How to create new framing family types?

We recommend using our framing family libraries. However, if you can't find a suitable type size, you can easily duplicate a loaded family type and adjust type parameters.

You can also create new family types automatically to match the thickness of the mapped wall/floor/roof type layer. However, you'll still need to modify the flange (bf), profile thickness (tf) and lip (Lip) parameters. Learn more

1. Load families

1. If you haven't loaded our default framing families into the project, go to Settings > Load Families

2. Check Main Families to load Structural Framing (studs, plates, tracks)

3. Click OK

2. Duplicate and rename a selected family type

1. Find the loaded families in the project browser (under Structural Framing or Structural Connections)

2. Duplicate the selected stud (vertical elements) and plate (horizontal elements) families. Learn more

If you need to model frames for Arkitech, Howick or Pinnacle CNC machines, use these Structural Framing families:

Metric:

• M_MF C+C_CH Stud - for vertical elements (studs, king studs, cripples, trimmers, etc.)

• M_MF C+C_CH Plate - for horizontal elements (plates, bridging/blocking, headers, sills, etc.)

Imperial:

• I_MF C+C_CH Stud - for vertical elements (studs, king studs, cripples, trimmers, etc)

• I_MF C+C_CH Plate - for horizontal elements (plates, bridging/blocking, headers, sills, etc.)

Learn more about the Metal Framing families.

1. Rename the family type.

METRIC family naming convention. E.g. C08941-10

• C - Profile shape

  • C - C-shaped

  • U - U-shaped

• 89 - Web width (mm)

• 41 - Flange depth (mm)

• 10 - Profile thickness

  • Expressed in cm without the 0. at the front.

  • E.g. 10 = 0.10cm or 1mm

IMPERIAL family naming convention. E.g. 600S162-43

• 600 - Web width (100th inch, e.g. 600 = 6")

• S - Product Code

  • S - Stud (C-shaped)

  • T - Track (U-shaped)

  • Z - Z purlin

• 162 - Flange depth (100th-inch, e.g. 162 = 1 5/8")

• 43 - mil (mils are not mm)

  • 1 mil = 0.001 inch

  • The lower the mil, the higher the gauge (Figure 9).

  • Each gauge has a colour (Figures 9 & 10)

3. Modify type parameters

1. After renaming, right-click on the new type

2. Select Type properties

3. Modify these one or a few of these type parameters - d, bf, tf, Lip, FM Mils, FM Gauge. For example, if your type is C07541-10 and you modified only the web depth, you'll need to change the d parameter.

d - web width

bf - flange depth

tf - profile thickness

Lip - lip of C-shaped profiles (doesn't apply to U-shaped tracks/studs)

Learn more about the families.

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If you can't find the answers you're looking for, please contact our support team.