A new application in ASCON product line

St. Petersburg, Russia - Jun 29 2010-  Metal structures modelling is actual in many spheres of designer's activity, such as developing of various frameworks, design of basic structures for the equipment and much much more. A new application to KOMPAS-3D, Steel Structures 3D, is intended for automation of design process of metal constructions from metal rolling profiles. It is a perfect solution to be used in the machine building area and for designing steel frameworks.

Frameworks are designed on the basis of generators and the selected range. Profiles can be selected from template container. The structure’s position can be set or modified. Directions of displacements and turns of parts are displayed when changing the orientation of the structure.

There are special tools for spatial orientation of constructions: change base point, mirroring, rotation and displacement. Different ways of part processing can be specified in constructions; among them are the angular cut for corner sites, split of the straight sections of metal, offset from the nodes. The application can also adjust the length of parts belonging to one or more skeletons, by the removal or extension of parts, the implementation of the corner cutting edges of parts, etc. It is possible to edit all settings and properties of constructed objects.

Working step by step

In this article we'll consider the process of designing metal structures at the example of Stand-loader, developed by one of ASCON' clients, FGUP VNII "Signal" – Russian Science and Research Institute.

First, it is necessary to build a skeleton. This can be done by using KOMPAS-3D basic functional - the most convenient way to build spatial frames is with help of polygonal, flat or simple sketch. In our case, the frame is flat – we will draw it as a sketch with of all the necessary elements of the framework. They will be used for further construction of steel structures (Fig. 1).

Secondly, using the application commands we allocate the appropriate segments of the skeleton and it laid out profiles. Profiles can be selected from the library's template container. In this case user is able to make any changes in the parameters of the profile (Fig. 2). Now select a necessary instance from the library.

Fig. 2. Template container: selecting of steel profile.

During the process of profile selecting  elements of the skeleton application automatically create an outline of future metal (Fig. 3). Why the outline sketch? Because the frame is still possible to overlap and gap, that should be immediately corrected.

Fig.3. Sketch of the frame: the elements' placement is not quite correct. There are visible parameters in the window of the selected profile.

To do this we select “processing” tab,   the appropriate «corner splicing» and obtain the final version of the frame outer part. In the same way we construct the internal elements of the frame. During the placement of elements we can change orientation immediately in the “orientation” tab of properties panel (Fig. 4).

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Fig. 4. Result: framework after corner splicing. Placement and rotation profile occurs promptly.

As the result the framework can be edited again. There are a lot of powerful framework editing  additional tools:  quick changing of segments length, changing of processing and etc. Using them we will finish our constriction. By the way, after filling the frame profiles the BOM lists can be generated automatically! Moreover, the length of sites is already counted and put into the right place (Fig. 5).

Fig. 5. Finished framework and completed BOM list.

The work with Steel Structures 3D is completed. The few easy steps of the frame design, made by the author, took just 10 minutes.  Quickly? Very! Convenient? Absolutely! Edit the result is also very simple and fast. As you can see the new application from ASCON is really effective and easy to use.

This model shows accurate dimensions, geometry, connections, member properties and materials. The model leaves nothing to imagination and eases the process of fabrication and erection for the steel structures.

Fig. 6. Finished project assembly.

In conclusion, just place already designed equipment and obtain the final assembly (Fig. 6).

To test Steel Structures 3D in KOMPAS-3D, you are welcomed to download full-functional 30-Days Trial version at http://ascon.net/download/kompas/