Edit and use families to create clearance zones for equipment.
Transcript
00:03
In addition to ensuring adequate space for electrical equipment in the layout
00:08
provision must also be made to ensure there is
00:10
sufficient clearance around each piece of equipment for access
00:15
to achieve this,
00:16
we will work in the family editor to incorporate a
00:19
three dimensional volume to an existing piece of electrical equipment.
00:23
This will include working with reference planes, dimensions and constraints.
00:28
To ensure the stability of the geometry,
00:30
we will also create and apply a custom material
00:34
to easily distinguish the clearance zone from the equipment itself
00:38
by including clearance zones.
00:40
In this way,
00:40
we can check for anything that
00:42
could prevent access during installation or maintenance
00:47
zoom into the area containing the electrical equipment in this view.
00:52
Then open the switchboard in the family editor
00:59
from the project browser. Open the floor plan reference level
01:05
here we will start by adding reference planes
01:08
that will define the extent of the clearance zone
01:11
from the create tab of the ribbon, select the reference playing command
01:15
and draw two vertical reference planes on either side of the equipment
01:24
and draw one reference plane to the front,
01:30
select the annotate tab then using the aligned dimension,
01:34
command dimension to each of the new reference planes.
01:38
From the existing reference planes that represent the outer faces of the cabinet,
01:47
edit the dimensions for the vertical reference plane to four inches
01:51
and the horizontal reference plane to 3 ft.
01:60
Then
02:00
select and lock each of the dimensions,
02:09
select the create tab from the ribbon and from the forms panel, select extrusion,
02:14
then from the draw panel, select the rectangle command
02:18
and draw a rectangle across the reference planes
02:25
to ensure the finished extrusion is locked to the reference planes.
02:29
Pick the four padlocks, you can see
02:35
once complete select finish edit mode from the ribbon.
02:41
In this instance,
02:42
we'll simply set the height of the clearance
02:44
zone to match the height of the switchboard
02:47
from the project browser.
02:49
Open the front elevation view and drag
02:51
the extrusion to the switchboard height reference plane
02:55
and then select the lock
02:59
from the project browser open view. One from the 3D views.
03:06
The next step is to apply an appropriate material to the clearance zone,
03:11
select the extrusion and from the properties,
03:14
edit the material parameter and access the material browser,
03:22
scroll down the list of materials, select glass,
03:26
then create a duplicate from the dropdown menu,
03:31
select the identity tab in the material browser and rename the material clearance
03:37
zone
03:43
and change the description to the same.
03:49
Finally select the graphics tab and change the color to magenta
03:57
select OK to finish
04:01
from the view control bar,
04:03
change the visual style to shaded to see the final appearance of the clearance zone.
04:11
The clearance zone will be useful when laying out electrical equipment but
04:14
needs to have the option to be hidden when not required.
04:19
Select the extrusion and from the
04:21
properties associate the visible family parameter.
04:27
The parameter for the clearance zone doesn't exist. So let's go ahead and create one
04:34
select new parameter.
04:36
And from the parameter properties window
04:39
name the parameter clearance zone,
04:46
make this an inst instance parameter so that the
04:49
clearance zone can be controlled at an instant level.
04:54
Then finally group the parameter under graphics.
05:01
Then close all windows
05:05
load the edited family into the project and overwrite the existing version
05:14
by reviewing the clearance zone in plan view or a 3d view.
05:19
It can be determined if the current placement of the
05:22
switchboard is suitable or if some repositioning is required.
05:27
Once the final positions have been established,
05:30
the clearance zones for the electrical equipment
05:33
can be switched off from the properties
05:37
by adding clearance zones within the family editor using reference planes,
05:41
dimensions and constraints.
05:43
We can develop a library of consistent,
05:46
easy to manage content that can be used across multiple
05:49
projects to assist in the placement of electrical equipment.
05:53
If required,
05:54
the clearance zones can also be used as
05:56
part of a more detailed clash detection process.
