Use this macro to generate the distribution (spreading) of steel grates in a selected region.
To begin defining the spreading of steel grates, open the Spreading of grates dialog from:
- Menu: Steel > Parametric structures > Grate spreading
- Ribbon: ASD - Model > Parametric structures > Grate spreading
- Toolbar: Parametric structures > Grate spreading
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In the drawing area:
- Define a region where steel grates will be spread (after drawing a contour of the region or indicating existing contours).
- Click to specify the beginning point of the spreading.
- Specify a direction of the spreading.
To define a spreading region, specify coordinates of points of the region or select existing elements of a contour (arcs, lines, polylines). The plane of the steel grate spreading is defined by the first 3 points selected (a region contour may consist of any number of points).
After you define the geometry of the region, it is necessary to specify the origin point of the steel grate spreading in the defined region. Its location determines the position of the first steel grate; successive grates will be arranged beginning with the point of location of the first grate. A direction of spreading has to be defined also, which can be done by selecting a second point which, with the origin point of the spreading, determines the direction (see the drawing below). The spreading direction is, by default, consistent with the load carrying direction of a steel grate.
Options available on the General tab:
- Standard grate dimensions - specify dimensions (length and width) of a standard grate that will be spread
- Spreading area parameters (read-only)
- Total area - area of the spreading region
- Area filled by standard grates - area of the region filled with standard grates (of dimensions defined in the upper part of the tab)
- Area filled by non-standard grates - area of the region that results from the difference between the total area and the area filled with standard grates
The latter 2 values inform about the optimal spreading of standard grates.They are recalculated if you modify values of standard grate dimensions and values of offsets defined on the Offsets tab
- Openings
- Add - click this to add a round or rectangular opening, which are defined by specifying coordinates of opening points or indicating existing elements of an opening contour (circles, arcs, lines)
- Remove - click this to remove a round or rectangular opening by indicating an opening contour.