Volume3. Portal Frame · 2012-01-19 · BuiltWorks Tutorial Volume3. Portal Frame SolidACE, Ltd. -...

2012

BuiltWorks Tutorial Volume3. Portal Frame

BuiltWorks Tutorial Volume3. Portal Frame SolidACE, Ltd.

BuiltWorks Tutorial

Volume3. Portal Frame

This document has been created with the intention to help the user of BuiltWorks software application to

understand the basic tools, techniques and workflows working with BuiltWorks to create demo models for

self-learning purposes. It is assumed that user of this tutorial is familiar with SolidWorks software from

Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp.

All effort was made to make this document complete and accurate; however no warranty or fitness is im-

plied. SolidACE Ltd. has neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or

damages in connection with or arising from the information provided in this tutorial or using the described

software applications.

The information is provided on “as-is” basis. The menu texts, titles of windows, button images or texts,

texts of dialogs and screenshot pictures may differ from the actual view of the software applications.

SolidACE and BuiltWorks logo are either registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of Solid-

ACE Ltd. All other brands, product names and registered or unregistered trademarks are property of their

respective owners.

Copyright © 2012 SolidACE, Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lukiškių str. 3, VI floor

LT-01108, Vilnius, Lithuania

Phone: +370-5-212-4660

Email: [email protected]

www.solidace.com

v.3.0 January, 2012

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.solidace.com/


Table of Contents

Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 1

Purpose of this Tutorial .................................................................................................................................. 1

Prerequisites .................................................................................................................................................. 1

I. Preparing for this Tutorial ...................................................................................................................... 2

II. Creating the Assembly ........................................................................................................................... 3

III. Creating main Beam Members .............................................................................................................. 4

IV. Creating Column Members .................................................................................................................... 6

V. Detailing Connections ............................................................................................................................ 8

VI. Creating End Plates .............................................................................................................................. 12

VII. Using Library of Connections ............................................................................................................... 15

VIII. Linear Patterning of the Columns and Beams ..................................................................................... 20

IX. Creating Purlins .................................................................................................................................... 22

X. Aligning and Editing Purlins ................................................................................................................. 25

XI. Creating the second Beam members ................................................................................................... 28

XII. Linear Patterning of Purlins and Beams ............................................................................................... 30

XIII. Creating Upper Braces ......................................................................................................................... 31

XIV. Creating Vertical Braces ....................................................................................................................... 33

XV. Creating and Copying Connections ...................................................................................................... 37

XVI. Assigning Material and Updating the Cut List ...................................................................................... 41

XVII. Generating Drawings ........................................................................................................................... 42

User Notes ....................................................................................................................................................... 44


- 1 -

Introduction BuiltWorks is a software application for real-time steel design within the native SolidWorks environment,

providing tools for 3D solid parametric modeling, analysis and design, connection detailing and automated

generation of both drawings and bills of materials.

Purpose of this Tutorial

This tutorial explains creation of Portal Frame with BuiltWorks based on prepared BuiltWorks Grid file and using SolidWorks Linear Patterning feature. Content of the tutorial:

Creating Assembly

Creating main Beam members

Creating Column members

Detailing Connections

Creating End Plates

Using Library of Connections

Linear Patterning of Columns and Beams

Creating Purlins

Editing Purlins

Creating second Beam members

Linear Patterning of Purlins and Beams

Creating Upper Braces

Creating Vertical Braces

Creating and Copying Connections

Assigning Materials and updating Cut List

Generating Drawings

After completing this tutorial you will know the main typical workflow of portal frame modeling and the

tools that BuiltWorks provides for that.

