How to put 3D measurements to drafting list

Ivan Spasić

21 Jun, 2012 08:38 PM

finally i succeed to put one tutorial on GRABCAD!

question for admins... why images looks like this??? some are fit to width and some are fit to height, and some are not fitted to anything...

it should look like this http://cad-unigraphics-projects.blogspot.com/2012/06/how-to-put-3d-measurements-to-drafting.html

1. Step 1:

   It would not be some huge problem if beams in assembly had 90° cut on both sides but... as you can see on picture below it have two surface cuts on both ends and these cuts are on some distance from actual extrude used to make base length of beam. So we can not use extrude parameters as length of beam.
   

   

2. Step 2:

   As we can't use any of existing parameters as length of beam we have to measure it. To get length of beam that is cut we will use expressions and measurement tool. First go to Tools>Expression... or just use Ctrl+E shortcut. Then you have to make new expression named for example "length_of_beam" ...
   

   

3. Step 3:

   ... and use "Measure distance" to add value to expression.
   Now to measure length of beam we need to measure it in along beam vector, to do this we will use "projected distance" type of measurement
   

   

4. Step 4:

   and for vector that we will use for projection we will select one of edges of beam.
   

   

5. Step 5:

   Now you can select any of trimmed faces on one and on another side of beam (why any of two faces? because the maximum distance points are on line of intersection of these two faces, actually on line of intersection of planes that we used to trim off this beam so by selection of any face on one side you will give enough information to finish this operation. This is good only if you use plane to trim off your model, if you use faces, then you have to select these faces that will give you points on maximal distance on both ends of model).
   

   

6. Step 6:

   ...
   

   

7. Step 7:

   As you know default type of measurement is measurement of minimal distance, but for this case you will need maximum distance to get full length of beam, so we will have to change Measurement type to "Maximum Clearance" ...why don't we use just "Maximum"... I have no clue why in this case if you chose "Maximum" OK button stay inactive, but if you select "Maximum Clearance" you can proceed... maybe it is some of my settings... I do not know...
   

   

8. Step 8:

   ...
   

   

9. Step 9:

   After this is done, click on OK, and confirm new parameter in expression window.
   Now we have to make one more expression that will put this measured value in attributes so we can easily access to it from drawing assembly and use it in tables. Make new expression like this:
   

   

10. Step 10:

    this will give us Part Attribute named "Length" with value that is maximal length of this beam.
    

    

11. Step 11:

    ...
    

    

12. Step 12:

    To use this in drafting table that will give us list of lengths of all beams we have in some assembly (in my case i have 1000+ beams per assembly) we have to go to assembly that we will use for drafting, and to make part list table. In default it will look sometime like this:
    

    

13. Step 13:

    Now select "Part Name" column and from right click menu use Insert>Columns to the right
    

    

14. Step 14:

    Select new column
    

    

15. Step 15:

    And from right click menu select "Style"
    

    

16. Step 16:

    In style window go to "Column" tab:
    

    

17. Step 17:

    for "Attribute Name" field click on "Attribute names" button and select "Length" from list:
    

    

18. Step 18:

    OK this and you will have:
    

    

19. Step 19:

    In this window on other tabs you can customize decimal places, position etc... experiment with all options to get table that have look you want.
    Table now have one more column with lengths of all beams in this assembly: