Civil 3D Part Builder - Not JUST 3D - Part 1

The transition from 2D to 3D applications is difficult enough! Now throw Part Builder into the mix and you now are trying to figure out the complexities of Parametric Modeling. Parametric Modeling (Part Builder) is a method that uses parameters to define the size and geometry of features and to create relationships between those features. In this blog series we will we will cover Part Builder from head to toe by defining the components within Part Builder and then walking through the steps, and pitfalls, of creating a structure that will work with pipe networks.

When creating a new part or modifying an existing part, Part Builder opens the new or existing drawing and also opens a palette called the Content Builder, shown below.

Before we look at the first step of defining a part in part configuration lets cover the buttons on top of the “Content Builder” from left to right.

The first button is “Save Part Family”, when you first create a new parametric part; the part comes up as an unnamed drawing and is not yet part of the “Pipe Catalog” until you save the part family.

The next button is “Save Part Family As” this button will be very useful once you have successfully created your first structure. Since many structures can be similar in build, you can save each structure as a new structure and make modifications rather than rebuild from scratch.

The next button is “Generate Bitmap” once your structure is built you will use this button to create the bitmap image that will be used as a preview when you add a part family to your “Parts List”.

The next button is “Validate” you will use this button often when you build your parts. As you get further into the modeling of your part, especially as you work in the “Model Parameters”, “Validate” will give you the error notifications of your calculations by clicking the “Details” button at the bottom of the tool palette.

The last button is “Options”, clicking on it will show the dialog box below.

There are two options that can be set, the first is “Custom Sizing Flag”, this will allow the creation of custom sizes that do not exist in the catalog, you can check this one depending on how much control you want your users to have of creating sizes. The next is “Hide Part Flag” this one will not show the part family in your parts list if the validation fails. Once you have a successful validation you will need to go back into this dialog box to uncheck the Hide Part Flag.

Now that the functions of the “Content Builder” are covered we can set the “Part Configuration”

PART NAME - The “Part Name” is the file name of the structure that was created at the time the parametric part was created in the Getting Started – Catalog Screen when selecting Part Builder from Civil 3D. Once the structure is created the “Part Name” can’t be changed.

PART DESCRIPTION - The “Part Description” is the description of the part family that is found when adding parts to the parts list or the description used for the part in the part chapter and is created in the Getting Started – Catalog Screen at the same time as the Part Name.

PART DOMAIN - The “Part Domain” categorizes whether the part is a pipe or a structure.

PART TYPE - The “Part Type” defines the behavior properties that will be assigned to the part. There are three predefined part types for structures, General Structure, Inlet-Outlet Structure, and Junction Structure. Depending on the type of structure you are looking to create, setting the Part Type will determine the default relationship parameters to be used for the structure.

PART SUBTYPE - The “Part Subtype” does not affect the behavior of the structure, but it allows you to organize your parts into more detailed groups that allow you to filter groups of parts during part selection.

PART SHAPE - The “Part Shape” will determine the default size parameters to be used in the definition of the structure. There are three predefined part shapes for structures, Box, Cylinder, and Sphere.

We will revisit what a couple of these Part Configurations do with the default parameters when we get into the size and modeling parameters. In Part 2 we will begin to cover the modeling of the structure.