Creating Custom Column

[Jerry.jc.Wu]

Hi All,

I have a custom column family that I want to created, as attached, the column is slanted on one face and all other 3 faces are straight edges. The parameters I need are the bot plane, middle plane and the total height of the column(h).

the shape of bot and mid plane are all rectangle.

Thanks for all the help.

[barthbradley]

Sweep Blend.  

[Jerry.jc.Wu]

How to edit the profile in the middle plane, not just bot and top.

[barthbradley]

Create 2 Sweep Blends and Join them together to remove the visible edges between them.  

You can drive the whole geometry with dimensions associated to parameters.  

[Jerry.jc.Wu]

How can I model the Top Sweep blend without knowing the top profile? I have to make sure two sweep blends aligned on the slanted face.

[barthbradley]

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@Jerry.jc.Wu wrote:

How can I model the Top Sweep blend without knowing the top profile? I have to make sure two sweep blends aligned on the slanted face.

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I don't under the question.  what do you mean you don't know the top profile?  do you know the rise and the run? do you know the slope and base profile?  Whichever, then you have everything you need to make the column fully parametric.   I would suggest starting by drawing Ref. Planes Plane and Elevation and pulling dimensions between them.  Basically, build the framework first.    

[Jerry.jc.Wu]

If you check the attached, you should know that what i know, I do not know the top profile, I have base profile and middle profile at certain height, and I have the overall height.

[Jerry.jc.Wu]

And i do know the height of the middle profile, forget to mention that.

[barthbradley]

Post you dimensions. 

[Jerry.jc.Wu]

Honestly, if you are asking for dim, then that means its not parametric, I can just go ahead and create model in place all over the place, i have tons of column with different dims. Thank you for your help.

[barthbradley]

Listen @Jerry.jc.Wu, I need to know the dimensions you have so I can build the family to be parametric -- to do the math.   This stuff doesn't build itself.  Certainly, you have some known dimensions.   What are they? Give 'em to me and I'll build it. It's a couple of minutes of work at most.    

[Jerry.jc.Wu]

I can certainly give you dim, but as I said, dim varies. For example, See below, h=10m,g=5m, and the botton profile can be 300mm*300mm and the middle profile is 200mm*300mm, just to mention that its only one face slanted. 

 

[barthbradley]

Play with this one. I didn't test thoroughly, or put in restrictions. Obviously, it can error out if the height is over extended.  

[Jerry.jc.Wu]

Thank you, however is this family in Revit 2020? 

[Jerry.jc.Wu]

I only have 2018/2019, I need it in 2018 but 2019 also works, I can just recreated it. Thank you.

[barthbradley]

I posted a revised 2020 above. Here it is again. Are you able to open it?  

[barthbradley]

See attached. 

Return feedback or questions.  

[barthbradley · Accepted solution]

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@Jerry.jc.Wu wrote:

...just to mention that its only one face slanted. 

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See attached 2019.  One face slanted.  

[Jerry.jc.Wu]

I just check your family, It's awesome the only thing is I only want one face slanted,but I got the idea. It's great and it reminds me of using formula, I will try to use a extrusion with Trapezoid profile with formula,I believe it will work as well. I will post my family once I'm done but ill accept yours as solution.Thanks.

[barthbradley]

Notice that the last one has additional CONSTRAINT Parameters that put in place a Height Control to prevent over extending. The minimum Top Profile is based on parameter "P0", which in this case is 1" square.  You could take it down to 1/32" which is Revit's minimum.  You could put in other formulas to control other parameter values as well. For instance, a parameter to control the "P2" value so that it would never make less than a 1 percent angle.   Formulas are fun.  Here's a great reference to keep handy. I got a tattered one sitting next to me all the time.  

https://www.revitforum.org/tutorials-tips-tricks/1046-revit-formulas-everyday-usage.html