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How to Create and Use Custom or User Defined Connections FAQ

Question:

How are Custom or User Defined Connections created and reused in Advance Steel? Answer :

Custom or User Defined Connections were introduced to into the list of available Advance

Steel features with later releases. This feature allows Users to save Manually Created Connections, that have characteristics not available in the Connection Vault, to a library

where they can be reused at similar connection points on any model.

To add a User Defined Connection the Custom Connections Library, the connection will first to be modeled in Advance Steel. Create a new drawing and model the connection similar to the one seen below.

This “Manual” Connection type can be built up of Manually Added Objects such as Bolts,

Welds, Plates and Beams. The Connection type can simultaneously be built up with objects from Intelligent Connections available in the Connection Vault.

To assist in modeling the template connection, Advance Steel contains a number of

intelligent “Building Bricks” allowing the User to insert objects with simple intelligence. This intelligence, for example, the distance between the stiffener and the edge of the beam seen below, will also be saved to the Custom Connection library. Some of these intelligent

fields will update the relevant object when this connection is used on sections of a different

size, and also allow for Users to quickly modify the connection once it has been reused.

Before adding the User Defined Connection to the Custom Connection library, ensure that

all objects have been given the correct attributes such as Bolt Sizes and Types, Plate

Thicknesses and Weld Types are correctly set, placed, sized, etc. More importantly, ensure that all Model Roles of the connection objects, are set as all this information is saved to the

Custom Connections library.

Also ensure that all Joint Boxes and Feature Boxes are visible before adding the User

Defined Connection to the Custom Connection library as seen below.

Click on the “Create Connection Template” command on the Advance Steel “Tool Palette” as seen below.

The next option will depend entirely on the preferences of the Custom Connection that the

User is trying to create. In this case we are adding a connection between two beams as seen below

The User will now be prompted to select the Input Beams on the Command Line. The

selection needs to be done exactly the way a User would normally use an intelligent connection. In this case the Main Beam needs to be selected first and then press “Enter”. Then the connecting beam and press “Enter” as seen below.

Next specify a name for the Custom Connection and click on the “Reselect Driven/Output Objects” button as seen below.

Select all the objects relating to the connection including the Beams, Plates, Features, Welds, Bolts and Joint Boxes as seen below.

A blue box will now surround the Connection Objects. The Driver Selection Prompts can

now be customized as seen below. These are the names produced on the command line when prompted to select a particular Beam. For example, the first prompt will read, “Please select the Welded Channel”.

Once renamed, close the User Template dialogue box using the usual “X” button in the top right hand corner of the Window. The Connection Template now needs to be saved to the following file location so that Advance Steel can reference the objects from the DWG.

C:\ProgramData\Graitec\Advance Steel\2013\Shared\ConnectionTemplates

Once saved close the Connection Template drawing. To reuse this Custom Connection in

another model, click on the “Insert Connection Template” command on the Advance Steel Tool Palette as seen below.

Select the relevant Custom Connection from the “Connection Template Explorer” menu and

click “OK”.

The Template Connection can now be inserted into the model by first selecting the Main

Beam (Welded Beam) followed by the Secondary Beam (Bolted Beam) as seen below. Note that Enter does not need to be pressed after selecting each beam.

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