Glass Insertion (3-D SE)

• Insert glass, via beam-glass points
• Glass from sketch

Insert glass, via beam-glass points

Steel Engineering > Plate, new > Glass

You use this function to fit glass panes into frameworks. Fitting can be one-sided or two-sided. The prerequisite is for you to set glass points which define the glass thickness. Series beams are used to create the frame.

Glass panes for non-closed beam frames can also be generated automatically. Select Further functions > Settings > Glass insertion> End points to define how you want the open ends to be closed:

• Lengthen end points to intersection point
  The virtual glass edges are lengthened to the theoretical intersection point. (Default setting each time HiCAD is re-started)
• Connect end points directly
  This option enables glass fitting for open beam frames. The open end points of the virtual glass edges are connected directly to additional virtual glass edges. The open frame must, however, allow a unique, meaningful contour generation. Two beams in a plane which do not have to intersect are therefore allowed, while a beam group in the form of an "H" or a "T" is not allowed. In such cases, you use the Glass, from sketch function.

For glass insertion the default settings of the Default glass function are used. If it is not possible to use these settings, e.g. because the glass thickness determined by the glass points is too great or too low, the dialogue window Glass structure is displayed. Here you can either modify the values accordingly or define new glass panes.

Create series beams for frame

For the glass fitting to be carried out automatically, the cross-section of the series beam used must exist as a 2-D part (figure) or as a 2-D DXF file and fulfil certain prerequisites.

• 2-D elements which you do not want to be considered for the beam are grouped under a sub-part with the name 2-D.
• The elements for the simple beam representation are located in the sub-part SIMPLE.
• The elements for the exact beam representation are located in the sub-part EXACT.
• Notch contours need to be located in a sub-part CUTOUT.
• Glass points need to be defined in a sub-part GLASS.

For automatic glass fitting, a sub-part GLASS which consists only of isolated points, i.e. the glass points, also needs to be created. These points define the glass thickness and the distance from the axis. Furthermore, you also specify the direction of the geometry shift for variable glass thickness

Unique point numbers need to be assigned to the isolated points for glass fitting. For one-sided glass fitting, glass points 10,11,12 need to be defined; for two-sided fitting, glass points 20,21,22 need to be defined in addition. Please make sure that you keep to this designation, as HiCAD cannot determine the glass points otherwise.

Procedure

1. Create or load the 2-D contour for the series beam
2. Create a new sub-part for the 2-D assembly with the name GLASS
3. Activate the sub-part GLASS, in order to set the glass points
4. Activate the 2-D GE Tools menu, and choose the New point function.
5. Specify the three glass points for the one-sided fitting and, if required, the three points for the two-sided fitting
6. Isolated points are symbolised by a small circle in the drawing. If this is not the case, check the visualisation settings. To do this, activate the Show/Hide, Via element type function in the File > Visualisation menu. The symbol for isolated points must be active (coloured) here.
7. Once you have specified the glass points, you must assign a point number to these points. To do this, use the Point ID function in the GE Tools menu. The glass points for one-sided glass fitting must have point numbers 10,11,12, while those for two-sided fitting must have 20,21,22
8. Once you have assigned the point numbers, you can save the 2-D contour as a 2-D part (*.FIG) again. Please make sure beforehand that the assembly is active.
   
   

Example

2-D figure with glass points (1) for a Forster series beam (extract)

Fit glass to frame

If a closed frame of series beams with glass points exists, you can use the Glass insertion function to start the glass fitting automatically.

1. Identify the beams that you want to surround the glass.
2. Press the ESC key or the middle mouse button to end the function. Make sure that you also select the complete beam. Identify the beams via the beam axis or choose the Group Start as identification mode, if applicable.

The glass is inserted into the part structure as a main part with the article number (designation) GLASS nn, where nn is the glass thickness which is defined by the glass points assigned in the 2-D figure.

The figure shows a frame of Forster series beams, to which the glass has been automatically fitted.

Example

Left: Frame with automatically fitted glass, Right: Extract of glass in the frame (Forster beam)

Glass, From sketch

Steel Engineering > Plate, new > Glass > Glass, from sketch

Use this function to derive single or multiple glazings from sketches in the drawing. You can also select a side for coating.

When you call the Glass from sketch function, the Glass structure dialogue window will be displayed.

Here you can define your own configurations for glass panes, or use the configurations supplied with HiCAD. The configurations are managed in the GLASS PANES ISD table of the FACTORY STANDARDS > GLASS PANES catalogue.

Using the ISD default configurations

To use one of the default configurations supplied with HiCAD, click the icon and select the desired configuration. The pre-defined settings will then be displayed in a dialogue window.

Defining your own configurations

You can also define your own configurations if desired.

First specify, via activation or deactivation of the corresponding checkboxes, whether the glazing should consist of one or several panes. For each pane you can choose the desired glass type from a list box. The available glass types are defined in the catalogue MATERIALS > GLASS. In the Coating field, the coating type defined in the catalogue for this glass type is displayed. If the type One-sided has been assigned to this glass type, you can choose whether the coating is to be apply at the bottom or at the top.

If a symbol is displayed in the Coating field, this means that no coating type has been assigned to this glass type.

For multiple glazings you specify, via the fields A1/B1, and A2/B2, the distance between the panes:

The total glass thickness will be automatically determined by HiCAD and displayed in the dialogue window.

To save your configuration, enter the name of the configuration in the Designation field and click Save.

To insert the glass with the current settings, close the dialogue window with OK.

HiCAD prompts you to select the sketch for the glass. If you want the sketch to be deleted immediately after glass insertion, confirm the prompt with Yes. If you want the sketch to be retained, select No.

HiCAD then shows you a preview of the glass and prompts you to specify a fitting point on the glass. Besides the glass ID, a cross-shaped figure will be displayed on the glass. Now select a point on the glass and specify the position of this point in your drawing.

Glass with Glass ID

You can then insert more glasses, or end the function by pressing the MMB.

Glass objects created with this function obtain the name of the configuration used as "Article number", and the part type Glass panes.

Important:

The assigning of the coating types to the glass types takes place in the GLASS TYPES table of the catalogue MATERIALS > GLASS. There you will find the column COATING. To assign a coating to a glass type, double-click the corresponding field and select the desired coating type from the list box.

Please do not forget to save the table. Extensive information on the editing and processing of catalogues and tables can be found Online Help for the Catalogue Editor.

Please note:

• If you want only the last 10 configurations to be offered for selection in the list box, activate the corresponding checkbox.
• If you want to suppress the dialogue window upon selection of the function, activate the corresponding checkbox. In this case the last chosen settings will be used for glass insertion. To redisplay the window, select Further functions > Settings > Glass insertion > Default glass.

• Representation and position of the glass ID can be set in the Configuration Editor at Steel Engineering > Representation > Representation of glass panes.

• You can also use the Glass from sketch (3-D SE) function in the context menu of the sketch for glass creation. Please note that if the sketch belongs to an assembly, the glass will also be assigned to this assembly.

 Related Topics

Plates (3-D SE) • Steel Engineering Functions