The ultimate guide to digital fabrication models
A best practice guide with key concepts and tips for creating digital fabrication models using Grasshopper and Rhino.
31/10/2025
1 Comment
Dynamo Package Development
Dynamo is a node-based visual programming interface developed by Autodesk®. When used in conjunction with Revit, it has the power to generate and manipulate both geometry and data. Parametric Monkey can help automate and accelerate your AEC workflows by developing custom tools to suit your needs. Please note that the scripts are not available via public download and are paid content.
Pre-developed workflows
0
+
Project Start-up
Setting up a central (workshared) model ready for your project team can be an enormous task, especially if the project requires multiple models. Due to the repetition involved, it is possible to use Dynamo to automate and speed up this process. Designed for BIM managers, these tools allow consistency across multiple projects and models.
Create Worksets
Creates worksets based on your naming convention. If required, the default worksets can also be renamed. Note that before you can run the script, you’ll need to enable worksharing manually.
Create Unplaced Rooms
Automates the creation of unplaced rooms en mass based on an Excel spreadsheet. The Excel file should contain the Room Name values. Additional instance parameters, such as Department or Occupant, can also be customised.
Create Workset Views
Creates 3D views to visually verify that elements are on the correct workset by isolating the workset in visibility graphics. If additional worksets are added after the views were created, re-run to update the workset visibility in all views.
Create Sheet Sets
Creates sheet sets based on selected views in the Project Browser. For example, it will take the General Arrangement (GA) floor plans, duplicate the views, rename the views and assign the correct view template to create Reflected Ceiling Plans (RCP), Concrete Profile Setout Plans, etc.
Create Sheets
Generates blank sheets from an Excel file. The Excel file should contain the Sheet Name and Sheet Number values. The user will be able to decide which title block is to be applied. If additional instance parameters are to be populated, such as Drawn By or North Point visibility, then this can be customised.
Place Views on Sheet
Takes the selected views in the Project Browser, groups them based on a naming convention, and places them onto new sheets. Note that for views to be grouped, the views must have a consistent view naming convention. Placement of views is based on a basic grid setout. For accurate viewport alignment (once placed), use the align viewports tool.
Create Internal Elevations
Create internal elevations per room for orthogonal walls. If the room contains non-orthogonal walls, a separate elevation marker is placed per wall and automatically rotated so that it is perpendicular to the wall.
Create Marketing Plans
Creates marketing floor plans for each apartment. The views are cropped to the bounding box of the apartment, inclusive of any external balconies or terraces.
Marketing Plans on Sheet
Takes the marketing plans and places them onto unique sheets. The title block parameters, including key plan visibility and north point rotation, are also updated.
Documentation
It is inevitable that, over time, designs evolve. These tools allow the design team to quickly clean up the model to ensure consistent documentation throughout the model.
Renumber Rooms
Renumbers rooms sequentially based on a (model) spline. Only rooms that intersect the curve will be processed. This allows for batch processing which is often desirable. The number padding can then be set. For example, no padding will result in 0, 1, 2 etc., whereas a 2-digit padding will result in 00, 01, 02, etc. An optional prefix, such as the level number, can also be set.
Renumber Balconies
Due to SEPP65 requirements, it is often necessary to know which balcony is associated with which apartment. This graph will rename balcony rooms with a suffix based on the apartment room number. This allows for easier scheduling and compliance testing.
Rename Rooms By Groups
Renames rooms based on the model group that is located within. This is useful as often apartment model groups are decoupled from the party walls and façades. This graph thus allows for the room and the model group to be in sync.
Centre Room Location
Moves selected rooms to the room's centroid location. If the room is odd-shaped and the centroid falls outside the room boundary, the original room location is retained.
Adjust Upper Height
Takes selected rooms and modifies their properties so that the upper limit is based on the level above rather than an unbounded height.
Renumber Doors
Renumbers doors based on the room in which it is located. For example, Element prefix - Room number - Sequence number (D-101-01).
Renumber Windows
Renumbers windows based on the room in which it is located. For example, Element prefix - Room number - Sequence number (W-101-01).
Rename Wall Types
Rename wall types based on the wall build-up. The graph calculates each wall layer’s thickness and its material code and then renames the wall type based on this sequence.
Rename Grids
Sequentially renames orthogonal grids numerically or alphanumerically, preventing the error: “The name entered is already in use. Enter a unique name.”
Centre Door Tags
Moves door tags from their default location, which corresponds to the door’s insertion position, to within the swing of the door for clearer, graphic representation.
