DPR has released the latest version of its free DPR Model Slicer plug-in for Autodesk Revit, which is available to download. DPR Model Slicer facilitates the sometimes tedious process of splitting and sectioning a 3D model. During the modeling process, items are often drawn in a way that doesn’t match the way that things will be built in the field. The Model Slicer allows you to set parameters and values that can quickly and repeatedly create 3D sections that correspond to the built environment, facilitating processes such as 3D coordination or 4D scheduling.

Our Model Slicer plug-in was created after our employees found themselves spending too much time slicing BIM models received from design partners into models that would accurately reflect construction needs. On a high-profile hospital project in the Bay Area, Chidambaram Somu, a DPR BIM Engineer, used the Model Slicer to help him quickly divide the single slab object into 16 separate components, reflecting the precise control joints required by the construction team. “I was able to create all 16 slab sections in the time that it used to take me to produce one.” The plug-in also allows fast exporting of precisely the views and content users want, so the model becomes compatible with a variety of software platforms. According to Chidambaram, “The process becomes really simple, breaking redundancy and automating the process.”

The new version 3 release of the Model Slicer brings with it some powerful improvements. Along with the previously available ability to section according to gridlines and levels, users can now also use a selection box to specify the boundaries. Another improvement, suggested by the large contingent of users, was the ability to quickly strip a Revit file of all existing Views and Sheets. On some projects, this has led to a file size savings of up to 50%. Our Model Slicer supports all flavors of Revit, from versions 2011-2013, along with Revit Suite, Architecture, MEP, and Structure.