Fire Escape Ladders in VW 2023

[abirolfs]

Hello all,

 

I am currently working on creating a digital twin of an existing building in VW 2023, and I have run into one small issue. The actual building has fire escape ladders in the interior, but I have not found a way to insert these in my VectorWorks model. Are there any tools and/or settings I can use to accomplish this task?

 

Thanks!

[Jeff Prince]

You can model the typical 3D geometry of the object and turn it into a symbol.  You can then place that symbol at each occurrence of the escape ladder.  Additionally, you can give the symbol 2D graphics if you will be creating plans from the model.  If the escape ladder is part of a windows or door system, you may want to create those using their respective tools and keep the escape as a separate piece.

[shorter]

@abirolfs

 

...and then add data to it via the ifc property sets, or add your own data.

 

Not everything in BIM is parametric, and arguably something that is built shouldn't be parametric, i.e. it shouldn't change from what is built.  You add data to something as simple as an extrusion in Vectorworks quite easily.

 

In general, when a standard BIM tool does not exist (and they are notoriously limited in all software out of the box) you model it.

 

Whether that's creating a simple solid model, or placing that inside a symbol as @jeff prince suggests, or even trying to use the stair tool to achieve the same, you will need to model it yourself or download the 3D model ideally as IFC that the manufacturer had already modelled and include it in your model.

 

If this were Revit we would be going to great lengths to model a bespoke family, whereas in Vectorworks you simply 'model in place'.