Martin,
I hope you read this...
Our company has been using fabrication parts inside of Revit for the last two years, and their functionality is OK at best. I am not a big fan, but members of my team seem to like them because they are easy to use, and they come as a tool pallet. But as an admin, I struggle every time I have to reload a configuration (the reload times and multiple errors where parts were deleted in the central model, or you don't permission edit the element and after 45 minutes of waiting for nothing happens due to these errors). Additionally, the issues I have hangers and their reports or lack of information in them is enough to drive any sane man crazy. I don't believe you know how exactly how close you are to being able to make the single biggest change in Revit that people are looking for on the piping and duct side since 2010 when the ability to slope pipe came out. All Autodesk has to do is add a parameter to its fitting connectors. It is just that simple, and I am sure it is something one of the members of you're could do in less than a week or two of programming.
All you have have to do is when a pipe or duct fitting is created, assign it one of 4 connector type parameters, and that can pretty much cover almost every type of end connection out there.
- Generic: an end to end connection for generic fittings, no change required (would change nothing inside of Revit)
- Socket: For connections Round & Oval duct, PVC, Copper, Pex, Brazed, etc.... (No Routing Preferences changes needed in other words would change nothing inside of Revit)
- Joined or Coupled: For slip & drive duct connections, gapped welded connections, grooved, no hub, etc.. (A minor change to the routing preferences to allow for a coupling to be inserted as these fittings are used).
- Flanged: for all flange to flange connections already in the routing preferences.
Additionally, I would recommend adding a text parameter called "End Condition" to the connector element. For when a pipe/duct is attached to a fitting, the end connection parameter will be transferred to the pipe/duct, so when it's scheduled, the end-user will know its end condition.
In closing, I would like to say contractor companies like mine and manufacturing companies like Victaulic and Gruvlok have been creating spool drawings from Revit using families for years now. By using groove coupling as flanges in the current way, Revit routing preferences are set up now. But by making this minor change, it could go a long way in making our and their workflows much more efficient, and I am sure that's Autodesk's end goals are customer satisfaction and ease of use.
Also, I will start a new thread with this request.