Add Custom Structured Frame

The Custom Structured Frame tool allows you to create your own standard of Frames that can be used in the Structure Part design process to create a Structured Frame. The tool is based off a 2D/3D parametric curve that can be used to enter sizing options for a given standard.

 

Create a Parametric 2D/3D Sketch

  1. First, create a 2D Sketch or 3D Curve.

  2. Add Dimensional Constraints to drive the size of the shape.

  3. Save the file in a directory with a name that you can reference in later steps.

Creating a Custom Structured Frame Standard

  1. Select the Add Custom Structured Frame Tool from the Structured Part Ribbon Bar

  2. In the resulting dialog, select Add Standard and Give a Name for the Standard (or Family) and select ok.

  3. Next, Select Add Shape and specify a Shape Name. You can have multiple different shapes for a standard. For example: ISO could have Pipe, Square Tube, etc shape names.

  4. Select Add Profile and select the profile that you created in the steps above.

    If desired, create a PNG, JPG, or BMP file and Select "Select Preview Picture" and select this as an image to use for visual reference.

  5. Next, Select "Add Sizing Data". By default, this will put the parameter names from the shape and add them to a table (one column for each driving parameter). You can manually set the values and add new rows for additional values. Note: These values are in the millimeter units.

    Note: You can also export to excel to input the values or input the values from an excel file. Using an excel file will also allow you to add a Name Designator column to uniquely name each row. By default, if this is not set, it will construct the name based on the size data used.

  6. Select OK to save the Standard and its data.

Using a Custom Structured Frame Standard

  1. Once you have a standard created, you can start the Insert Structured Frame Tool on the Structured Part Ribbon.

  2. In the Standard drop down, select the Custom Structured Frame you created.

  3. Select the Shape and select the size.

  4. Select the Path

  5. Select green check mark to create the frame.

Notes:

  • The Custom Structured Frame data is stored in AppData\Local\IronCAD\IRONCAD\25.0\en-us\CustomStructuredFrame. This will contain the Shape File (.ics), Image for Preview (.BMP), and a XML File. The XML File can be edited as well to alter the values outside of IronCAD.

  • You can share the contends of this folder to other users machines to build and use the standard on multiple machines.