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Troubles Creating a New Family in Content Center

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Message 1 of 14
avaya2012
960 Views, 13 Replies

Troubles Creating a New Family in Content Center

I have been stumbling through creating new families in content center on and off for the past few months.  I recently created a new Family with a part that I drew up.  Since this went fairly easy I decided to keep going while everything was fresh in my head.  Now I am stuck again.

I want to create a new family called "Nipples" in the Tube & Pipe category.  When I publish my sketched part I cannot select or create a new family in that category.  If i create a new category called Nipples in the Tube & Pipe category all the parameters are also copied.  I do not want this. 


Now, I can create an entire new category but I want this to be a family in the Tube & Pipe category.

Does this make sense to anyone?  I tried to explain as good as I can.

I am using Inventor 2013.

13 REPLIES 13
Message 2 of 14
cwhetten
in reply to: avaya2012

I'm not sure if I understand you perfectly.  You wish to create a new category under Tube & Pipe, so it would be at the same level as the existing categories called 'Conduits' and 'Fittings'?  I don't think this is advisable, and I am honestly shocked that it's even possible.  The Tube & Pipe category has some very specific properties, and you have to follow the existing structure for it to work properly.

 

There is already an existing category called 'Nipples' under the 'Fittings' category, so why don't you put your files there?  Or create a sub-category under the existing 'Nipples' category?  Or somewhere under the 'Conduits' category?  I suppose it depends on how you wish to use this family of parts.

 

-cwhetten

Please click "Accept as Solution" if this response answers your question.

Message 3 of 14
avaya2012
in reply to: cwhetten

We have already copied the existing Nipples family and modified it slightly.  I would just continue to modify this but the lenght is the issue.  I want to set up the Nipple Family to set lengths rather than how it is set up now (type in any length you want).  When we actually order nipples they are roughly 1/2" increments up to 4" then 1" increments.  I only want these choices.  I do not want the ability to type in 8.3" for a length.  Is there a way to do this?  This would be much easier anyway, as I was having real troubles trying to map the thread features.

Message 4 of 14
cbenner
in reply to: cwhetten

Creating new families in Tube & Pipe can be done, we have several here that were not "out of the box".  The key is, if you are going to publish to one of these folders, you have to select "Other" when Authoring the parts (under) Type.  This will allow you to select any location for publishing the part in the CC.  As long as the part was authored properly for T&P, it doesn't matter what folder it is in.  Be careful though... conduits are a different story and require some special authoring.  Nipples should be treated as fittings since the typically have a fixed length.

 

EDIT:

 

Looking back at out CC... we published our custom niples, in the default Nipple folder under tube & Pipe.  We copied that folder to our custom library, and published our iparts there.  Selected "Nipples" under "Type" in authoring.  The family table has our set lengths and they work just fine.

 

nipple.JPG

Message 5 of 14
cwhetten
in reply to: avaya2012

This is certainly possible.  I think there are two methods of creating content that results in a custom lenght entry.  1--Create a custom parameter column for length in your iPart table.  2--Create the part with a specific length parameter (I forget exactly what it's called, but it's something like G_L or PL) that is recognized by certain categories as a custom length.  Method 2 is what you do when you are creating structural shapes and conduits, and is similar to method 1 because it still uses a custom length column in the iPart table.

 

So, as long as you DON'T do either method 1 or 2 above, you can just create a line in your iPart table for each specific length you need.

 

Edit:

What I said above would work for a limited range of lengths.  But if you want anything from 1/2" up to 500 feet, then a line for each length would create a REALLY long iPart table.  So, it occurrs to me that maybe you still want a custom length property.

 

It is possible to create range and increment rules for a custom length column.  Just right-click on the heading of your custom length column and choose 'Specify Increment for Column'.  Because you have different increment values in two different ranges, you might have to have two iPart rows, one for lengths up to 4", and one for lengths above 4".  You could also set the ranges on each row so that it matches your criteria.

 

Hopefully this makes sense.

 

-cwhetten

Please click "Accept as Solution" if this response answers your question.

Message 6 of 14
cwhetten
in reply to: cbenner

cbenner:

 

I know you can publish custom content to the Tube & Pipe category.  I have done hundreds of families myself.  What surprised me is that you can create a custom folder directly under the Tube & Pipe folder, so it would be at the same level as the Conduits folder and the Fittings folder.  As strict as the CC is about folders underneath the Tube & Pipe category, it shocked me that this is possible:

 

TnP Category.png

 

 

-cwhetten

Message 7 of 14
avaya2012
in reply to: cbenner

So I am starting to get the idea that I need to use an iPart?  I don't know anything abot them.

I just drew an 1/8" x 1 1/2" steel nipple and planned on publishing this part as a family.  I would then go into the table and modify and adjust everything as needed.  I cannot publish to the Tube & Pipe category.  Everything is grayed out.  The only way I can do this is if I create a whole new category at the top level; Fasteners, Structural Shapes, etc.  This allows me to set my own parameters.  Even if I do that I am still having a helluva time figuring out how to map the threads. 

 

I may need to look into a content center class.  This trial and error gets frustrating.

Message 8 of 14
cwhetten
in reply to: avaya2012

You don't NEED to use an iPart, but this is the kind of thing where iParts really shine, and I would recommend that you go this route.

 

I have attached some examples that are similar to what you want.  The nipple I posted is a close nipple, which I just made to have a specific length for each diameter of pipe.  So, that's a little different than what you need, but it might give you some ideas.  The pipe I posted is closer to what you want, with a custom length and threaded ends.  It is published to be used in the Conduits category, so that I can create pipe runs with it.  But it could be easily modified or copied to create what you need.  I'm not sure what version the files are, but they are either 2010 or 2011.

 

In case you didn't notice, I edited my reply above and added some information on how to add increments to your custom parameter columns.  Be sure to look into that.

 

I have also attached a document that might help you get started with creating custom content center material.

-cwhetten

Please click "Accept as Solution" if this response answers your question.

 

Message 9 of 14
cbenner
in reply to: cwhetten
Message 10 of 14
cwhetten
in reply to: cbenner

Yeah, I'm not going to mess with it either.  In fact, I can't say for certain that it's possible, because I'm not willing to actually try it.  It just appears to be possible...  I don't want to open that can just for curiosity's sake.

 

-cwhetten

Message 11 of 14
avaya2012
in reply to: cwhetten

Thanks.  This looks like it may be my ticket.  I am going to work with this for a while and let you know it goes.  It may be a bit though.  I have 13 pipe sizes, around 20 lengths, and 3 different materials.  That was why I though content center editor would work easy.  I could set up one pipe size and just copy the rest and adjust everything as needed.

 

CWW

kcco

Message 12 of 14
cbenner
in reply to: avaya2012

This is what I generally do with geometrically similar parts.  I get one family built using i-parts (or whatever) and published.  Then I just copy that family to a new one and edit things like part numbers and material, descriptions etc.  Much faster if the dimensions stay the same.

Message 13 of 14
avaya2012
in reply to: cwhetten

Since you helped me out earlier maybe you can help me again.  I have everything set up and looking good except I have a non-unique file name somewhere. 

 

Does anyone have a good way of finding it in a table with about 980 rows? 

Message 14 of 14
cwhetten
in reply to: avaya2012

You could try editing the table in excel and using the search / find tools.  980 is a lot of rows.  Not unheard of, but still quite a lot. 

 

Would you mind posting your iPart so we can take a look at it?  Since it sounds like this is your first attempt at creating iParts, someone may be able to offer some tips or advice.

 

-cwhetten

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