Lack of Grilles parts (mep2012)

[biosfixguy]

I found similar question here:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-MEP-General/Sidewall-grille-sizes/m-p/2552024/highlight/true#M...

Not only side wall grilles, even ceiling grilles are lack of sizes.

If you open EH PRICE product catalog, you will find more than 30 different sizes for one grille type.

Where is 6x6, 8x8?

these are widely used in small washrooms. Do we have to create by ourself?

And why duct and diffusers can change their sizes after draw, but grilles can't?

I'm using MEP 2012.

[Keith.Brown]

Hi BiosFixGuy,

AutoCAD MEP has done a decent job of shipping parts with their product but it is still lacking in the area of MvParts.  It would be virtually impossible for Autodesk to create MvParts for every product line.  An Autodesk product reaches all corners of the globe and they would need to create product lines for every country that uses their product and this would be impossible to do.  So instead they created the Content Builder that allows you to create your own parts.

MvPart creation in AutoCAD MEP can be done by three different methods.  Block, Parametric, or a single unique object.  How they are created depends on the part and the situation.  A unique part is built only once and is not catalog based.  It is created in your current drawing.  A block based part is built from blocks and has limited sizes based on the blocks that it is built on.  A parametric based part can have customizable sizes that can be based on parametric dimensions.  Ducts and some of the diffusers are parametrically built which is why you can change the size after you have added it to your current drawing.  Most of the grilles are block based and can only obtain the sizes for which it was created.

If you need new sizes then you will either have to look for a third party to create them for you or you can learn about the Content Builder and create the parts yourself.  I like to compare the Content Builder to the Block Editor in vanilla AutoCAD.  

This link to the online MEP help file should help get you started if you are interested in building your own parts.

Online Help 

Which price grille are you specifically looking for?

[biosfixguy]

Thank you Keith.

We don't actually need grilles for different manufactures. We need approx item with different sizes so we can put on drawings.

The best is we can edit sizes like ductwork after, so limited size will not be an issue.

Also I found round diffuser has only 2 sizes. 

If you can add a feature allow user to edit the size will be great.

I'm not expecting a BLOCK, because the benifit to use MEP is you can "pull out" duct or pipe from fittings or terminals.

If we just use BLOCKS, will be same as classic AutoCAD, and it's shame to do it.

By the way, here is the company called "EH PRICE" who has full serial of Ventilation products.

http://www.price-hvac.com/Catalog/Section_D/Standard/Louvered_Face/500_600_Supply.aspx

Thanks

[biosfixguy]

The reason I'm asking this is because we need to use these item in every design, like bread and milk.

They are not custom made products.

[pothied]

Another option for some types of air terminals, AHUs, VAV boxes, pumps, valves, fans, boilers, chillers, tanks, water heaters, cooling towers, and heat pumps is to use the Parametric Part Wizard. You basically start with a template that builds the part, add standard sizes and it will create definitions for parts using all combinations of the sizes entered. You may end up with more than you need but if you filter by size when inserting the part you can find the part of the right combination of sizes.

To Build Parametric Parts Using the Wizard
http://help.autodesk.com/view/BLDSYS/2015/ENU/?guid=GUID-9F57B992-77E9-448B-BF3D-6C0732F474F5

[Keith.Brown · Accepted solution]

Here is a generic sidewall grille that i created.  It has even sizes between 6" and 48".  Just take the files and place them in the directory structure of your catalogs and then type catalogregen at the command line to "install" the grille.

This was created more for design engineers and not for fabrication has the values are mostly made up and do not follow any manufacturers specifications.  That being said you can modify all of the calculations using content builder.

[Keith.Brown]

Simple picture of what it looks like.  I created this many years ago and don't really use it any more.  There is a duct setback parameter that will allow you to insert the body inside of the duct.  For engineering purposes this is probably not needed but was nice for fabrication so that you can get your duct lengths correct.

