Volume Info

Every component in the structure has the same options for volume information. This volume information is important for on-screen representation, selection options, and subsequent evaluation of the structure.

Entering the volume info via the identification number is particularly efficient. Using this, information such as component type, color set, and even entire profile descriptions are adopted from the component catalog and do not need to be entered manually. Each identification number uniquely represents an element in the component catalog.

Here is a brief description of the individual information elements:

Ident number: The identification number is the identifier by which further information can be imported from the component catalog. The identification number can be entered directly or selected via the component browser. A particularly fast option is to assign two-digit quick-access codes for the most frequently used identification numbers. Then only two digits need to be entered and the remaining information is adopted.

Identification label: The identification label is the long-form expression of the identification number. While the identification number should be as short as possible for rapid entry, the identification label should be a clearly readable description of the element.

Order number: The identification number is the identifier used to mark the element itself. The order number is the identifier used to obtain the element from the supplier. For structural timber, the order number is often given only as the cutting or grading class. For structural timber, the order number is used in all places where the cutting or grading class was previously used. Example: In a design you want to distinguish whether the structural timber will be visible later or not. You create two identification numbers: 'C24 Si' for C24 visible and 'C24 nSi' for C24 not visible. You then obtain a timber list in which you can distinguish between visible and non-visible components. For the sawmill, which in this case represents the supplier, you specify only 'C24' as the order number in both cases. Also in the machine handover or the plan the cutting class 'C24' (the order number) is passed on.

Component type: The component type has great significance in the program workflow. It controls what may be done with the component and into which list it will be written. We distinguish the component types bar (timber list), profile bar (profile bar list), plate (plate list), shaped part (shaped part list), fitting (fitting and fastener list) and auxiliary component (no sorting and no list output).

Designation: The designation allows the function of an individual component to be described, e.g. rafter, purlin, etc. The predefined designations, the so-called bar types, can be called up via a numerical key. The number can be entered directly or selected via the bar-type browser. Completely free designations can also be assigned here.

Delivery location: For each individual component it can be set whether it should be delivered to the workshop or to assembly, i.e. to the construction site.

Color set: The color set contains the screen colors for white and black backgrounds, as well as the plot colors. The color set is initially adopted from the component catalog. When a bar type is entered, it is overwritten according to the bar type. Finally, the color set can also be freely selected from the drop list.

Texture set: The texture set contains the textures for rendering under Direct3D.

Width, height, length: The dimensions of the raw body are displayed here.

Running no.: After sorting, the running number of the component is shown here before the slash. The sorting takes into account the full geometry of the body, all machining operations, identification number (identification label, order number and component type), the designation and the delivery location. After the slash, the running number of the system from which the component was imported is shown. If a rafter in the classical roof calculation has running number 23 and in the structure the number 16, it appears as 16/D23. Components imported from the nail-truss program of Mitek have the identifier M: 16/M23.

Raw body no.: Corresponds to the timber list number. For sorting only length, width, height, identification number (identification label, order number and component type), the designation and the delivery location are considered.

Profile: For the component type profile bar, the raw profile of the cross-section is displayed here.

Article description: Here a description of the element from the component catalog can be displayed. This description is not stored in the structure but is read from the component catalog each time.

Volume description: Here a description can be entered that applies only to this specific component. This is stored in the structure.

The aforementioned volume information (except article description) is stored in the structure. Each structure can be shared and edited independently of the component catalog. Only when creating new components and lists and when changing the volume info is the component catalog accessed again. If a different component catalog is present, or changes have been made in the catalog, contradictory situations may arise. Identification numbers should never have their meaning changed in the component catalog. Identification numbers should be coordinated at separate workstations or between companies.