Prerequisites

To complete this tutorial you will need:

Required: SolidWorks 2010/2011/2012 (SP1 or later) installed on your system;

Required: BuiltWorks 2010/2011/2012 (according to the version of SolidWorks) installed on your

system (please check www.solidace.com if you don’t have BuiltWorks);

Optional sample zip archive Sample_file_Volume3.zip provided by this tutorial consisting:

o Prepared grid layout file Grid_layout.sldprt (you can create your own grid sketch using

standard sketch tools of SolidWorks);

o Round bar profile file 20.sldlfp;

o Bill of Materials table file BW_bom.sldbomtbt.

http://www.solidace.com/


- 2 -

I. Preparing for this Tutorial 1. Unzip Sample_file_Volume3.zip archive.

2. Copy round bar profile file 20.sldlfp to C:\Program Files\SolidWorks

Corp\SolidWorks\data\weldment profiles\iso\round bar\ location.

Fig. 1 Location for custom Weldment profile

3. Copy file BW_bom.sldbomtbt to C:\Program Files\SolidWorks Corp\SolidWorks\lang\english\

location.

Fig. 2 Location for custom BOM template


- 3 -

II. Creating the Assembly

We start this tutorial by opening prepared Grid layout file and saving it as an assembly file. BuiltWorks allows you to create your own Grid layout using standard BuiltWorks/SolidWorks tools.

1. Open sample file Grid_layout.sldprt with already existing grid layout.

2. Analyze part content. You can see that main grid (grey color) was created using Grid System

command (BuiltWorks toolbar). Additional sketches were created using standard SolidWorks

commands (yellow color).

Fig. 3 Portal frame grid layout

3. Make new Assembly document form this Grid_layout part.

4. Save assembly document.


- 4 -

III. Creating main Beam Members

In this chapter we will create main beam members using a steel profile from a Database of international European (ISO) profiles. Beams will be placed in Assembly mode using opened Grid layout. Each member will be automatically saved as a separate Part Document within the Assembly (no user interaction will be needed for that). Members can be created one-by-one (Single Member) or in groups (Member Group). Grouping the similar members is beneficial for later editing of parameters of all group members at once in a single dialog. In this step we will create members by selecting Sketch Segments on a Grid layout. New member will be placed on selected Sketch Segment.

1. Click Member button (BuiltWorks toolbar) and click on Member Group button to create a beam

members group.

Fig. 4 Member Group command

2. In field Member Profile select Database. From database select:

European > I Shapes > IPE > IPE > IPE330

3. In Member Orientation preview window select top central base point.

4. Select lines on A grid line on highest grid level (yellow color). IPE330 beam member will be created.


- 5 -

Fig. 5 Creation of main Beam members

5. Close dialog box by clicking OK . Beam members will be created.


- 6 -

IV. Creating Column Members

In this step we will create another Member Group of columns. Members will be placed by selecting Sketch Segments on a Grid layout – new member will be placed along the whole segment as it is drawn.

1. Click Member button (BuiltWorks toolbar) and click on Member Group button to create a column

members group (see Fig. 4)

2. In field Member Profile select Database. From database select:

European > I Shapes > HEB (IPB) > HE260B

3. In the Member Orientation preview window select central base point.

4. Insert Column members by selecting vertical lines on A and 1 grid lines intersection, and on A and 5

grid lines intersection.

Fig. 6 Member Group command

5. Now at first in Method of creation field select Beam-1 member and then in Member Orientation

field select Asymmetric and enter 100 mm as Offset of Profile in Z Direction. After that in Method

of creation field select Beam-2 member and repeat the earlier commands. Column members will

be moved on for 100 mm.


- 7 -

Fig. 7 Offsetting the Member

6. Close dialog box by clicking OK button. Columns will be created

Fig. 8 Creation of Column members


- 8 -

V. Detailing Connections

In this chapter we will perform the detailing of Connections by trimming intersecting members.

1. Click Trim button (BuiltWorks toolbar).

Fig. 9 Creating Connection

2. In the Connection dialog box Members of connection field first select column member.

Fig. 10 Select column member


- 9 -

3. Select beam member and from field Cutting Parameters select By plane.

Fig. 11 Select beam member

4. Click OK . Beam member will be cut off.

Fig. 12 Creating the Connection

Note, you would need to exit Edit Component context after every operation is performed in this tutorial (Trim, editing End Plate, editing Connection etc.).


