Step 2: Double Checking Job / Fabricator Settings

On this page :

Also see :

page 1 | contents | overview

Purpose of Job / Fabricator settings (Project Settings) :

  • Job / Fabricator settings (project settings) let you customize SDS2 to meet the special needs of particular fabricators or for the special requirements of particular projects. These options help speed the input of a Job and ensure consistency in the use of materials and the application of design principles.

page 1 | contents | overview | top

Five keys for understanding Job / Fabricator settings :

Key 1: Project Settings information is divided into two sections: Job Settings , and Fabricator Settings .

  • Home > Project Settings > Job generally relates to the engineering standards defined for a particular construction project. One way to quickly review these setup options is to print a Job Settings Report .
  • Fabricator Setup generally pertains to the shop practices of fabricators. To review these setup options, you can print a Fabricator Settings Report . Multiple Fabricator Settings files may be contained inside of a particular Job..

Key 2: Ideally you configure Job/ Fabricator Setup one time per Job.

  • Usually you set up when you start a Project. You may also wish to add user defined connections and stair tread configurations as your Job proceeds. A little time spent setting up Job/Fabricator Options can save you a great deal of time inputting a Job.
  • Please note, however, that you can make setup changes while a Project is in development. You can make setup changes, then Process and Create Solids or Detail selected members to make changes to those members or to their details. See Key 5.

Key 3: Fabricator & Job Option files are stored in your current Job .

  • You can use Utility Functions to copy " Job Setup Info " or " Fabricator Setup Info " from other Jobs to your current Job.
  • You can also import Home > Project Settings > Job and Fabricator Setup information as you create a new Project (see "Beginning a Job," steps 3 and/or 5 ).

Key 4: Setup options affect different parts of an SDS2 program.

  • Some options affect the selections that are available on menus or selection dialogs for specifying attributes of members and materials.
  • Certain options affect Process and Create Solids .
  • Other options are applied during automatic detailing or are used for special cases .

Key 5: You need to Process and Create Solids and/or Detail those members to which you want setup options to apply.

VIDEO Model > Member > Mark All for Process followed by Process and Create Solids may be required to apply setup changes to all of the members in a view.

  • If you have changed Home > Project Settings > Job , you should interactively mark for processing any members that you want changed, then Process and/or Create Solids . Mark All for Process will mark all members in a view. This may also apply to changes made to certain Fabricator Setup options.
  • When you change options in Fabricator Setup , you need to automatically detail the affected members/submaterials to see your changes applied.

page 1 | contents | overview | top

Job / Fabricator settings that affect choices on windows :

Job / Fabricator Settings on Windows
Settings Location Effect
 " Units "   Drawing Presentation  Sets units of measure that are to be used, by default, for entereing distances.
 " Dimension precision "   Drawing Presentation  Sets the precision of distance entries. If you use both ' Imperial.. '. and ' Metric ', you should set the " Dimension precision " for both units.
" Custom Properties " ' Job ' ' Member ' ' Material ' etc. Schema should be set up so that the desired custom properties are applied to members and materials as they are added. How much setup is required likely depends on the " Flavor " selected at Job creation time.
Steel Grade:
W , Pl , Tee , C , L , Pipe , Tube		   Home > Project Settings > Job Sets the grades that you can select as the " Steel Grade ," for example, on material edit windows and member edit windows.
 " Maximum sequences "    Home > Project Settings > Job The number of sequences that your 3D model can be divided into. By default, sequences are whole numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.), but you can give them names if you choose. 
Sequence Names     Home > Project Settings > Job Sets the names of sequences on the selection list that appears when you press the "file cabinet" browse button to assign a sequence to a member. If you don't set up names, the sequences appear as numbers.

