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A Civil Engineer’s Guide to Navigating Inventor and

the Infrastructure Parts Editor
Joe Hedrick, LS, EIT
IMAGINiT Technologies

Learning Objectives
• Learn how to use the Infrastructure Parts Editor to modify existing parts catalogs
and create new ones
• Learn how to export parts created in Infrastructure Parts Editor for use in Civil 3D
and InfraWorks
• Learn how to create parametric part shape models in Inventor
• Learn tips and tricks for modeling parts with Inventor and Infrastructure Parts Editor

Description
Are you tired of using the out-of-the-box cylinders to represent your local stormwater structures?
Does your locality have a stormwater structure that is just a bit different than what Autodesk
provides? If so, this class is for you! During this session we’ll dig into the tools and explore tips
and techniques that will let you successfully use Inventor software to create custom stormwater
structures for use in Civil 3D software and InfraWorks software. We’ll pay special attention to
basic part modeling and the required variables so that the parts will export into both products.
This class is designed for CAD managers and civil engineers who want to author their own
infrastructure content.

Speaker(s)
As the Infrastructure Solutions Team manager for IMAGINiT Technologies, Joe provides
Autodesk civil engineering/survey implementation consulting services. Joe has over 25 years of
experience in land surveying and civil engineering encompassing field-data collection, site
design and layout, residential subdivision design, and land planning. He is an EIT and a
licensed land surveyor in Virginia and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil
Engineering Technology from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

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Overview of the Infrastructure Parts Editor

What is the Infrastructure Parts Editor?

The Infrastructure Parts Editor is a tool created by Autodesk to author part catalogs for
InfraWorks and an alternative method to author content for Civil 3D. Originally named Project
Kameleon while in Autodesk Labs, this tool graduated a few years ago and is now a supported
application.

Once Civil 3D and/or InfraWorks is installed, the Infrastructure Parts Editor 2020 should show
up in the Autodesk Desktop App.

Infrastructure Parts Editor 2020 can also be downloaded from the Autodesk Account page
under the “Updates & Add-ons” section of either Civil 3D or InfraWorks.

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Launching the Infrastructure Parts Editor

The preferred way to start the Infrastructure Parts Editor (IPE) is from either Civil 3D or
InfraWorks.

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Using the Infrastructure Parts Editor

The IPE is a straightforward application that opens with three tabs:

There are two “domains” available inside of IPE. The Drainage Structure domain is essentially
for gravity structures while the Piping domain is oriented for pressure pipe part content like
valves, fittings, etc. It is important to note that only drainage structures can be created for Civil
3D. Part Builder is still required to create additional pipe types or add/modify sizes for pipes in
Civil 3D.

The Catalog tab is where the appropriate part catalog is chosen or where new ones are created.
When beginning to use the IPE, the good news is that there is quite a bit of sample content
provided by Autodesk.

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 When viewing or editing any of the out of the box provided content, it is
strongly encouraged to open the library and immediately do a “Save As” in
case any unwanted changes are made.

Drainage Structure Domain

Once a catalog has been opened, the Parts tab is where most of the authoring is completed.
Drainage Structures are arranged by Assembly, Structure and Culvert.

IPE utilizes a modular approach to creating drainage structures meaning that a structure can be
modeled in up to three independent parts and combined in a “mix and match” style depending
on the design requirements. In technical terms, these parts are called “surface structures”,
“underground structures”, and “grates or covers”. This approach allows for maximum flexibility
and capability to reuse modeled geometry across multiple structures.

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For example, imagine a circular drainage inlet. Even though the overall drainage structure is
circular, it could have a circular grate top or a rectangular grate top. This approach allows for
reuse of the underground circular structure while only having to remodel the top surface
structure.

Surface Structures are the main component or “Base Part” when creating a structure and is the
above ground portion of the structure minus the grate or cover.

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Underground structures are just that. The portion of the structure that is below grade.

Grates or covers are only the lid portion of the structure.

