Creating a Custom Item (MAKEPAT Command)

Use the MAKEPAT command to create custom items from patterns or to modify existing items.

To minimizes the editing required, it is recommended that you start by copying an existing item, and make changes to that copy, rather than create a new item from a pattern.

Tip: Review the following tutorial in the Fabrication Fundamental Training video: "Using the MAKEPAT Command in Fabrication CAMduct".

Launching the MAKEPAT Command

To launch the MAKEPAT command:

In CADmep:
1. At the command line, type in MAKEPAT, press Enter.
2. At the command prompt, type in a pattern number (for example, 2523), and press Enter.
In ESTmep or CAMduct:
1. Hold down the SHIFT key + CTRL + C to launch the Console window.
2. In the console window, type in MAKEPAT followed by a blank space, and then type in the desired pattern number. (For example, type in MAKEPAT 382).
3. Press Enter to launch the command.
4. Close the Console window once the Takeoff dialog displays.

The Takeoff dialog displays, showing the specified pattern in the viewports, along with the values on the Dimensions, Options, Item, and Connectors tabs.

Creating a New Item

To create a new item using the MAKEPAT command, edit settings on the Takeoff dialog's Dimensions, Options, Item and Connectors tabs.

The following procedure describes a typical scenario for creating an item that represents a plenum box. It begins by creating a copy of an existing item, CID 382.

Launch the MAKEPAT command using the pattern that is most similar to the one you want to create. In this example, use MAKEPAT 382. The Takeoff dialog displays showing CID 382 Plenum Box in the viewports.
Note the parametric dimensions associated with the Pattern shape. These dimensions can be locked to prevent user modifications. The Views and Visual Styles within each viewport default to what was last selected.
Click the Options tab to observe the many settings associated with this Pattern.
Click the Item tab.
The settings on this tab are the same as defined in the Edit Item Properties dialog. In each viewport, you can use the mouse to zoom in\out, rotate the pattern, change the View and or the Visual Style. You can use the drop-downs at the top left of each viewport to change the View and the Visual Style. The toolbar along the left side of the viewports offers commands to change the View, Visual Style, and to toggle annotation display on or off.
Click the Dimensions tab.
Dimension A is labeled Width and has a default value of 24. You can easily see the dimension labeled A in the viewports and that it has an assigned value of 24. Dimension A is currently unlocked so that it can be sized when placed into the model.
In the Dimensions tab, specify the following:

For Dimension A, the width, enter 48 inches.

For Dimension B, the depth, enter 36 inches.

And for Dimension C, the length, enter 18 inches.

Lock the three dimensions by clicking on the first lock symbol and dragging downward across the other two symbols.
Press F7 to redraw the pattern or click the redraw button located at the lower right of the Takeoff dialog.
Dimensions D through J are for an existing hole in this pattern, but the hole is not visible.
Click in the lower right viewport to make it active. The boundaries of this viewport highlight to indicate that this viewport is active.
Change this viewport to a SW Isometric View. Note that a 4 inch diameter round hole is displayed in the side of the pattern.
Dimension D is the hole diameter. It is set to 4 inches.

Dimension E has a value of "Round" indicating that this hole is round.
Change Dimension D to 12 inches, then press F7 to redraw. The hole is larger.
Change Dimension E from "Round" to 12 inches and press F7 to redraw. The hole changes from round to square.
Click the Hole button at the lower right of the Takeoff dialog. The Hole dialog displays.
Click the Select Side drop-down menu to view the available options.
The options are to add a Hole to the Front face, the Top, the Back, the Right side, or the Left side. The faces are oriented by the view in the active viewport. This hole will be the Supply Air Duct Connection.
Using the drop-down menu, select Top and click OK.
The viewport shows new geometry and the associated dimensions. In the Dimensions tab, dimensions K through Q appear. These new dimensions apply to the hole that has been added to the top of the pattern.

The Hole button enables you to add multiple Holes to this pattern.

