SDS2 Load Planning Export ( Modeling )

Tool summary :

  • Exports an IFC2x3 model, or partial model, which includes 3D solid representations of members in your current Job.
  • "IFC" stands for "Industry Foundation Classes." The usual extension for an IFC2x3 file is .ifc .
  • When viewed within SDS2 Load Planning , an IFC model imported via SDS2 Load Planning Export accurately represents structural elements, including curves, copes, and twists. The model also contains information about those elements, including member and material piecemarks, material type, member type, steel grade and status information.
  • Load Planning can view and select members based upon such metadata, which helps to facilitate the final goal of an optimized staging plan for loading trailers. Accurate SDS2 modeling also helps Load Planning to create an accurate report on how much payload capacity will be used.
  • SDS2 Load Planning Export requires the purchase of a Export Model license.
  • See the step-by-step instructions .

Also see :

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   Step-by-step instructions for exporting an IFC file to SDS2 Load Planning :

SDS2 Load Planning Export requires the purchase of a Export Model license

Tip: The ' IFC2x3 ' option available to Export Model can also export an IFC2x3 model. The Export Model window requires you to choose the " Properties " that you want to output to the IFC2x3 file. By contrast, the properties needed by SDS2 Load Planning are exported automatically when you use the SDS2 Load Planning Export tool. For that reason, it is recommended that you use thistool when outputting an IFC2x3 file that will be read by SDS2 Load Planning.

1 . Before exporting:

1a : Confirm that your current Job contains the members and materials or other information that you want to export.

1b : The entire 3D model should have undergone Process and Create Solids , have been thoroughly reviewed , and should be modified where necessary.

Warning: If a member in your current Job has not undergone Process & Create Solids , its weight and center of mass may be incorrect in the exported IFC2x3 file.

2 . In Modeling , preselect the members that you want to export. Remember, any member in the model that is exported to the IFC2x3 file can be staged by SDS2 Load Planning and added to a trailer for shipping. Therefore, it is recommended that you only preselect members that are ready to be shipped.

2a (optional) : You may find that certain status information is relevant to SDS2 Load Planning Export . Whether or not this information is relevant depends on fabrication, approval and shipping procedures. The precise definition of a status is defined by the detailer that applies that status. You can use Model > Status Select to select shipping members based on any or all of the status criteria listed below.

2b (optional) : You can use Status Display to mask members that you do not wish to export. For example, you may want to mask " Existing members " or particular " Zones " or " Sequences ."

Select Items bindings (step 2c)

2c (optional) : With an appropriate selection filter selected, you can Select+ the members that you want to output to the IFC2x3 file.

Note: SDS2 Load Planning can also view the exported IFC2x3 file and allow or prevent the display of members by zone, sequence, fabrication complete date, and projected shipping date, among others (but not by model complete date or detail complete date). By preventing display of members, the Load Planning user can exclude them from staging for loading.

3 . While in Modeling , open the Select output IFC file window using one (1) of the following methods:

Method 1 : Click the SDS2 Load Planning Export icon. The icon can be taken from the group named ' Model ' and placed on a toolbar (classic) or the ribbon (lightning).

Method 2, 3 or 4 : SDS2 Load Planning Export can also be configured to be invoked using a keyboard shortcut , the context menu , or a mode . For the lightning interface, this configuration is done using Customize Interface .

4 . On the Select output IFC file window, do the following:

4a : Confirm that the name of the IFC file is the name you want to " Save IFC file as ." SDS2 Load Planning Export will (by default) name the IFC2x3 file after your current Job and add an .ifc extension.

4b (optional) : If you want to change the output destination, press the " Browse " button to open the Save As window. On that window, you can choose a different file folder ( ) for the file to be placed in as well as a new filename. It is recommended that you give your file the .ifc extension.

4c : Choose from one of the following alternatives:

Alternative 1 : Press " OK" at the bottom of the Select output IFC file window to close it, or press Enter . An IFC2x3 file will be generated and written to the filename and destination chosen in steps 4a and 4b. Only the members that you selected in step 2 will be exported to the IFC2x3 file. If you press " OK " or the Enter key at this time without having selected members, you will output an IFC file with no members.

Alternative 2 : Press " Cancel" at the bottom of the Select output IFC file window to close it without exporting a file or retaining any changes that you might have made on the window.

Alternative 3 : Press " Reset" at the bottom of the Select output IFC file window to undo all changes made to this window since you first opened it. The window remains open so that you can resume the export operation.

5 . An IFC Export progress bar appears on screen as the IFC2x3 file is written to the filename and destination set in steps 4a and 4b. When the operation is done, press the " OK " button at the bottom of the window.

6 . A warnings window may also open. It would list warnings that may help you pinpoint potential problems in the output file.

6a (optional) : You may want to save a copy of these warnings. To do this, you can press the " Save " button and output the warnings as a file with, for example, a .txt extension. Or you can press the " Print " button to output a copy of these warnings to your default printer. Press the " Copy All " button if you want to paste the warnings to another application such as WordPad.

6b : Press the " OK " button at the bottom of the warnings window.

Tip: You may want to use an IFC viewer such as one that can be downloaded at http://www.ifcwiki.org/index.php?title=Freeware to view the file you have exported prior to sending it out to be imported using other software. You can also view the file using SDS2 Load Planning itself if it is installed on your workstation.

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