Civil 3D – Part Builder Part 2

Today we continue from where we left off in Part Builder Part 1.

Before we proceed, I’d like to note that a wing wall may not be everyone’s biggest desire.  I needed it, and I felt that it would proved a fairly well rounded view of things. It needs equations, and gets worked laterally instead of vertically, which make it more of a challenge.

Sitting on the axis of 2 different careers I can see this type of workflow from 2 different perspectives, and want to provide everyone with a bit more information that may have been unavailable.

• The 3D modelers understand the construction methods.  What they need to understand is the limitations stopping them from working naturally through this process.
• The Civil 3D techs know about odd application limitations, but need to understand how the construction methods, dependencies, and calculations work.

If you don’t get something out of this session, it will be because you already had a good working knowledge of Part Builder, or you failed to post your questions here.

The 3d Model (which is what you came for, right?) is created using the following procedures:

Create a Work Plane, Create Geometry, Add Dimensions, Add Constraints, Create Profile, Modify Dimensions, Create Modifier, and Configure Parameters.  We will discuss the first six today.

Open the part for the last session, named Wingwall Sloped.

Create a Work Plane

Let’s begin by creating the Top Work Plane.  I always like to get my Top plane in first.  Either I am working on it, or visually referencing it.

Under Modeling, Right Click the Work Planes folder and select ‘Add Work Plane…’

Civil 3D – Part Builder Part 1

I started a new Certification study project, and  came up with the desire to grade a corridor over an existing creek.  Yeah, DEP would be a problem, but let’s pretend I got the permit……. anyway.

I wanted a headwall and culvert combination to convey the creek safely past the improvements.  The OEM Headwall is flat, and cannot handle the amount of grading going on around it.  I, as usual, wanted something different than what was commonly available.  I want a concrete wingwall, sloped according to the finished grade. I had a BRIGHT IDEA!  I’ll use PART BUILDER!!

Fortunately for everyone, I have already spent a week of evenings going through this process, reading what others had to say online, looking for answers, and helping some individuals along the way. The only thing not happening is MY STUDIES. So I decided to make something good out of all the time I spent, and walk everyone through a basic, and not so basic, Part Builder creation.

New Part Creation

We need to start out with a new Chapter under the Structure Catalog.  (You don’t have to add a new Chapter, but once you get going and want to test different things, it makes cleanup much easier.) The name can be anything, but it should be representative or what it contains.  Right Click on the US Imperial Structure Catalog, and select ‘Add Chapter’.  The dialog will appear allowing us to enter the new Chapter name.

Civil 3D – Part Builder Intro

Part Builder is a functional parametric modeler that 90% of the industry steers clear of.

If it is functional, then why stay away?

The main reason is that Civil personnel are not modelers.  Historically, that isn’t what they do.  The road through Civil 3D is long and bumpy because it is a reactive dependent model in nature, not because the software is difficult. Civil personnel are not modelers, at least not until now.

So why have a parametric modeling app in the middle of Civil 3D?

Well, to quote one of my party chiefs, “To have and not need it better than to need and not have” (His motto was to carry everything in the truck…for ME to carry everything).  Without the app, modified structures would be hopeless.  We would be stuck with the same old OEM structures, and as new structures come out, they would not be accessible.  Eventually, everyone would use styled NULL structures for everything, reducing the effectiveness of Civil 3D as a 3 dimensional tool (You know, the object viewer is not just a toy).  Pipe conflicts can be seen and evaluated easily……..IF the structures and pips are accurate.

Here is an example.  Let’s say you need a custom headwall manufactured to help at an odd bridge embankment, or a weir storm structure with an odd inlet.  The tolerances are a bit tight, and simply using something styled in 2D is leaving a lot of frustration and insecurity (I bet you rerun the same calcs 6 times of more before the project is complete, JUST so you can sleep at night).  With part builder, it doesn’t have to be that way.  Just take an hour (wink wink) and build the part so that the plan can be conveyed accurately in a complete form.

Pipe Vertical Clearance adjustment

Have you ever had that pipe that just wouldn’t give you the vertical clearance you need.  I mean “just give me 3….. more…. inches!!!!!”.

Nope. Not happening.

In the image above, you should see that I have changed the Vertical Pipe Clearance to 6″.  I did this through XML.