ORION 18: 4 THINGS TO CHECK FOR BEFORE REFERENCING A DRAWING FILE FROM ORION

Have you finished your beautifully drawn out plan and want to send it to your Orion model for structural calculations? Here are a few things to note of so that the drawing file doesn't slow down your work or report errors.

1.   Before converting to DXF in the CAD software, make sure that you delete all unnecessary entities. Only LINE, ARC, POLYLINE, LWPOLYLINE AND TEXT are imported into Orion. Anything else should be deleted before conversion from DWG to DXF.

2.   If there are parts of the CAD file that are Block objects, explode them in AutoCAD before trying to import. For this procedure, know that dimensions are also regarded as blocks and should be exploded to lines and texts.





3.   Where a software program like Autodesk ADT is used, which create its own special objects, use AECExplode, which initially generate blocks, then use EXPLODE to break down these blocks before creating the DXF file.

4.   If axis and column lines are part of the drawing being imported, take note of these, in addition to everything above:
a.       The CAD files must have the same unit as the graphic editor (the Orion software.)
b.       Axes must be drawn using ‘Line’ entities in the CAD software
c.       Columns must be drawn using ‘Polyline’ entities.
d.       Wall and column members must be grouped in a single layer.

For the tutorial on sending a CAD file to Orion, Click here