Once the components are individually modeled, they are combined into an “Assembly” or the
overall drainage structure.

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Culverts work similarly to Structures except that there are only two subcomponents: “Pipes or
Culvert Barrels” and “Culvert End Treatments”.

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Keep in mind that when combined into an assembly, they will only be available for use in
InfraWorks.

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Piping Domain

Piping catalogs are arranged by “Olets”, “Fasteners”, “Flanges”, “Instruments”, “Fittings”,

“Pipes”, “Miscellaneous”, and “Valves” and “Operators”.

Modifying Parts in Infrastructure Parts Editor

Many times, the out of the box content shipped with Civil 3D and IPE is sufficient geometrically
and may only require sizes to be added or other parameters (like wall thicknesses) to be
modified. This is very easily done in IPE and begins by selecting the “Structure” collection and
then selecting the structure in the Navigation Panel.

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If edits to sizes are all that’s being modified, jump to the “Part Editing” tab.

This is a list of all the variables (i.e. sizes) configured for this part. Modify or add rows as
necessary keeping in mind that any variable beginning with a * is required.

If several rows are to be added or modifications made, it may be easier to use

the “Export to Excel” function, make the changes, and then “Import from
Excel”.

Once modifications are completed, view the changes in the “Size Validation” tab to ensure the
modifications were completed as intended.

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Creating Assemblies in Infrastructure Parts Editor

To create a new assembly in IPE, select the “Assemblies” collection and then right click on “Inlet
or Access Structure” and select “New” from the Navigation Panel.

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From the “Base Part” tab, select the appropriate surface structure component and name the
assembly at the bottom of the pane.

The additional part components can be selected from the “Components” tab. Appropriate
underground structure and grate/cover may be added by dragging and dropping from the
available parts on the right side of the page. Parts without matching sizes are displayed with a
warning exclamation point in the upper right-hand side of the image.

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Add a short description from the “Detailed Properties” tab and check whether or not the part will
be an inlet or have a sump.

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Finally, all the applicable sizes can be reviewed in the “Size Validation” tab.

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Select “Done” when complete and the part will be available in the Navigation Panel.

Publishing a Part from Infrastructure Parts Editor

Newly created or modified structure catalogs must be published from IPE before the parts will
be available for use in Civil 3D or InfraWorks. From the “Publish” tab of IPE, select the “Publish”
button.

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A window will appear to select which parts should be published.

The final window allows the user to select the publish location and for which products.

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Modeling Parts in Autodesk Inventor

When it becomes necessary to create new part geometry, Inventor LT or Inventor Professional
may be used as an alternative to Part Builder. While Part Builder is still available inside of Civil
3D, navigating Inventor to create the part geometry is often easier.

Once Inventor is installed, the Inventor Infrastructure Modeler Plugin (aka Infrastructure Part
Shape Utilities) must be installed. This can be found in the Autodesk Desktop app.

What is Autodesk Inventor?

Autodesk describes Inventor as “… Inventor® CAD software provides professional-grade 3D

mechanical design, documentation, and product simulation tools. Work efficiently with a
powerful blend of parametric, direct, freeform, and rules-based design capabilities.” The key
works are “parametric” and “rules-based design capabilities” but this is a lot of geek speak
meaning Inventor is more than capable to model infrastructure parts.

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Modeling Parts in Inventor

Since I am still a novice to intermediate Inventor user, trying to write step by step instructions on
how to model parts wouldn’t do it justice. Instead, below is a list of resources I found helpful in
learning to model infrastructure parts. Since Inventor does way more than what we need, pay
close attention to the following topics:

• Work Planes
• Sketches
• 3D Modelling tools
• Parameters

1. Inventor Pro 2020 Help – Essential Skills Videos

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2. Civil 3D 2020 Help – Part Authoring Videos

3. City of Houston – Type C structure modeled and exported to Civil 3D

This is the video shown and talked over during the AU

class that shows this structure being completely modeled
from scratch and exported to Civil 3D.

https://youtu.be/RWzZ2zJ4cZE

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Inventor Infrastructure Modeler Plugin

This application adds the Infrastructure Part Shape Utilities to Inventor and are an essential
component in exporting from the Inventor environment to the IPE environment.