00:03
In addition to ensuring adequate space for electrical equipment in the layout
00:08
provision must also be made to ensure there is
00:10
sufficient clearance around each piece of equipment for access
00:15
to achieve this,
00:16
we will work in the family editor to incorporate a
00:19
three dimensional volume to an existing piece of electrical equipment.
00:23
This will include working with reference planes, dimensions and constraints.
00:28
To ensure the stability of the geometry,
00:30
we will also create and apply a custom material
00:34
to easily distinguish the clearance zone from the equipment itself
00:38
by including clearance zones.
00:40
In this way,
00:40
we can check for anything that
00:42
could prevent access during installation or maintenance
00:47
zoom into the area containing the electrical equipment in this view.
00:52
Then open the switchboard in the family editor
00:59
from the project browser. Open the floor plan reference level
01:05
here we will start by adding reference planes
01:08
that will define the extent of the clearance zone
01:11
from the create tab of the ribbon, select the reference playing command
01:15
and draw two vertical reference planes on either side of the equipment
01:24
and draw one reference plane to the front,
01:30
select the annotate tab then using the aligned dimension,
01:34
command dimension to each of the new reference planes.
01:38
From the existing reference planes that represent the outer faces of the cabinet,
01:47
edit the dimensions for the vertical reference plane to four inches
01:51
and the horizontal reference plane to 3 ft.
01:60
Then
02:00
select and lock each of the dimensions,
02:09
select the create tab from the ribbon and from the forms panel, select extrusion,
02:14
then from the draw panel, select the rectangle command
02:18
and draw a rectangle across the reference planes
02:25
to ensure the finished extrusion is locked to the reference planes.
02:29
Pick the four padlocks, you can see
02:35
once complete select finish edit mode from the ribbon.
02:41
In this instance,
02:42
we'll simply set the height of the clearance
02:44
zone to match the height of the switchboard
02:47
from the project browser.
02:49
Open the front elevation view and drag
02:51
the extrusion to the switchboard height reference plane
02:55
and then select the lock
02:59
from the project browser open view. One from the 3D views.
03:06
The next step is to apply an appropriate material to the clearance zone,
03:11
select the extrusion and from the properties,
03:14
edit the material parameter and access the material browser,
03:22
scroll down the list of materials, select glass,
03:26
then create a duplicate from the dropdown menu,
03:31
select the identity tab in the material browser and rename the material clearance
03:37
zone
03:43
and change the description to the same.
03:49
Finally select the graphics tab and change the color to magenta
03:57
select OK to finish
04:01
from the view control bar,
04:03
change the visual style to shaded to see the final appearance of the clearance zone.
04:11
The clearance zone will be useful when laying out electrical equipment but
04:14
needs to have the option to be hidden when not required.
04:19
Select the extrusion and from the
04:21
properties associate the visible family parameter.
04:27
The parameter for the clearance zone doesn't exist. So let's go ahead and create one
04:34
select new parameter.
04:36
And from the parameter properties window
04:39
name the parameter clearance zone,
04:46
make this an inst instance parameter so that the
04:49
clearance zone can be controlled at an instant level.
04:54
Then finally group the parameter under graphics.
05:01
Then close all windows
05:05
load the edited family into the project and overwrite the existing version
05:14
by reviewing the clearance zone in plan view or a 3d view.
05:19
It can be determined if the current placement of the
05:22
switchboard is suitable or if some repositioning is required.
05:27
Once the final positions have been established,
05:30
the clearance zones for the electrical equipment
05:33
can be switched off from the properties
05:37
by adding clearance zones within the family editor using reference planes,
05:41
dimensions and constraints.
05:43
We can develop a library of consistent,
05:46
easy to manage content that can be used across multiple
05:49
projects to assist in the placement of electrical equipment.
05:53
If required,
05:54
the clearance zones can also be used as
05:56
part of a more detailed clash detection process.
Edit and use families to create clearance zones for equipment.
As there is not an appropriate parameter to associate, a new one will have to be created.
The clearance zone can be seen in this plan view and can assist in determining if the current placement of the switchboard is suitable.