Stair Documentation
Generates annotations for stairs, both in plan and section, by creating dimensions, number systems, spot elevations, stair run tags and minimum clearance zones. The graph works best on standard stairs or typical stairs, which are grouped and copied up.
Sync Room Parameters
Synchronises room parameters nested within a model group. Parameter must be instance based and set to ‘values can vary by group instance’.
Rename Rooms By Area
Automates the naming of rooms based on area thresholds. For example, name all rooms '1 BED' if its area is between 50 - 69m2.
Callout From Room
Creates a callout based on the room's outline or an axis-aligned (orthogonal) bounding box.
Axonometric From Room
Generates an axonometric view with a section box based on a room's bounding box. Views can be orientated NE, SE, SW or NW.
Axonometric Graphic Overrides
Applies graphic overrides to obscuring walls and dependent doors and window families in selected axonometric views. Useful for stylising room data sheet views.
Filled Region Perimeter
Extract the perimeter of a filled region with the ability to calculate only certain line styles within the boundary.
Calculate Golden Mean
Calculates the width and length of a golden mean rectangle given an area. Includes the ability to create certain elements, such as Filled Regions with those proportions.
Axonometric Crop Region
Adjusts the crop region of selected axonometric (orthographic) views so that the extents match the elements visible in the view, including any buffer offset specified.
Create Multi-Category Schedules
Generates a multi-category schedule with a filter, returning all elements in the room. Useful for Room Data Sheets.
Centre Room Tags
Moves room tag to the room location point. Use in combination with Centre Room Location.
Renumber Viewports
Renumbers viewports by grouping them into rows or columns, before sorting them. Renumber process prevents the error: “The name entered is already in use. Enter a unique name.” The Detail Number parameter can be renumbered numerically or alphanumerically, with optional digit padding, e.g. 01.
Management
These tools allow BIM managers to periodically go into a model and perform necessary model maintenance procedures quickly and efficiently.
Assign Elements to Workset
Assigns elements to a workset based on its category and/or properties, for example, exterior or interior walls. The graph can be re-run multiple times to ensure every element is on the correct workset and that views display as intended.
Views to Uppercase
Renames selected views, schedules and sheets from the Project Browser to be uppercase.
Create Working Views
Duplicates selected views in the Project Browser and renames them with a prefix or suffix. This workflow is useful for batch-creating working views that are properly organised and separated from production views.
Align Viewports on Sheets
Aligns viewports on sheets based on a template sheet to ensure that all sheets have a consistent graphic layout to them. Excludes legend and schedule alignment.
Add Revisions to Sheets
Batch add revisions to selected sheets, saving precious time when issuing drawing.
Delete Direct Shapes
Deletes all direct shapes in the project. This is necessary when updating direct shapes, as any direct shape with an identical name in the project will cause the file to crash.
Room Check
Checks for problems with rooms, such as self-intersecting boundaries, and should be run prior to any other room-based graphs.
Substitute Line Styles
Substitutes an element's line style for another, before deleting the old line style from the model.
View Underlay
Sets multiple view’s underlay parameter to none so that when printing, the view will display as required.
Get Unused Filters
Collects all unused view filters in the model with the option of deleting them.
Analysis
These tools assist in compliance testing, whether it be for the Apartment Design Guide (ADG)/ SEPP65 or the National Construction Code (NCC). For more analysis workflows, check out our Rhino.Inside Revit tools.
Balcony Size
For SEPP65 compliance it is important to know the dimensions of balconies and if they satisfy the minimum dimension as defined in the Apartment Design Guide. This graph checks compliance and assigns a yes/no value to the room’s shared parameter.
Views From Sun
Generates a series of 3D views based on a time period, for example 9am - 3pm on 21 June. This is useful for visual verification for SEPP65 solar access requirements.
Stair Compliance
Checks all stairs in the model and tests for maximum riser height, minimum going length, maximum number of risers, and minimum clearance width.
Isovist View Analysis
Generates a 2D isovist in the form of a filled region to analyse the fitness of a view from a specific vantage point.
Macarthur Memorial Park Case Study
The Macarthur Memorial Park is an exemplar of digital fabrication, with each building’s self-similar soffit parametrically derived.
16/10/2025
No Comments
The 6 technological forces shaping AEC’s future
Six technological forces – Becoming, cognifying, flowing, screening, accessing and remixing – are challenging many long-held assumptions.
22/07/2025
5 Comments
Measuring what matters: Why we must ditch our time and urgency addiction
If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. But how should AEC organisations identify what matters and then measure it?
23/05/2025
2 Comments
Copyright
© 2025 Parametric Monkey
Parametric Monkey and the Parametric Monkey logo are trademarks of Parametric Monkey Pty Ltd.
