Custom Cable Tray System Families

YZhuang_Spectech · ‎05-18-2016

Goodmorning AutoDesk Staff,

I have recently been trying to modify your System Basket Tray family so that it represents the actually model (rather than a solid U shape that revit provides for its wire tray). I was able to edit all elements of the Wire Tray except for the straight run. So when i draw my line, it populates everything correctly (T's, Crosses, bends, etc) except for the straight run (see picture).

Is there a way to completely edit the system family (including the straight runs). I have all the families needed just cannot seem to find where to edit the straight run.

End Goal: To be able to draw a line and it populates my custom Basket Tray accordingly. I have all the adjustable families to make it happen, just cannot seem to find where to edit the straight run as Revit continues to pull from its library for that.

Any advice on how I can change the straight run so that when i draw a line using the system family, it populates too! Been trying to figure this out for acouple weeks now with no avail. Hopefully your experience will help me through this one!

Anonymous · ‎05-18-2016

I had to deal with this headache a couple months ago. Simple answer. No, you cannot edit the tray systems straight run family. I needed the cable tray system to included a clearance. No dice. The only workaround i came up with. Was to create a custom, line based, straight run cable tray family. Its basically a cable tray "fitting". But, you can pick from point a to point be for the length of the tray. If anyone has any other ideas on how to edit the straight runs in a tray system. I am all ears.

YZhuang_Spectech · ‎05-18-2016

Seems we MAY have even stumpped the Revit Staff on how to do this! Hopefully it is added in a new version of Revit where the straight run can be as easy to change as the other parts are (via dropdown box in the edit type menu).

YZhuang_Spectech · ‎05-20-2016

Unfortunately it seems as though (through research done on multiple forums) that the System Family cannot be modified completely as it is built directly into Revit rather than being inside of a file. I have created a "Revit Idea" on the autodesk website, and it has gained some traction these past few days with Up Votes as there is others who wish to have editable System Families within Revit for ease of use and better workflow.

I am putting the link below to my idea. For any of those who wish to see this idea added to future revit version, please click on the link, and up vote the idea so that it makes it way to the first page and has the best chance of being noticed! (Currently on page 8/19)! Lets get the ball rolling and get Autodesks attention to this!

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-ideas/custom-system-familes/idi-p/6334750

Thanks to all those whom up vote!

whitbrs · ‎05-25-2016

Apologies for not picking this up on Answer Day.

There is an answer within Revit already - if you are using 2016 / 2017 and that is Fabrication Parts.

You need to also install the Sample Fabrication library, or fabrication parts from your preferred manufacturer. This will give a much better representation of your containment requirements.

Simon Whitbread

Premium Account Support Specialist BIM, Revit

YZhuang_Spectech · ‎05-25-2016

Unfortunately, using fabrication parts at the end of the day is not much of a difference than me using custom families and placing them that way. If anything my custom family better represent specific cable tray companies. Why did Revit give us the option to populate all runs of a system cable tray family except for a straight run (thus leaving a finish product as depicted in my first post). The ability to draw a line, and have a basket/ladder tray populate automatically is 10 fold faster than using fabrication parts and i think Autodesk knows this. Would love to see the feature added in future Revit versions, and I'm not the only one.

Quite a simple fix really. Either allow us the opportunity to full edit the system family (just add a drop down box for the straight runs), or use the basket tray from fabrication parts as the base for your wire tray systems family (still dont know why Revit chose to use a solid U shape extrusion as their model for a wire tray one a program that costs as much as it does).

YZhuang_Spectech · ‎07-27-2016

Bumped in hope that someone has figured this out, or so that Autodesk see's that not even their experts have an idea on how to achieve this simple task. Maybe once they see that they can actually add it as a function

mohammadshoaib333 · ‎02-26-2017

Hi,

I need to know how can i edit cable tray family OR please suggest a good solution for that because in rail project for high voltage cable we need some cable tray with cover on track area we need cable tray with cover with proper 3D view with details

@whitbrs wrote:
Apologies for not picking this up on Answer Day.

There is an answer within Revit already - if you are using 2016 / 2017 and that is Fabrication Parts.
You need to also install the Sample Fabrication library, or fabrication parts from your preferred manufacturer. This will give a much better representation of your containment requirements.

not just only look like a box.

Please suggest good solution.

scott_dakin · ‎02-26-2017

@whitbrs when you said "You need to also install the Sample Fabrication library, or fabrication parts from your preferred manufacturer."

Do you mean the manufacturers ITM files should be loaded into a custom library using CADfab MEP then export the library to Revit?

Anonymous · ‎07-02-2019

Amazing! Thanks soooo much!