Adds an image to a cover or grate

Pipe connectors are added to pipework equipment part families so that

they can align with related pipe networks. Once you add pipe
connectors to a parametric shape model, directional arrows are
displayed on the shape.

Assembly connectors are added to drainage structure part families so

that the individual part families can fit together properly when they are
combined into an assembly. Once you add assembly connectors to a
parametric shape model, directional arrows are displayed on the
shape.

For Drainage Structures, the two connectors utilized are:

• GrateOrCoverPort
• UndergroundStructurePort

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 Reference points are named work points that you add to your surface
structure models in Autodesk Inventor to determine where rotation and
movement grips will appear on the parts after being brought into
Autodesk Civil 3D. There are three types of reference points that you
can assign to a drainage surface structure:
• A reference point that defines where a movement grip will be
placed.
• A reference point that defines where a rotation grip will be
placed.
• A reference point that defines where both a movement and
rotation grip will be placed.

Note: Reference points are not required; however, when placed on

underground structures, the location of where pipes connect to the
structure can be controlled. If no reference points are used, pipes will
connect to the default connection point.

Exports the geometry from Inventor for use in IPE.

(Tool descriptions pulled from Autodesk Civil 3D 2020 Help)

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Parameters

As I began learning this technology and started working with clients over the last year,
parameters are the key to making it work. As parts are modeled in Inventor, parameters are
used in areas where there are geometric variables. InfraWorks is more forgiving than Civil 3D,
but the individual structure models must contain the appropriate parameters, or the catalogs will
not build when exported in the IPE.

The Parameters reference section of the Civil 3D 2020 Help should be reviewed in detail prior to
creating parts to ensure that the required variables are utilized depending on the type of part.
The following charts are included for reference and are copied directly from the help section.

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 Parametric Drainage Structures: Surface Structures

Parameter Parametric Value Required? Notes

*FlangeTh Base Flange Thickness No This is an optional parameter for circular and
rectangular surface structures.

*SPDiameter Underground Structure Port Yes This is a required parameter for circular surface
Diameter structures.

*CGHeight Height of grate (opening) Yes This is a required parameter for circular and
rectangular surface structures.

*CG Diameter Diameter of grate (opening) Yes This is a required parameter for circular surface
structures.

*WallTh Wall thickness of Inlet Yes This is a required parameter for circular and
rectangular surface structures.

*SSHeight Height of Inlet Yes This is a required parameter for circular and
rectangular surface structures.

*SSDiameter Diameter of Inlet Yes This is a required parameter for circular surface
structures.

*CrossSlope Roadway Cross Slope No This is an optional parameter for circular and
rectangular surface structures.

*GutterSlope Roadway Gutter Slope No This is an optional parameter for circular and
rectangular surface structures.

Note: Some additional parameters may also be needed, depending on the type of surface structure. For example:
• *SP prefixes indicate that a structure port parameter is used to match the surface structure to circular or
rectangular underground structures in an assembly.
• SPLength and SPWidth is required to match the surface structure to underground structures.
• CG* is used to match the surface structure to circular or rectangular covers or grates.
• SSLength & SSWidth are required parameters for rectangular surface structures.

