Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Equipment Pads
When you are creating an equipment family that needs to be mounted on a
pad, it may be best to include the pad geometry directly in the equipment
family. This enables you to ensure that the appropriate dimensions are used
for the pad without having to make any changes in another file, such as a
structural or architectural link. If the equipment does not always require a
pad, you can use parameters to control the display of the pad. Family types
can be created for easy selection of pad-mounted versions of the equipment.
The key to creating pad geometry in an equipment family is to provide a
reference for the top of the pad so that the equipment geometry can be
modeled in the correct location and maintain a proper relationship with the
pad. If you are creating a face-hosted family, the pad should be modeled
so that it is associated with the host extrusion, as shown in
Figure 19.10
.
Keep in mind that pads don't always have a parallel top and bottom. If the
roof is sloping, obviously the pad needs to follow the slope, but it still needs
to create a level top surface for the equipment. In those cases, the pads
can be a bit more complicated. A common approach is to create multiple
extrusions within the same pad family and control which one is visible and
when (through visibility parameters) based on the sloping conditions in the
project.
