Plant 3D connection elements in secondary steelwork

In AutoCAD Plant 3D, the automated placement of connection elements is only possible to a limited extent within the standard range of functions. This article explains the challenges of manual placement and presents the extended possibilities offered by the new Module 3.

Prerequisites

  • Installed version of AutoCAD Plant 3D.
  • Access to the Secondary Steel pipe class.
  • Permission to install extension modules (for Module 3).

Step-by-step guide

To efficiently manage connection elements in secondary steelwork, follow these steps:

  1. Inventory of the standard components: In the Secondary Steel pipe class, check which components are available for your current project. In the standard configuration, you will only find a limited selection of components here.
  2. Manual placement (standard procedure): Select the desired component from the pipe class and position it manually on the corresponding steel structure. As automation is missing in the standard version, alignment and distance must be defined by hand.
  3. Switch to SuCri Module 3 (available from October 15): Install SuCri Module 3 to unlock the extended functionalities. After the installation, automated placement routines are available to you.

Important notes

  • Range of functions: Module 3 offers typed connection elements as well as the automated placement of brackets, supports and holders.
  • Rule sets: You can store project-specific standards for bolted, welded or doweled connections.
  • Comparison: While users of Advance Steel (ADVS) are used to a high degree of automation, this efficiency in Plant 3D is only achieved through additional modules.

Troubleshooting

  • Problem: Connection elements are not recorded correctly in the bill of materials.
    Solution: Check whether the components in the Secondary Steel pipe class have been stored correctly with all necessary metadata.