The Grating Tread Material window ( Modeling )

Click a link for information a particular Grating Tread Material option.
  • When a legacy miscellaneous member is first added, Add [Legacy] Miscellaneous Member options are shown on this window.
Once a legacy miscellaneous member is added, these options are shown on the [Legacy] Miscellaneous Member Edit window -- and they will no longer be shown on this window.

Also see :

" Copy " " Paste " " Save " " Load " buttons :

  • You'll find buttons like these at the top of this window. They apply to all user-editable settings (except " Piecemark ") that are on this window. Click here for more information.
  • You can " Copy " ( ) the settings on this window, then " Paste " ( ) those settings to a different grating tread.
  • " Save " ( ) saves a "form" file to the form/grating-tread folder that is used by your current version of this program. Give the form a name that will help other users identify its purpose. " Load " ( ) copies over all settings on this window (except " Piecemark ") with the settings that are stored in the file that you select.
  • " Paste " and " Load " replace mixed entries to a single field with a single entry. " Copy " and " Save " ignore fields with mixed entries, treating them as if they have no entry or do not exist. Special cases: Form buttons do not operate on " Piecemark " or "ABM Options ."

------ General settings ------

Piecemark: Blank or any character string (up to 61 characters). This is the submaterial piecemark .

If this field is left ' blank ', then when this material is generated (after you press " OK "), SDS2 piecemarking looks for materials in the current Job that are physically identical to this material and assigns to this material the same mark assigned to those materials. If no matching materials are found, piecemarking assigns this material a piecemark using the appropriate material mark prefix listed in Home > Project Settings > Fabricator > Member and Material Piecemarking > the " Prefixes " tab.

Any ' character string ' that you enter must be unique. Validation routines prevent you from entering a piecemark that has already been assigned to materials. If you are adding a grating tread material or legacy miscellaneous member, a piecemark entered here only applies if the material you are adding is unique -- if the material is exactly the same as previously added materials, the new material gets the piecemark of those previously added materials. On the other hand, if you are editing the material, all materials that are exactly like the material are re-assigned the unique mark you enter when the material is generated (after you press " OK "). The piecemark you enter remains a system piecemark , which means that it may be changed if you later edit a material just like this one and give that material a different piecemark.

Tip: If you want to change a submaterial mark, you should use Rename Project Items in Utility Options . That way all references to the submaterial mark are changed throughout the your current Job, even in Drawing Editor drawings.

Note: A submaterial mark is not yet assigned when this window opens for an add material or add legacy miscellaneous member operation. A piecemark is shown when you Edit Material or Review 2D Items . For the current quantity of materials assigned this piecemark, see the " Current quantity " listed on this material's General Information window.

Report Writer: MemberMaterial.Material.MinorMark
Advanced Selection: MinorMark

Grating length: The length (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) of the grating tread along its longitudinal axis ( X material axis ).

Note: Length is added to/subtracted from the end of the grating tread that is opposite to the first point added. Changing this distance may adjust the " Number of cross bars " while keeping their thickness and spacing the same.

Report Writer: XXXXXX . Length
Advanced Selection: Length

Grating width: read-only . This tells you the dimension (in the primary dimension " Units ") of the grating tread along its Y material axis .

Note: Grating width is calculated based on the following formula: grating tread width = [( number of bearing bars - 1)( bearing bar spacing )] + bearing bar thickness + nosing width . This means that if you change the " Number of bearing bars " or " Bearing bar spacing " or " Bearing bar thickness " or " Nosing width ," the grating tread width will be recalculated.

Report Writer: XXXXXX . Width
Advanced Selection: Width

Number of bearing bars: The total number ( 1 or 2 or 3 or ...) of bars that are parallel with the grating tread's X material axis .

Note: Changing the number of bearing bars that is entered here changes the " Grating width ." Each of these bars will be slightly shorter than the " Grating length " is long.

Report Writer: XXXXXX . NumberOfStringersInGrate
Advanced Selection: NumberOfStringersInGrate

Bearing bar depth: The distance (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) between the top and bottom edges of any one bearing bar. All bearing bars will be this same depth. Depth is measured perpendicular to the workline of the grating tread.

Report Writer: XXXXXX . BearingBarWidth
Advanced Selection: BearingBarWidth

Bearing bar thickness: The thickness (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) of any one bearing bar. All bearing bars will be this same thickness.

Note: Changing the bearing bar thickness that is entered here also changes the " Grating width ."

Fabricator Setup: Add bearing bar thickness to grating tread description ( Member Detailing Settings )

Report Writer: XXXXXX . BearingBarThickness
Advanced Selection: BearingBarThickness

Bearing bar spacing: The spacing (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) between any one bearing bar and the next bearing bar plus the thickness of the one bearing bar.

Note: Changing the bearing bar spacing that is entered here also changes the " Grating width ."

Report Writer: XXXXXX . BearingBarSpacing
Advanced Selection: BearingBarSpacing

Nosing width: The width (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) of the nosing plate. This dimension is perpendicular to the workline and measured from the workline edge of the grating tread to the nearest edge of the nearest bearing bar.

