TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS...3. INTRODUCTION...5 Advance Steel...5 Where to find the information?...6 Contacting technical support...

Transcription

1 STARTING GUIDE

2

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS...3 INTRODUCTION...5 Advance Steel...5 Where to find the information?...6 Contacting technical support...6 INSTALLATION...7 System requirements...7 Hardware...7 Software...7 Start the installation...7 START ADVANCE...9 ADVANCE USER INTERFACE...9 Other important tools for using Advance...10 Advance Steel UCS...10 Access Element Properties D-MODELING...11 Advance Steel objects...11 Create a building grid...11 Create beams...12 Straight beams...13 Curved beams...14 Plates...15 Split / merge - plates...16 Beam processing...16 Plate processings element contour...17 Bolt, Holes, Shear Studs...18 Welds...19 Joints...20 Create a frame...20 Access joint properties

4 Create an eaves connection Copy the eaves connection Central rafter (ridge) connection Create a base plate Copying an entire frame Create a bracing Create purlins Create a purlin support Clash check NUMBERING DRAWING CREATION Drawing management Open the Document Manager CREATING LISTS

5 INTRODUCTION This starting guide is a small introduction in working with Advance Steel, describing the basic Advance methodology and not meant to replace a formal training. The chapter Advance Steel objects presents the main objects to create a small steel structure. The example is generic to be used worldwide and does not conform to local or company specific standards. Some of the Advance Steel connections are described in the Joints chapter so that you can create a small model. The 3D model is created corresponding to reality in scale 1:1. The model contains all information regarding dimensions, objects, and attributes from which you may create drawings as described in the Create drawing chapter. Since not all Advance tools can be described here, you must refer to the online Help for full information on all commands and parameters. Advance Steel Advance is a leading edge steel construction application integrated to the latest AutoCAD version under the Windows operating system. It provides a user-friendly simple working environment for creating 3D structural models from which drawings are created. The three dimensional model is created and stored in a drawing (in DWG format). The Advance MODEL forms the basis of the 3D construction. Complex structures can be created using Advance structural elements, such as a Portal frame or a stairway with all required features, joints and connections within a command. The Advance model becomes the master reference for other tools: Dimensioned and labeled general arrangement and shop drawings are automatically created from the model. The Advance Document Manager manages all general arrangement and shop drawings. The update tool in the Document Manager makes single click drawing adjustments possible after model changes. Structured BOM s (bills of materials) and NC-information are also created from the model and include all model information such as part numbers and quantities. The Document Manager controls as well these documents. 5

6 Where to find the information? Advance has an online help system that offers you step-by-step instructions for every function. To access the help, you can use: Standard toolbar: click on Advance Steel menu: select Help > Online help If you don t know how to use any of the dialog controls, you can get instant help by pressing F1 on your keyboard. Contacting technical support To help you in the daily use of the software, Graitec offers you a technical support center. To reach the technical support: Please ask your dealer or closest GRAITEC office for the appropriate telephone-number. Or write to: support.advance.sc@graitec.com 6

7 INSTALLATION To successfully install Advance certain requirements have to be met. System requirements Hardware PC with Pentium Processor min. 1.4 GHz (2.4 GHz recommended) Main memory min. 512 MB (2GB recommended) AutoCAD compatible graphics-card 32 MB or better Min. 1 GB free disk space on the hard disk Network adapter CD-ROM Drive Software Operating system Windows 2000 or WindowsXP Professional AutoCAD 2002, AutoCAD 2004, ADT 3.3, ADT 2004, AutoCAD 2005, ADT 2005, AutoCAD 2006, AutoCAD 2007 or ADT TCP/IP Protocol The license-file is delivered by . Please read the online Help for further information. Start the installation Close all active WINDOWS-applications before starting the installation. Please proceed with the installation as follows: 1. Insert the installation-cd in the CD-ROM drive. 2. You can start the installation by following one of the procedures: In the Advance Steel CD Browser, click Setup. or From Windows menu, select: Start > Run. In the Run dialog click on Browse to select the program Setup.exe on the CD. Start by clicking OK. The installation starts. 7