When there were only a few dimensions for this simple cube, the descriptions labeled width, height, and length were easy to understand. With added complexity, it is more important to change the descriptions to more clearly identify the various dimensions.
Click the Dimension A button in the list. This dimension is currently labeled "Width". A dialog displays. In the Description field, type "Plenum Width" and click OK.
Dimension A now displays "Plenum Width" as its description.
Change the description for Dimension B, Depth, to "Plenum Length".
Finally, change Dimension C to "Plenum Height".
Hole number 2 needs to be sized properly. It is the fresh air supply connection and is on the top of the plenum box. This connections will be a 16 inch round connection. Change Dimension K to be 16 inches. Dimension L remains "Round" as this will be a connection for a round duct.
Press F7 to redraw.
Dimension M is the radius for this hole. It is set to 2. If this was a square hole, the four corners would have a radius of 2 inches. Because this is a round hole, this dimension is not needed.
Change the value of Dimension M to zero.
Click the Dimension M button and change the description to "N/A".
Dimension N is labeled "Hole Inset number 2". It isn't obvious what this dimension controls, so some experimentation is required. The value is set to "Central". Change it to 18 inches.
Press F7 to redraw and observe the change to the hole.
The hole shifts so far to the rear that it overhangs the end of the plenum box. Change Dimension N to 12 inches and redraw. The hole is properly positioned on the plenum box.
Change the description of Dimension N to "Fresh Supply Lengthwise Offset". Observing the effects of Dimension N suggests that Dimension O controls the widthwise placement of the hole.
Change the description for Dimension O to "Fresh Supply Widthwise Offset". Dimension P is the height of the collar for Hole 2. It is set to 2 inches and is the proper dimension for a duct collar.
Leave this set to 2 inches, but change the description to "Fresh Supply Duct Collar".
Dimension Q controls the rotation of the hole. If this hole as square, the rotation would be obvious. It doesn't affect round holes so the description for Dimension Q can be changed to "N/A".
It is a best practice to lock the dimensions that cannot or should not be changed by users when placing it into a model. In many cases, a pattern or Item will have some fixed dimensions and some variable dimensions. For this exercise, you will lock all dimensions.
To do this, click the lock button to the right of the first dimension. The icon changes to indicate that the value has been locked.
You may continue to select each Lock button individually or you may lock all dimensions in one step. Select and hold the second dimension lock button so that it changes from unlocked to locked. While holding the mouse button down, drag the cursor downward over each lock button. As you do this, each lock symbol changes from unlocked to locked.
Before making more changes, save this unfinished plenum box. Click the Accept button at the lower right of the takeoff window.
The Save Item File As window displays.
Browse to Imperial Content > HVAC > Generic > Equipment > Plenum Boxes.
You see the existing plenum box Items in the file preview pane.
Name this Item "2-Way Plenum Box" and select Save.
The Item Folders window displays and the new Item is listed in the folder.
Highlight the 2-Way Plenum Box and choose edit from the shortcut menu.
The Item displays in the Takeoff dialog.

A second, identical, duct connection is needed for conditioned air.
Click the Hole button.
Click the Top for placement.
Dimensions R through X appear for the new Hole. Change values to the following:
Set Dimension R to 16 inches.

Dimension S remains set to "Round"

Dimension T is not needed. Change its description to "N/A".

Dimension U controls the lengthwise placement of the hole. Dimension N, the "Fresh Supply Lengthwise Offset" dimension is set to 12 inches. This dimension should mirror it so set it to negative 12 inches.

Dimension V remains set as "Central".

The collar height specified in Dimension W is satisfactory.

Dimension X is not needed and change be labeled as "N/A".

Lock these dimensions.
Hole number one is the air outlet. It is to be a rectangular opening with a grill. First reset Dimensions G and H to "Central" so that this hole is centered on the face of the plenum box. Redraw to see the changes.
Change Dimension D to 36 inches.
Set Dimension E to 12 inches if it isn't already that size. Press F7 to redraw.
This large outlet hole needs a collar. Change Dimension I to 1 inch and redraw.
Click the Options tab. Make no changes to the values. For this exercise lock all the settings.
Click the Item tab. You may enter and lock specific database settings for this Item. Set the Material to Galvanized and the gauge to 20.
When you set these values, the fields are automatically locked.
Set the Insulation Specification to Ductwork > Acoustic Liner 1".
Click the Connectors tab. This tab enables you to set the Connectors and Seams for the item.
Change the upper left viewport to a SW isometric View. The dimensions are better seen in the viewport.
Connectors C1 and C2 are at the large rectangular opening. Change both of these to TDC Connectors. These are identified as "TDC" in the "Duct Flange Connector" group.
Connector C3 is for the Fresh Supply Duct and Connector C4 is the Conditioned Supply Duct. These are round ducts. Set the Connectors to "GRC Swage Male" in the "Generic Duct" Group.
Set all of the Seams to large Pittsburgh. These are listed as PITTS-L in the database.
Return to the Dimensions tab.
Your custom plenum box is now complete. Click Accept to save your work. The Item Folder window displays. The new Item is ready for placement in a Job.
Close the Job without saving.