Revit Tip: Revit Curtain Panel and Mullion Profile Best Practices

Custom curtain panel families and mullion profiles unlock precise control over performance, fabrication, and documentation. Here’s a practical, field‑tested approach you can use today.

Pick the right family template

• Curtain Wall panels: use the “Curtain Panel” family template (Category = Curtain Panel). This swaps cleanly into curtain wall cells and adapts to grid changes.
• Pattern systems: use “Curtain Panel Pattern‑Based” for divided surfaces and complex facades.
• Mullion sections: use “Profile – Mullion” for any custom stick shape (rectangular, T, I, sharp nose, pressure plate, etc.).

Build robust curtain panel families

• Reference planes first: keep the stock Left/Right/Top/Bottom planes; lock all geometry to these so the panel reliably flexes with any grid cell.
• Key instance parameters:
  • Thickness (panel thickness)
  • Glass Offset (from centerline or face)
  • Frame Depth/Returns (if your panel includes edge framing)
• Materials control:
  • Create Material parameters for Glass, Spandrel, Frame, Sealant.
  • Use material assets consistently so renders match across the project.
• Detail level strategy:
  • Coarse: one extrusion only (lightweight, fast).
  • Medium: add reveals and primary edge frames.
  • Fine: add gaskets, caps, or perforations as needed.
• Documentation:
  • Expose Height, Width, and Area (built‑in) for schedules.
  • Use Type Mark + Key Schedule to map panels to system IDs (e.g., P1, P2A).
• Doors in curtain walls: nest a shared Door family inside your panel so it can be tagged and scheduled as a Door while the panel still behaves like a panel.

Authoring mullion profiles that behave

• Use the “Profile – Mullion” template; keep the shape to a single, closed loop. Avoid microscopic segments and excessive fillets.
• Set the origin at the intersection of the center reference planes (Defines Origin). This ensures predictable “Location Line” behavior (Center/Interior/Exterior) in the mullion type.
• Label critical dimensions (overall width, depth, nose, pocket) to generate a family with multiple parametric types (e.g., 50×100, 65×120).
• Let the mullion type control Material; the profile controls shape only.
• Corner conditions: create dedicated Corner Mullion types (L, V, Quad) that reference your profile; test various angles and justifications on sample corners.

QA, performance, and handoff

• Model only what you need to see. Use symbolic lines for fine linework rather than tiny solids.
• Validate with a test facade: vary grid spacing, panelization, and corners to break the family early—then fix and save to library.
• Schedules:
  • Curtain Panels: Width, Height, Area, Type Mark, Comments.
  • Curtain Wall Mullions: Type, Length, Material, Comments (use filters to flag nonstandard lengths).
• Naming: encode size and function (e.g., CP‑GLZ‑28mm, CP‑SPANDREL‑35mm; MUL‑RECT‑50x100; MUL‑PRESSPLATE‑12).
• Standards transfer: store panel and mullion types in your project template; use Transfer Project Standards judiciously between projects.

Common gotchas (and fixes)

• Panel won’t swap: confirm the family Category is Curtain Panel (not Generic Model).
• Misaligned profiles: reset the profile origin and re‑test Center/Interior/Exterior justification.
• Heavy models: simplify profile vertices; reduce fine‑level solids; use Coarse where possible.

Need licensing, training, or add‑ins to accelerate your facade workflows? Explore Autodesk Revit with NOVEDGE or the AEC Collection at NOVEDGE. For tailored advice, contact NOVEDGE.

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