About Working With Catalog-Based

Content
Feb 11 2016In-Product View
Applies to AutoCAD MEP 2016

Building systems are typically assembled from fabricated, off-the-shelf

components. Catalog-based content refers to objects defined by part definitions
and associated part models, and that are grouped into part catalogs. The part
catalogs included with AutoCAD MEP offer an extensive collection of parts for
use during design. You can query the part catalogs to assist with part selection,
retrieve parts for integration into your designs, and store parts you create in a
catalog for future use.
You specify systems for catalog-based content. A system stores properties that
are shared by all building system objects assigned to the system. This gives a
consistent look and feel to the building systems in a drawing.

Parts of a mechanical system

Parts of an electrical system

Parts of a plumbing system

The following part catalogs are available in both metric and imperial units:

Cable Tray

Conduit

Fittings

Duct

Pipe

MvParts for all building systems disciplines

Note: U.S. metric content is developed based on the U.S. General Services
Administration (GSA) standards for metric design. U.K. and Global metric
content is developed based on the British Standards Institute (BSI) standards
for metric design.
As you design systems, the parts and style-based content available to you
depends on the catalogs and content locations you have specified on the MEP
Catalogs tab of the Options dialog box. If you require a part that is not available,

you can create catalog parts using Content Builder, a content creation tool that
includes 3D modeling and 2D drawing features. You can create 2 types of parts:
parametric or block-based.
BestPractice: To facilitate the process of upgrading to a new version of
AutoCAD MEP, add all your custom parts to custom catalogs. Do not add
custom parts to the catalogs provided with the software. When you upgrade,
this allows you to easily move all of your custom catalog content as a whole to
the catalog folders for the new version (where new versions of the catalogs
provided with the software are also located). You can use both types of catalogs
during layout if you specify multiple catalogs for a domain.