Forums >> Revit Building >> Technical Support >> Can someone help me out with how to go about making this family

acey86

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Joined: Wed, May 2, 2012
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Hi all,

I am fairly new to REVIT (using Revit Architecture 2013 - Windows7 64Bit) and was wondering if anyone has any suggestions to enable me to make a family with the following attributes/parameters.

Basically, we have a row of inground tanks, which need to be at the same invert level, however due to the slab falls on the site, the manhole openings are at different heights (and these change from site to site).  We were hoping to be able to make a family in which the manhole would automatically snap to the host height (the concrete slab) so that the "funnel's" down to the tanks are different heights.

We use this configuration for almost all of our sites and at the moment it is very time consuming to individually model each situation, and even more so when the site levels change constantly.

Does anyone have any idea if this can be achieved and if so, how is the best way to go around it?

I haven't been able to find anything similar or any walk through's on the net (unsure what to search for). I'd really like to learn how to make this myself!

Thanks in advance,

Edited on: Tue, Aug 28, 2012 at 5:10:25 PM

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TKennedy

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Joined: Wed, Oct 7, 2009
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Is the slope of the slab going to be constant between the funnels?

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acey86

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Hi TKennedy,

No not necessarily, the slab could be at any falls, in any direction, we are looking for something that will allow the top to snap to the slab, but be able to manually set the invert level of the tank. Therefore dependant on the number of tanks, the funnels will all show a different height. (looking at only one tank configuration in the family and placing as many as we need on the site)

Thanks

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acey86

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Ok, this is all I can work out to make it work - I have made a simple shape to test it (not right sizes etc)

I have hosted the lid in the floor and added an opening so that it cuts out the floor, i have added a variable tank depth parameter, so I can manually change the depth and set the funnel depth relative to the tank.

This all seems to work ok - but I would have to manually work out the depth of each individual tank relative to the slab at the point it is cutting through (annoying, but liveable I guess).

The only other thing which I can see may cause issues is the fact that the lid cuts through vertically, so the lid is not smooth to the slab (it does not slope with the slab) I realise that would be near impossible to do anyway, due to the variables of the slab falls (2 directional falls).  I did try unselecting the "always vertical" check box in the family properties, but it causes the tank and funnel to tilt parallel to the direction of the slab.

Attached is the VERY QUICk family I made, plus a project in which I have only added a floor and 3 of the tanks at varying places with varying depths.  If anyone has the know-how - could you take a look and see if there is any better way to do this, or do you think this is about as good as it will get?

Thanks.

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mbsteve

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Joined: Fri, Sep 22, 2006
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Usually when I try to build a family, I try to think in terms of how they are actually built in the field. Not knowing exactly how they are built I imagine that you have some standard tank sizes with manhole that can be varied in height. I expect the funnel as you call it comes up more or less to the bottom of the slab and the manhole ring is actually cast in the slab. So I would use a separate manhole ring and cover that is of the surface type family. I would adjust the height of the funnel to fit the bottom or however you are doing for each case. Because in the end you are trying to build it like it will be in the field to anticipate the actual object to be shipped, to the job site.

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