Before you start working in Advance Steel, it is a very good idea to familiarize yourself with the workflow to avoid mistakes and make the best of the software. To make your project a success, you need to use the tools available in the software the way they were intended to be used by their creators. Also, you need to follow the workflow the creators had in mind. So what is the best workflow? Below you will find a workflow chart to use on your projects. It is the very basic knowledge you should master:
Advance Steel Workflow
- Start a New File Using the Advance Steel Template
- Modify Project Settings
- Create Grids
- Create a 3D Structural Model
- Add Required Connections
- Perform Model Check
- Assign Numbering
- Generate Drawings
- Generate BOMs, Parts Lists, Reports
- Generate NC/DStV/DXF Files for Machining
Below you will find a brief explanation of each line item:
Start A New File Using The Advance Steel Template
When you install Advance Steel on your computer, you will be provided with the default template (imperial or metric). Every time when you start a new project, you will use this project. If you wish, you can use a custom template to meet the project requirements.
Modify Project Settings
In this step, before starting working on any project, you need to specify various project information, such as country profile, units (length, weight, area, etc.).
Create Grids
Now, it is time to place a grid in your project. Everything you need to know about the grid you can find in this article: All About Grid Lines in Advance Steel.
Create 3D Structural Model
In this step, you can create a structural model that consists of concrete slabs, concrete footings, structural beams, structural columns, stairs, handrails, gratings, plates, and other fun stuff. Advance Steel has all the tools required to place and modify those items.
Add Required Connections
When all your structural elements are placed within your model, you need to go ahead and place all the required connections. You can do this using functions contained in the Connection Vault. There you will find several preconfigured connection types. You can create custom connections and save them for future use.
Perform Model Check
Now, before generating a set of drawings, it is a good idea to perform a 3D model check to eliminate clashes or duplicate elements. Advance Steel has several tools with which you can perform various types of model verifications.
Assign Numbering
When you are done with your model creation, joint placement, and verifying your model for errors, it is a time to assign numbering to all the components of your model. Every part, assembly, and preliminary part needs to have a unique number assigned before the drawings are generated.
Generate Drawings
The beauty of Advance Steel is that once you are done creating your 3D model, you can create a complete set of drawings containing hundreds of pages of single parts, assemblies, anchor plans, GA general assemblies, etc. within a minute or two. You can do it in the Drawing Style palette or Drawing Processes palette.
Generate BOMs, Parts Lists, Reports
Once the 3D model of your projects is completed, you can automatically create the Bill of Materials (BOM), Part Lists, and Reports. You can access those tools in the BOM Templates palette.
Generate NC/DStV/DXF Files For Machining
If you plan on using your drawings in CNC machines to cut structural members to exact shapes and sizes, you can automatically generate the NC/DStV/DXF files to utilize them in your plan.
Conclusion
As you can see, the Advance Steel software is thought through and provides a complete recipe for creating high-quality, detailed drawings and other useful information.
This concludes the Workflow Tutorial. Good luck using all the methods and tools described above. If you find this article valuable, please subscribe to my blog to be notified when I publish a new article.
If you are interested in upgrading your hardware or software, make sure you check out My Toolbox article, where I share information about the tools I use and special discounts you can use as well.
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