Job / Fabricator Settings on Windows
(continued)
  Settings   Location Effect
Bolt Settings   Job
Settings  		Sets the bolt types that are available for selection while adding or editing beams, columns or braces. 
  Base/Cap Plate Schedule   Job
Settings		 Sets base/cap plates that you can apply to columns. 
  User Defined Connections    Home > Project Settings > Job Specific connections users can apply to beams, columns or braces by selecting ' User Defined ' as the " Input connection type ."
  Stair Treads    Fabricator Settings Sets stair treads that users can apply when adding stairs. 
  User Routing Settings   Fabricator Settings Affects selection options that users can choose from during Status Review or Update Attributes . 

page 1 | contents | overview | top

Job / Fabricator settings applied during Process & Create Solids :

Process & Create Solids Settings
  Settngs   Location Effect on Process & Create Solids
  Auto Standard Conns   Home > Project Settings > Job Guides the design of specific connections under specific framing conditions.
Field Clearances   Home > Project Settings > Job Sets field clearances for connections that are not applied using the "auto standard" method.
Std Fab Conns     Fabricator Setup Sets hole spacing and gage
specifications that are applied during Process & Create Solids .
lists of Preferred WT Sizes , Preferred Angle Sizes , Preferred Flat Bar Sizes Std Fab Conns  Lists connection materials that may be applied to certain types of connections during Process & Create Solids .
  Position/ Match Marking and CNC Center Marks   Fabricator Setup Affects where CNC marks are placed on members during Process & Create Solids .

Process & Create Solids Settings
(continued)
  Settings   Location   Effect on Process & Create Solids
  Member and Material Piecemarks Fabricator Setup Affects the naming of member and submaterial piecemarks that takes place during Solids Creation .
Minimums for Structural Members Home > Project Settings > Job Sets hole spacing and number of rows of holes on clip angle, bent plate , end plate and beam-to-beam splice plate connections.
Minimums, Single- Plate Shear Conns Home > Project Settings > Job Sets bolt diameter, number of rows and plate thicknesses for shear tab connections.
Design Settings     Home > Project Settings > Job Dramatically affects connection design. You can set the " Connection design method " to ' ASD13 ' or ' LRFD13 ' or etc.
Washer Settings Job Setup  Defines the number and types of washers assigned to particular bolt types applied in the shop or field.
  Weld Design Settings Home > Project Settings > Job Specifies the design of welded connections, including welds on base/cap plates and moment connections.
  Plate Design Settings Home > Project Settings > Job Applies to the design of beam stiffener plates and brace gusset plates.
Moment Plate Design Settings Home > Project Settings > Job Applies to the design of column web doublers, bolted moment flange plates, and column stiffeners.

page 1 | contents | overview | top

Job / Fabricator settings applied during automatic detailing :

Auto Detailing Settings
  Settings   Location   Effect on Automatic Detailing
  Dimension Settings   Fabricator Setup  Sets the types of dimensions to be drawn on beam, column and brace details.
Drawing Presentation   Fabricator Setup Sets the sizes of characters and the printer pen numbers of graphic objects that appear on details.
" Units "   Drawing Presentation The " Units " for primary dimensions affect not just details but all specifications related to dimensions.
General Presentation Fabricator Setup  Defines the scale of details and affect the appearance of details in other ways
Job North   Home > Project Settings > Job Sets the direction the A face on a column detail is marked to face.

Auto Detailing Settings
(continued)
  Settings   Location Effect on Automatic detailing
  Bolt Detailing Options   Fabricator Setup  Sets how and where bolt specifications are called out on member details.
Member Detailing Options   Fabricator Setup Provides options by member type to include end elevations and load information on details.
Piecemarking Options   Fabricator Setup Lets you choose how materials are designated on member details and how submaterials are named.
Detailing Symbol Settings Fabricator Setup  Lets you define the appearance of items such as weld symbols and bevel symbols.

page 1 | contents | overview | top

Job / Fabricator settings for special applications :

Settings for Special Applications
  Settings   Location Effect
  Line Weights   Fabricator Setup  Sets the line density (width) and color per Drawing Editor pen for printers and plotters.
Bill of Material Layout   Fabricator Setup Sets the layout of a member bill of material.
" Shop bill weight ," Field bolts on ," Use member mark on " Fabricator Setup  These are other options that affect the member bill of material.

page 1 | contents | overview | top