Wall Panels
Framer
In model-based wall panels, you can edit all the parts of a wall panel directly in the framing model or the floor plan drawing. You can start designing the wall panels in the product model generated in the architectural planning. This model is used for generating the framing model.
After finishing the wall panels, you can use them to create panel drawings. You can import different views of a wall panel into one drawing. The changes to the model are updated to the panel drawing when you open the drawing next.
The alternative method is Classic Wall Panels. Using this method, an individual panel drawing for editing a wall panel is generated for each wall panel. All the wall panel data is saved in the panel drawing. Based on the panel drawings, you can create a 3D frame model. However, the changes made in the model are not updated to the panel drawings.
Wall Panel Design Rules
The wall panels are designed according to customer-specific design rules that are defined in several different sources:
- Project Parameters
In the project parameters, you can define default values such as the default lengths for wall panels, the default corner details, the default starting point of stud positioning, etc.
- Architectural Model
The height of a wall in the architectural model determines the height of a wall panel. The height of the wall, in turn, is determined by the wall properties and the height levels:
- The bottom and top height are determined for each structural layer of the wall in the wall properties.
- The bottom and top edge position of a wall are attached to the nearest height levels in the model. When moving the height levels, the bottom and top edge of the wall are adjusted accordingly.
- Wall Structure Parameters
The structure parameters are defined separately for the frame, sheathing, horizontal batten, sub frame and siding layers. A framing tool that defines the design rules has been determined for each layer in the wall library. You can change the framing tool of a wall layer before creating the panel breaks by editing the wall properties. Once you have generated the panel breaks, you can change the tool and edit its parameters. Always recreate the panel pieces when you have changed or edited a tool. The framing tool parameters override the default values defined in the project parameters.
Edit the Framing Tools of More than One Structure
Edit the Framing Tool of a Layer
Until version 18.0, the software utilized a method in which the panel design rules were defined for the entire wall structure as a whole. You can still open projects designed with version 18.0 or older and continue the design process. You can use either the old, non-layered method or the layer-specific method for designing the wall panels:
- When you open a project with wall panels designed with version 18.0 or previous versions, the old, non-layered panel design method will be used.
- You can enable the new, layer-specific method by defining framing tools for the layers. This requires that the walls are layered walls (the layered wall library was implemented in version 16.0). If you define a framing tool for a layer other than the frame layer, the layer-specific method will be enabled for the entire panel. In this case, the old sheathing and sub frame specifications will not work. They must be defined for each layer specifically, using the framing tools. If the layered method is enabled, the wall panels can no longer be designed with the old method.
- Framing Pieces of a Trapezoid Window
You can frame parts around a trapezoid window in two ways: according to the actual points of the opening or in the shape of a rectangle around the opening. The method to be used is defined in the system settings.
Framing Model
In most cases, the wall panels are created in the framing model. You can open the framing model from the project document browser, for example.
You can set the building components such as beams and columns added to the architectural model also visible in the framing model.
Open a Drawing-model Pair of a Frame
Set the Visibility of a Building Component in Drawing-Model Pairs
Panel Macros
You can prepare the walls for panel design by adding parametric macros to the walls, such as break points, extra studs, beam pockets and electrical symbols.
Panel Layout
When you add the panel breaks, the program generates the geometry defining the shape of the panels, or the space reservations, to the framing model. After generating the panel breaks, you can still rotate corners, change corner details, move wall panel break points and create an individual wall panel.
Panel Label Offset From Wall In the Floor Plan
Move the Break Point of a Panel
Edit the Edge Detail of a Wall Panel
You can edit the shape of a wall panel or an individual structural layer in the framing model before generating parts. You can edit the layers in the framing model by using the same functions you can use for editing horizontal structures. You can, for example, move the edge of a structural layer, cut the edge, add points to the edge or move the edge points. You can merge two panels with the function for merging areas, or divide a panel into two parts with the function for clipping horizontal structures.
Default Frame Origin
Panel Numbering
Wall Panel Parts
After finishing the panel breaks and shaping the wall panels, you can generate the panel parts: studs, battens, sheathings, sidings. There are several ways of hiding and showing wall panels and their parts in the framing model.
Hide and Show Panels in a Framing Model
Define an Exceptional Mounting Method for a Part
Edit Parts
You can stretch the studs and nailers generated in the framing model by dragging the grip points at their end points. You can move the edge of a sheet by moving the mid-point grip, or change the shape of a sheet by moving the corner point grips.
Moving a Sheet Edge by the Grip Point
You can move, copy and delete parts in a framing model using general object editing functions. The changes will be updated automatically in the floor plan drawing.
Copy an Object within a Drawing/Model
Moving an Object within a Drawing/Model
Studs and nailers are profile structures that can be edited using profile editing tools as well. You can add a new profile from the profile library, or you can cut and trim profiles.
Move the End of a Profile by a Grip Point
Edit the framing tools to change the stud spacing and sheathing sheet size, for example. Always recreate the panel pieces when you have changed or edited a tool.
If you move a window, door or electrical symbol from one wall panel to another, the change is not updated in the floor plan drawing, framing model or wall panel drawing automatically. To update the change, connect the opening or the electrical symbol to the new panel, regenerate the parts and create or update the panel drawing.
Other editing functions include:
Select a Special Framing Detail for an Opening
Adding Framing Data to a Macro
Panel Drawings
A panel drawing shows different views of the panel and schedules of the panel parts. The panel drawing is based on the selected template drawing. By editing the properties of the panel drawing view, you can change the scale of the view as well as choose which parts are shown in the view and the drawing properties. You can add new views and dimension lines to the panel drawing.
Change the Panel Viewing Direction
Wall Panel Weight to a Panel Drawing
Panel Stacking
You can create stack diagrams and stack diagram drawings of panels.