Exact supported workflow

How to convert a SAT file and IES into a Revit family

To convert a SAT file to a Revit file with BIMMER, pair the text ACIS .sat solid with its matching .ies photometry. Export the geometry at ACIS version 7.0 or 4.0, preferably in millimetres, keep useful parts as separate bodies and put the light-emitting body first. Binary .sab is not a direct input. BIMMER returns a verified Revit 2025+ .rfa family.

, lighting-product designer and BIMMER developer Updated

Direct support status

InputDirectly accepted?Required action
Text ACIS .satYesPreferred because its header and body structure are easier to diagnose.
Binary ACIS .sabNoRe-export or translate to text .sat at ACIS 7.0 or 4.0.
IES photometryYesRequired for each generated lighting family.
SAT newer than ACIS 7.0NoRe-export at ACIS 7.0 or 4.0 before conversion.

The BIMMER workflow

  1. Export the luminaire as a solid text SAT at ACIS 7.0 or 4.0; use millimetres and do not merge bodies when part materials matter.
  2. Check that the emitting body appears first in the source tree and that the IES is the correct measured file for this variant.
  3. Add both files to one BIMMER fixture row, review the detected bodies and editable product parameters, then generate.
  4. Read the engine trace and download the verified RFA; failed work is reported with a reason rather than presented as ready.
SolidWorks ACIS export settings showing version 7, solid output and millimetres
The tested export settings: ACIS 7.0, Solid, millimetres, with multi-body geometry left separate. See the complete BIMMER tutorial.

SAT file to Revit: why the ACIS version matters

SAT is a container for ACIS geometry, and its internal version matters more than the filename. Current CAD tools often export a much newer ACIS revision by default. BIMMER’s tested Revit import path requires ACIS 7.0 or 4.0, so lock the exporter to one of those versions.

Separate bodies preserve useful product structure

A merged solid can still become a family, but it behaves as one part. Keeping the bezel, heatsink, lens and light-emitting body separate lets the generated family preserve individually selectable geometry and material control. The first body also gives BIMMER the strongest signal for light-source placement.

Common failures and what to change

The log reports an unsupported or too-new ACIS version.

Change the CAD export option to 7.0 or 4.0; renaming the extension does not convert the file.

The result is one indivisible material.

Turn off exporter options that write a multi-body part as one ACIS body, then export again.

The IES validates but belongs to another optic.

Match files by product code, optic and CCT before batching; photometry cannot be inferred from geometry.

Questions manufacturers ask

Does BIMMER accept binary SAB as well as text SAT?

No. BIMMER preflight and Revit import use text ACIS .sat. Re-export or translate a binary .sab file to text SAT 7.0 or 4.0 first.

Can I use ACIS 8, 20 or a current default version?

Not in the supported workflow. Export at ACIS 7.0 or 4.0 to stay within the tested Revit import boundary.

Can I convert a SAT file to a Revit file online?

Yes when it is a compatible text SAT 7.0 or 4.0 and you also provide the matching IES. BIMMER runs in the browser and returns a Revit 2025+ lighting-family RFA.

Primary references