Component calculation

StoPanel Designer Component Calculations Video

All the elements inserted into a project will be quantified. We will look at a report and then dive into how it quantified each element and how we can change it.

1. Ensure you are currently in Model View by selecting the Model tab at the bottom.
2. Select Tools>Analyze>Generate Project Estimate.
3. The Generate Project Estimate dialog box appears and lists the materials used in the model. At the top of the dialog box, change the template to Sto Panel Estimate.

The items are organized by panel. Listing the material, count, and, if applicable, the product’s length, area, and/or volume. Each material also lists the edge and opening values.

4. Select Exit.

Next, we will explore where the material and its quantities came from and how we can customize it if needed.

Wall Components

The catalog panel, in Model view, contains various wall types. However, this feature’s flexibility extends beyond the existing options—you can expand the list by adding new wall types as they are developed.

Ensure you are in Model View.

1. Select Insert>Walls>Walls or select the Walls icon.

The catalog panel to the right will update and show walls.

2. Select the StoPanel Classic Next ci – 31237 wall, right-click, and select Copy Element.

We will use the existing wall as a basis for a new one while exploring the components and quantifiable elements.

3. Under the Basic tab, at the top of the dialog box, change the name to StoPanel Classic NExT ci – Hamilton S9.68255
4.  Under the Properties, select the Layout option and click the Select button beside it.

The Layout dialog compiles each layer of the wall together. Each component listed on the left which is part of the wall layout, has quantifiable properties.

5. Select the Exterior Layer>Glass Mat Gypsum Sheathing on the left list of finishes.

The properties of the Glass Mat Gypsum Sheathing will appear in the middle, and a green highlight will indicate where the material sits in the cross-section to the right.

6. Under Properties, in the middle of the dialog box, the first property listed is the actual component product. When you highlight Select Component, select the button in that row.

The Catalog Access dialog box appears and lists individual components. Each of the components has quantitative properties.

7. Highlight the Glass Mat Gypsum Sheathing, right-click, and select Edit Element.
8. The Components dialog box appears. Select the Quantity tab.

The quantity information for the sheathing is listed. The Quantity information on the left reflects how the sheathing will appear in a component list.

• Manufacturer and Supplier is a simple text option that reflects the origin of the material.
• Each component can have a Price based on the Unit of Measure.
• Phase, Category, Division, and Usage are ways to sort the components in a component list. Each option includes an unexhaustive list that can place the component strategically in a list.
• Part No is the unique number given to the component that can be used to order the product. Often also referred to as a SKU number.
• AltCode sorts items using an equation to further organize the data in a list. For example, a material can be organized by its “Phase” of “Exterior Finish” and also by its location, “Ground Floor,” by creating an AltCode equation that sorts by both.
• Unit of Measure is particularly important. The Unit of Measure will automatically calculate the amount of product based on the unit selected.

9. Click on the current option listed beside Unit of Measurement. A button with three dots will appear beside the option. Click on it.
10. The Unit of Measurement dialog box will appear. The units are organized into Groups, so you can easily find the required unit.

Each unit listed has a name that can be set to any value. The Quantify information will automatically calculate the count, length, area, or volume of the product. The Unit Scale sets it to the appropriate units.

11. Click OK to exit the Unit of Measure dialog box.

The next options deal with what part of the component is quantifiable.

• Include in Quantities. If checked, the material will appear in the component list. If unchecked, it is visible but not quantifiable.
• Replace with Assemblies. If checked the product name at the top of the dialog box will not be included in the quantity, but the list of assembled components on the right will. The component is a vehicle to acquire the assembled products only.

To the right of the dialog, assemblies will be listed. Assemblies are parts or non-graphical items linked to an element but do not physically exist in the model. For example, a wall has nails and screws used to construct the wall. Those will be put in an assembly. You don’t want to have to draw them, but they are important for quantity data. If an element has assemblies attached to it in its properties, those assemblies will be reported in the project estimate here on the right.

12. To create a new assembly, select Edit > Add Assembly or right-click in the Assembly pane and select Add Assembly.

The Assembly dialog box appears. Here, you can organize all the items required but not drawn to erect this component of the wall. The top section defines Groups to organize the assemblies. You may have hardware or an aesthetic finish like paint you want to add to keep them organized and easy to find. You can organize them into Groups.

13. Right-click on the Groups area and select Add Group.
14. Type Adhesives and then click in the group area to set it.

In the bottom section, entitled Assembly, the assemblies are listed.

15. Right-click and select Add Assembly.
16. Replace the name with StoGuard Fabric
17. Beneath the name, you can assemble a list of required products every time you install Glass Mat Gypsum Sheathing. Each product will have a formula to calculate the amount you need per component.
18. Click the Add button.
19. The Catalog Access dialog box appears. This is the complete library of all components. Find Parts>Fasteners.
20. Right-click on the first fastener listed and select Add Item.
21. The Parts dialog box appears where we can describe the item that we need when constructing the wall.
22. At the top of the dialog box, type StoGuard Fabric
23. Set the following Quantity settings:
24. Click OK.

1. Manufacturer – Sto.
2. Supplier – Sto
3. Phase  – Exterior Finishes
4. Category – Parts
5. Division – 03150
6. Part No. – 80207
7. Usage – Adhesive
8. Unit of Measurement – EA
9. Include in Quantities – check it.

This will create a new StoGuard Fabric product that we can use in the assembly. In the Edit Assembly dialog, we must create a formula to calculate how many rolls of fabric we need.

25. To define a formula for calculating the quantity of the item, click in the item’s Calculated Quantity field, then click the button that appears in the row.

The Define Formula dialog box appears where we can create the formula. The formula will appear in the window at the top of the dialog box as you create it. It is important to note that you must only use the Variables listed in the dialog box. Click on a variable or an operator to add it to the formula window. The variables for each type of product will be different. For walls, it has Area, Counts, corners, Lengths, Volumes, and Thicknesses.

26. Using the variables and operators on screen, set the formula to: ((((Length / 4) * Height) + (Height / 8 * Length)) + (Opening Edge Length + Total Edge Length)) / 6
27. Ensure the Length Input is set to Feet.
28. Click OK.

Back at the Edit Assembly dialog box, the unit of measure in the Units field will appear after the quantity is calculated in the project estimate. This is taken from the Unit of Measure field on the part’s Quantity property page.

To assign a usage to the item, click in the Usage field and select from the drop box. Choices are From Part, From Parent, and Library. If From Part is selected, the Usage assigned to the part on its Quantity property page is used. If From Parent is selected, the Usage assigned to the element to which the assembly is attached will be used. If you select Library in the Usage field, the Usages dialog will appear, and you can assign any usage you want to the item.

To assign a phase to the item, click in the Phase field and select from the drop box. The choices for Phase are the same as those for Usage: From Part, From Parent, and Library.

29. After defining the assembly, click OK to save your changes.
30. Ensure the StoGuard Fabric is selected in the Assembly dialog and click OK.
31. It is now attached to the Glass Mat Gypsum Sheathing. Every time it is ordered, StoGuard Fabric will be ordered. Click OK.

Back at the Catalog Access dialog, each component listed will quantify if attached to a panel. Each has the ability to have assemblies attached to it to quantify non graphical elements that are part of the panel’s construction.

32. Click OK to accept the Glass Mat Gypsum Sheathing and changes made to it.
33. Click OK in the Layout tab.
34. Click OK in the Walls dialog box.

The wall will quantify when panels are created and each component has the ability to add extra products.