8 3. Select the language you prefer and click OK to continue. 4. Read the license agreement. By clicking Yes you agree to the specified terms and the installation will continue. 5. Enter your name and the company name. Select All users who use this computer if Advance should be available for all users of this computer. Select Current user only if Advance should be available only for the current user. To continue click Next. 6. Select the installation type. For a standard installation select Typical. The software is installed on Windows drive, in \Program Files\Graitec\AdvanceSteel. If you want to change the destination path or install only some of the components, select Custom. To accept click Next. 7. To change the destination path click Browse. To continue click Next. 8. Select the installed components. For licensing using a software code (as opposed to a hardware dongle), you must indicate if it is a standalone, server or client installation. See the Installation guide for details. If you have selected only the Client option, the name of the server is required during the next installation step. After the server name has been entered and the Next button clicked, the installation program searches for the specified computer. This search might take some time. The installation will start after clicking Next. After the component selection, the installation searches for previous installation components. These components are removed. Note: Old DWGs and Access databases are saved in the OLD folder. The installation is now finished. After installing Advance you have to install a license to use the software. To authorize Advance software, follow the procedure described in the Installation guide. You have to receive an authorization code to use Advance-commands in AutoCAD. Without this authorization only the Auto-CAD commands will work. The authorization is a must for each workstation that uses Advance. 8

9 START ADVANCE To start AutoCAD / Advance: or Double-click on the Advance Icon on your desktop. In Windows task bar, click Start, then select Programs > Graitec > Advance Steel and click the Advance icon to start the program. ADVANCE USER INTERFACE All Advance tools are grouped by type and are available in toolbars, positioned in a space saving manner in the AutoCAD environment. To keep the interface clear and make each command easy to find, only two Advance toolbars appear when first starting AutoCAD / Advance: From the Advance Steel toolbar you can open the main toolbars. The main toolbars contain commands and buttons that open flyout menus. The flyout menu buttons are identified with a black triangle on the lower right corner. The flyout menus pop up when the cursor hovers over the button for a short while. Example: Accessing Sub Axis grid flyout. Main toolbars replace each other (with exception of the main toolbar Design assistance), so the model workspace remains uncluttered with plenty of space. 9

10 Other important tools for using Advance At any time if you wish to cancel a command in Advance Steel, click the Esc key on your keyboard. The current command and prompts are displayed in the command line window at the bottom of the screen. You can open and close the command line window with the F2 key. The right mouse click is like the Enter key of your keyboard. If you hover the cursor over a toolbar button its tooltip appears. The Undo command from the AutoCAD Standard toolbar cancels one or several commands. The Match properties command from the AutoCAD Standard toolbar copies properties from one object to another. You can select from the given list the transferred properties. Match properties Undo Advance Steel UCS Advance objects are created in 3D-space using corresponding tools. Their orientation depends on the current User Coordinate System (UCS). To place the coordinate systems in the correct position use the buttons in the Advance Standard toolbar. Button Function Move the current UCS to a new origin point. UCS rotate around X UCS rotate around Y UCS rotate around Z 10

11 Access Element Properties When creating an Advance element a dialog-box opens in which different settings (geometric sizes etc.) and if necessary drawing styles can be changed. (E.g.: dimension/label on the drawings). The settings in the dialog-box are sorted in different tabs that vary according to the object-type. There are several ways to access the element properties: Click the button in the Advance Standard toolbar. Right click and select Advance Properties from the menu Double click the element 3D-MODELING Advance Steel objects Create a building grid The grid assists placing construction elements and orientation in the 3D view. Placing grid axis is the first step of 3D-modeling in Advance. A building grid is created in the X/Y-plane of the current coordinate system and consists of two independent axis groups: in the X- and Y- directions. The grid axis tools are grouped in the Sub Axis grid flyout of the Create objects toolbar Example: Building grid with 3 axes in X- and in Y-direction 11