- 10 -

5. Click Trim button again (BuiltWorks toolbar).

6. In the Connection dialog box Members of connection field select upper left beam member.


7. Select upper right beam member and from field Cutting Parameters select By intersection.



- 11 -

8. Click OK . Beam members will be cut off.

Fig. 15 Creating the Connection


- 12 -

VI. Creating End Plates

In this chapter we will perform another Connection detailing function – create the End Plate for the members. Note, that creating the End Plate also creates the connection – the rule of creating End Plate with all parameters can be copied to another place equally as copying the connection with trimming rules. Connection can have a combined set of rules (some members trimmed, some have end plates added) and all these rules will be applied in another place where connection is copied.

1. To create the end plate click End Plate button (BuiltWorks toolbar).

Fig. 16 Creating End Plate

2. In End Plate dialog box Method of creation field select End plate on body option and the beam

member in graphic window. Enter end plate thickness 20 mm, end plate type Rectangular, end

plate dimensions 160 mm (width) and 500 mm (length). In End plate position field enter 50 mm in

Offset in Y direction box.

Fig. 17 End Plate data input dialog box


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3. Click OK . End Plate will be created.

4. In the same way create end plates at intersection of two upper beams.

Fig. 18 End plates on beams

5. To create the end cap only for one column member click End Plate button (BuiltWorks toolbar).

6. In End Plate dialog box Method of creation field select End plate on body option and the left

column member in graphic window. Enter end cap thickness 20 mm, select end cap type

Rectangular, end cap dimensions 260 mm (width) and 250 mm (length).

Fig. 19 End cap data input dialog box


- 14 -

7. Click OK . End cap will be created.

8. To create the column base plate only for one column member click End Plate button (BuiltWorks

toolbar).

9. In End Plate dialog box Method of creation field select End plate on body option and the left

column member in graphic window. Enter end plate thickness 30 mm, end plate type Quadratical,

end plate dimension set to Constant and enter 450 mm.

Fig. 20 End Plate data input dialog box

10. Click OK . Column base plate will be created.

Note, that parameter 1 means, that member with end plate will be shortened on end plate

thickness.


- 15 -

VII. Using Library of Connections

For creation of end plate and end cap for opposite side of frame you can create library feature.

1. Click Show Connections button (BuiltWorks toolbar).

Fig. 21 Showing existing connections

2. Left click on blue dot in graphic view. Select Edit Feature button.

Fig. 22 Editing features of the connection

3. In opened Connection dialog window select Objects. Expand the features tree of the model and

you will see highlighted blue parts which are related to the Connection you are editing. Expand

them and select the related Connections as shown in Fig. 23.

Fig. 23 Assigning related connections to the main connection

4. Close the dialog box by clicking OK .


- 16 -

5. Left click on blue dot of the same edited Connection in graphic view. Select Export Connection

button. In opened dialog window give the name for library feature.

Fig. 24 Saving connection to library

6. Repeat saving to library connection from the bottom of column with base plate. Give it another

name, e.g. “column_base_connection”.

Fig. 25 Saving column base connection to library

7. Hide blue dot representing created connection – push Hide Connections button (BuiltWorks

toolbar).

Fig. 26 Hiding connection


- 17 -

8. Select Insert Connection button (BuiltWorks toolbar).

Fig. 27 Inserting connection

9. Connection preview form window will be opened. Column member blinking as red. Click Insert

button and select column member in the model graphic view.

Fig. 28 Selecting Column

Note, that your created connection files are listed in the right side of the Connection preview window

at section My Connections. Here you can select connection you want to insert.


- 18 -

10. In Connection preview form window beam member blinking in red. Select beam member in the

model graphic view.

Fig. 29 Selecting Beam

Note, that completing steps 10-11 copies both the trimming rules of the connection and the End

plates.

