In this article, you will learn why some components in Advance Steel receive negative part numbers and how you can control this behavior. Negative numbers are used to intentionally exclude specific components from Bill of Materials (BOM) creation and production.
Prerequisites
- The model has already been fully or partially numbered using the Numbering function.
Step-by-Step Instructions
If a component has a negative number but should appear in the BOM, follow these steps:
- Select the corresponding component in the model and open the Advance Steel Properties via double-click or the context menu.
- Navigate to the Behavior tab.
- Check the Used for numbering option (e.g., for single parts or main parts). If this is deactivated, the part receives a negative number.
- Activate the Used for numbering option by checking the corresponding checkbox.
Result: The prerequisite for positive numbering is now met. - Run the Numbering process in the Output tab again for the entire model or the selected parts.
Result: The component now receives a valid, positive part number and is correctly listed in the Bill of Materials (BOM).
Important Notes
- Intentional Standard: Components that should not be numbered (e.g., placeholders or auxiliary constructions) automatically receive a negative number and are ignored in BOMs.
- Not a Software Bug: Negative numbers are a technical indicator for components that have been explicitly excluded from the fabrication documentation.
- Consistency: Define at the beginning of the project which component types (e.g., existing structures) should be excluded from numbering.
Troubleshooting
- Part does not appear in the BOM despite numbering: Check if the component has a negative number. If so, activate Used for numbering in the properties as described above.
- Number does not change after switching: Ensure that you run the Numbering command again after changing the properties, as numbers do not update automatically in real-time.