We repeatedly touched on various topics related to the Revit MEP API. Here is another little item that is a bit more out of the way, some background information on MEP duct and pipe supports, also known as hangers.
Question: In the description of the MechanicalEquipment class, the Revit MEP API help says that "The Mechanical Equipment object can only be queried in Autodesk Revit MEP."
I would like to add supports to ducts and pipes. Could you please tell me whether this is possible with mechanical equipment elements? If not, please explain which category should be used for programmatic addition of duct and pipe supports.
Answer: That remark in the documentation is possibly slightly misleading. The MechanicalEquipment class itself is indeed read-only. However, it is a specialisation of FamilyInstance, which is writeable and creatable. I should think that the supports can be constructed with an appropriate NewFamilyInstance overload and the correct family.
Revit does currently not provide any functionality specific to hangers. The most logical alternative would probably be to use a combination of small diameter round columns and small profile beams. The mechanical equipment category is primarily for transferring heat (i.e., chillers, boilers), and transporting it (pumps, fans), not for support elements.
In AutoCAD MEP, the Hanger object is made up of two structural member shapes which are aggregated into a Hanger style. Revit currently has no such functionality, and of course, no ability to add a category such as Hanger. However, modelling the elements as small structural members for the purposes of design, coordination, and quantification may be feasible.
Many thanks to Saikat, Scott Conover, and Martin Schmid for this explanation!
In Regards to Hangers in Revit MEP 2011 would this method work:
to create a hanger object in the family editor and then import it as a component with a host (ie Cable Tray)...how can this be done since Cable Tray is a system family. Also the reason for doing this would be that for a final result we would be able to create a parameter on cable tray saying after every x amount of feet display a hanger. I am currently working on this and was wondering if you had any insight into getting this done
Posted by: A. Mayo | June 03, 2010 at 11:38
Dear A. Mayo,
Sounds like an interesting project. Unfortunately, I can only guess whether it is feasible, and your guess is probably better than mine ... good luck, and please let us know how it goes! Thank you!
Cheers, Jeremy.
Posted by: Jeremy Tammik | June 04, 2010 at 08:10
Dear sir,
Do u have any idea about Hangers & Pipe Combination, i mean how to attach hangers and pipe together at specific distance.?
Thanks & Regards,
-Nitin
Posted by: Account Deleted | October 18, 2011 at 08:45
Dear Nitin,
I don't really know myself. The only things I know about pipe hangers are documented in the post above, and in the observations made by Kailash Kute in his comments on
http://thebuildingcoder.typepad.com/blog/2011/02/create-a-pipe-cap.html
Please let us know how you resolve this. Thank you!
Cheers, Jeremy.
Posted by: Jeremy Tammik | October 20, 2011 at 08:12