Duct Bank Router

The Duct Bank Router enables you to interactively route duct bank in your current design file. The Duct Bank Router uses the following Start dialog allowing you to configure the properties of the duct bank before routing in the model.

Accessed from:

Raceway Systems Ribbon > Duct Bank Tool Group

Duct Bank Configuration

Click the Duct Bank configuration icon at the top of the dialog to display the following drop down with options to define the Configuration and Cable system:

Setting	Description
Configuration	The Configuration field will list saved configurations if any exist, which can be loaded and used/modified. It also allows you to type in the name for a new configuration and save it for future use.
Cable System	The Cable system field lists the active system as defined in the System field in the Properties section of the Routing Tool. When routing duct bank, Conduits are the only Cable System that will apply. Note: Although the Conduit option may display in the drop down list, currently, it must be defined from the System property field.
Setup Spacers Configuration	Spacers are used in the duct bank to define the size and distance between conduit in the duct bank being routed. Click the icon to display the Spacer Configuration Tool allowing you to define the layout and properties for the spacers.
Set Conduit Layout Only	Display the Setup Grid dialog allowing you to define the number of conduit slots to include in the duct bank.
Save	Saves the current configuration setup.
Preview	Displays a preview of duct bank arrangement as shown below:

Duct Bank Layout

The Duct Bank Layout section display the Duct Bank configuration as it was defined in the section above and allows you to define the Property/Preference values for the conduit which will be run through the duct bank.

Click in a grid cell and use the Properties section to define the conduit properties. Each cell can contain different size conduit components with unique property values. You can also copy a component from one cell and paste it into others, which will copy the property values as well.

The Offset values define the spacing between the conduit components and the value is typed directly into the field.

Duct Bank Properties

Setting	Description
System	Select the type of system to run for the duct bank. Note that Conduits is the only system available for selection.
Catalog	Select a catalog to use from the drop down list. The Cooper catalog is included with the install and has predefined sizes of Conduit to select from.
Variant	Define the size of the conduit to be included in the duct bank.
Raceway Number	This number corresponds with the column and row of the Duct Band layout. For example Column A, Row 1 would have a Raceway Number of A1.
Dividers	If the raceway is to be divided into different sections, define a number of dividers to use here.
Divider/Section [%] (OPTIONAL)	If the raceway contains dividers, then these fields display letting you define the percentage of space each divided section will occupy. The number of fields which display is determined by the amount of sections the raceway is divided into.
Voltage Level	Select a voltage level from the drop down list: LV MV CTRL IW COM
Cable Laying Method	Select the method of laying the cable from the following list of options. This determines the routing configuration for the cable inside the raceway/conduit. In the Ground Triangular Single Cable in Conduit Multiple Cables in Conduit NEC Rules SingleCable NEC Rules Multi Layer Single Layer Single layer Fixed (no space) Single Cable Max Layer (2 layers) Max Layer (3 layers)
Max Capacity	The Max Capacity determines the maximum percentage of the raceway/conduit which can be occupied by cables.
Status	Define the status for the duct bank from the following list: Design Released for construction Built Abandoned Ready for Review Pre-existing
Layer	Select which layer the duct bank will be modeled on from the drop down list. By default, duct bank is placed on a specific layer as defined in the CAD Standards > Levels page of the Options dialog.
Redundancy	This field will assign a label to redundancy runs which may be required. The default labels to select from are: Redundancy A Redundancy B Redundancy C Additional label values can be defined in the Raceway > Specifications page of the Options dialog.
Accessories (Route)	Select a channel size for the duct bank from the drop down list.
Accessories (Raceway)	Select raceway accessories (dividers, brackets, covers etc.) to be included in the duct bank from the drop down list.

ID Settings

This section is used to define the macros to be used to automatically generate the Duct bank IDs during placement. Users can apply different ID settings to individual Duct bank in the same configuration, or the same ID settings can be applied to all Duct Banks included in the configuration. Duct bank IDs as defined in the macro, are applied to all selected Duct banks.

Setting	Description
Save	The Save option can be used to save and reuse any commonly used macros and share them with all project participants. All ID Settings configurations are stored in the metadata folder in the CFG_RacewayLabels.xml file.
Insert Attribute	This section lets you add one or more attributes to the Duct bank ID. You can use special characters as separators between attributes such as (-) shown above. To include the Raceway Number (Position) in the ID, add the Position attribute as shown in the image above. The Raceway Number corresponds to the column and row position in the layout grid. Note: The ID Settings will be applied only to the selected Duct bank in the Duct bank layout. To apply the same settings on all Duct banks, make sure they are all selected in the Duct bank layout grid. For example if only the following cells are selected, Then the ID string will display as follows in the drawing:
Insert Serial	By default the Insert Serial option will insert the segment number as the default ID. You can use the Insert Attributes option to add additional attributes to the ID if desired. After the raceway layout is placed, it is automatically adjusted to the first available number. User can manually overwrite the start value. By using a macro ($,0,n), the serial number (Segment number) will be generated taking into account the start value and increment.

Setting

Description

Save

The Save option can be used to save and reuse any commonly used macros and share them with all project participants. All ID Settings configurations are stored in the metadata folder in the CFG_RacewayLabels.xml file.

Insert Attribute

This section lets you add one or more attributes to the Duct bank ID. You can use special characters as separators between attributes such as (-) shown above.

To include the Raceway Number (Position) in the ID, add the Position attribute as shown in the image above. The Raceway Number corresponds to the column and row position in the layout grid.

Note: The ID Settings will be applied only to the selected Duct bank in the Duct bank layout. To apply the same settings on all Duct banks, make sure they are all selected in the Duct bank layout grid.

For example if only the following cells are selected,

Then the ID string will display as follows in the drawing:

Insert Serial

By default the Insert Serial option will insert the segment number as the default ID. You can use the Insert Attributes option to add additional attributes to the ID if desired. After the raceway layout is placed, it is automatically adjusted to the first available number. User can manually overwrite the start value.

By using a macro ($,0,n), the serial number (Segment number) will be generated taking into account the start value and increment.

Note: If a duct bank is placed without an ID assigned, you can use the Raceway ID option to assign them after they have already been placed.

Duct Bank Preferences

Setting	Description
Preference Set	Toggles whether the Preferences defined here are used or not. Enabled Disabled
Non standard parts bends	Determines what action to take in case of a non-standard bend that may occur. Possible standard bends options: No generation: Will not place a bend component at a bend Bend Custom: Will insert a custom bend to match what the angle is at the bend point.
Non standard parts vertical bends	Possible standard vertical bends, options: No generation Custom vertical bend: Will insert a custom bend to match what the angle is at the bend point.
Bend Radius	Determines the bend radius to be used when a bend component needs to be placed. Select a value from the drop down list.
On/Off switches	Determines whether the fields settings in the snap to rw parts field is active or ignored.
Logical snap to rw parts	When enabled, allows you to snap to the end of an existing duct bank using any point on the end of the run as a snap point.
Connect	When this icon is selected, you will be prompted to connect to an existing duct bank run and continue from the end of that. Note: Use the Window selection method to select multiple Duct Bank conduit to extend if desired.
Route	Prompts you for a starting point to begin routing the duct bank.
Cancel	Closes the dialog an cancels the command.

How To Route Duct Bank

Key-in: rcmductbankrouter