Custom Duct Fitting

[ntopliffe]

Anyone have any ideas on how to create the attached custom duct fitting?

Any help is appreciated.

Neil

[ntopliffe]

There is always this idea:

Hide the duct in red and use detail lines to show the custom duct, probably the easiest...

[stykface]

There is always this idea:

Hide the duct in red and use detail lines to show the custom duct, probably the easiest...
hmmm, on a cost basis from the duct shop, you'd think that radical of a reducing offset radius 90 such as that would not be cost effective and probably want to be avoided altogether unless you 100% absolutely cannot run the ductwork without using a transition such as that.

[rrubert]

We do the "hide stuff in view" method as well. I know it's not "BIM-ish", but we haven't been contracted to produce a BIM yet, just use Revit.

[cporter.207875]

We do the "hide stuff in view" method as well. I know it's not "BIM-ish", but we haven't been contracted to produce a BIM yet, just use Revit.

Regardless of whether it is BIM, it simply isn't correct. That's like putting all your light fixtures on the floor and saying it's OK, since "we're not contracted to produce BIM." It looks fine on paper... I know that in this case it probably isn't a big deal, but it is a bad habit that you should avoid.

Try a swept blend to create the fitting.

[ntopliffe]

100% absolutely cannot run the ductwork without using a transition such as that.

Space is tight, gotta have it.


Try a swept blend to create the fitting.

I am still learning the family creation but I have tried the following:

1. Use a single sweep blend to define the part. Sounds straight forward but I run into problems with a sweep path that is not planer nor a single element. The path must start at one elevation and end at another, and must be a straight segment followed by a spline segment and finally another straight segment.

2. Use an oversized sweep blend then void the tops and bottoms with void sweep blends to get what I am looking for. This seems possible but highly time consuming and limited to a single element to define the path as defined in 1 above.

In short, I've done modelling in Pro Engineer and Unigraphics and other part modeling software and the family creation feature of Revit, from my perspective is limited at best.

Neil

[ntopliffe]

after working on it a bit more I have the following.

I used a single sweep blend, a single path, the second profile is simply elevated above the first.

worked like a charm.

Any ideas on making it completely customizable? generic to easily adapt to any geometric configuration?? :-)

It never ends does it?

Neil

[cporter.207875]

after working on it a bit more I have the following.

I used a single sweep blend, a single path, the second profile is simply elevated above the first.

worked like a charm.

Any ideas on making it completely customizable? generic to easily adapt to any geometric configuration?? :-)

It never ends does it?

Neil

You could add a load of instance parameters and manually change each instance in the project, as needed on a case by case basis. This would probably be the easiest, since you would only need to input duct offsets and duct size.
Trying to get it to adjust itself automatically would be much more difficult.

[JoelLondenberg]

Lemme know what you think...

According to your posted drawing - the top surface of the fitting is planer. So the path for the swept blend can go there.

[ray.205827]

I believe this is called a "drop cheek" radius elbow. I also believe the correct spelling is "planar", even in America. Language of course is highly fluid, so who knows; like the weather in Denver, if you don't like it, just wait 5 minutes and it'll change.

[rrubert]

I'm glad the fitting got made.

I don't advocate doing things just because we aren't contracted to do BIM. I try to model everything as best I can, and I don't like to cut corners (ha...literally, in this case) because I know it will come back to bite me later on. For example, if you did what I suggested and used drafting lines, and then drew a duct below this one, it wouldn't show up as broken in the hidden line view. So, I know that my suggestion wasn't the greatest.

But, sometimes you just have to decide what you're going to model, and what you're not going to model, and sometimes you have to do things quickly, and that's when the detail line shortcut could come in handy.

[cporter.207875]

I'm glad the fitting got made.

I don't advocate doing things just because we aren't contracted to do BIM. I try to model everything as best I can, and I don't like to cut corners (ha...literally, in this case) because I know it will come back to bite me later on. For example, if you did what I suggested and used drafting lines, and then drew a duct below this one, it wouldn't show up as broken in the hidden line view. So, I know that my suggestion wasn't the greatest.

But, sometimes you just have to decide what you're going to model, and what you're not going to model, and sometimes you have to do things quickly, and that's when the detail line shortcut could come in handy.

Yeah, I know. On the architecture side of things... I do it all the time. Just don't want to advocate for it if there is time to do it right.
However, I am an advocate of smart modeling practices. There's no reason to over model things or worry about "true" representation unless you're putting together a snazzy rendering for a paying cllient. For CDs, design intent is what is important. In this case, that means you can't use a Tee and call it a Wye...

[ntopliffe]

Lemme know what you think...


I think it looks excellent.

I will play more with it tomorrow but on first blush it looks perfect. Thanks!

Neil