Guides/FAQ

Prepare your files. Find your answers.

To convert a file to Revit, start with the right export. Choose your CAD software below, prepare a text SAT solid, then pair it with IES. Find answers about conversion, your account and plans in the FAQ.

, lighting-product designer and BIMMER developer Updated

Before you upload

Choose your CAD export route

BIMMER needs text SAT + IES. Export the geometry first; native CAD, STEP and binary SAB are not direct uploads.

  • Text .sat
  • ACIS 7.0 or 4.0
  • Solid geometry
  • Known units · mm preferred

Names help detection. Name the actual light-source parts Lens, Optic, COB, LED, Lamp or Glass. Keep holders labelled as holders; name mounting parts Canopy, Mounting foot or Backplate.

SolidWorks model tree with the light-source part named Optic near the top and separate bodies retained
Name each light-source part Lens, Glass, Optic, LED, COB or Lamp to help BIMMER detect it. You can move these parts near the top of the model tree to make them easier to check. Keep each head’s parts separate.

A 700 or 400 SAT header identifies ACIS 7.0 or 4.0. Check the actual export; changing the file extension or editing the header does not convert geometry.

Find the right workflow

Output verification

Revit lighting family quality checklist

A manufacturer checklist for Revit lighting families: geometry, scale, orientation, light source, IES, parameters, materials and final RFA verification.

Direct support status

InputDirectly accepted?Required action
Text ACIS .sat geometryYesExport as a solid at ACIS 7.0 or 4.0; millimetres are recommended.
Binary ACIS .sab geometryNoRe-export or translate it to text ACIS SAT 7.0 or 4.0 first.
IES LM-63 photometryYesPair the IES with the matching luminaire geometry.
STEP / STPNoOpen, simplify and export the geometry to ACIS SAT before using BIMMER.
Native CAD such as .sldprt, .ipt or .3dmNoUse the CAD application or a suitable intermediary to export SAT first.

The BIMMER workflow

  1. Choose the guide for your source CAD system or conversion question.
  2. Prepare a simplified solid, preserve separate bodies where materials matter, and export ACIS SAT 7.0 or 4.0.
  3. Pair the text SAT with the correct IES, generate the family, then check geometry, light-source placement and parameters in the result.
SolidWorks luminaire model with its light-source part named Lens
Name the light-source part clearly before export. This example uses Lens; accurate names help BIMMER detect the light source. See the complete BIMMER tutorial.

Convert a file to Revit: choose the source first

A lighting product needs a reusable RFA family. Your CAD export supplies the solid geometry; your IES supplies the photometry. BIMMER combines them into the lighting family.

  • Converting a CAD source: choose SolidWorks, Inventor, Fusion, Rhino, Creo / Pro-E, CATIA or STEP.
  • Preparing the accepted geometry: use the SAT/IES workflow and ACIS 7 export guides.
  • Managing a catalogue: use the manufacturer and batch-conversion guides.
  • Reviewing output: use the quality and family-parameter guides.

What “BIM file” means here

Customers often ask for a BIM file or Revit file. In this workflow the deliverable is an Autodesk Revit lighting-fixture family with the .rfa extension. The geometry comes from text SAT, while the IES provides the real photometric distribution; neither source file is a finished BIM object by itself.

Common failures and what to change

The source file is STEP or a native CAD file.

Do not upload it directly. Follow the relevant export guide and create SAT 7.0 or 4.0.

The SAT imports as nothing or has broken geometry.

Check the ACIS version, solid output, units and model detail; remove screws, wiring and hidden internals.

The light looks wrong although the geometry is correct.

Confirm the IES belongs to that product. Name the actual optical parts Lens, Optic, COB, LED, Lamp or Glass; names help detection. Check the selected body, beam direction and source position in Preview. Name holders as holders so they are not mistaken for the optical exit.

Questions manufacturers ask

Can I upload a STEP, SAB or SolidWorks file directly?

No. BIMMER directly accepts text ACIS SAT geometry plus IES. Export or convert binary SAB, STEP, SLDPRT and other native CAD formats to text SAT 7.0 or 4.0 first.

What Revit file does BIMMER return?

BIMMER returns a Revit 2025 lighting-fixture family with the .rfa extension. Revit files open forward in Revit 2025 and newer releases.

Can BIMMER convert any file to Revit?

No. BIMMER is a lighting-family converter for prepared text ACIS SAT geometry plus IES photometry. Use the source-format guides to turn supported CAD sources into the required SAT first.

More answers in the FAQ →

Primary references