TowerDraw
Overview
TowerDraw is a workshop drawing design program for lattice steel
structures. It is tailored for drawing of self supported transmission
line towers. The software includes flexible functions for quick generation
and modification of workshop drawings of transmission towers
with X- and K-fields, crossarms, multiple types of frames and other
typical structures.
The software also includes an NC-code generator for production of
workshop robot instructions in DSTV-format from the completed drawings.
Software and hardware requirements
TowerDraw requires the following software platforms:
- Microsoft Windows XP operating system or later.
- Bentley
MicroStation version 2004 or V8i CAD-package for one of
the operating systems mentioned above.
Note: Although we have versions for older MicroStation versions
all the way down to MicroStation 95, support and development of new
features for MicroStation versions older than 2004 were discontinued
in Q1/2010.
The absolute minimum requirements for the hardware required to run these
platforms and WinTower software are:
- Intel® or AMD® processor 2.0 GHz or higher.
- 512 MB of memory.
- 900 MB of free disk space.
- Graphics card supported by DirectX 9.0c
The recommended minimum hardware for running the platforms and the
software are:
- Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core E2180 processor (2.00 GHz, 1 MB
L2 cache, 800 MHz FSB) or equal.
- 2 GB of memory
- Graphics card supported by DirectX 9.0c and with at least 512 MB of
memory.
Features
TowerDraw is an extension to the basic MicroStation CAD-package. It
significantly speeds up the production of workshop drawings by
offering intuitive, immediately visible and dimension driven tools
for all common aspects of lattice structure workshop drawing generation
including drawing of:
- 2D-representations of tower chord members of square or rectangular
tower bodyparts with multiple bolt lines by their outer
3D-dimensions.
- Diagonal member drawings of fields with X- and/or K- shaped diagonal
members inside bodyparts.
- Multiple redundant blocks within inside fields.
- Frame cross-sections of multiple types attached to either
horizontal or redundant members of fields.
- 2D-representations of all sloped faces of crossarms outer dimensions
of which are defined by the designer.
- Automatic NC-code generation, weight calculations and profile usage
calculations from the workshop drawings.
Documentation
TowerDraw comes with a comprehensive printed and electronic documentation
covering all of the aspects required while getting familiar and using
the software. The table of contents of the manual is:
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. What is new?
1.1.1. Version 1.5
2. HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
3. DELIVERABLES
3.1. Files
3.2. Documents
4. INSTALLATION AND STARTUP
4.1. Installation
4.2. Startup
4.3. Active settings
4.4. User interface
4.5. Placement tool
4.6. Example uses of the placement tool
5. MODIFYING THE BASIC BEHAVIOUR OF TWDRAW
5.1. TWDRAW.CFG
6. DRAWING CHORDS
6.1. Chord drawing tools
6.1.1. TWDRAW PLACE CHORDS
6.1.2. TWDRAW PLACE BOLTLINE
6.1.3. TWDRAW DELETE BOLTLINE
7. DRAWING FIELDS AND REDUNDANT BLOCKS
7.1. Field drawing tools
7.1.1. TWDRAW PLACE FIELD
7.1.2. TWDRAW PLACE REDBLOCKS
8. DRAWING CROSSARMS
8.1. Creating the outer geometry
8.1.1. Dimensions
8.1.2. Drawing principles
9. FRAMES
9.1. Creating frames
9.1.1. TWDRAW PLACE FRAME
10. SINGLE MEMBERS
10.1. Drawing tools
10.1.1. TWDRAW PLACE MEMBER
10.1.2. Member types
10.1.3. Drawing planes
10.1.4. TWDRAW EDIT MEMBER
11. BOLTS
11.1. Drawing tools
11.1.1. TWDRAW PLACE BOLT
11.1.2. TWDRAW PLACE CONBOLTS
12. DIMENSIONING
12.1. Dimensioning tools
12.1.1. TWDRAW PLACE DIMENSIONS STRUCTURE LIGHT
12.1.2. TWDRAW PLACE DIMENSIONS STRUCTURE FULL
12.1.3. TWDRAW PLACE DIMENSIONS BOLTLINE
12.1.4. TWDRAW PLACE DIMENSIONS BOLT
12.1.5. TWDRAW DELETE DIMENSIONS
12.1.6. Calculation rules for bolt lengths
13. MISCELLANOUS COMMANDS
13.1. Available commands
13.1.1. TWDRAW SET VIEW
13.1.2. TWDRAW GET SETTINGS
13.1.3. TWDRAW GET CONFIG
13.1.4. TWDRAW VALIDATE
14. WORKSHOP LISTS
14.1. TWLIST RUN
14.1.1. Contents of the window
14.1.2. Issues to be considered with lists