12 In the main toolbar Create Objects, Sub Axis Grid flyout click on the button. To set the first point in the origin, type 0,0,0 in the command line. To set the second point, type 16 8, Now you have to modify the axes number in each group. Select the X-axis group. In the Standard toolbar, click on the button. The dialog Axes parallel appears. All modifications can be made here very quickly. For our example, modify the number of axes: Click the Group tab. Set the Number to 3. Note that the distance value is automatically calculated. The new value should be 8 4. As you type or select new values the model changes dynamically allowing instant visual feedback. Repeat the same steps for the axes in Y-direction. Create beams Beams are created directly in the model and are displayed in the wireframe mode by default. In Advance, a variety of different beam types is available. The beam creation is available by five flyouts in the Create Objects toolbar: Beams can be created as simple sections, compound sections, curved sections or welded sections. The compound and welded sections are easy to use and save a lot of time. 12

13 Straight beams Entering one starting point and one end point creates straight beams in the Advance 3D-model relative to the current user coordinate system (UCS). The current user coordinate system (UCS) determines the position of the sections' main axes: the web of a beam runs in the Z-direction of the UCS or in other words, the top of the section is in the Z-direction. Example: Create straight beams W 12x26 x 8 4 long Click a suitable UCS, see above picture as example. In the main toolbar Create Objects, Sub Section classes flyout click on the button. Select a starting point at (0,0,0). Move the mouse pointer upwards in the Y-direction (the setting ORTHO causes an exact orientation entry) and type the value 8 4. The dialog-box Beam pops up. First choose the section class (AISC W), followed by the section (W 12x26). 13

14 Curved beams As in the case of straight beams, the current coordinate system determines the position of the main beam axes. The curved beam web runs in the Z- direction of the current UCS (the top of the section is in the Z-direction). If required, the created curved beam can immediately be rotated through 90 about its system line. Example: Create a curved beam between two columns Choose for example a user coordinate system like shown above. In the main toolbar Create Objects, Sub Beams flyout click on the button. Use the upper system line end points of the columns as the start and end point. With a circle point define the radius of the curved beam. The circle point must be defined in the X/Y-plane of the coordinate system. You can pick a point at any radius and then specify the required radius through the dialog box on the Curved tab. 14

15 Plates Plates can be created in Advance in almost all shapes and sizes in any plane. The plates are placed in the X/Y-plane of the current coordinate system. The tools to create plates are in the toolbar (Flyout) Sub Plate of the Advance main toolbar Create objects. Example: Create a rectangular plate by a center point Place a coordinate system with the X/Y-plane in the required plate plane. In our example, select the middle point of the outer column flange. In the main toolbar Create Objects, Sub Plate flyout click on the button. Give the plate center point by selecting the UCS origin or entering coordinates. End with return. The plate is created with default length, width and height. Specify the required size through the properties dialog box in the Shape tab. 15

16 Split / merge - plates Existing Advance plates can be divided at a polyline or at two points into two or more plates. Any plate feature is kept. Example: Split a plate by two points In the main toolbar Create Objects, Sub Plate flyout click on the button. Give the first point by selecting the midpoint of the plate edge. Give the second point by selecting the midpoint of the opposite edge. The plate is split. Beam processing With the Advance beam processing almost any beam contour can be created. A beam can also be processed by another element like another beam. The beam processings are located in two flyouts from the main toolbar Create objects. Processing s are displayed as a green contour in the model. These features are Advance Objects that cannot exist independently - they belong to a member. Processings are displayed only in Features representation mode. 16

17 Example: Creating a cope Suppose we have the following situation: Column: W 4x13 Compound section: Double channel back to back C 6x8.2 In the main toolbar Create Objects, Sub Process sections flyout click on the button. Select the beam (in our example, the column) to modify at the referenced end. The cope is created and the properties dialog appears. You can modify it according to your requirements. For example, in the Shape tab input the cope width and depth. Plate processings element contour With the feature Element contour a plate can be processed by a beam or by another plate. There are two types of processings: Exact cross section Casing cross section 17

18 Example: Create an exact casing cross section In the Create objects toolbar, switch to. In the main toolbar Create Objects, Sub Plate flyout click on the button. Select the plate to modify near a corner. Afterwards, identify the element that causes the modification in our example, the column. The plate processing is created. Repeat the same steps for the other plate Bolt, Holes, Shear Studs Bolt-/hole patterns and shear studs can be created into any required plane and are dependent on the current coordinate system. Bolt patterns create connections between individual Advance objects, for example beam/plate or plate/plate. All three connection types, bolt patterns, hole patterns and shear studs are created with the same commands, grouped in the Sub Bolt Hole Patterns. Example: Create a rectangular bolt pattern by two diagonal points 18

