Creating custom subassemblies is a high-return method for achieving true digital equivalents of specific railway standards. Custom subassemblies allow for the creation of components that perform sectional algorithmic calculations, validations, and generate output that can be used by other components in the same section, or simply serve as source data for other processes.
Before creating a custom subassembly, it is best practice to first evaluate the complexity, connectivity, and maintenance requirements of the desired railway standard. In many cases, the subassembly composer will support all needs, but there remain some that are not suited for the composer.
For high complexity, connectivity with other sources, and expected version evolutions, it is wise to apply the core method for subassembly creation: coding. While this might seem daunting for some users or companies, the standard Civil 3D install comes with documentation and examples to help users get started.
To create custom subassemblies using .NET in Civil 3D, users can refer to the following documentation and samples provided by Autodesk:
A golden tip for creating custom subassemblies is to set the StockToolRef value of your supporting .atc file to "{7F55AAC0-0256-48D7-BFA5-914702663FDE}". This is crucial for Civil 3D to accept your custom subassembly. By following these best practices and guidelines, users can create custom subassemblies for complex rail standards, achieving greater accuracy and efficiency in their designs.