[Keith.Brown]

---

@Keith.Brown wrote:

Here is a generic sidewall grille that i created.  It has even sizes between 6" and 48".  Just take the files and place them in the directory structure of your catalogs and then type catalogregen at the command line to "install" the grille.

This was created more for design engineers and not for fabrication has the values are mostly made up and do not follow any manufacturers specifications.  That being said you can modify all of the calculations using content builder.

---

Did this part work for you?

[biosfixguy]

Thanks a lot Keith. I haven't check this topic for long.

The side wall grilles isn't a big issue, since we only show lenth on dwg, not the height.

The ceiling Grilles are most needed.

Is there a way we can rotate wall grille to ceiling grille?

[biosfixguy]

I add these "Generic Side Wall Grilles", can see the new grille list from drop down menu, just couldn't draw anything. MEP 2012.

Maybe I did something wrong...

[Keith.Brown]

The part is parametric so it would need to be rebuilt parametrically in a ceiling configuration vs the sidewall configuration.

You can try using the parametric part wizard and under Air Terminals choose the square neck rectangular diffuser template.  You might be able to input values into it that will give you what you want.  Otherwise you will need to create your own content.

[peterchristie1938]

If you have access to RevitMEP you can find many custom register/grill/difusers (also fans,vavs,ect) files right from the manufacture. These can be added to a Revit Project and then exported to an ACAD .dwg.

It would be great if ACAD would make a simple conversion tool for ACADmep as it seems most manufactures are providing Revit files.

[biosfixguy]

I'm trying to be an end-user instead of a developer. It's not the case of AMEP.

[biosfixguy]

Simple "import" from Revit is not the advantage of AMEP. AutoCAD MEP is, usually connect duct and terminals and fittings logically. If any part "pulled", all connected parts shift or stretched together.

[Keith.Brown]

Users create content every day in every Autodesk program.  Ever create a linetype?  That was creating content.  Ever create a block?  That was creating content.  Autodesk cannot simply create the content that every user wants.  Instead they provide the tools so that the user can easily create the content that they need.

It takes less than 5 minutes to create a mvpart in Autocad MEP.  The part created below was a quick one off and was not added to a catalog.  Adding it to a catalog would take about 1 minute longer during the creation process.

I have started on a plugin that will export a part from Revit and will import that part into AutoCAD MEP with connectors and data attached.  I have not visited the plugin in a while so it looks like it is time to dust it off and finish it.

f.y.i.   You can still take the solid exported from revit and add connectors to it as in the video above and get it done quickly.

[peterchristie1938]

After you import from revit, you can add ACADmep connections to the imported objects by using 'convert to MvPart'.

I agree it not the most elegant way to do things, and I don't use it for RGDs, but it gets you accurate 3D models of actual manufacturers equipment for AcadMEP without 'building' them yourself from scratch.

After doing it a few times, you can build an RGD pretty quickly in AcadMEP. Create your outer border with a rectangle, extrude to 1/8" or so, create your neck with a rectangle, extrude to 1/8" or so (most of the neck is inserted into the duct, so you don't need it). Place these extruded rectangles in correct configuration spatially, make them a block, then use 'convert to MvPart' to make them 'real' devices. Again this is not elegant, but gets the job done.

[biosfixguy]

Agree partially

If I need a rare part, I can't complain. But if a ceiling grille with 6x6 / 8x8 that engineers need every job, why not included in AMEP?

I cannot be lazy now.

Thank you.

[peterchristie1938]

you only make each size once, the copy command let's you be lazy 😉

[artemyad]

Keith,

You mentioned "Adding it to a catalog would take about 1 minute longer during the creation process."

Could you please just show me how to add the mvpart I just created to my current catalog? (Walk me through setps)

Regards,

Artem

[mlinares]

Thank you for sharing this template, it helps a lot; since the Square-neck Rectangular does not work in MEP2021, I used this one rotated 90 degrees to replace it.