& Construction

Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
& Manufacturing

Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Create a precast beam.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
6 min.
Transcript
00:04
On the home screen. Let's begin by creating a new family
00:09
in the new family's dialogue box.
00:12
We'll go ahead here and use structural framing beams and braces.
00:16
Let's go ahead and select open.
00:21
So our family opens up and we can see in plan view,
00:24
we have a number of different reference planes over here.
00:27
The inner reference planes will control the symbolic view of the beam.
00:31
In fact, we don't require this on our precast member.
00:34
So I'm just going to delete that symbolic line.
00:37
The next set of reference planes controlled a cut back of the beam
00:41
and the final set of reference plans is the analytical length of the beam itself.
00:46
This particular template already has an extrusion created for a beam.
00:50
Again, we don't require this so I can select this extrusion
00:54
and we can press delete.
00:56
We'll begin by creating a sweep for our beam
00:60
to do this. Let's go ahead and select the creates ribbon
01:03
and on the creates ribbon, we'll click sweep
01:07
on the context ribbon. You'll note here, we have sketch path.
01:11
Let's begin by creating the path that our sweep will follow.
01:16
So we want the precast member to cut back.
01:19
So I'm going to draw the path between this reference plane here
01:23
and this reference plane here
01:26
to complete the path we can simply click, modify or press escape.
01:31
It's very important that this path is constrained to the reference planes
01:36
to do this. On the context ribbon, I can go ahead and select a line
01:41
and I'm going to begin here by selecting this reference plane
01:45
and then the horizontal line
01:47
I could then constrain that
01:50
I also want to make sure that the length of the line is constrained.
01:53
So I'm going to select this reference plane here
01:55
and then the end point of the line.
01:58
And again, we can constrain that
02:00
and we'll repeat that on the right hand side
02:05
to exit the airline command, we can go ahead and select, modify on the ribbon.
02:10
OK? So our path is complete.
02:12
So we'll go ahead here and select, finish edit mode.
02:16
And now we're going to use a profile
02:18
notice on the context ribbon. We have a panel here dedicated to the profile.
02:23
We can select a profile. If we already had one loaded into rabbit,
02:28
we could create and sketch a profile right here if we wanted to
02:32
or we can load a profile.
02:35
Let's go ahead and select load profile.
02:38
And here we're going to select M 04 underscore 04 underscore profile.
02:44
We can then go ahead and select open,
02:48
you'll now notice on the pull down menu that
02:50
we have the ability to select that particular profile.
02:55
Now, of course,
02:56
to fully understand the profile and see it in the context of the 3D
02:59
view will change to the 3D view to do this in the project browser.
03:04
Double click on view one,
03:08
you may need to zoom to the extent of the view and you can now clearly see your path
03:13
and also the profile,
03:16
you'll note that the profile has come in exactly the right place.
03:19
But of course, if we wanted to offset that in the X or the Y direction,
03:23
we could then add values on the options bar here in the X or the Y field or of course,
03:28
we can do it in canvas here.
03:31
So everything's looking good.
03:32
So we'll go up to our context ribbon and we'll select finish edit mode
03:37
and you can now see our beam has been created
03:40
while the sweep is still selected in the properties pads.
03:43
You'll note here that we can link the material across.
03:46
So here we're going to associate this to a family parameter
03:50
because we started with a structural framing template.
03:53
You'll notice here, we already have structural material available for us.
03:57
So we'd associate that parameter and click. OK.
04:01
I can now deselect the solid by present escape or
04:03
just simply click it in the background of rev it.
04:07
Before we start looking at the dimensional control of our beam
04:10
on the modify ribbon. Let's go ahead and select family category and parameters
04:16
here, I'd like to make sure that the material for model behavior is set to precast.
04:23
So we'll go ahead and set that up
04:25
and also notice here that we have display in hidden views.
04:28
Currently here,
04:30
I could set this to all edges so all edges are displayed.
04:34
But in this case here, I just want edges hidden by other members.
04:38
OK? So that's our family category and parameters set. We can go ahead and select, OK.