19 Set a suitable user coordinate system. Choose the default - bolts from the main toolbar Create objects. In the main toolbar Create Objects, Sub Bolt hole patterns flyout click on the button. Choose the connected elements: the vertical plate and the column. Define a rectangular area through two diagonally opposite corner points. The bolt pattern is created and the dialog-box appears. You can make modifications according to your requirements. Welds Welds can be created as weld points or weld lines. These objects contain not only the weld properties but also the logical connection between connected structural parts. Weld points are created as individual elements in the form of a cross whereas weld lines are represented in the model as thick polylines. Example: Create a weld point In the main toolbar Create Objects, Sub Weld patterns flyout click on the button. Identify the connected objects (for example one column and the curved beam) then right click. Select the weld creation point and right click. The weld point is created. To display the connected elements, in the Sub Check connection flyout of the Create objects toolbar click the button connected elements are highlighted in red.. The 19

20 Joints Another option for connecting members are the Advance joints. Joints are intelligent connections that consist of basic elements and dependent elements controlled by construction rules. All individual joint elements, including their properties, are held together and represented as a gray box connection object. A structural element creates several Advance objects at a time. This means you can create entire structures by simply clicking one button. All parts of a structural element are related to each other so you can change their height, position, section, etc in one step. Create a frame A frame can be created with a few clicks using a structural element. Example: Create a symmetrical portal frame Set a suitable user coordinate system. In the main toolbar Create Objects, Sub Structural elements flyout click on the button. Define the first base point Define the second point Define the height of the frame automatically with a right click. The frame is created and the properties dialog appears. The frame size can be modified to suit your requirements. 20

21 Access joint properties To access the joint properties dialog box: Double click on the connection object (the gray box) or Select a joint element Right click Select Advance Joint Properties from the context menu. Create an eaves connection The knee frame joint connects the column and rafter elements. The tools for eaves connection are grouped in the Sub Beam to column flyout of the Joints main toolbar. Example: Create a bolted knee frame connection with haunch Click on the button in the flyout Sub Beam to column of the main toolbar Joints. Select the column and right click. Select the rafter on which the knee of frame should be created and right click. A message box appears, which says that no predefined joint for the selected sections has been found in the connection table. Click OK. The joint is created automatically on the chosen beams and can be modified by the dialog box according to your requirements. 21

22 Copy the eaves connection The previously created joint will be used as template and copied with all its properties. Select one knee of frame element. The chosen connection object is taken as a template. In the main toolbar Joints, Sub Joint utilities flyout click on the button. Select the destination column and right click. Select the corresponding rafter. When you copy a joint, all properties and logic relations are copied. Thus you only have to enter the values for the joint once. Zoom/Shade To get a more specific view of the created connection click the button Zoom window in the AutoCAD flyout Zoom. To get a more realistic presentation of the model, click on the Flat shade button in the AutoCAD Shade toolbar. Cancel Shade/Zoom To cancel the shading, click the button in the AutoCAD Shade toolbar. To get a view of the whole object click the Zoom extents button in the AutoCAD Zoom toolbar and the entire frame is displayed. 22

23 Central rafter (ridge) connection In the following, we will create an apex bolted with haunch at the frame summit. The joints for connecting beams by bolted end plates are grouped in the Sub Beam end to end toolbar. Example: Create an apex bolted with haunch Zoom to the ridge point by entering two diagonal points of a window. In the main toolbar Joints, Sub Beam end to end flyout click on the button. Select the first rafter and right click Select the second rafter and right click again. Click OK in the Attention window. The connection is created on the rafters of the frame and can be modified by the dialog box according to your requirements. 23

24 Create a base plate In the following, we will create a base plate to a column. The column is automatically shortened by the thickness of the base plate. The tools for base plate connections are grouped in the Sub Base plate flyout of the Joints toolbar. Example: Create a base plate with shear section and stiffener In the main toolbar Joints, Sub Base plate joints flyout click on the button. Select the column and right click Click OK in the attention window The base plate is created at the end of the column and can be modified by the dialog box according to your requirements. Both column and plate are welded together. 24

