Is there a better way to create Batt Insulation in 2006?

[Haden]

We are still using an old .lsp routine to draw batt insulation in a wall section or plan detail which actually creates a curving polyline.

Does anyone have a better way as of AutoCAD 2006, or are people just using blocks and old lisp routines similar to ours?

Thanks.

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

How about Linetype "Batting" that ships with AutoCAD 2006 ( Acad.lin or Acadiso.lin ) ?

Have a good one, Mike

[Haden]

How about Linetype "Batting" that ships with AutoCAD 2006?

Thanks for the quick reply, MIke, but unfortunately I think I had tried that one some time ago and passed on it. The biggest problem with the linetype is that you cannot just draw the batt insulation to a specific thickness, say 3 1/2" or 5 1/2"; you must change the ltscale by trial and error until it comes out to the thickness you want. Then, you have just messed up the ltscale for your dashed lines, etc., and have to go back to alter the object's linetype scale of the batt insulation (again trial and error) to get it to read right, AFTER you have set your drawing's ltscale to what you need. Then, heaven forbid, you use a drawing in more than one scale context (i.e. xref a large buliding section into a detail view), and you may have a new problem with ltscale.

Just not nearly direct and user-friendly enough. I'd be interested to hear other ideas, and again, thanks for the discussion, Mike.

[Brian Myers]

Also, Architectural Desktop comes with a Batt Insul hatch pattern that you could use if you have access to that program.

[Haden]

I haven't really fooled much with dynamic blocks yet (because I'm actually now primarily a Revit man), but has anyone tried to make a stretchable dynamic block in AutoCad which works for batt insulation?

[Rico]

We are still using an old .lsp routine to draw batt insulation in a wall section or plan detail which actually creates a curving polyline.

Does anyone have a better way as of AutoCAD 2006, or are people just using blocks and old lisp routines similar to ours?

Thanks.
Today is your lucky day, my man.

Attached is a Dynamic Block of a batting and rigid insulation. Easy to use, small in size and scalable and rotatable. I created it myself and am quite proud of what they can do. :)

To use the Dynamic Properties you have to have "Shortcut menus in drawing area" checked on. Then just left click the block and we're on our way.

The little circle is a rotate action - this allows you to rotate it 360 degrees.

The little arrow is a stretch array action - stretch it to the limit of the cavity you want to fill and voila.

You can set the scale by going into your properties dialog box and setting the XY and Z scales. If it's a 3 1/2" wall, type 3.5. if it's a 92mm wall, type 92.

If you need more help, just let me know, ok?

[Haden]

Also, Architectural Desktop comes with a Batt Insul hatch pattern that you could use if you have access to that program.
Again, as I said in another follow-up, we're mostly Revit here now, and abandoned ADT for Revit a couple of years ago. I think I may have tried that one as well, but we only own AutoCAD in version 2006, so I don't think that will work for us either.

But thanks, Dilbert.

[Haden]

Today is your lucky day, my man.

Attached is a Dynamic Block of a batting and rigid insulation. Easy to use, small in size and scalable and rotatable. I created it myself and am quite proud of what they can do. :)

Thanks, Max! You just said it. I appreciate the gift, and I'll let everyone know how it works out for us after we have a chance to try it.

[Haden]

To use the Dynamic Properties you have to have "Shortcut menus in drawing area" checked on. Then just left click the block and we're on our way.

The little circle is a rotate action - this allows you to rotate it 360 degrees.

The little arrow is a stretch array action - stretch it to the limit of the cavity you want to fill and voila.
If you need more help, just let me know, ok?OK.
<Edited>
OK, I get it -- your file contains more than one block. I used the design center to input just the one block I wanted, and it works. Thanks again. Great little tool!

[Mike.Perry]

Thanks for the quick reply, MIke, but unfortunately I think I had tried that one some time ago and passed on it. <SNIP>

Just not nearly direct and user-friendly enough. I'd be interested to hear other ideas, and again, thanks for the discussion, Mike.Hi

Maybe...

DynInsulate - dynamic block for insulation (DWG) (http://www.cadforum.cz/cadforum_en/default.asp?tab=4&file=549) via CADForum.cz

Have a good one, Mike

[de-co1]

Hmmm... OK, same problem as hadens, but we're using LT 2002...

I'm going out of my tree here trying to tie in details that have the Batting linetype, where we use different scaled viewports for the same drawing... i.e. a 1:25 part section through a facade and then 1:5 details of junctions / cills / heads along that section... I don't want to overlay one linetype over another of a different scale.

I have read several posts here regarding LTSCALE / PSLTSCALE / CELTSCALE, none of which really address the issue above for ACAD LT. Our settings are 1, 1 and 1 for all of the scales. However, individual (for any) linetypes are set accordingly to get a the desired result.

With the above settings, we have solid lines in every viewport, unless we change the CELTSCALE, or the individual linetype's scale to something else (usually anywhere between 25 and 100 for borken lines, and an even greater variety for complex linetypes like batting). Drawing is all done at 1:1

The best results we find are PSLTSCALE = 1, LTSCALE = 0.5, CELTSCALE (individual linetype scale) = 50. I have noticed previous posts suggest having all three set to 1, but I don't understand how one will even see the linetype in that scenario.

Can anyone comment further on this and the Batting linetype probelm for LT 2002?

[H-Angus]

Hmmm... OK, same problem as hadens, but we're using LT 2002...

I'm going out of my tree here trying to tie in details that have the Batting linetype, where we use different scaled viewports for the same drawing... i.e. a 1:25 part section through a facade and then 1:5 details of junctions / cills / heads along that section... I don't want to overlay one linetype over another of a different scale.

I have read several posts here regarding LTSCALE / PSLTSCALE / CELTSCALE, none of which really address the issue above for ACAD LT. Our settings are 1, 1 and 1 for all of the scales. However, individual (for any) linetypes are set accordingly to get a the desired result.

With the above settings, we have solid lines in every viewport, unless we change the CELTSCALE, or the individual linetype's scale to something else (usually anywhere between 25 and 100 for borken lines, and an even greater variety for complex linetypes like batting). Drawing is all done at 1:1

The best results we find are PSLTSCALE = 1, LTSCALE = 0.5, CELTSCALE (individual linetype scale) = 50. I have noticed previous posts suggest having all three set to 1, but I don't understand how one will even see the linetype in that scenario.

Can anyone comment further on this and the Batting linetype probelm for LT 2002?

Sorry David but I think your stuck with the batting linetype in LT.Although if you override the LTS on individual objects it can work pretty well.

For example say the batting normally prints at 100mm using the global LTS (whatever that may be), you can then give another batting line an override setting the LTS to 0.5 it will then print at 50mm, 0.3 for 30mm etc.

Its a bit fiddley but once you get used to it?

Also in ADT2004-2006 you can add insulation using the Detail Componant Manager.

[de-co1]

Hmmm... that's what I figured. Why oh why do they even bother with LT I ask???!!!

:banghead:

[H-Angus]

Hmmm... that's what I figured. Why oh why do they even bother with LT I ask???!!!

:banghead:

My feelings exactly.

[Rico]

Hmmm... OK, same problem as hadens, but we're using LT 2002...yup. 2002 users are out of luck with respects to using Dynamic Blocks. It's a feature only available to 2006 users.

Too bad, too. Great tool. Yet another reason to upgrade to 2006. hint hint.