Assemblies, Parts and Attributes (3-D SE)

In HiCAD, you basically work with the same user interface and uniform data structures - regardless of which HiCAD module you use. This also applies to steel engineering constructions.

However, you should bear the following special features and notes in mind.

• Main Parts and Sub-Parts
• Part Structure
• Converting Assemblies of earlier HiCAD Versions
• Part Attributes

Main Parts and Sub-Parts

You can insert steel engineering objects into the drawing as both main parts and sub-parts. HiCAD automatically generates the part name. Steel engineering objects like connections, construction aids etc. are usually inserted as sub-parts. Connections, for example, are subordinated to the object identified first.

Steel engineering parts are 3-D parts to which you can also generally apply all 3-D functions

Parts are also selected for processing in the same way as "normal" 3-D parts. This also applies to multiple selection, the part selection filters and the identification mode.

Part Structure

The part structure in steel engineering is similar to that in mechanical engineering, i.e.:

• assemblies are dummy parts with a special ID. They consist of exactly one main part – the so-called assembly main part - and the sub-parts assigned to this part. All BOM-relevant parts of an assembly are located on one level in the structure; the ID – main part or sub-part – is assigned internally. assemblies can also be nested, i.e. an assembly can contain other assemblies.
  
Steel engineering assembly with isolated points

• If the current drawing is an assembly drawing, it will contain exactly one main assembly to which all other parts are subordinate. This also applies to the fitting of beams.
• If additional parts like plates and boltings are assigned to a beam via links and connections, a part of type Assembly is automatically created . This assembly contains the beam as a main assembly part and – at the same level in the structure – the other parts as sub-parts. The assembly is automatically assigned the sum of the weight of the subordinate parts as an attribute.
  

If you do not want to use this structure, you can set this in the system file ALG3DPAR.DAT. Using the structure is, however, recommended for reasons of efficiency.

Steel Engineering drawing in the ICN, with main assembly and various (sub-)assemblies

Converting Assemblies of earlier HiCAD versions

If you want to convert assemblies from steel engineering drawings of earlier HiCAD versions (before HiCAD 2007), proceed as follows:

1. Load the relevant drawing.
2. In the ICN or in the drawing, right-click the part from which you want to derive an assembly and which you want to become the main part of this assembly.
3. Select Part/Assembly structure > Form assembly from the context menu.

Part Attributes

Unlike other 3-D parts, steel engineering parts are automatically assigned particular part attributes. These include article number, item number, weight, part type, BOM-relevance (yes) etc. The part structure of the ICN therefore displays the article number for steel engineering parts, e.g. HEB 240, rather than the part name. The part attributes are taken into account, for example, during BOM creation

• BOM-Relevance
  Steel engineering objects are always assigned the BOM-relevant attribute when they are inserted, irrespective of whether you are working with HELiOS. If you do not want to include a steel engineering object in the BOM, deactivate the BOM-relevant checkbox.
• Article number
  The article number for steel engineering parts is displayed in the ICN, rather than the part name.
• Part Type, Description 1, Item number
  The part type and the item number are displayed in curly brackets after the article number (or the part name) in the ICN, e.g. {T-beams} {5}. If a value has been assigned to attribute Description 1 in the part attributes, this value is used instead of the part type!
• Material and Weight 
  If there are material changes, the beam's change of weight is adjusted automatically in proportion to thickness. The same applies to setting the weight calculation, which you can carry out in the Steel Engineering settings on the Weight tab.

Note that these changes only apply temporarily to the current HiCAD session. To change the default setting permanently for weight calculation, apply the changes in the STB_Parameter.DAT file (SYS directory). This file also enables you to configure whether you want the metal plate waste to be taken into account in weight calculation and, if so, the surface area from which you want this to happen. Changes to this file do not take effect until you re-start HiCAD.

• System notes
  For a number of steel engineering functions, system messages are assigned to the System notes attribute . For example, text "2 residual piece(s) for metal plate" is entered during the identical part search/weight calculation if the taking into account of residual plate pieces has been activated in the system file STB_PARAMETER.DAT

Attribute configuration according to DSTV Steel Engineering

You can use the HiCAD parameter configuration options to assign DSTV-relevant attributes to the HiCAD attribute masks for parts and drawings. This can be done immediately during the HiCAD installation, by activating the corresponding checkbox in the HiCAD parameter configuration window. In this way, the attribute masks (HDX files in the HiCAD SYS directory) will be preset for DSTV-BOM configuration. Please note that as of Version 2011 the parameter

DSTV-Output: Use item number of assembly instead of main part ( 0=no, 1=yes)

of the STB_PARAMETER.DAT file in the HiCAD SYS directory needs to be set to 1 for attribute configuration according to DSTV Steel Engineering.

If you want to change the workstation or user configuration subsequently, select Start > All programs > ISD Software und Systeme > Administration > User Parameter Configurator or Computer Parameter Configurator and specify the required settings.

 Related Topics

HiCAD 3-D • HiCAD Basics • Notes on the System Files (3-D SE)