When detailing an Advance Steel curved beam on a shop drawing, based on the style used, the view will contain an inner and/or outer radial dimension(s) for the overall size of the element, detailed as an "Arc" dimension. Depending on how the curved element is placed on the drawing (in a convex or concave representation), the dimension style used must be configured so that it places the outer/inner radial dimension on the corresponding side of the element.
The element is detailed with a convex or concave presentation by the same drawing style, because this direction is given by the direction of the internal coordinate system, set during the creation of the element.
By default, the current drawing styles for single part curved beams will place the radius dimensions on the correct side of the curved beam for cases where the representation is convex on the detail drawing.
When we detail a curved beam which is represented with a concave representation, we need to change either its direction (rotate the drawing), or modify the drawing style to switch the position for the two dimension lines.
Changing the orientation of the view can be done from:
For curved beams it is important from where the orientation starts: left or right. Switching the two directions will lead to a convex or concave (or the other way around) representation on the single part drawing.
- Rotating the already created view with 180 degrees. Once a view is created in Advance Steel, it can be rotated by 90/180/270 degrees, without having to change the style configuration. This can be done by accessing the "Advance Detail Properties" tab – right click on the detail "green" frame -> Choose "Advance Detail Properties".
When the details for curved beams are required all as concave, the drawing style can be modified so the inner radius value appears on the top side, and the outer radius on the bottom side (corresponding with the beam presentation).
This modification is done from the drawing style dimension request configuration dialog box, as follows:
- Go to "View dimensions" in the style configuration. This will display the Dimension requests.
- The type of dimension that requires the side switch in this case is "Arc length, relative".
- Uncheck the "Arrange dimension line above and not below" option. Repeat the same operation for all the other dimension definitions for the "Outer" side of the curved beam.
- Access the dimension definition for the Inner radius: "CurvedBeam X Inner – Extreme GBA", and check the "Arrange dimension line above and not below".
With these modifications, the drawing style will switch the position for the inner and outer dimensions, allowing the style to detail the curved beam as a concave presentation: