Command - PrB_Struct

     

A structure is a group of elements that are grouped into one part and will therefore appear as one element in the part lists and workshop drawings.

A good example use for the structure is a stair tread.

The alternative to this tool is to leave the items as separate component parts, i.e. Profiles and Plates but the disadvantage is that these components will appear as separate parts in the workshop drawings and parts lists, which may defeat the objective, especially if the part is intended to be bought-out as one unit.

Another option is to draw the part using lines / solids, but here the component parts will not be added to the parts lists, and a variety of advantages will be lost i.e. No bolt-check, No clash-check ....

The solution is to create a Structure object.



To Create a Structure

In this example we will create a simple solid stair tread which comprises of a bent plate with a supporting angle welded to each end.

The tread plate has been created using the Custom Shapes command, while the angles have been selected from the Parabuild profiles library

After drawing the tread as individual parts, there are 2 methods for converting them into a single structure :

  • Use the command PrB_Struct to create a structure of the parts, directly inside the drawing.
  • Save the elements together into 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 stair will appear on the screen, but the objects are now merged into 1 object.


The tread will now be added to the part list as a single part (under the name selected by the user).

If this element is selected, and the properties are requested, the element will be recognized 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 parts list.

What exactly are structure objects?

A structure is a reference to a block.

This Block Reference is labeled 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.