather take dwgs and make very quick object with very few options e.g. specification of point were pipe will be connected.
- So, to answer your question .... I dont need calculations.
- Level of detail must be the same as 2D dwg
I hope you give me some instructions on how to proceed?
thanks

More questions then: can you provide a sample of the dwg's?
How many variables in equipment are we talking about? How many recycling between projects is there?

It looks like it's quite possible to create a simple MEP family library based on the major geometric outline. You can then specify connectors and stuff. The only question is: are you going to reference to outside cad-details (cause I still wouldn't advice to include them in MEP) or tracing them in Revit.

Since importing DWG´s is likely to slow down your computer, or even more likely make it blow up... You should at the very least create 2D Detail Components out of those DWG´s and import those into a simplified 3D Family (With pipe connection points, etc.)

To create a Detail Component (DC) from the DWG´s

• Create a new DC
• Import the DWG (i.e. "Front View")
• Explode the DWG
• Select all the new (native Revit) lines, and change them all into the "Detail Lines" subcategory (or whatever subcategory you wish)
• Again, select everything, and use the filter to make sure that your selection ONLY includes "Detail Lines" and NO DWG garbage, and copy those (CTRL+C)
• Create a new DC
• Paste the Detail Lines into the new Family (CTRL+V)
• Save the newly created DC, and start over for the remaining views.

Sounds like a lot of work, but once you get the workflow, it´s less than a minute per DC :beer:

It´s also worth mentioning, that the nested DC´s will NOT be visible in any views not 100% perpendicular to the object.

Best of luck.

Some samples

i've downloaded 2d dwg to show you the pump.
Not sure what do you mean by saying "are you going to reference to outside cad-details "?

Munkholm,
thanks I think we are getting somewhere.....
Just one question though, is this procedure applicable on 3d dwg also? e.g. can I import the above pump in 3d dwg, expolode it and do the same magic? ...

No, unfortunately not. But you "could" import a 3D dwg, and use that as a base when re-modelling it in Revit. The important lesson is to make sure that you get rid of all traces of the imported DWG when you´re done. Dwg leftovers/garbage will cause trouble down the road.

Personally, in your situation, I´d create a very simple 3D model/family to represent each product, and "maybe" use the 2D Detail Components if I really had too, and then when it´s finally decided which product will be used, I´d add all the needed details in both 2D and 3D :beer:

That's about the same road I would go. Looking at the dwg I'd say it would be enough to create the pump itself as a simple revolve using the centerline as an axis. Support structure is a few extrusions and you're finished.

btw: what I meant by using "outside dwg's" for detailing is that it's fairly easy to create a parameter which references this dwg (can be simple text parameter with the file name in it)

Another workflow that might work:

1. Create simple 3D families as described. Use an url-parameter to keep track of referencing dwg's on your own network.
2. Create a bunch of empty drafting views.
3. Create callouts in your model of all components you wish to detail and reference to those empty drafting views
2. When the project is done and decisions are made, save the project. Then copy the project and import the dwg's in the respective drafting views.

Steps 2 to 4 might not be necessary if eTransmit for Revit also picks up the dwg's you referenced by url... But I'm not sure about that, you'd have to test.

I see your point

I see your point, I've just inserted 3d dwg into Metric Generic Family and ..... it feels very slow ,
Well I think that your solution is the only correct one... however I was hoping that there is more easy way.