Quick start: your first duct

This page shows the shortest way to a finished duct in 3D and the three most common changes afterwards. Each step has a picture; the details are in the linked tasks.

#1. Open the palette and choose values

Ribbon › LuaCAD tab › Ventilation 3D. The palette opens at the edge of the drawing, the first time on the Ducts page.

1. Choose the system, for example supply air – it sets color and layer.
2. Keep Duct run selected – LuaCAD then draws a whole run and adds elbows and reducers by itself.
3. Type A x B or choose it from the list, for example 400 × 200 (A = width, B = height). You may calculate: "300+100".
4. Insulation: keep "no insulation" or choose an insulation material – the thickness is proposed.
5. Elevation: "from level", distance from BOS (bottom of slab), value −300 – the duct hangs 30 cm below the slab. Confirm with Enter or the check mark. What the value refers to (top, bottom or centerline) is set by the justification above.
6. Click Insert.

Where ducts and fittings come from is set on the Parameters page; by default it is "EN 1505 / EN 1506 (made to measure)" – fine for a start.

#2. Draw the duct

1. Click the start in the drawing (1).
2. Click the corners (2). An elbow is created at every corner. The Space switches between "snap to angle" (the increment of the Parameters page, 45° by default) and "free". A typed number is the length of the next piece.
3. Click the end (3) and finish with Enter. The placed parts also stay with Esc.

#3. Look at the result

1. Set the view to an isometric, for example with the ViewCube at the top right of the drawing.
2. Long straight runs are divided into pieces – as long as the catalog fabricates ducts (Parameters page › Ducts).
3. Every part carries system, size, catalog and material; it gets an item number by itself.

#4. Change it with a grip

1. Click the duct – grips appear at the start, middle and end of the straight run (duct section); an elbow or tee has a grip at its node.
2. Click a grip, drag it and click at the new place. An open end makes the section longer or shorter, the middle moves it like "Move", the node moves the corner.
3. The adjacent parts adapt at the end of the command.

#5. Move

1. Move (at the bottom of the page) and click the duct – in the picture the duct section after the elbow (1); Enter.
2. Click the new position – or press A and type a distance, in the picture 500. Q locks the movement across the section, L along it.
3. Adjacent straight ducts become longer or shorter (2); where that is not possible without an offset, an offset fitting is created.

More under Move.

#6. Move elevation

1. Move elevation and select the duct; Enter.
2. Press A and type the new elevation (absolute or from level) – or drag with the cursor in a side view.
3. Up to the duct height an offset fitting makes up the difference, above that offset elbows.

More under Move elevation.

#What next?

• A round duct or a flexible duct to the outlet: Inserting a round duct, Inserting a flexible duct.
• A damper or a sound attenuator in the duct: Inserting a part in-line.
• A grille on the duct: Placing a grille, air valve or takeoff.
• Parts list and bill of materials: Output.
• Esc cancels every function; another button on the palette cancels the running command and starts the new one. U undoes the last step.