Discover the latest release of Be.Smart Wood & Metal Framing add-ins for Revit

The newest version of our Wood Framing and Metal Framing plug-ins for Autodesk® Revit® offers architects and builders more flexibility in modifying frames, enhanced capabilities for sheathing and paneling, and improved wall connection configurations, ensuring that your structures are aesthetically pleasing as well as robust and reliable. Whether you're dealing with complex designs or simple frameworks, these add-ins are engineered to support your creative vision and streamline your workflow. Dive into the details of these exciting new features.

Improvements for flexible modifications

New possibility to "Save Opening Configuration"

One of the most popular features “Save Configuration w/o Openings” was complemented by the “Save Opening Configuration” feature, which saves the configuration of the selected opening. This feature is very useful when you modify an opening configuration instance using “Modify Frame” and want to save the modified version of the configuration for future use.

Wood Framing software interface and menu of commands

You can either overwrite the opening configuration that was initially used to frame the opening by keeping the same name or create a new opening configuration by entering a unique name. After that, the configuration will appear under the respective framing configuration:

Framing configurations window as seen in Wood Framing plugin for Revit

As you can see in the image above, this wall was framed using “Frame” framing configuration, so, after using "Save Opening Configuration", the newly created opening configuration “NEW Configuration” is saved under “Frame” framing configuration.

Option to save modified configurations directly in "Modify Frame" and "Modify Opening" windows

Additionally, the “Save Configuration w/o Openings” and the new “Save Opening Configuration” features are now accessible not onlythrough the main ribbon but also conveniently in the “Modify Frame” and “Modify Opening” windows:

Framing configurations window as seen in Wood Framing plugin for Revit
Framing configurations window as seen in Wood Framing plugin for Revit

This will allow for a more streamlined workflow. You’ll be able to conveniently save needed modified configurations on the spot without having to close the “Modify Frame” or “Modify Opening” windows.

New functionality to “Modify Multiple Openings” for sheathing and paneling

Previously, you had the possibility to modify multiple opening frames only for walls. Now, you’ll be able to do that for floors and roofs, too:

Top-level command menu for framing walls, floors & roofs in Revit

And most importantly, you’ll have the possibility to modify multiple openings for sheathing and paneling!

After using the new “Modify Multiple Sheathing/Paneling Openings” feature, you can select needed windows, doors and/or other opening families…

Modify multiple framed openings thru sheathing or paneling

…and make offsets as well as vertical and horizontal split modifications for the chosen layer:

Modifying sheathing layers of a framed wall in Revit

Improvements for sheathing and paneling

Multi-framing: copy/update sheathing and paneling

We’re thrilled to announce that one of the most highly requested features has been implemented: the ability to copy sheathing and paneling layers to all identical walls, floors, and roofs!

You can copy & update sheathing/paneling across multiple identical wall frames

In this example, a modified sheathing layer was copied to all identical walls with just a few clicks:

This is how to copy sheathing & paneling for multiple wall frames in Revit

And if you need to make modifications later to any of the identical walls…

You can modify a single sheathing for a single wall frame and copy it for multiple other frames

…you can use “Copy/Update Sheathing/Paneling in Identical Walls” and all changes will be updated in a couple of seconds:

You can modify a single sheathing for a single wall frame and copy it for multiple other frames

Here's what the process of copying and updating sheathing and paneling looks like.

Variable configurations for sheathing and paneling

This is another highly requested feature that we’ve implemented: the option to set variable configurations for sheathing and paneling layers. It provides incredible flexibility by allowing you to choose needed sheathing/paneling configurations for each wall, floor, or roof layer.

Whereas, previously, you could have variable configurations for only framing layers, now you can predefine variable (or fixed) configurations for sheathing/paneling layers, too:

You can predefine variable or fixed configurations for not only framing layers but sheathing/paneling layers, too.

During the process of framing and splitting parts, the configuration may be either fixed or variable.

If variable, then the configuration is selected during framing/part-splitting process.

“Variable” column dropdown options:

  • None – Framing and Sheathing/Paneling Configurations are fixed; the software will use the configurations that are set in the Framing Configuration and Sheathing Paneling Configuration columns.

  • Frame – After using the Frame Wall command (or when adding additional layers), the software will ask which configuration you‘d like to use. The Sheathing/Paneling Configuration is fixed.

  • Sheathing/Paneling – After using the Split Parts command, the software will ask which configuration you‘d like to use for Sheathing/Paneling. Framing Configuration is fixed.

  • Both – After using the Frame Wall command (or when adding additional layers) and Split Parts command, the software will ask which configurations you‘d like to use for framing and parts.

In the image above, you can see that the third layer has “Both” and the fifth layer has “Sheathing/Paneling” set under “Variable”.

As a result, after using “Split Parts” for this wall, we’ll get a window where we can choose the sheathing/paneling configurations for each layer:

A wall frame in Revit that will get sheathing/paneling layers applied automatically

Wall Link integrated in sheathing and paneling configuration windows

A few months ago, we introduced the integration of the Wall/Floor/Roof Link functionality into the framing configuration window. In this release, Wall Link is now also integrated in the sheathing/paneling configuration window as well! Previously, you could only link needed configurations for a selected wall/floor/roof type in a separate Link Wall/Floor/Roof window; now, you can find them directly in the sheathing and paneling configuration windows.

