DRAWING EXTRACTION WITHIN FRAME WORKS PLUS

Self Study Presentation By Pramod Darekar

INTRODUCTION

In 1991, a company called AEC Group developed the precursor to FrameWork

Plus 3.1 as a part of family of engineering and architectural software called
Master Works . In 1992, Intergraph acquired AEC group and began enhancing
Frame Works with features for generating analytical data and composing drawing

Structural graphics are fully integrated with attribute intelligence, such as section
size, material name, and orientation. Section properties are retrieved from on-line
standard sections libraries, including AISC,CISC, and other international
standards.Grid command generates both elevation and plan grid. Members and
their attributes can be reviewed and then copied ,moved,or modified singly or
collectively in groups.

The FrameWorks Plus command environment is immediately productive,

even for beginning CAD users. It features intuitive, easy-to-understand
graphical menus and dialog boxes, which enable you to customize views and
set preferences to your individual requirements. Additionally, it provides
interactive feedback for verifying member orientation, dynamically displaying
the exact representation of members as they are placed. Further, it allows you
to place members without regard to finite element segments or nodes.
(FrameWorks Plus automatically splits members into finite elements during
analysis pre-processing, but recognizes their aggregate definition as
continuous physical members.)

At any point in the design process,Frame Works Plus can generate analytical
model for input to finite element analysis programs.Interface to GTSTRDUDL and
STADD-III are supported format, linking structural models to leading third party
application for fabrication drawing and steel detailing.

DRAWING EXTRACTION

Frame Works Plus creates the frozen views ( drawing views ) that can be used
by Microstations Drawing Composition command for construction drawing
composition. In this session first we create frozen views in FWP and use Drawing
Composition to compose the drawing . For any changes in the model ,updating
the frozen views will update the drawing.
Drawing Extraction
Drawing
There are five basic operations involved in drawing extraction.

Creating Model Views

Creating frozen Views
Composing Drawing
Performing Associate Move
Updating Drawing

Creating Model Views

In FWP environment basically three types of views can be created

Plan -- A plan view is used to lay out vertical structural columns and
framing members in a 2D plan view. Plan views are often created for each floor
of a structure, both for layout purposes and for creation of the framing plan
drawings. However, plan views do not have to be horizontal. For example, a
plan view can be created in a non-horizontal orientation to create a framing plan
for a sloping roof. Plan views have an active depth and a display depth range
which control member placement and display in the view.

Elevation -- An elevation view is used to create an elevation or section

view of a model. This is typically a view created by "passing a vertical plane"
through the 3D model at a defined point. Often, elevation views are created
along an existing column grid line. Elevation views can also be defined at an
arbitrary point and orientation, providing a generic section cut capability.
Elevation views can also be used for placement of vertical bracing in a structure.
Like plan views, elevation views use an active depth and display depth for
placement and display purposes.

3D -- A 3D view is the most generic of the three view types and can be
defined in any orientation, such as isometric, but can also be defined in an
orthogonal orientation (top, south, and so forth). Members can be placed in a 3D
view, but unlike plan and elevation views, there is no active depth or working
plane associated with the view definition. Like the other views, you can define
specific member display symbology for the 3D Model Views. The surface
representation is frequently used in 3D views.

For Example.
1.Plan View ( e.g. plan view @ T.O.S 10.00 MTR. )
2. Elevation View
3. 3-D View ( Analytic / Diametric / isometric etc.)
Steps for creating Elevation View

1. Click View > Create.

2. Set View Type to Elevation. ( As per requirement type can be changed )
3. Set View Orientation to elevation direction.
4. Define elevation plan.
5. Click OK.
6. Select a MicroStation view to display the elevation view.

.Creating the Frozen Views :

The View > Freeze command creates permanent graphics from the display-only
Model View graphics. The permanent graphics, called Frozen Views, are used to
create construction drawings. The Freeze View command can also create a
propagated file that can be read by Intergraph's DesignReview or SmartPlant
Viewer package, or attached to PDS as a reference file.

