Prerequisites
The traction machine component is open in the Developer Work Area.
A CAD model of the traction machine, in one of DigiPara Liftdesigner's supported formats: Autodesk Inventor (
.iam,.ipt), PTC Creo (.asm,.prt), SolidWorks (.sldasm,.sldprt), or STEP files (.stp,.step,.stpz).The traction machine, with its CAD model embedded, is saved in the DigiPara BIM Library.
Steps
1.) Add your CAD model. Using a developer section view in the Developer Work Area, insert your CAD model. It is placed at the base point of the BIM component.
2.) Align your CAD model using X, Y, and Z coordinates. On the CAD Models ribbon tab, use the X, Y, and Z orientation controls to align the model — for this traction machine, that typically means one rotation around Z.
3.) Position your CAD model via a user-defined base point. If the model's own base point isn't quite where you need it, set a user-defined base point instead, directly in the Properties window.
4.) Set the CAD model option "Picking selects parent." In the Properties window, set Picking selects parent to Yes, so the parent BIM component — not the CAD sub-model — is what gets selected whenever someone clicks the traction machine in a non-developer view frame. Leaving it at No means the parent component can't be selected directly there, so it's not recommended.
5.) Confirm the CAD model option "Include in Save to BIM Library." Confirm this is set to Yes: Frozen (the default) — required for the CAD file to be included when the component is saved to the database. This setting also matters for hierarchical, nested user-defined components.
6.) Set the CAD model's Assigned LDX-Type. Set Assigned LDX-Type so the CAD model behaves like the component type you assign — affecting its BIM properties, visibility rules, layer configuration, and certain UI displays. This can be used for targeted visibility control via advanced view frame settings.
7.) Select the developer section and save. Select the relevant developer section, then save the finished BIM component.
8.) Confirm the CAD model is stored as an embedded copy. In DigiPara Liftdesigner Datamanager, check the Additional Components table — the CAD model is stored there as an embedded copy in the DigiPara BIM Library, completely independent of the original file.
Result
The traction machine's CAD model is inserted, correctly aligned and positioned, and configured so it behaves and saves correctly as part of the parent BIM component.