Structures

The name given to structures, is self-explanatory: totally flexible and can be used to achieve many objectives. Objectives that can be invented by the user.

An example of the application of structures are treads
The problem presented by stairs for Parabuild is the following: if a tread has to be drawn, various strips have to be drawn. The problem first appears in the part lists and workshop drawings, where the strips that make up the tread have been included. This was never the intention as the treads are bought in as one unit.
An alternative is to draw the treads, not with Parabuild but with lines/solids. In this way, the treads will not be added to the part list, but a variety of advantages will be lost: no bolt check, no clash control. ...
These problems can be solved by using a "structure" in Parabuild.
A structure is a group of elements that are grouped into one element by Parabuild and will therefore appear as one element in the part lists and workshop drawings.

A structure is created in the following way:

• First draw the tread (This drawing may include a mixture of a variety of objects: plates, strips, bolts, lines, 3D-Solids, ...).

• Deposit all of these elements together in the elements-library . Choose the name in the library that will later appear in the part lists.

• Now open the elements-library . To insert the new structure just click the option located on the left-hand side at the bottom “Insert as one structure”.

The stairs will appear on the screen, but when selected all elements will form one group.
One element for the tread will now be added to the part list (under the name selected by the user).
If this element is selected, and the properties are requested, the element will be recognised as a structure with its own properties.
The structure also has a position number, a mark number, a phase and a revision. It can also be welded to Parabuild elements which means that it will be added to the mark drawing as an auxiliary element!
Parabuild can calculate the weight of the structure. This weight is of course dependent on the material assigned to the structure.
Multiple treads can be added to the drawing by simply using the copy command. The actual number of treads used will appear automatically in the part list.

Structures: under the hood (what does Parabuild actually do with Structures).
When making insertions from the elements-library a block with the selected name is added to the drawing.
A "Block Reference" is then created so that the block appears once on the screen.
This Block Reference is labelled as a Structure type by Parabuild and is expanded so that the following features can be used with structures: properties, welding, clash control, numbering, part lists and workshop drawings.
When the structure is copied, only the block reference is copied, and not the actual block. This means that the block only appears once in the drawing, but has a variety of reference points, allowing several to be created.