1. Click View > Freeze.

2. Select the view you want to freeze ( i.e. model view set in different
windows).
3. Toggle on the Freeze To Model File option.
4. Set Freeze Level to Automatic
5. Click Apply.

Composing Drawing

There are three basic operations involved in drawing composition :

Attaching a border file to new created drawing file .The drawing file can be
made specific to meet clients requirements.The border is attached as a
reference file so that it can be shared with all designers on the project.

Placing the Frozen views inside the border at variable locations and variable
scale.

Finishing the drawing using any of the Microstation drafting tools, such as
dimensioning,notes,symbols,and so forth.
Creating a Drawing File
.
The first thing we need to do is create new design file in which to compose our
drawing.

1. Click Utilities > Create > Drawing.

2. Key in the name of the drawing file you want to create and specify the units.
The master units specified here should be the same as those used for model
databases in this project.

3. Click Create.

Note: When you create a drawing file, your current directory must be a
valid project directory or a valid \drw sub directory.

Composing the Drawing.

The border file and frozen drawing views are attached as reference files, make
sure the Snap and Locate are on for reference files.

1. Click on Workspace > Preferences from the Microstation main menu bar.
2. On the Preference dialog box, select Reference File from the category list.
3. Toggle on the Locate On when Attached and Snap On When Attached
settings ,the click ok,
4. Click File > Drawing Composition from Microststion main menu bar.
5. Set Sheet Location to Sheet File.
6. Click File > Open > Sheet in the Drawing Composition dialog box.
7. Change List of Type to All Files.
8. Navigate through the directory structure to the projects \ drw directory.
9. Select the new created drawing ( *.dgn), then click ok.
10. Click File > Open > Model in the Drawing Composition dialog box
11. Navigate through the directory structure to the projects \ frz directory.
12. Select the respective model and click ok.
13. Click Tools > Attach Border > Saved View.
14. Navigate through the directory structure to the .....\Fwplus\seed\ directory.
15. Select the english.brd or metric .brd ( Depending on project & drawing
creation units).
16. Select the size viz. AO, A1....,then click ok.
17. Toggle on save full path in the Drawing Composition dialog box.
18. Place the border in Microstation plan view.\
19. Fit the view so the entire border can be seen.
20. Set the scale ( sheet : Model ) to 0.0063:1.0 for english .brd & 0.025:1.0 for
metric.brd
21. Click Tools > Attach Saved View .
22. Select and place each one of the frozen views into the border.

Note: Depending on the size of the views when you froze them, you may
have to scale the frozen views to get them to fit inside the border.

Performing Associate Move

To understand how a drawing can be updated if the model is changed, we should

perform the associate move command in FWP.

1. Open the model.

2. Set the Microstation front view .Fit the view.
3. If it isnt active, set the Frame Works Plus 3-d Diametric view in another view.
4. Drag a selection box (in front view) around the center frame columns.
5. Click Move Member
6. Set Associativity to Global.
7. Snap to and accept grid line for the move origin point.
8. Snap to the same point again, but this time dont accept the point. Instead key
in dl = 1,0,0
( any delta value ).
9. Check the members position in the 3D view .If all the members have moved,
accept the move.

Updating a Drawing

Updating the drawing is nothing but ensuring that the changes which are
incorporated in the model appear in the construction drawing.

Frame Works Plus provides two commands for updating the frozen views.

1. Update Frozen View.

2. Regenerate the view.

Procedure for Updating a Drawing

1. Click View > Update Frozen

2. Select each view then click update.
3. Click Cancel.
4. Go back to drawing file, and verify the views are updated.
Conclusion

1. Drawing can be used as a construction drawing by the engineers working on

the project.
2. For any changes in the model ,we need not create the new drawing for
updating the changes,simply updating the frozen views will update the
drawing.
Drawing can be generated at any stage of the Project.
3. All the types of views ( Elevation, Plan , 3-D Views ) are composed in a single
drawing.
4. This drawing can be used by Site Engineer & Project office people for easy
coordination.
5. Drawing is generated within the frameworks Environment whereas in piping
module we need to switch to drawing manager for drawing extraction.