Update openings for MEP Services
Introduction
In this session, you'll learn how to use ConVoid to automatically update openings for MEP Services, eliminating the need to manually update openings when associated MEP elements change. This can save you considerable time and effort. All you need to do is rerun ConVoid, and it will take care of keeping the openings up to date with your MEP Services. However, you must take into account when and what values conVoid will update during this process.
Video Tutorial
Making and receiving updates on MEP Services
You or your project team can continue to work on the MEP services as usual without having to worry about making adjustments to the openings. Simply add and modify MEP elements or MEP model updates and rerun ConVoid in order to ensure that the openings are updated in accordance with the MEP services.
When and what values does conVoid Update?
ConVoid will automatically update an opening when the dimensions or location of the Reference Element (e.g. Ducts, Pipes, Insulations) has been changed. The parameters Width, Height, Length, and Diameter of the ConVoid families indicate the size of the Reference Elements, which means if these values do not align with the dimensions of the Reference Element, ConVoid will trigger a change. Therefore you should never modify these parameters manually if the opening was placed automatically through ConVoid.
In case of a detected change, ConVoid will update the following parameters of an opening:
-
Location
-
Dimensions (Width, Height, Length, Depth, Diameter)
-
Oversize values
-
Rounding-up values
-
Levels
-
Shape
-
Transferred Parameters
​
If ConVoid identifies an opening as up-to-date, it will only update the Transferred Parameters. This means that no matter what changes you make to the ConVoid Settings Oversize values, Rounding-up values, and levels, ConVoid will not alter these values.​ However, if you wish to do so, you can use the features in the [Modify Void] tab and [Dimension Void]. You will learn how to do this in the upcoming sessions on 'Modifying Openings After Automatic Placement'.
Review Changes
​ConVoid keeps records of all changes made to an opening during its creation and updating process. By opening the ConVoid Manager, you can review the changelog to get an overview of the modifications that have been made. You can also add a status color filter to your active view to quickly identify the current status of each opening.
​
-
To add a color filter in ConVoid, ensure that your View Template is set to <None>. Otherwise, ConVoid will not be allowed to add a color filter.
-
To set up a color filter, click on the [Colorfilter] button.
-
From there, you can use the color boxes to adjust the status colors. This will apply to each opening in the schedule and the current view.
Deleted Openings
ConVoid never automatically deletes openings in your project; it only marks them as 'Deleted'. It would be best if you always double-checked to ensure that conVoid is correct by marking the openings as deleted. If so, you can manually remove the openings.