11. Connection will be created and a scrap by rules of copied connection will be made.

Fig. 30 Model with inserted connection


- 19 -

12. Select another connection type (column_base_connection.bwc) with column base. Column

member blinking in red. Select column member in the model graphic view.

Fig. 31 Inserting column base connection

13. Column base connection will be created.

Fig. 32 Created column base connection


- 20 -

VIII. Linear Patterning of the Columns and Beams

Linear Component Patterning function patterns structure components in one or two linear directions, making so called virtual copies of the structure. Any changes in the first frame will be updated to all the frames.

1. Select Linear Component Pattern button (Assembly toolbar).

Fig. 33 choosing the Linear Pattern command

2. As members copying direction select grid axis 5, enter step 4000 mm and number of copy 6. In

Component to Pattern field select column and beam members.

Fig. 34 Linear Pattern dialog box


- 21 -

3. Click the OK button and array of frame will be created.

Fig. 35 Array of frames


- 22 -

IX. Creating Purlins

1. Click Member Array button (BuiltWorks toolbar) to create the array of purlins.

Fig. 36 Creation of Member Array

2. Select sketch elements on upper A and B grid lines (yellow color).

Fig. 37 Select grid lines

3. In Member array dialog box in Parameters field select By Distance, enter 3000 mm and also select

Create start member, but leave Create end member field unselected. From steel sections database

select:

European >Channels > UPN > UPN 160


- 23 -

4. Also in Synchronization field mark Profile, Rotation Angle, and Offset options.

Fig. 38 Member array dialog box

5. In Member orientation preview window select bottom left base point. And in Synchronization field

press Apply.

Fig. 39 Creation of purlins

6. Close dialog box by clicking the OK button. Purlins array will be created.


- 24 -

7. In the same way create purlins array in opposite side of the frame.

Fig. 40 Creation of Purlins


- 25 -

X. Aligning and Editing Purlins

1. Click Member Alignment button (BuiltWorks toolbar).

Fig. 41 Member alignment

2. In Alignment parameters field select By rotation. In Align to field select top face of the main beam.

Fig. 42 Selecting beams top face

3. In Objects to align field select bottom face of one of the purlins.

Fig. 43 Selecting purlins bottom face


- 26 -

4. Close dialog box by clicking the OK button.

5. A message pops up. Press Yes.

Fig. 44 Message

6. Right click on on the purlins and press Edit Feature button.

Fig. 45 Editing purlins


- 27 -

7. In Member array dialog box Member Orientation field enter -317.468… mm as Start Offset in X Direction.

Fig. 46 Assigning offset for Purlins member


9. Repeat the same action for left purlins upper member.

Fig. 47 Purlins edited


- 28 -

XI. Creating the second Beam members

1. Click Member button (BuiltWorks toolbar) and click on Member Group to create the second beam

member group.

Fig. 48 Creation of Member Group

2. In field Member Profile select Database. From steel sections database select:

European > I Shape > HEB (IPB) > HE160B

3. Select points on A and B grid lines on the highest grid level to create second beams members.

Fig. 49 Select sketch segments


- 29 -

4. In Member Orientation preview window select top central base point.

Fig. 50 Creation of second Beam members

5. In the same way create second Beam on the opposite side of the frame.



- 30 -

XII. Linear Patterning of Purlins and Beams

1. Select Linear Component Pattern button (Assembly toolbar).

Fig. 51 Choosing the Linear Pattern command

2. As members copying direction select grid axis 5, enter step 4000 mm and number of copy 5. In

Component to Pattern field select purlins and second beam members.

Fig. 52 Linear Pattern dialog box

3. Click the OK button and array of purlins and second beam will be created.


- 31 -

XIII. Creating Upper Braces

1. Click Member button (BuiltWorks toolbar) and click on Member Group button to create a beam

members group.


2. In field Member Profile select Path. From SolidWorks steel sections database select:

iso > round bar > 20

3. In Member Orientation field select central base point. Select points on C and D grid lines on the

highest grid level (yellow color) to create upper braces.