25 Copying an entire frame Now the frame is created and can be copied. There is no need of a special Advance function, just use the standard AutoCAD copy tool. Get a complete view of the model To get a complete view of the model, click Zoom extends in the Zoom toolbar. Click Copy object in the AutoCAD toolbar modify Select the entire frame. Right click Select the base point of displacement Select the target point of displacement The frame is completely copied with all properties and connections by the specification of just two points. You only have to construct one object and apply it at different positions. 25

26 Create a bracing In the following example you will create an angle bracing with plate. The tools for connecting bracing members using gusset plates are grouped in the Sub General bracing joints flyout of the Joints toolbar. In the main toolbar Joints, Sub General bracing joins flyout click on the button. Select the two beams to connect. Enter four points: the start and end points of the ascending and descending diagonal bracing lines. The starting points are at the bottom of the columns. Zoom to make sure you select the correct points. Use the snap NODE for that. The bracing is created and can be modified by the dialog box according to your requirements 26

27 Create purlins The purlin tool creates a set of regularly spaced members on the selected rafters. Simply select the rafters and the purlins are automatically created. One option allows you to select a column to position an optional eaves beam. Example: Create purlins on the selected rafters In the main toolbar Create objects, Sub Structural elements flyout click on the button. Select the rafters and right click To select a column for the eaves beam type 1 and confirm with Enter. Select a column and right click. The properties dialog box appears in which you can insert values to modify the purlin layout. 27

28 Create a purlin support Now you will connect the purlin to the rafter with some special connections. The tools for connecting purlins to rafters are grouped in the Sub Purlin joints flyout of the Joints toolbar. Example: Create a purlin connection on the selected purlin and rafter In the main toolbar Joints, Sub Purlin joints flyout click on the button. Select the rafter and right click Select the outside purlin and right click. The purlin connection is created and can be modified by the dialog box according to your requirements. Example: Create a purlin shoe for two purlins In the main toolbar Joints, Sub Purlin joints flyout click on the button. Select the rafter and right click. Select the first purlin and right click. Select the second purlin and right click. The purlin shoe is created and can be modified to suit your requirements. 28

29 Clash check A clash check tests if there are model interferences. Object interferences might be due various modifications made to plates, bolts, members and their connections. This tool finds all interference cases so you can go back and fix the model before creating the drawings. The Advance Clash Check function checks selected elements or the entire model. Any interference is displayed as a red collision solid and listed in a text window. Example: Check the created frame for interferences Click the button Clash check in the Advance toolbar Listing & checking, flyout Sub - Checking. Open the text window by clicking the key F2 on your keyboard. The AutoCAD-text window appears and a list of all collisions is displayed. If there are no collisions it will say no collision found Exit the window. NUMBERING The Advance numbering tool automatically numbers Single Parts and Assemblies for the entire model. The basis for numbering is finding identical parts that should have the same number. The numbering procedure is a single button function and works either on the entire model or by selected elements. With automatic numbering all beams and plates obtain a single part mark. All other elements are classified as attached parts. The numbering for single parts and assembly parts can be done in one step or separately. 29

30 Example: Both numbering in one step Click the Numbering button. The dialog Numbering appears. Here you can define: The start value The increase value The numbering method Activate Process assemblies and Process single parts. For both, select the method SP: 1000,1001 ;MP:1,2,3 To get the results in the text window, click the key F2 on your keyboard. DRAWING CREATION Tools for managing, creating and editing drawings are grouped in the Advance main-toolbar Numbering drawing. After designing and numbering the 3D model you can get the 2D drawings. To create drawings Advance offers a variety of drawing styles for general arrangement drawings, sections, and shop drawings in various designs. The drawing style is a group of instructions used to create a detail drawing and defines the selection of the elements that are displayed including labeling and dimensioning preferences. The predefined drawing styles are different for each installation and country. It is also possible to define your own drawing styles using Drawing Style Manager. For details, please see the Drawing Style Manager guide. 30

