Pipe Fitting Family Issue

[RAMasterson]

Hi All,

I'm having a pipe fitting problem with a family I downloaded from Muller Industries. (btw, I tried contacting them and I got no response).

Its a copper elbow that should give me a 45, 90 & 180 u-bend. The 90 works fine but when I draw a pipe off on a 45 it tries to insert a 90 elbow. (haven't tried the 180)

The download included the .rfa & a .csv look-up table which i imported into the family via the family editor/manage button in family types.

If possible can some give this a try and see if it works for you...maybe I'm doing somethig wrong.

Attaches is the zip file from Mueller. (their website also: http://www.muellerindustries.com/bim )

Thanks for any help

[danielkazado]

Hi,

 I have gone through the part. As you mentioned it does not insert 45 by routing reference. I will advice to duplicate the 90 and create a 45. The 90 can be used by routing reference as it is more used. Insert 45 fitting if needed manually by inset fitting. I may help for preperation of the part if you may need. 

 

[Alfredo_Medina]

Maybe it is just a matter of configuration? I was able to use your elbow family without problems after doing this:

1) Configuring that elbow as my preferred elbow in the pipe's type property, and...

2) Putting the .csv file in my Lookup Tables / Pipe folder of Revit 2013.

[RAMasterson]

Alfredo,

You are right that the family works properly when used in 2013, I just tried it. It seems the issue is when it it used in 2014 that it has the issues.

Are you able to try it in 2014 to see if you get similar problems?

If not, can someone else out there give it a go in 2014...and possibly provide a fix or adjusment so the family works in 2014.

Much appreciated!

[CoreyDaun]

Open the Family file with Revit 2014 and save the upgraded Family somewhere, and then load that Family file into you Project instead. As of Revit 2014, Lookup Tables are now stored within the Family file itself, and upgrading the Family should properly embed the associated Lookup Table in the File. Otherwise, Revit 2014 cannot find the proper Lookup Table for the Family.

[RAMasterson]

OK, I did open the family in 2014, checked to make sure the lookup table was embedded and save it.

Started a new project, loaded the newly saved family into the project. Created a new pipe type and added that elbow as preferred fitting.

The result is the same...as I said earlier I did this exact procedure in 2013 this morning and it works fine.

Can/did you try this 2014 to confirm I'm not screwing up here?

Thanks

[CoreyDaun]

Alright - I opened the Family in 2014, and I think the problem lies in the "Angle" parameter, which appears to be somehow failing. The connection seems to only be possible at the default angle specified by the "Angle" Parameter. For instance, if you change the default value to 45°, the fitting will now work with 45° angle in the Project, but now fail with the 90° angle. I haven't found a solution to this, as of yet...

[danielkazado]

 I think as it uses the Angle parameter in the lookup table and not formula in the parameters it does not put different angles with routing reference. I had similiar parts from different manufacturers for PPRc also. The only wat I found was to use 90 degree in routing as it is more used and copy a 45 degree part and manually insert it if I need. 

[Alfredo_Medina]

Maybe one of those cases that have been reported lately in other forums about families that work fine in previous version but stop working in the new version? That is very inconvenient for the content creators, especially because it is difficult to find the cause of the problem. Most updates in the programs just say something such as "improved stability of...(feature x)" but never exactly let us know what was changed in the family editor.

[mikeyspeed]

I just ran into this same problem running in 2015.  Has any solution to this problem been found?

[CoreyDaun · Accepted solution]

Try opening the Family for editing, selecting the Connectors, and make sure that "Angle" (under Properties) is linked to the proper Parameter. To link a Parameter, click on the small grey button next to the Parameter name are choose the appropriate Parameter from the following list.

[mikeyspeed]

It was set to "angle".   Maybe the parameter is wrong?  I'm not sure.  I know enough about revit families to get into a lot of trouble.

[mikeyspeed]

Corey - I tried this again and found that one connector was set at "angle" and the other connector was set to "none".  When you highlight them together, the constraint shows up as angle.  Your solution is correct, it just has to be done one connector at a time.

[RAMasterson]

Wow...it took a while but this solution worked great! I've been dealing with this issue since January.

Thanks Corey!!!!

[CharlieS86]

How did you even get the Mueller fittings to work?  I downloaded all their revit pipe fittings and put the family into the right folder then the lookup tables in the lookup tables folder and it wouldn't work.  I could drag it in and draw everything manually but I want to just draw the pipes and have them come in automatically at the right sizes?  Does anyone know how to get this?  I'm using Revit MEP 2012.  Thanks!

[RAMasterson]

Did you create a Pipe Type in Families and add the fittings to the Routing Preferences?

[CharlieS86]

Yes I tried that. I'm trying to use the Elkhart ones now because it's what I found in Seek when those other ones weren't working.

[CharlesGoin]

http://seek.autodesk.com/product/latest/agg/muellerindustries/Mueller-Industries/MuellerWB01647

Still broken in 2015.. I thought changing to this fitting would work. 

Looking at the RFA it has the language there to do 22.5, 45 and 90 but it can't.. Revit won't allow it. 

Tried multiple different fittings and elbows.. 

[CharlesGoin]

Yep the Muellers just need the connector changed to angle.. >.< 

[Iev60047]

I just want to say, that I found this family and am using it successfully in Revit 2022. I have been looking for a while online for another Imperial Copper Fitting family for copper elbows with built-in lookup tables and this is the only one I was able to find!