Special Instructions

Clients may configure the MDS application Structural Design Templates to an alternative National Standard for Steelwork Sections to the British Standard supplied as default. This may be a different size from the same steelwork standard or a different size from a different standard.

Apply the following rules when replacing the default size to ensure the MDS application functions correctly:

• The origin of each template must remain in the same position when the steelwork size is modified. The example shown in this section has the origin on the back mark of the cross bar. Move the origin to align with the back when the size is changed. This ensures that the origin is placed in the correct position in relationship to the datum atta (attachment) when the framework is generated.

• DO NOT modify the position of the section starts and ends in relationship to the structure orientation.

• Use the naming convention described in Framework Naming Conventions.

• There is a limit of twenty structural templates per support type. This limit is governed by the Pipe Support Specification ‘/MDS’, which has eight atta entries available for each template type.

• All structural sections defined as SCTN elements in the default templates will have a numerical value set against their design parameter attribute. For example, the default value for design parameter number 1 of SCTN ‘/MDS/FT01-1-BAR-1’ is set to ‘1400’. This value is the maximum allowable length for this particular SCTN. The value is checked against the actual length of a SCTN element, named <structurename>-BAR-1, and is created automatically during the creation of a Pipe Support by the MDS application. Clients may modify this attribute in their template database as part of their configuration.

• Where a template contains internal joints, it may be necessary to modify the specification reference to a handed joint when a mirror operation is performed. To do this, set the uda :MdsMirror to the spref required for a mirrored joint, when the joint is created in the template.

When a framework is created, the template is copied to the datum support (the first pipe identified will be the datum support) and then the framework is stretched and re-sized, depending on the method of creation used, that means, Cursor, Dimensions or Clearance. Therefore the initial positioning and orientation of the sections within the structure are critical.

An example of replacing the default steelwork size is shown in Framework Setup.