Note: Changing the width of nosing that is entered here also changes the " Grating width ."

Report Writer: XXXXXX . NosingWidth
Advanced Selection: NosingWidth

Number of cross bars: Read-only . This tells you the number of bars ( 1 or 2 or 3 or ...) that are parallel with the grating tread's Y material axis , not including the end plates.

Note: To change the number of cross bars, you need to adjust the " Grating tread length " or change the " Cross bar spacing ."

Cross bar depth: The distance (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) measured perpendicular to the workline of the grating tread between the top and bottom edges of any one cross bar. In other words, this is the Z material axis dimension of the cross bar. All cross bars will be the depth you specify here.

Example: For grating tread laid out in a plan view, this distance will be the difference between the elevation of the top of the cross bar and the bottom of that same cross bar.

Report Writer: XXXXXX . CrossBarWidth

Cross bar thickness: The thickness (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) of any one cross bar. All cross bars are this same thickness.

Report Writer: XXXXXX . CrossBarThickness

Cross bar spacing: The spacing (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) between any one cross bar cross bar and the next cross bar plus the thickness of the one cross bar.

Note: Changing the cross bar spacing may cause the " Number of cross bars " to be recalculated. For instance, if you were to increase the cross bar spacing, the " Number of cross bars " might decrease since the " Grating tread length " would remain the same.

Report Writer: XXXXXX . CrossBarSpacing

Grating grade: The steel grades that you can select in this list box ( ) come from Home > Project Settings > Job > Grating Grades . Since connection design does not reference the steel grade applied to a grating tread, there are no Fy and Fu values on that setup window.

Tip: If you want to change grating tread that is a part of an SDS2 stair member, don't do it here -- instead change the " Grade " at Home > Project Settings > Fabricator > Stair Treads .

Bill of material: Steel Grade
Status Display: Member status > Steel grade
Advanced Selection: MaterialGrade
Parametric module: MaterialGrade

Surface finish: None or Sandblasted or Red oxide or Yellow zinc or Gray oxide or Blued steel or Galvanized or Duplex Coating or Undefined 1 or Undefined 2 or Undefined 3 or Red oxide 2 or Any user added surface finish. This affects the colors of 'Solid ' members on erection views in the Drawing Editor . This also sets the color when "Output material color " is set to 'Surface finish ' for a VRML Export or a DWG/DXF Export . The "Color " ( not "Surface finish ") sets the color of this material in Modeling .

sand blasted red oxide yellow zinc user surface finish 1
gray oxide blued steel galvanized user surface finish 2

To assign a different surface finish, you can drop-down the current surface finish and select the one you want, or you can press the "file cabinet" browse button ( ) and double-click any surface finish that is on the list.

Auto or .

If this box is checked ( ), the material surface finish follows what is set on the member level.

If the box is not checked ( ), the material surface finish can be changed to whatever is available in the list of surface finishes. If the surface finish changes from what the member level has set, the auto checkbox will be unchecked automatically. When the auto check box is unchecked, the member edit window shows an information tag which notifies the user that an attached material is not following what was set on the member level.

Note 1: Submaterial piecemarks can be split apart by surface finish. All surface finishes that do not have the 'Break Marks Material' checked on can be applied to any like material with out the material splitting. If the 'Break Marks Material' is checked on then only like materials with that specific surface finish can have the same piecemark, and because the submaterial marks differ so would the member's piecemark.

Note 2:When exporting a KISS file using "model" as the "Data source " surface finish data on the materials are compiled into the KISS download as follows, with a few exceptions (G=galvanized, N= none or sandblasted, P= others). Those exceptions are:

  • If the box for "Finish" routing in KISS export setup is set to a user routing

  • If the user has adjusted the Abbreviation for any of the default provided surface finishes

  • If you are using a user added surface finish

In these cases you will get what is provided in either the User routing, or the abbreviation field. For other exports it will always provide the abbreviation in the 'surface finishes' settings page.

Tip 1: "Surface area" is reported on the General Information window -- and this can be used to estimate the amount of coating required and its cost.

Tip 2: Changing "Steel grade " "Color " and "Surface finish " do not cause the plate to be regenerated. This means that, if you change those settings only, material fit operations such as a Fit Exact may, optionally, be preserved.

Report Writer:MemberMaterial.Material.SurfaceFinish
Setup:Surface Finish Settings

Color: A predefined color or a Custom Color . This is the approximate color of the grating tread when it is displayed in one of the three solid forms .

The predefined colors are set up on the Predefined Colors window. The color swatch next to the list box ( ) displays the color that is selected.

Select ' Custom Color ' (last choice on the list) to launch your operating system's color picker and define any color you like.

Tip 1: Different colors may be assigned to materials that have the same submaterial piecemark .

Tip 2: Changing " Color " and " Surface finish " do not cause the material to be regenerated. This means that, if you change those settings only, material operations such as a Cut Layout may, optionally, be preserved.