31 Example: Create an isometric view Before starting the drawing creation, please save your drawing. The viewport of the created view depends on the active user coordinate system (UCS). The view direction is against the Z-direction of the UCS. To create an isometric view place the UCS in the plan of the screen by clicking in the AutoCAD UCS toolbar. In the Sub Drawing view flyout click the button. The Drawing type dialog appears. You can make changes according to your requirements. Here, change the scale to 1/4"=1-0. Click on OK to close the dialog box. The Select destination file dialog box appears. Set a path for a separate DWG in which the detail is placed. Select the prototype template: ASDETPROTO-ANSI-D.dwg Click the OK button. The drawing is created and saved as.dwg under the named path. 31

32 Drawing management The Document Manager is used to preview, manage and erase the created details in separate drawings (DWGs). The link between the model and the drawing is managed automatically. Advance detects automatically what details are update required due to model modifications. The Document Manager also controls the drawing update. The Document Manager controls all dependent details and lists all information e.g. how many and what drawings of a model you have created. More than one detail can be stored in a single DWG and the Document Manager tree structure shows what details are in each DWG. Open the Document Manager Click the button in the Sub Drawing management flyout of the Numbering, drawing main toolbar. The Document Manager lists all created drawings, bill of materials / structured BOM s and the NC-data created from the model. The documents can be displayed using the Preview tab. 32

33 CREATING LISTS In Advance you can create lists in several different formats. All model objects including their graphic and non-graphic properties, features and connections are stored and managed by Advance. A list is created in two steps: Create extracts from the numbered and saved models Create structured BOMs from the extracts using the Advance List Template Wizard. The created BOMs can be saved, printed or exported in various formats. Example: Create a model extract containing the beams in the model Start this tool by the button in the Sub BOM flyout of the Advance main-toolbar Listing & checking. A window appears where the model objects for the extract can be selected. Different saved configurations of model objects Select the Model objects for the current configuration. 33

34 To select all beams, check Model objects and then select Beams. To save a selection set click the New icon in the dialog box toolbar. In the appeared dialog you can select a model object to start with from the list. Input a name and click on Next. This name is displayed in the left field. Clicking the Apply button saves the configuration. To continue click Next. In the select destination file dialog box click OK to save the file. If the Create list button is clicked, the information is stored and the List Template Wizard opens automatically to create and print the lists. 34

35 Example: Create a BOM based on a previously created model extract Start the Advance List Template Wizard by clicking the button in the Sub BOM flyout of the Listing & checking main toolbar. An Advance template may be selected or users can define their own templates starting from an existing one. Select a BOM template. Click on the Use button. A dialog box appears, where you can select the required model extract. Click on OK to finish the BOM creation. 35

36 The structured BOM appears. It can be printed, saved, exported to PDF (and other formats) or sent by using the corresponding icons in the menu bar. Click on the Export button. The Report export dialog appearswhere you select the export options. Select the export format from the list. Click on the OK button to confirm. 36

37 Save the created BOM file. A file name is requested in a new window. The BOM file is saved as a Report in the folder...\[model folder]\[model name]\bom\[bomfilename] This small exercise was a very simple introduction to Advance Steel. With time, your familiarity, speed, and understanding of the power and versatility of Advance Steel will improve as you use the software on a real project. 37

38 38

39

40 France GRAITEC France Sarl 10bis Burospace Bièvres Tel. 33 (0) Fax 33 (0) Web Canada GRAITEC Inc. 49 Rue de la Pointe-Langlois Laval (Québec) H7L 3J4 Tel. (877) Fax (450) Hotline (877) Web USA GRAITEC Inc. Dallas / Forth Worth Tel. (877) Fax (450) Hotline (877) Web info.usa@graitec.com Germany, Switzerland, Austria GRAITEC GmbH Centroallee 263a D Oberhausen Germany Tel. +49-(0) 208 / Fax +49-(0) 208 / Web info.germany@graitec.com Romania GRAITEC Roumanie SRL Str. Samuil Vulcan, Nr. 10 Sector 5 Bucureşti, Romania Tel. +40 (21) Fax +40 (21) Web info.romania@graitec.com Czech Republic and Slovakia AB Studio spol. s r.o. Jeremenkova 90a PRAHA 4 Tel. +420/ Fax +420/ Hotline +420/ Web abstudio@abstudio.cz