Parametric Rotation of SAT imported geometry

[Anonymous]

Hi Folks,

So our company has been sent .sat files of metal joints. Every joint consists of one fixed part and one part that can be rotated from 0 - 180°. We need to make these joints editable inside Revit so that the user can control the angle of rotation.

I've imported both .sat files (one for the fixed "base" of the joint and one for the rotatable part) into an empty Revit family. I understand that a parametric rotation works best by rotating a reference line and attaching the actual geometry to that reference line. However, it seems that Revit doesn't really like rotating imported geometry. Every time I align-and-lock it to my reference line and try to change the parameter that controls the angular dimension on my reference line, the family will break, stating that constraint are not satisfied.

Any ideas on how to get around this?

Thanks in advance,

Henrik

[barthbradley]

That's not your sat showing in your picture; is it?  If it is, why not just create Revit geometry based on the sat?  

...anyways, take that Revit file with the sat and nest it into another revit family and host it to a Ref. Line in the host.  Should then be able to do what you want. 

...BTW: this is how would do it, even if is wasn't a sat.  

[Avaris.]

I would suggest to make one family with part 1, and another family with part 2. Align the hinging part around 0,0,0

Then create a host family where you place two reference lines and import the families onto the reference plane of the line.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your reply.

The picture I uploaded is from an example family where I tried to troubleshoot the problem by "dumbing it down" as much as possible. The actual .sat files we use are a little more complex.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your reply.

I understand the thinking behind your suggestion, but I'm not really sure how this would help me control the rotation of the joint via a parameter in the host file. My problem is that right now, any family where I try to change the orientation of the .sat geometry using an angular dimension will blow up with an error stating that my constraints are not satisfied.

[barthbradley]

Nesting should resolve since you'd be rotating the nested family in the host, not the actual sat.  Are you saying you tried and it's throwing errors still? 

...if so, I believe the error is unrelated to the sat, but to the family itself.  It needs to be work plane based and hosted to a Ref Line work plane in order for it to work. 

[Anonymous]

exactly, the sat is loaded into Family 1, Family 1 is then nested inside Family 2 and aligned and locked to a ref line. The ref line's rotation is controlled via an angular dimension. The ref line can be rotated around any given point just fine by assigning a family parameter to the angular dimension. However, as soon as I lock the child family to that ref line, it won't do the rotation any longer. If, instead of locking the family to the ref line, I group the two together, it will crash stating that it "Can't rotate element into this position".

[barthbradley]

So in the properties of the nested family it indicates "Reference Line" is the host; not "Reference Level"?  

Want to post the family here?  

[Anonymous]

I think I just figured it out! I have now hosted the nested family to a reference level (the properties also show "reference level" as the host) and it seems to be working. Not 100% sure why and how, but for now, I'm glad it works at last. I guess I just need to learn a bit more about families and hosting to fully understand wtf I'm doing.

[barthbradley]

The properties also show "Reference Level" as the host?!  That doesn’t make a bit of sense to me. 

The nested family containing the sat file would need to be hosted to the Reference Line within the Host in order for the nested family to rotate with the Reference Line.  Additionally, the nested family itself would need to be “Work Plane-Based” in order for it to be placed on that Reference Line work plane in the Host. 

Are you saying you can rotate the Reference Line work plane in the Host, and that the Nested Family, which is on an immovable work plane, will rotate with it?  Not possible. 

Can you post the family? This I got to see to believe. 

[Colten_Browning]

Hello,

I have been tackling this issue for several families over the past few weeks.

I am creating a Revit Family from some geometry downloaded online and am trying to nest Family 1 into Family2 so that it rotates about a reference line.

I have been all over the internet and have seen/found the same solutions for this issue but none seem to work for me. I have made a few of the families work and can attach them if it is helpful, but each follow a different method to rotate in the same manner. I cant figure out the difference or how my families will not rotate in the Host family as intended.

I have attached a few family's that work when changing the angle, but another that "breaks" when attempting to rotate.

I really hope I can find a solution here, if at a minimum, a solution for the current "broken" family. I have a suspicion that this will not rotate due to the complexity of the part.