Sketch a New Truss Family Layout

Create a custom truss to place within a structural model.

A truss layout family consists of lines that define truss elements such as chords and webs. Chord and web members are created such that their center lines (local x axis) will lie along the layout lines that you define in the truss layout family. The entire layout will be transformed such that the distance between the 2 end reference planes will be determined by the truss instance based on its shape in the project.

1. Click File tab New Family. Navigate to the Imperial or Metric template directory and select the Structural Trusses.rft family template file. Click the Open button to open a new family file.

   The structural truss family template provides 5 permanent reference planes: top, bottom, left, center and right; the left and right planes indicate the span length of the truss. Truss layout lines which end at these planes or are coincident with them will maintain this relationship during layout transformation in the project environment.

2. Click Create tabDetail panel (Top Chord).
3. Sketch along the top reference plane to define the top chord.
   
4. Click the lock symbol attached to the line to lock the chord to the plane.
5. Click Create tabDetail panel (Bottom Chord).
6. Sketch along the bottom reference plane to define the bottom chord.
7. Again, click the lock symbol to lock the chord to the plane.
8. Click Create tabDetail panel (Web).
9. Sketch the panel webs.
10. If needed, place additional dimensions between sketched lines and reference planes.

    The Length parameter may be used in your truss layout family to perform calculations to specify the exact location of vertical web members or to calculate the number of panels to create in the project environment.

11. Click Insert tabLoad from Library panel (Load Framing Family).

    In order to specify structural framing families for the truss layout family to use, you must load them in your truss layout family. Navigate to the Imperial or Metric family directory and select the structural framing families for chords and webs. These must be structural framing families or generic annotation families. Repeat this step to specify for each planned type of truss.

12. Click Create tabProperties panel (Family Types). In the Family Types dialog, click New and provide a name for this truss type. Repeat this step for each planned type of this truss family.
13. For each truss family type, select the desired framing type for top chord, bottom chord, vertical webs and diagonal webs. Click OK to close the dialog.
14. Click File tab Save As. Navigate to your family directory, provide a name for the new truss family, and click Save.
15. To load into an open project, click Create tabFamily Editor panel (Load into Project).
    Note: Remember to drag the truss into a plan view, not an elevation view.