This is a little utility which connect handrails. It does so if:
1. The handrail block references are parallel to the panel edges, and
2. If they are a minimum 560 mm away from the edges and
3. If they are colinear with each other.
Clear lines of communication is one of the keys to the success of any organisation.
Now you can easily track and record information pertaining to panels with a QR code on each panel drawing.
Here’s how it works:
You scan the QR code, if you’re on the construction site and want to find out specific information about the panel, or if you want to record information about the panel.
Everything is backed by an app on the web.
In this case, we can record things like:
panel status
drafting issues/errors – pertaining to a panel (so the entire drafting process can be improved).
Once the status is recorded, or issues are raised, this is tracked and recorded by the app.
The basic point is that it is very difficult to track and record information pertaining to a panel throughout the entire organisation. Not anymore!
Now you can record and communicate panel specific information to everyone in the organisation.
Drawing these metal edges is time consuming and error prone.
What is the task at hand?
You have a set of 30 panels. You need to draw metal edges around the edges of all these panels. That’s easy, but it’s subject to certain specific requirements.
If it’s a Perth job then:
The metal edge can only be a maximum of 3.0m long.
Minimum distance: 0.4m long.
If it’s an Adelaide job these are the metal edge requirements:
The metal edge can only be a maximum of 2.4m long.
Minimum distance: 0.4m long.
That means you may need to do some maths. And you actually have to draw the things in. It’s a royal pain, and more than likely, you’ll make mistakes.
Video Demonstration of the Draw Metal Edges Tool
This tool obviates the need for manual calculations and drawing by hand. Chances of pick point errors and wrongly stipulating an unmakable and unorderable metal edge is there by significantly diminished.
How are you going to identify one duplicate in a sea where everything looks the same?
Duplicates are a problem – an expensive problem, especially if you are dealing with hundreds and perhaps even over a thousand panels. Somebody cocks up – usually on the client side – but how are you meant to identify it?
You could manually do it, but then that will more than likely take a long time. Or you could just employ Tek1 to do that sort of thing for you. Here is a video demonstration:
It can work for all clients with only very minor modifications. Very well abstracted out in the code.
It is super fast. Comparing the thousands of elements in each drawing takes a bit of computing power – but with smart algorithms, you can cut down the time.
It can work in the marking plan and elevation or layout. The same code, the same command, but x3 the power.
Showing a sample elevation panel with deliberately misplaced panel elements.
This is big. Huuuuge! I’ve talked before about our ability to easily cross check between the Layout and Shop drawings. Now you can cross check from the other direction – when you are in the shop drawing, you can now check the corresponding panel which exists in the layout.
You can clearly see any differences.
So now if someone moves a ferrule or a cast in plate etc. you will be able to easily see those changes.
It could save you from some expensive errors.
Here is the demo. I hope you enjoy it!
It can work for all clients with only very minor modifications. Very well abstracted out in the code.
It is super fast. Comparing the thousands of elements in each drawing takes a bit of computing power – but with smart algorithms, you can cut down the time.
It works for all sorts of edge cases – what if the panel was made up of arcs, polylines and straight lines – this plugin can handle all sorts of things. It can also handle voids.
Ordering thousands of items in a layout is not easy. Order efficiently with Tek1!
This is a demonstration of how we use Excel-Add ins and AutoCAD plugins to simplify the process by which order forms are created for Precast panel jobs.
A gif showing how easy it is to check for nibs on bubble deck slabs using my command. There are certain panels which we have that have protruding elements – salient features. These can be problematic if they go to production unnoticed. Given there are entire teams of people doing things, it can be hard to track – people forget that they cannot draw a panel with such a dimension.
This is a plug in which enables one to easily identify all such panels with nibs like this:
There is a need to identify panels with protruding features because they could be problematic if fabricated.
How are you going to ensure that the starter bars do not clash? You’ve got 1000s of panels to detail and a dozen detailers working on different projects. How are you going to manage this?
What is the problem?
Consider this situation – you’re got a marking plan in front of you. You want to make sure that the ferrules in corner panels do not clash. How are you going to do that?
How would you solve the problem?
You’d have to find the corner panels, and then go to the appropriate drawing – both of them mind you – and you’d have to make sure that they are at different heights. That can get very tedious and it’s very time consuming, and more than likely, you’ll make some mistakes – because the panel elevations might not be adjacent to each other.
It’s not the easiest thing to see and compare in AutoCAD.
What is a better way to solve the problem?
But now you have a tool which allows you to easily compare the heights of the ferrules in two panels, straight from the marking plan.
There’s a lot of code and logic which goes with this. Perhaps I will outline it in another blog post.
Code Synopsis
For a very, very brief description of the overall route used, you can check out the code synopsis from my sister blog here. There I post the base class and interfaces used to derive the result – but have excluded all the implementation details.
Video Demonstration
Here is the video demonstration – and yet another example of the type of technologies and innovations you will have at your disposal if you work with us: