Dumitru BERTEANU Graitec ROMANIA

To allow Advance Steel 2013 running on the Advance CAD platform to open dwg files saved with AutoCAD 2013 file format, please set the default save file format in AutoCAD to "AutoCAD 2010 .dwg". This is done by accessing the "Options" dialog in AutoCAD, "Open and save" tab, and changing the value for "Save as" parameter.

Also, please install the Service Pack 2 for Advance Steel 2013 to allow AS + AutoCAD 2013/2014 to create drawings using the saved file format from the AutoCAD options dialog.

For existing drawings, you can "convert" them by opening with AS running on AutoCAD 2013/2014, and using "Save as" option to save them with the AutoCAD 2010 file format, allowing Advance Steel 2013 + Advance CAD to open them correctly.

Currently the respective snap point is used by Advance Steel while running on AutoCAD, but the check-box appears as not checked. This cosmetic issue is fixed for the next AS version - 2014. You will be able to use the snap correctly on this version thou, after selecting it once. .

As for the dimension lines that move after update : please attach a sample model + drawing which after update get the manual dimensions moved, for further investigation. Also, check the the behavior still exist if you delete and recreate the respective manual dimension now, after installing Service Pack 2.

 

Can you please mention on what CAD platform are you using Advance Steel, and also mention the AS version ?

If you use AS 2013, please make sure you have the latest service pack 2 installed, which fixes defects related to the manual dimension position during update.

The DXF file is a 100% geometrical translation of the NC file, which is created based on the DSTV specification.

In NC, the coordonates for the top/bottom/front/back faces are given based on the profile shape and the origin of the zero point. This zero point placement needs to have the same position for each face, and also on each face its positioned at the bottom-left corner. Due to this, the direction of the top/bottom faces will differ : one will be from the outside in, and the other one from the inside-out. I've attached a sample with a small model, and three pictures explaining how the faces are calculated.

The faces in NC can't be controlled dirrectly. Each beam will have a specific direction defined during creation, which is based on the internal coordonate system. This can't be modified by the user. The, the DsTV-NC criterias will be applied to the face assignation and to how the coordonates appear in the NC file. Then, the DXF just takes those coordonates and draws a contour, with no relation to how Advance Steel detailing works and creates top, bottom, front, back views.

Attachment: DsTV_demo.zip

Values regarding bolts characteristics used for calculating their resistance (nominal shear stress and nominal tensile stress) are taken from “AstorJointsCalculation.mdb” database (it can be found in “C:\ProgramData\Graitec\Advance Steel\2013\StressAnalysis\Data”). 

Nominal shear stress is taken from “AISC_BoltsShearStress” table, while the nominal tensile stress is taken from “AISC_BoltTensileStress”.

In order to open “AstorJointsCalculation.mdb” database you can use:

- Graitec Advance Manager (Settings > Table Editor > point the path where this database is located);

- or if you have MS Office installed on your computer, then you can use Microsoft Access.

New timber profiles can be added as User sections in the Advance Steel database, exactly as you add a new steel sections. To get it avaliable in the model under the Timber section category, you need to change its SubTypeName value from the ProfileMasterTable table / AstorProfiles2013.mdb to "Timber". You will then see your new user section inside the Timber cateogry, when creating a timber beam.

The "Pound" weight unit type can't lower the precision more then 0 lb 0 oz, so you will always get the ounce note next to the pound value, and the rounding up will take it into consideration. To round the value to the closest pound, you need to express the Weight in "Pound decimal", and set its precision to 0. The template units is avaliable in BoM editor -> right click on the template in the tree view -> Template Units -> Weight (see the attached picture).

Attachment: change_precision.jpg

For Advance Steel running on the Advance CAD platform, the tool palette can be started from the "Tool Palettes" button found in the "View" ribbon.
For Advance Steel running on the top of AutoCAD, then the button is found in one of the Advance Steel ribbons: AS Tools, on the left side (in the "Settings" tab) - see the attached picture

Attachment: autocadtp.jpg

Remove the upd file before opening Document manager. The upd file can be removed without a problem, as Advance Steel will create a new one when required (you will not loose any data by removing the file). You could also de-register the dwg file, and then register it back (by removing the upd file associated to it first). Advance Steel will create a new and correct upd file during registering.

To allow Advance Steel to keep the part mark of an object during copy/paste from one drawing file to another you need to check the default "Copy the object park mark" from GAM / Defaults / System / General category. When you copy/paste a file, you do not make use of the numbering with standard part template. Advance Steel will use the existing part mark from the copied part during the identical part detection if the numibering methods do not affect them.
To number the model with the standard part template method, you need to store the drawing file that contains the standard part in the following folder : C:\ProgramData\Graitec\Advance Steel\2013\Shared\StandardPartTemplate, and then check the respective dwg file in the Numbering dialog / Standard part template tab (With the file in that path, it will automatically appear in the respective list).