Introduction

Mep keys appear as a collection of goods, ducts and recesses. Moving the MEP key move all the components with it. This means you don't have to insert/detach every single component by hand. MEP-keys adapt to wall geometries height and thickness. The MEP keys can also differentiate between wall height and floor/ceiling height.

MEP Keys are added to walls just like other CIMs.

MEP Key Definition

A MEP key is made up of 4 tables consisting of Items, Recesses, Duct connections and Recess connections. The definition window shows all four tables and a previsualization of the MEP key.

It is now possible to have a symbol for the None points in MEP-Keys shown in the dialog. In order to have the symbol as shown below, a dwg _uMepnone.dwg need to be placed in ...Standard\1100\1100\templates_drawings. 

The dwg can be downloaded by clicking here.

Items

Items are CIMs. Right click on the table to add or remove CIMs.

• Name: The CIMs ID
• Edge and Dist. from edge: From which edge and how far shall the CIM be placed. You may choose Top, Bottom, Floor and Ceiling. Floor and Ceiling is the dotted line in the previsualization.
• Offset:  Parameter controlling horizontal offset. 
• Rotation: CIM rotation
• Text/Dimension: Shall text or dimension be added for this CIM in a shop drawing
• Side: Which side is the cim front facing surface intersecting with.

Recesses

Add rectangular recesses. Works similarly to CIMs. Countersinking will be from the selected side.

Duct connections

Represented by lines in the previsualization. Goes from one item to another or Top, Bottom, Floor or ceiling. As for previous tables, you can choose an offset, the number of ducts etc.

Right-click to adjust the displacement for that duct connection. This enables you to use bent ducts.

Recess connections

Same as duct connections, but can only be vertical

Example of this, where the recess connection tries to go from the middle electrical box to the upper right one:

Basic example

The following article will show two MEP Keys compared to each other. One MEP Key will have the side set to "Normal" and the other will have the side set to "Opposite". The example will be shown on a sandwich wall.  

Figure 1: To the left, MEP-key with side set to normal (07). To the right, MEP-key with side set to opposite (COPY  OF 07).

The element mark "SW1" and the triangle is located on the outer panel of the sandwich wall. The MEP Key "07" is set to normal and therefore located on the outside of the inner and outer panel. The MEP Key "COPY OF 07" is set to opposite and therefore located on the inside of the inner and outer panel.  

Figure 2: Sandwich wall with MEP Keys. (1) shows the inner panel and (2) shows the outer panel. The red cross illustrates where the MEP Keys are attached.

This is the same wall as before, with the text on the outer panel (2). When MEP Keys are placed on the outer panel with "normal" side on (key 07), the key will be displayed as a continuous line (6). This because of the key is closer to the element mark when it is in "normal" side here. 

When MEP Keys are placed on the outer panel with "opposite" side on (key COPY OF 07), the key will be displayed as a dashed line (5). This because of the key is farther away from the element mark relative to the to MEP key set to "normal" side. 

The same principle applies when dealing with the inner panel (1). 

When MEP Keys are placed on the inner panel with "normal" side on (key 07), the key will be displayed as a dashed line (3). This because of the key is farther away from the element mark relative to the to MEP key set to "opposite" side.  

When MEP Keys are placed on the inner panel with "opposite" side on (key COPY OF 07), the key will be displayed as a continuous line (4). This because of the key is closer to the element mark when it is in "normal" side here. 

Figure 3: Sandwich wall with MEP Keys shown in Project Manager. (1) shows the inner panel and (2) shows the outer panel. 

The horizontal annotation line show where the MEP-Keys are placed by the letters FF or NF. FF stands for "Far Face" and means that the key is placed further away from the point of view, that is on the inner panel (1). NF stands for "Near Face" and means that the key is placed closest to the point of view, that is on the outer panel (2).

From this, we can conclude that: 

The key (07, normal), here number (3), is placed on the inner panel (1 FF) and it is placed on the rearmost on that panel (dashed line).   

The key (COPY OF 07, opposite), here number (4), is placed on the inner panel (1 FF) and it is placed on the front on that panel (continuous line).   

The key (COPY OF 07, opposite), here number (5), is placed on the outer panel (2 NF) and it is placed on the rearmost on that panel (dashed line).

The key (07, normal), here number (6), is placed on the outer panel (2 NF) and it is placed on the front on that panel (continuous line).   

Figure 4: Sandwich wall with MEP Keys. (1) FF - Far Face (2) NF - Near Face.

Parameters floor plans (model), elevation and shop drawing

A MEP-key item can be connected to floor, ceiling, bottom or top of a element.  In IMPACT for CAD the only place where the floor and ceiling are defined is in the model (floor plan). The MEP-keys are also designed to be applied from floor plan. 

Figure 5: Edges that a MEP-key can be connected to

Top and bottom edges are the top and bottom of the element but Floor and Ceiling are connected to the location of the element.

Figure 6: Ceiling and Floor edges as they are defined in the Floor building dialog in IMPACT Project Manager.

So if you have a MEP-key that is connected to floor and ceiling the only place in IMPACT for CAD where we can know these parameters is on the floor plan. On the shop drawing we are working with an element mark that can have multiple instances and of course then also multiple definitions on floor and ceiling.

With that given our recommendation is to work with the MEP-key from the floor plans as then the parameters of the MEP-key will work.

If you draw you MEP-key on the shop drawing (and have MEP-keys connected to Ceiling and Floor) you have to provide IMPACT with the correct values for those edges in order to not build conflict into your element.