04:44
We're now ready to associate the parameters from our profile to the family itself
04:49
to do that. We'll go into the project browser
04:52
and expand the family's folder.
04:54
We'll then go ahead and expand the profiles folder
04:58
and now we'll expand our family and we can see our type here. PC B hyphen 009.
05:05
Let's right. Mouse click over this and select type properties
05:10
in the type properties.
05:11
You'll notice that we have the dimensions controlling our profile.
05:16
I'm now going to begin to associate these two parameters in our project.
05:20
Let's start with sheer
05:23
in the associate family parameters dialer box, I can click new parameter
05:27
and here we can type in the matching name. Sham.
05:32
All of the defaults will remain constant here and we can simply click. OK?
05:36
And then OK, again to the associate family parameter dialogue,
05:40
you'll now notice that the parameters grayed out. And also we have a little
05:44
sign to show us that that family parameter is in fact associated.
05:49
So we'll go through and create the rest of them. So this one is going to be depth.
05:55
This one here will be nib depth
06:03
and then we have NIP width.
06:10
And finally, here we have the width itself.
06:18
OK. So now those parameters have been associated, we can simply click OK?
06:24
On the context ribbon. Let's go ahead and select family types
06:27
and we can now see those family parameters have
06:30
now been added into the family types dialog box.
06:34
Now remember that these values are going to be driven by a catalog.
06:39
We'll now need to ensure that our family has
06:41
exactly the same name as our type catalog.
06:44
So let's go ahead and select, OK.
06:46
On the quick access tool bar, we'll go ahead and select save
06:50
and in the safehouse dialogue box, we can type in the family name.
06:54
So this is going to be mo four
06:56
underscore
06:59
underscore
07:01
precast beam.
07:04
Will they go ahead and select save?
Video transcript
00:04
On the home screen. Let's begin by creating a new family
00:09
in the new family's dialogue box.
00:12
We'll go ahead here and use structural framing beams and braces.
00:16
Let's go ahead and select open.
00:21
So our family opens up and we can see in plan view,
00:24
we have a number of different reference planes over here.
00:27
The inner reference planes will control the symbolic view of the beam.
00:31
In fact, we don't require this on our precast member.
00:34
So I'm just going to delete that symbolic line.
00:37
The next set of reference planes controlled a cut back of the beam
00:41
and the final set of reference plans is the analytical length of the beam itself.
00:46
This particular template already has an extrusion created for a beam.
00:50
Again, we don't require this so I can select this extrusion
00:54
and we can press delete.
00:56
We'll begin by creating a sweep for our beam
00:60
to do this. Let's go ahead and select the creates ribbon
01:03
and on the creates ribbon, we'll click sweep
01:07
on the context ribbon. You'll note here, we have sketch path.
01:11
Let's begin by creating the path that our sweep will follow.
01:16
So we want the precast member to cut back.
01:19
So I'm going to draw the path between this reference plane here
01:23
and this reference plane here
01:26
to complete the path we can simply click, modify or press escape.
01:31
It's very important that this path is constrained to the reference planes
01:36
to do this. On the context ribbon, I can go ahead and select a line
01:41
and I'm going to begin here by selecting this reference plane
01:45
and then the horizontal line
01:47
I could then constrain that
01:50
I also want to make sure that the length of the line is constrained.
01:53
So I'm going to select this reference plane here
01:55
and then the end point of the line.
01:58
And again, we can constrain that
02:00
and we'll repeat that on the right hand side
02:05
to exit the airline command, we can go ahead and select, modify on the ribbon.
02:10
OK? So our path is complete.
02:12
So we'll go ahead here and select, finish edit mode.
02:16
And now we're going to use a profile
02:18
notice on the context ribbon. We have a panel here dedicated to the profile.
02:23
We can select a profile. If we already had one loaded into rabbit,
02:28
we could create and sketch a profile right here if we wanted to
02:32
or we can load a profile.
02:35
Let's go ahead and select load profile.