This improvement brings more clarity to the configurations. You can use the integrated Wall/Floor/Roof Link functionality to create and modify the link in a single window without having to waste time switching between separate windows or trying to remember what was linked. Everything is conveniently placed and accessible in one place.

The Wall Link function is directly accessible in the sheathing paneling configurations window

You can also use it to navigate faster, for example, switching between different configurations. Once the row number is selected or the sheathing/paneling configuration is changed, the configuration that is linked in the specific row will be opened in the sheathing and paneling configuration windows:

This is where to manage wall sheathing configurations for various layers.

More flexibility for openings in sheathing and paneling

This improvement brings a lot more flexibility in predefining settings for openings in sheathing and paneling configurations. Previously, you could only predefine opening offsets for all openings, not differentiating between different families (like windows and doors) or opening sizes.

From now on, you’ll be able to predefine offsets as well as vertical and horizontal split options, differentiating by opening family type, as well as opening size range:

You can predefine offsets and splits for sheathing & paneling, differentiating between the opening family type and size

As you can see, it’s a lot closer to the flexibility we have for the opening framing configurations.

Select parts by layer in wall

This new feature saves time for users who need to select all parts in a particular wall type layer:

Wall layer parts selected in Revit using Wood Framing plugin

Improvements for framing wall connections

T, L, V connections - by type

From now on, you can predefine different configurations for specific wall types, not only for T connections but for L and V connections, too. Enhanced options allow for greater flexibility and adaptability for framing.

Settings in “Wall Type – I”, “Wall Type – II” etc., will overwrite the settings in the “Default Type” tab for specific wall types:

You can predefine different configurations for specific wall types for L, T & V connections.

Move, delete, or leave studs

With this latest software version, you can control what happens when the connection stud intersects with a common stud, for L, V, T, and Start/End connections for each connection:

Determine whether studs should be deleted, moved, or left in place in various scenarios.

Options available for various connections:

T Connections

  • Delete Common Stud

  • Move Common Stud

  • Leave Common Stud in Place

  • Move Connection Studs

L, V & Start/End Connections

  • Delete Common Stud

  • Move Common Stud

  • Leave Common Stud in Place

Here are a few examples with T connections showing the result of using each command:

Using the command Move Common Stud in a T-type wall connection
Using the command Move Connection Stud in a T-type wall connection
Using the command Delete Common Stud in a T-type wall connection
Using the command Leave Common Stud in Place in a T-type wall connection

Note that if a common stud or a connection stud intersects with an opening framing stud (king stud, trimmer, etc.), the common stud or the connection stud will be deleted, as seen here:

A connection stud is auto-deleted in a wall frame if it intersects with a stud of a framed opening.

Other improvements

Frame all layers at once

You can frame the main frame as well as all additional layers in one go using the new “Frame All Layers” command, which can be found in the main ribbon.

Additional new features in the Multi-framing menu further streamline work with identical walls/floors/roofs:

Multi-framing commands found in the Frame Wall menu of Wood Framing plugin for Revit

UI improvements for database configurations

The user interface of the custom layout table, mostly the usability of the database configuration, has been enhanced to reflect the functionality more accurately and avoid confusion. Database configurations are very helpful for managing multiple framing configurations that share the same custom layouts.

From now on, “Copy Layout from Database” will open a window (instead of a dropdown), wherein you can select the layout configuration you’d like to copy:

User interface of the Wood Framing plugin for Revit, showing the Wall Framing Configurations window

After that, the database configuration will be copied to the respective connection like before, and the “Last Copied Layout: [ … ]” message will let you know which layout was last copied:

User interface of Wood Framing plugin for Revit, showing the Custom Layout dialog

Shop drawings: copy crop settings from

We’re excited to introduce a new feature that enhances how you create shop drawings! Now, you can copy crop settings from existing views.

Options in the Drawing Configurations window of Wood/Metal Framing plugin for Revit

This allows you to replicate the exact crop size of a selected view across all views in all assemblies within your project, ensuring consistent sizing across drawings.

A dialog window with a timber wall frame in background

Opening top support plate with a slope

As requested by Metal Framing users, it’s now possible to add a top support plate above openings when the top of the wall is sloped:

Metal wall frame that has a sloped top and an opening for a window

Secondary stud/joist with array from center

Users can add secondary stud or joist arrays at the frame centers. This feature is available for wall, floor, and roof frames:

A light steel wall frame showing secondary studs evenly spaced from center

Next steps

Be.Smart Wood Framing and Metal Framing plug-ins for Revit continue to stay on the cutting edge of building design. We invite current users to download the latest version via the ARKANCE Dock.

Would you like to try out our framing add-ins? We offer free trials! Click through to discover more about the product you're interested in.

Explore Wood Framing

Discover Metal Framing