Forums >> Revit Structure >> Technical Support >> Instance profile parameters?

gregroberson

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Here is what I am hoping for. . . a really cool column!

 I would like to create a structural column family in Revit S-2010.  I would like the family to be a wide flange (swept or extuded as REVIT does it); however, I would like the profile to be editable in the instance parameter from the current job.

For instance:

Load 'structural-column-W10' into Project 'A'.  After placing the column in project 'A', edit the family and select the profile for W10X33.  Maybe select the profile for a baseplate PL1x14x1-2.  Or change the plate later.  Could this be done.  If so, could REVIT tags be made to read "Profile Names"?

I am dreaming here.  I am not looking for a difiniative answer here, any thoughts would be great...If I am being rediculous please tell me.

Thanks,

Greg

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emgeeo

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I am very confused.  You had me during the first paragraph, but your incomplete thoughts destroyed my understading.

What is your end goal?

What is with all this profile business?

I don't understand what result you are attempting to achieve, nor do I understand how it will be beneficial.

Yes, you can add baseplates onto a column family.  But, do you need to?  This may require a lot of model maintenance.

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gregroberson

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I agree i was confusing.  What i was hoping for here was a "super-member" of sorts.  Instead of placing a W10x33 column in the model, a structural column could be placed.  Then later, column could be edited in its properties and its section size could be chosen from in that screen (by selecting a different section sizes profile that is tied to the family's sweep/path functions), then select the plate profile from that screen.  Here is a photo (attached), a bit of experimenting and everything, but this was the first thing I was trying.  I was more or less tying to see if this could be done?

 Your posts have been very informative and I appreciate you replying to me.

GReg

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TKennedy

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emgeeo

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Sure, I believe it could be done.  Not sure why you would want to do it this way, but I believe it could be done...Not sure how it would read profiles...

Why do you want to do this?

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gregroberson

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Like I was saying...a bit of experimenting.  But I thought ti would be cool to have everything for a column member available in the edit screen: section size, baseplate, hole size and pattern, anchor rod.  even pier, grout, footing.  All of this information could be available in the column schedule.

In addition from what I can see, profile can be offset and rotated very easily.  I am fairly new to REVIT and have had my nose burried in books, articles, forums and such.  Perhaps this would cause the system to chug too much, I have not experienced a job that large in Revit.  But I simply could just not include those profiles in a large job, but I do understand the earlier post of model maintenance.

If I were to try to make the profile editable from inside the job, how would I do that?  Or do you guys have better suggestions for very detailed column schedules and or anchor rod schedules?  I have heard of modeling the BasePlate as a column type so that it can appear in the schedules...good?..bad?

Thanks for input and thoughts.

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emgeeo

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You can change the member size from the element properties dialogue box, and I don't see why you would want it any other way.  Why do you want to change the column with a profile?  I don't understand the logic or benefit?

It's easy enough to add a baseplate- as well as the grout and anchor rods to the existing column types.  These can be instance type parameters, but again- this could turn into a lot of model maintenance if you don't have adequate forethought.  I'm not sure how that would work with scheduling because I'm not that good with parameters.  At first glance I would say it's possible.

Are you a contractor/estimator?  Why such a neeed for detailed information?  It's sounds like you intend to use Revit for more than design intent.

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TKennedy

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gregroberson

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Emgeeo,

I have been doing some playing and I agree with your assesment.  Just wondering however, Could you do something like editing the profile in the edit screen...for like a channel capped crane girder with a 60# rail all as one member.  Go ahead and change the profile type for either of the three types.

How would you do it? 

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emgeeo

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This is a sloppy explanation.  Let me know if it needs clarity- I'm kinda busy today.

Right- you can do that.  I've created a few custom beam types with more than one shape-type.  If I understand you correctly, you'd like to cap a W-shape with a channel.  That's simple enough.  Just load the channel family into the wide-flange family, drag-n-drop the channel from the browser, and draw the beam how you would in project.  Adjust the beam as needed (rotation, elevation, etc.) and constrain the ends to the parametric reference planes.  Then, select the channel and create a parameter for it from the editing bar.  Make it an instance-based parameter.  Or, if you want to create multiple rail types, make it a type paramter.

You can always model pieces on top of one-another.  For a crane rail, I might just go to a section view, copy the w-beam up (by disjoining it) change the profile and rotate and move the chanel as necessary.  If I have three crane rails, this method will suffice.  Now, If I'm working on a job that has fifteen or twenty rails, I would probably create a family for each type.  My guess is that the fabrication costs will influence cost more than member weight, so you'll probably have only a few types anyway.

If you do a lot of industrial type work, then it's worth it to build the family in a parametric fashion, or at least in a fashion that fits your industry.  It doesn't need to have every combination of every member size, so why put all that effort into it if you only use a few member sizes.

Make sense?

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gregroberson

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Great!  I am going to try this this week end.  Again thanks.

Greg

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