How are typical plate sizes automatically converted (mapped) into flat bars in Advance Steel ?

Advance Steel can map any element from the 3D model to the drawings, lists/BOM and NC files. This means a plate in the 3D model can be shown as a flat bar on the drawings and lists/BOM's.

Advance Steel has standard plate-flat sizes that can be modified by the user.

Advance Steel automatically recognizes elements from the database (AstorAddIn.mdb; "MapInternToExtern" table) and maps them to corresponding entries.

- Change the defaults in the Management Tools.
- Create/modify entries in the database.

Step 1 - Management tools

- Start the Management Tools by selecting MANAGEMENT TOOLS on the start menu of Advance Steel.
- Start the 'DEFAULTS' application.
- Select the 'RECODING' default in the 'PLATE' group and set the value to "1" to switch the plate mapping to ON.
- Select 'RECODING PLATE PRIORITY' in the 'PLATE' group and enter the following:
- Priority 1: Thickness and width
- Priority 2: Thickness
- Priority 3: Off

To make these settings active in Advance Steel:

- Close the Management Tools.
- Restart Advance Steel.

Step 2 - Database adjustment

This is only necessary for creating a new table or modifying the existing one.

Warning: The entries in the database have to be in metric (millimeter) with a precision of 0 millimeter...Do not use decimals after the column. For example, for a plate thickness of 1/2 inch (corresponding to 12.7 mm) you must enter 13.

- Start the Management Tools by selecting MANAGEMENT TOOLS in the start menu of Advance Steel.
- Start the 'Table Editor' application.
- Click the OPEN DATABASE ODBC icon and select AstorCurrentAddIn.
- Open the 'MapInternToExtern' table (Which can also be opened with Microsoft Access in the folder ...\Program Files\Graitec\AdvanceSteel\User2\Data\AstorAddIn.mdb.
- Modify or create new entries. Enter the object name from the model in the "Internal" column (e.g, PLT13X152)
- Change the name in the "External1" column to the new mapping name. (e.g, FL1/2X6)
- Modify or delete an existing property, as required. You can also use the "MapInternToExtern_CA_Metric" to map objects in metric.

To use this mapping table you must rename the existing "MapInternToExtern" table to any name and rename the "MapInternToExtern_CA_Metric" table to 'MapInternToExtern'.

From now on, whenever you create a typical mapped object, Advance Steel is going to recognize the part and detail it using the mapped name.