publish autodesk® inventor® building components for...

Publish Autodesk® Inventor® Building Components for Consumption in AutoCAD® MEP and Revit® MEP Jay Ayala – Autodesk, Inc.

MP5831 In this class, you will learn how to publish Autodesk Inventor files and how to best collaborate with Revit MEP and AutoCAD MEP.

Learning Objectives At the end of this class, you will be able to:

• Use BIM Exchange Tools in Autodesk Inventor 2012 to publish *.adsk files.

• Import *.adsk files into Autodesk Revit 2012 and create family content.

• Import *.adsk files into Autodesk AutoCAD MEP 2012 and create content.

• Import *.adsk files into Autodesk AutoCAD 2012 as 3D Blocks.

About the Speaker Jay Ayala is located in Portland, OR. and is one of the many AEC Solutions Engineer for Autodesk. He has over 13 years of experience in the AEC industry with 5 years at Autodesk. His background is in HVAC and Piping design for commercial buildings. He is the public persona of the Autodesk Revit MEP line, including "Ask Jay" and regularly hosts screencasts and tips and tricks videos. [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Publish Autodesk® Inventor® Building Components for Consumption in AutoCAD® MEP and Revit® MEP

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Introduction The inspiration for this class has come from my travels around the country with different MEP firms. When it comes to upgrading software to intelligent 3D modes many of the companies I deal with have the same concern. What I have learned in my time traveling all around the country and the world is that the number one concern people have everywhere is the same: “We would love to upgrade to a system like that but we are concerned that there is not enough content”. This session addresses how we can digitally leverage the content that our manufacturing partners create for their own purposes and how we, as Building Design Professionals, can take advantage of that.

Publishing Inventor content as *.adsk files

• Definition of *.adsk files – An *.adsk file is a neutral file format that is capable of cleanly transferring graphical data as well as parametric information between different pieces of Autodesk technology.

We will begin by reviewing the Inventor content files, and then we will go through the process of publishing it out to an ADSK file.


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Publish the Inventor Files

1. Launch Autodesk Inventor 2012.

2. Open the project called

“SO90411_Tiffany-Autodesk.ipj”.

3. Open the file called “Chiller.iam”.

4. In the Quick Access toolbar click on

“Select Component Priority” and choose

the “Select Internal Components” option.

5. In the Internal dialog box, slide the

selector back between 87% - 93% then

click on the green checkbox.


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6. Right click in the blank space of the

canvas and select “Isolate”.

7. Click on the corners of the Viewcube to get

a better look at the internal components of

the chiller.


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8. Right click in the empty space and

choose “Undo Isolate”.

9. In the “Tools” ribbon, under the “Begin” panel, choose “BIM Exchange”.

10. In the “BIM Exchange” contextual ribbon, under the “Work Feature” panel, choose

“UCS”.


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11. Place the “Triad” on the bottom corner of the

chiller as shown in the image.

12. Select the X Axis and slowly rotate it until the Z Axis points vertically upwards. Verify

that the Z Axis is vertical by checking that you have rotated 90°.

13. In the “BIM Exchange” contextual ribbon, under the “Component” panel, click on

“ShrinkWrap Substitute”.


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14. In the “New Derived Substitute Part” dialog box, name the file “New Component Name”

as follows: “Chiller ShrinkWrapped” then click OK.

15. In the “Assembly Shrinkwrap Options”

dialog box, match these options as

pictured here.


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16. In the “BIM Exchange” contextual ribbon, under the “MEP Author” panel, click on “Pipe

Connector”.

17. Use your mouse wheel to zoom into the two pipe connections in the middle of the chiller

as shown below.


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18. In the “Pipe Connector” dialog box

choose the “Select” button.

19. Click on the inner edge of the pipe as shown in

the image.


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20. In the “Pipe Connector” dialog box, click on the

“Make Direction” button.

21. In the “Pipe Connector” dialog box, make the

following changes:

a. Diameter and Nominal Diameter - 6".

b. System Type – Undefined

c. Flow Direction – Bidirectional


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22. In the “Pipe Connectors” dialog box, edit the

Description of the pipe connector to “P1”.

Click OK to close the dialog box.

23. Repeat steps 16-22 to create pipe connector

“P2”.


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24. In the “BIM Exchange” contextual ribbon, under the “Manage” panel, click on “Export

Building Components”.

25. In the “Export Building Components”

dialog box, change the thumbnail preview

to “Automatic”.

Click OK.

26. In the “Save Copy As” dialog box, change

the folder to your desktop and name the

file “Chiller.adsk”.

27. You will be prompted by Inventor that the

desktop folder is not in the active project.

Click on “Yes” to save the file on your

desktop.


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28. Inventor will take a couple of minutes to create the *.adsk file. Wait for it to complete.

29. Inventor will complete the task of creating the *.adsk file and prompt you for a report.

Click “Yes” to view the report.


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30. The report will look like the image below.


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Leveraging Inventor content as *.adsk files in Revit MEP 2012

We can use the *.adsk file to create content in Revit MEP as family files.


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Work with the *.adsk files in Revit MEP 2012

1. Launch Autodesk Revit MEP 2012.

2. In the “Application Button”, choose

“Open”, then “Building Component”.

3. Find the “Chiller.adsk” file on your

desktop and click open.

4. In the view, click on “Visual Styles:

Consistent Colors”.


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5. Click on the corners of the View Cube to review the new

family.

