Create fabrication drawings
Create assembly, single-part, or cast unit drawings depending on the type of the selected model objects, based on the best matching drawings or previously saved applied settings.
You can create drawings by using saved settings predefined for different model objects, or by using existing drawings in your model as templates. You can efficiently manage the creation process, and select settings for every individual model object or, alternatively, select the best matching drawing template automatically detected in the current model.
Before you start
Before you start creating fabrication drawings, consider the following:
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When you create assembly drawings, ensure that the Select assemblies selection switch is active in the model before you select any objects. Alternatively, you can use appropriate selection filters and the Object visibility in the list options in the Creation review dialog box to define the objects for which you want to create drawings.
If you have selected parts in the model, a message is displayed asking you to confirm if you want to create single-part drawings. If you want to create single-part drawings, click OK, otherwise click Cancel.
This is how the ribbon drop-down looks by default with the Create fabrication drawing command and with both of the switches enabled:
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Enable or disable the Creation review and Smart create switches depending on whether you want to create drawings immediately, or open the Creation review dialog box for more controlled creation process.
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You can select the Create fabrication drawing command from the ribbon, context menu or contextual toolbar.
Control drawing creation with Creation review
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Select Create fabrication drawing on the ribbon, context menu or contextual toolbar.
After the tool has completed the evaluation of the model objects, the Creation review dialog box is displayed with a list of the selected objects. The best matching drawing templates for each individual object are shown in the Create from column.
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Select the desired options
and settings in the dialog box:
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When you have Smart create enabled, you can select any other drawing template from the current or any other model in the drop-down list.
To use templates in another model, browse to the model folder. You can also use copying and pasting in the folder path box. If no matching template is found, you will be notified.
- When you have Smart create enabled, you can select in the current model the objects whose drawings you want to use as a template. To do this, select Select from model..., and select the object from the model among the objects that are available for selection.
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When you have Smart create enabled, define whether certain drawing objects should be recreated by using the settings of the selected drawing template or applied settings. To do this, open the Smart create overrides dialog box by clicking the
button next
to the Smart create overrides option.
- To create a new override rule, select an object type from the Objects list, then select an action type in the Action list, give the override settings file a name, and click the Save button.
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Select the desired override settings file in the Smart create overrides list in the Creation review dialog box to use it.
If you have added an override rule, but you have not saved it, the rule will not be used.
- If you do not want to use any override rules, select an empty string in the Smart create overrides list.
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To use applied settings only, disable Smart create. By default, if the best matching template has not been found, Smart create is disabled automatically and Applied settings becomes available. You can open the drop-down list to select any other saved settings. Tekla Structures shows drawing settings located in model, project, and firm folders.
This method is handy especially when you know exactly which saved settings you want to use.
- Clear the check boxes in front of the model objects in the Product list to prevent the creation of drawings for these objects.
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To select the same best matching template or applied settings for several model objects, hold down Shift or Ctrl, select the model objects, and then select the desired best matching template or applied settings in the Create from column.
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Use search to find the desired drawing templates or applied settings.
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Enable or disable the following Object visibility in the list options to control which objects are displayed in the Creation review dialog box:
- Assemblies: Lists selected assemblies.
- Associated parts: Lists selected parts associated to assemblies.
- Associated sub-assemblies. Lists selected sub-assemblies associated to assemblies.
- Parts: Lists all selected parts.
- Objects that have drawings: Lists objects that already have drawings.
- Assemblies: Lists selected assemblies.
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If the drawing name is too long, you will get an error message "Cannot create drawing file. Name is too long." The default drawing name consists of the following: drawing type + position number + sheet number, for example, "A [P.1 - 1]", where P.1 is the position number. The position number might be too long, check the numbering settings. The maximum number of the characters in the drawing name is 32.
Create drawings with Smart create
If you have created drawings in your model already, you can create drawings by using the best matching drawing template automatically detected in the current model. This method is very fast and efficient.
Note:
Smart create does not look for the best matching drawing template for single-part and rebar assembly objects.
- Select objects in the model.
- Enable the Smart create switch only.
- Select Create fabrication drawing on the ribbon, context menu, or contextual toolbar.