Fig. 54 Creation of upper braces


- 32 -


Fig. 55 Creation of upper braces


- 33 -

XIV. Creating Vertical Braces

1. Click Member button (BuiltWorks toolbar) then click on Member Group button to create the vertical braces.


2. In field Member Profile select Database. From steel sections database select:

European > Angles > Equal angles 56-77 > L100x100x10

Fig. 57 Select Member Profile and first point


- 34 -

3. For the first vertical braces member creation select lower level point at C and 5 axes intersection

and up level point at D and 5 axes intersection.

Fig. 58 Select second point

4. In the Member Orientation window set the rotation angle to 270 deg. and select central left base

point.

Fig. 59 Select Profile Base Point


- 35 -

5. For the second vertical braces member creation select lower level point at D and 5 axes

intersection and up level point at C and 5 axes intersection.

Fig. 60 Selecting second point at up level at C and 5 axes intersection

6. In the same way create vertical braces in opposite side of structure.

7. Edit created braces members. Make sure that the first beam of the braces is selected in Method of

creation field.

Fig. 61 Select Beam – 1


- 36 -

8. Select Asymmetric and enter -300 mm as Offset of Profile in X Direction. And in Member

Orientation field enter 300 mm as Offset of Profile in X Direction.

Fig. 62 Braces members editing

9. In Synchonization field select Offset and press Apply.

Fig. 63 Braces members editing

10. Close dialog box by clicking OK . Vertical braces will be created.

Fig. 64 Creation of Vertical Braces


- 37 -

XV. Creating and Copying Connections

1. Click Trim button (BuiltWorks toolbar).

Fig. 65 Creating connection

2. In the graphic view select column member.

Fig. 66 Select column member

3. Select brace member and from field Type of Cutting select By normal.

Fig. 67 Select brace member


- 38 -

4. Click OK . Brace member will be cut off.

Fig. 68 Created connection

5. Click Show Connections button (BuiltWorks toolbar).

Fig. 69 Showing existing connections

6. Left click on blue dot in graphic view. Select Copy Connection button.

Fig. 70 Copying connection


- 39 -

7. Connection preview form window will be opened. Column member blinking as red. Select column

member in the model graphic view.

Fig. 71 Column selecting

8. In Connection preview form window brace member blinking as red. Select brace member in the

model graphic view.

Fig. 72 Brace selecting

9. For selected members connection will be created and a scrap by rules of copied connection will be

made. Repeat this action for all connections and close copying connection preview window.


- 40 -

10. Hide blue dots representing created connections – push Hide Connections button (BuiltWorks

toolbar).

Fig. 73 Final result. Hiding Connection


- 41 -

XVI. Assigning Material and Updating the Cut List

1. In SolidWorks Feature Manager tree select all portal frame parts, right click and select Material >

Plain Carbon Steel. Material to all parts will be assigned.

Fig. 74 Assigning Material to all parts

2. To update cut list properties for all members select BuiltWorks > Update Cut-list Properties button

(Standard toolbar).

Fig. 75 Updating cut list properties


- 42 -

XVII. Generating Drawings

1. To generate drawings for assembly and members select Drawing Generator button (BuiltWorks

toolbar).

Fig. 76 Drawings generator function

2. In opened Drawing generation window mark parts for which you want to generate drawings and

push Generate button. Drawings for selected parts will be created.

Fig. 77 Selecting parts for generating drawings


- 43 -

3. Insert Bill of Materials (BOM) into drawing – select Annotation toolbar > Tables > Bill of Materials

button.

Fig. 78 Inserting BOM

Fig. 79 Inserted BOM

Congratulations! You have completed this tutorial.


- 44 -

User Notes

We appreciate your feedback and comments about BuiltWorks functionality and this document.

Please send your suggestions of requests to us by email [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Volume3. Portal Frame · 2012-01-19 · BuiltWorks Tutorial Volume3. Portal Frame SolidACE, Ltd. -...

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