02:38
And here we're going to select M 04 underscore 04 underscore profile.
02:44
We can then go ahead and select open,
02:48
you'll now notice on the pull down menu that
02:50
we have the ability to select that particular profile.
02:55
Now, of course,
02:56
to fully understand the profile and see it in the context of the 3D
02:59
view will change to the 3D view to do this in the project browser.
03:04
Double click on view one,
03:08
you may need to zoom to the extent of the view and you can now clearly see your path
03:13
and also the profile,
03:16
you'll note that the profile has come in exactly the right place.
03:19
But of course, if we wanted to offset that in the X or the Y direction,
03:23
we could then add values on the options bar here in the X or the Y field or of course,
03:28
we can do it in canvas here.
03:31
So everything's looking good.
03:32
So we'll go up to our context ribbon and we'll select finish edit mode
03:37
and you can now see our beam has been created
03:40
while the sweep is still selected in the properties pads.
03:43
You'll note here that we can link the material across.
03:46
So here we're going to associate this to a family parameter
03:50
because we started with a structural framing template.
03:53
You'll notice here, we already have structural material available for us.
03:57
So we'd associate that parameter and click. OK.
04:01
I can now deselect the solid by present escape or
04:03
just simply click it in the background of rev it.
04:07
Before we start looking at the dimensional control of our beam
04:10
on the modify ribbon. Let's go ahead and select family category and parameters
04:16
here, I'd like to make sure that the material for model behavior is set to precast.
04:23
So we'll go ahead and set that up
04:25
and also notice here that we have display in hidden views.
04:28
Currently here,
04:30
I could set this to all edges so all edges are displayed.
04:34
But in this case here, I just want edges hidden by other members.
04:38
OK? So that's our family category and parameters set. We can go ahead and select, OK.
04:44
We're now ready to associate the parameters from our profile to the family itself
04:49
to do that. We'll go into the project browser
04:52
and expand the family's folder.
04:54
We'll then go ahead and expand the profiles folder
04:58
and now we'll expand our family and we can see our type here. PC B hyphen 009.
05:05
Let's right. Mouse click over this and select type properties
05:10
in the type properties.
05:11
You'll notice that we have the dimensions controlling our profile.
05:16
I'm now going to begin to associate these two parameters in our project.
05:20
Let's start with sheer
05:23
in the associate family parameters dialer box, I can click new parameter
05:27
and here we can type in the matching name. Sham.
05:32
All of the defaults will remain constant here and we can simply click. OK?
05:36
And then OK, again to the associate family parameter dialogue,
05:40
you'll now notice that the parameters grayed out. And also we have a little
05:44
sign to show us that that family parameter is in fact associated.
05:49
So we'll go through and create the rest of them. So this one is going to be depth.
05:55
This one here will be nib depth
06:03
and then we have NIP width.
06:10
And finally, here we have the width itself.
06:18
OK. So now those parameters have been associated, we can simply click OK?
06:24
On the context ribbon. Let's go ahead and select family types
06:27
and we can now see those family parameters have
06:30
now been added into the family types dialog box.
06:34
Now remember that these values are going to be driven by a catalog.
06:39
We'll now need to ensure that our family has
06:41
exactly the same name as our type catalog.
06:44
So let's go ahead and select, OK.
06:46
On the quick access tool bar, we'll go ahead and select save
06:50
and in the safehouse dialogue box, we can type in the family name.
06:54
So this is going to be mo four
06:56
underscore
06:59
underscore
07:01
precast beam.
07:04
Will they go ahead and select save?
How to buy
Privacy | Do not sell or share my personal information | Cookie preferences | Report noncompliance | Terms of use | Legal | © 2025 Autodesk Inc. All rights reserved
Sign in for the best experience
Save your progress
Get access to courses
Receive personalized recommendations
May we collect and use your data?
Learn more about the Third Party Services we use and our Privacy Statement.May we collect and use your data to tailor your experience?
Explore the benefits of a customized experience by managing your privacy settings for this site or visit our Privacy Statement to learn more about your options.