6. In the “Application Button”, choose “Save

As: Family”.


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7. Save the file on your desktop and name

it “Chiller.rfa”.


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Leveraging Inventor content as *.adsk files in AutoCAD MEP 2012

We can use the *.adsk file to create content in AutoCAD MEP as MvPart files, MvBlock files,

and 3D Block files.


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Work with the *.adsk files in AutoCAD MEP 2012 - MvParts

1. Launch Autodesk AutoCAD MEP 2012.

2. In the “Insert” ribbon, under the “Content” panel, choose the “Content Browser” flyout

and pick the “Building Component” option.


desktop and open it.

4. In the “Import Building Component”

dialog box, click on “Multi-View Part”.


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5. In the “Import Building Component” dialog box, match the following settings as shown in

the image, then click Add. (Note: You may not see Company Custom Equipment

chapter. You may want to create that as a new chapter for your catalogs.)

6. AutoCAD MEP 2012 will prompt you to place the chiller, simply choose an insertion point

and a rotation. The “Esc” button on your keyboard will end the insert command.


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Work with the *.adsk files in AutoCAD MEP 2012 – MvBlock






dialog box, click on “Multi-View Block”.


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4. In the “Import Building Component” dialog box, match the following settings as shown in

the image, then click Add.

5. AutoCAD MEP 2012 will prompt you to place the chiller, simply choose an insertion

point. The “Esc” button on your keyboard will end the insert command.


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Work with the *.adsk files in AutoCAD MEP 2012 – Block






dialog box, click on “Block”.


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4. In the “Import Building Component” dialog box, match the following settings as in the

image, then click “Insert”.

5. AutoCAD MEP 2012 will prompt you to place the Chiller, simply choose an insertion

point, enter 1 for the X & Y Scale factor, and choose 0 as the rotation.


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Inventor Level of Detail Suppression best practices for publishing *.adsk files

1. In Inventor open the “Chiller.iam” file.

2. In the “Browser Bar”, double click on “Master”.


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3. In the “Browser Bar”, right click on

“Level of Detail : Master” and choose

the “New Level of Detail” option.

4. In the “Browser Bar”, rename

“LevelofDetail1” to “Chiller LOD”.


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5. In the “Quick Access” toolbar click on

“Select Component Priority” and choose

the “Select Internal Components” option.

6. In the “Internal” dialog box, slide the

selector back between 87% - 93% then

click on green the checkbox.


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7. Right click in the blank space of the

canvas and select “Isolate”.

8. Use the “Esc” button on your keyboard to end the selection. Use your mouse to create a

crossing window to select everything that remains in the view.


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9. Right click in the empty space of the canvas and

choose the “Suppress” option. (Note, this may

take 4-5 minutes)

10. Right click in the empty space of the canvas and

choose the “Undo Isolate” option.


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11. In the “Tools” ribbon, under the “Begin” panel, choose “BIM Exchange”.

12. In the “BIM Exchange” contextual ribbon, under the “Work Feature” panel, choose

“UCS”.


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13. Place the “Triad” on the bottom corner of the chiller as shown in the image.

14. Select the X Axis and slowly rotate it until

the Z Axis points vertically upwards, verify that the Z Axis is vertical by checking that you

have rotated 90°.

15. In the “BIM Exchange” contextual ribbon, under the “Component” panel, click on

“ShrinkWrap Substitute”.


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16. In the “New Derived Substitute Part” dialog box, name the file “New Component Name”

as follows: “Chiller_LOD SW” then click OK.

17. In the “Assembly Shrinkwrap Options”

dialog box, match these options as

pictured here.


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18. In the “BIM Exchange” contextual ribbon, under the “Manage” panel, click on “Export

Building Components”.

19. In the “Export Building Components”

dialog box, change the “Thumbnail

Preview” to “Automatic”.

Click OK.

20. In the “Save Copy As” dialog box, change

the folder to your desktop and name the

file “Chiller LOD.adsk”.

21. You will be prompted by Inventor that the

desktop folder is not in the active project.

Click on “Yes” to save the file on your

desktop.


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22. Inventor will take a couple of minutes to create the *.adsk file. Wait for it to complete.

23. Inventor will complete the task of creating the *.adsk file and prompt you for a report.

Click “Yes” to view the report.


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24. The report will look like the image below.


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Inserting newly created *.rfa files in Revit MEP 2012

We can now use the *.rfa file to insert new content in Revit MEP.


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Insert the *.rfa file into a Revit project

1. In Revit MEP open the file “Small Office

Building.rvt”.

2. In the “Home” ribbon, under the “Model”

panel, click on “Component”.

3. In the “Modify|Place Component”

contextual ribbon, under the “Mode”

panel, click on “Load Family”.

4. Locate and open the “Chiller.rfa” file.

5. In the “xxx” dialog box, click “No”.


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6. Insert the chiller in the location shown in the image below.


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Inserting newly created *.dwg files in AutoCAD MEP 2012

We can now use the *.dwg file to insert new content in AutoCAD MEP.


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Insert the *.dwg file into a AutoCAD drawing

1. In AutoCAD MEP open the file “Medical

Lab - Roof.dwg”.

2. In the “Home” ribbon, under the “Build”

panel, click on “Equipment”.

3. In the “Add Multi-view Parts” dialog box,

locate the “Chiller ShrinkWrapped”

MvPart and make sure the elevation is

set to 0'-0".


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4. Insert the chiller in the location shown in the image below.

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