Advance Steel can create new weld symbols, finishing surfaces, etc. We will create a staggered fillet weld example. Advance Steel uses symbol drawings that can be modified or created by the user.
There are two ways to create a new weld symbol:
1. Modify an existing symbol.
The modification is quick and easy but it will overwrite the existing symbol.
2. Create a new weld symbol.
This option offers many advantages but the process must be strictly followed.
There are 5 tables in the AstorBase for weld options:
- Symbols: to create / modify the link between a weld and the symbol drawing.
- Welddesign: to create / modify an entry for a design (e.g., G for grind)
- Weldshape: to create / modify an entry for a finishing (e.g., flush-convex)
- Weldtype: to create/modify a weld symbol (e.g., fillet-butt-bevel)
- Combiwelding: to combine two existing welds for automatic near side and far side weld (e.g., bevel ns / fillet fs)
Example 1 – Modify a weld symbol
For this example, we are going to change the position of the finishing symbol to create a larger gap between the weld symbol and the finish symbol.
1. Start the Management Tool by selecting MANAGEMENT TOOL on the start menu of Advance Steel.
2. Start the 'Table Editor' application.
3. Click the OPEN DATABASE ODBC icon and select AstorBase.
4. Open the 'Symbols' table.
5. Search in the description for the element to change: (concave - convex - flat).
6. In the "drawing name 1" column, find the current symbol drawing.
7. Open the folder with all Advance Steel symbols: Program files / Graitec / Advance Steel / Shared / Support / Symbols. Search for the 3 drawings.
8. The letter "o" or "u" before the .dwg means u=fs and o=ns (because a symbol is necessary for both sides of the weld).
9. Open one of the symbols to modify (Important: The symbol drawings can only be modified in plain AutoCAD®, make sure that Advance Steel is not loaded).
11. You should repeat this process for all drawings you want to modify.
12. This applies to all other weld symbols. Note that the "MASS" and "LOWERMASS" attributes are automatically filled with the weld thickness from Advance Steel.
Example 2 - Create a new weld symbol
For this example, we are going to create a staggered fillet weld.
1. Start the Management Tool by selecting MANAGEMENT TOOL on the start menu of Advance Steel.
2. Start the 'Table Editor' application.
3. Click the OPEN DATABASE ODBC icon and select AstorBase.
4. Open the 'WeldType' table.
5. Fill the description for the new weld on the last free line: (Key = next available number) (Name = the desired name, for example, Staggered Fillet) (system = 0). Remember the key number.
6. Open the "Symbols" table.
7. Go to the last line and define a new key. In the "Name" field, you must enter the reference weld. "Weld_Upper" is the name for upper welds and "weld_lower" is the name for lower weld symbols. Next, you must enter the key from the "WeldType" table and then "_4_1:10" (e.g., weld_Lower21_4_1:10).
8. In the "Description" field, enter the description (e.g., "staggered").
9. The "Scale1", "Translation" and "Rotation1" fields can be set to "0".
10. In the "DwgName1" field, enter the name of your AutoCAD® symbols drawing from the folder: Program files / Graitec / Advance Steel / Shared / Support / Symbols.
11. Repeat the same process for the upper weld.
12. Create the corresponding symbol drawings with plain AutoCAD®. You can also copy and modify (the copy) existing symbol drawings.
Using this process you can create any weld symbol, surface shape, weld preparation or combination of weld symbols.