A great solution to this (and beneficial in other areas of Revit as well) is the use of Voids to cut elements. In order for this to work, a few stars have to align; not to worry, I will also cover that shortly. As you can see in Figure 2, the end of the beam has been prepared for a moment weld, including the bevels, rat holes, and even down to the backing bars by a Void cutting family.
VOID CUTTING TOOLS
Figure 1: Wall openings
BEAMS Just as with walls, beams sometimes require cut. In similar fashion Revit has a cutting tool for this as well (Structure>Opening>By Face). Typically, this tool works well for most applications...until you get to a moment connection cut. The problem with using the standard tool for this is you must extend your lines beyond the edge of the beam. If not, and you are slightly inside the beam perimeter (even an amount small enough that you cannot see it visually), it simply will not cut. The cutting shape will remain there, invisible until you actually roll over it with your mouse. By the time you become aware of this, you may have a few attempts at cutting stacked on top of each other #foundoutthehardway. In any event, if conditions are not just right, it can be cumbersome.
PRODUCT FOCUS
Revit Structure 2014
So far, a lot of talk about void cutting tools, but no real information has been provided. Your approach to creating a void cutting tool will depend on the intended application. If you have one cut, something you may not use again, simply model it in place (Structure>Component>Model In Place). Typically, void cutting tools are void extrusions because they are the most versatile of the shapes, allowing height, width, and depth control. You can create it as a void form, or if you forget and create a solid extrusion, simply select the extrusion and toggle between solid and void in the Properties Browser. If your cutting tool is one that will be used frequently on other projects, create a Void Family.
THE BENEFITS OF FAMILY The benefits of creating families in Revit are many, including repeatability, stability, and performance. Modeling in place, too often, will increase model size and slow performance. When creating a void cutting family, always create it as a Generic Model - Face Based. When inserted into the project, this type of family can be placed on: Face (Vertical and Horizontal), Level, or Work Plane, allowing every
Figure 2: Beam cutting techniques March 2014
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