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 Parametric Drainage Structures: Underground Structures
Parameter Parametric Value Required? Notes
**SPDiameter Structure Port Diameter Yes This is a required parameter for circular
(Circular Underground underground structures. If not set, this value is
Structures) calculated from USDiameter. This is an optional
parameter for rectangular underground
structures, unless this underground structure
needs to match to a circular surface structure.
**USRiserHeight Riser Height No This is an optional parameter for rectangular
(calculated)(Rectangular underground structures. If not set, this value is
Underground Structures) calculated from USHeight - USBaseHeight.
Note: This parameter is required if the part
assembly has a Riser.
*SPDiameter Structure Port Diameter No This is a required parameter for circular
(Rectangular Underground underground structures. This is an optional
Structures) parameter for rectangular underground
structures, unless this underground structure
needs to match to a circular surface structure.
*WallTh Wall Thickness of Underground Yes This is a required parameter for circular and
Structure rectangular underground structures.
*BaseTh Base Thickness of Yes This is a required parameter for circular and
Underground Structure rectangular underground structures.
*USHeight Height of Underground Yes This is a required parameter for circular and
Structure rectangular underground structures.
*USDiameter Total Diameter of Structure Yes This is a required parameter for circular
underground structures.
*USBaseHeight Base Height (region where No This is an optional parameter for rectangular
pipes connect) underground structures.
Note: This parameter is required if the part
assembly has a Riser.
*USWidth Total Width of Structure Yes This is a required parameter for rectangular
underground structures.
*USLength Total Length of Structure Yes This is a required parameter for rectangular
underground structures.
Note: Some additional parameters may also be needed, depending on the type of underground structure. For
example:
• *SP prefixes indicate that a structure port parameter is used to match the surface structure to circular or
rectangular underground structures in an assembly.
• SPLength and SPWidth are required parameters for rectangular underground structures and are used to
match the underground structure to the surface structure.
• SSLength & SSWidth are required parameters for rectangular surface structures.

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 Parametric Drainage Structures: Grates or Covers
Parameter Parametric Value Required? Notes
*CGDiameter Diameter of Cover Yes This is a required parameter for circular covers
and grates.
*CGHeight Height of Cover Yes This is a required parameter for circular and
rectangular covers and grates.
*CGWidth Width of Cover Yes This is a required parameter for rectangular covers
and grates.
*CGLength Length of Cover Yes This is a required parameter for rectangular covers
and grates.

Parametric Drainage Structures: Culverts and End Treatments

Parameter Parametric Value Required? Notes
*HBarrelSpacing Headwall Barrel Spacing Yes This is a required parameter for culverts and
end treatments
*CBDiameter Culvert Barrel Inner Diameter Yes This is a required parameter for culverts and
end treatments
*WWTopLength Wing Wall Top Length Yes This is a required parameter for culverts and
end treatments
*WWFrontHeight Wing Wall Front Height Yes This is a required parameter for culverts and
end treatments
*FlareAngle Flare Angle Yes This is a required parameter for culverts and
end treatments
*WWLength Wing Wall Length Yes This is a required parameter for culverts and
end treatments
*HThickness Headwall Thickness Yes This is a required parameter for culverts and
end treatments
*HBarrelOffset Headwall Barrel Offset Yes This is a required parameter for culverts and
end treatments
*HBaseHeight Headwall Base Height Yes This is a required parameter for culverts and
end treatments
*HHeight Headwall Height (Overall) Yes This is a required parameter for culverts and
end treatments
*HWidth Headwall Width Yes This is a required parameter for culverts and
end treatments

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Setting up the Inventor Environment

Early in the process, I was able to model my parts, export to IPE, and then publish to a Civil 3D
part catalog. When I started using them in Civil 3D, every structure I placed was sideways. All
of them were rotated 90 degrees and laying on their side. Upon further investigation, the
Inventor default templates are setup where the “Top” view looks down the “Y” axis. For us to be
able to use the modeled parts in Civil 3D or InfraWorks, the “Top” view needs to be reset to look
down the “Z” axis.

Default template view orientation: Fixed view orientation:

To resolve this issue, once a part is started with the “Standard.ipt” Inventor template, select the
down arrow at the bottom right side of the view cube, then select “Set Current View as Top”

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To avoid having to reset the view orientation each time and to cut down the
potential of forgetting to make this change, open a new file from the
Standard.ipt template, make the change, and save that file as a new template.
For future parts, begin with this updated template file and the change will
already be made.

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