Report Writer: MemberMaterial.Material.MaterialColor3dRed
Report Writer: MemberMaterial.Material.MaterialColor3dGreen
Report Writer: MemberMaterial.Material.MaterialColor3dBlue

 Special Buttons for Detailing this Material
(these do not appear for Add operations)
 
This button opens a window with a list of preset views . Each preset view that you select on this list is drawn on the submaterial detail when you Detail Submaterial . This button opens a list of views you can delete. If the material has only one view, you get a warning instead of a list of views since you cannot delete the current view.  This button does a Detail Submaterial on this material. Newly added views are drawn on the detail. Deleted views are not drawn.

------ End plate settings ------

SDS2 programs design grating tread with two end plates. Settings under this heading operate on both of these end plates.

End plate thickness: The thickness (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) of the grating tread's end plates.

Note: Changing the end plate thickness may cause the " Number of cross bars " to be recalculated.

Report Writer: XXXXXX . EndPlateThickness
Advanced Selection: EndPlateThickness

End plate width: The distance (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) from the workline that was established when work points were laid out for this grating tread to the bottom edge of the end plate.

Note: End plate width is measured perpendicular to the work line of the grating tread. For grating tread laid out in a plan view, the top edge of the end plate will be at the same elevation as the workline (and of the top surface of the grating tread). The length of the grating tread's end plate is determined by the " Grating width ."

Report Writer: XXXXXX . EndPlateWidth
Advanced Selection: EndPlateWidth

End plate bolt diameter: The diameter (inches or mm) of the shanks of the bolts to be inserted into the end plate holes.

To make an entry: You can either type in the diameter of bolt, or select a bolt from the combo box ( ). Bolts that are listed come from Home > Project Settings > Job > Bolt Settings > the " Available bolts " list.

Note: .Standard round holes are used in the end plate. The diameter of these holes is calculated from the " End plate bolt diameter ." For an AISC connection design method, this calculation is done per Table J3.3 or Table J3.3M ( AISC Thirteenth Edition , p. 16.1-105).

Report Writer: XXXXXX . BoltDiameter
Advanced Selection: BoltDiameter

Vertical to first hole: The vertical distance (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) from the top edge of the end plate to the center of the first hole. The first hole is the hole that is nearest to the work line of the grating tread.

Exception: This distance will not be perfectly vertical if the top of the grating tread is not in the plane of a plan view.

Report Writer: XXXXXX . NosingToHoleVerticalDistance
Advanced Selection: NosingToHoleVerticalDistance

Horizontal to first hole: The horizontal distance (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) from the nosing edge of the end plate to the first hole. Grating tread nosing is along the workline that was established when work points were laid out for the grating tread.

Exception: This distance will not be perfectly horizontal if the top of the grating tread is not in the plane of a plan view.

Report Writer: XXXXXX . NosingToHoleHorizontalDistance
Advanced Selection: NosingToHoleHorizontalDistance

Horizontal hole spacing: The horizontal distance (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) from the center of one hole to the center of the next hole.

Note: The horizontal hole spacing entered here also determines the number of holes on the end plate. If grating width - (2)( horizontal to first hole ) > (2)(horizontal hole spacing), then three (or more) holes are added. If grating width - (2)( horizontal to first hole ) > (3)(horizontal hole spacing), then four (or more) holes are added.

Report Writer: XXXXXX . HoleToHoleHorizontalDistance
Advanced Selection: HoleToHoleHorizontalDistance

To close this window :

       

" General Information " opens the General Information window, which provides additional information and settings that pertain to this grating tread material.

Tip: You can use the General Information window to change the material's " X ," " Y ," or " Z " global coordinates (and thus reposition the material within the 3D model).

Also: The " Properties " button at the bottom of the General Information window lets you Edit Properties for this material.

"OK" (or the Enter key) closes this window and applies the settings on it to the material(s).

If this window opened for adding a material or a legacy miscellaneous member, you can still press " Cancel " on the Rotate Material window to end the add operation (see step 4 ).

If you opened this window to edit one grating tread ( single-edit ), the Change All Options & Warning List opens after you press the " OK " button. You can use that window to cancel your changes or, if other materials with the same submaterial piecemark exist, apply your changes to those other materials.

If you opened this window to edit more than one grating tread ( multi-edit ), the Change All Options & Warning List does not open after you press the " OK " button.

"Cancel" (or the Esc key or the button) closes this window without saving any changes.

Possibilities: If you are adding a new material or a legacy miscellaneous member, " Cancel " brings you back to the work point location step ( step 2 ) in the add operation. For an edit material operation, " Cancel " ends the operation.

"Reset" undoes all changes made to this window since you first opened it. The window remains open.

Note: The settings shown on this window when it first opens for the adding of a material or legacy miscellaneous member are the settings of the last-added or last edited grating tread.

"Clear" selects the default " Surface finish ," " Color ," etc. and zeroes out all distance-entry and numerical-entry fields except " Grating length ."

Note: The " Clear " button can be used when adding material or a legacy miscellaneous member. It is disabled during a Edit Material operation.