Creating Slab Components

Slab components define the sections that make up a slab. For example, to indicate that a slab is made up of gypsum board ceiling, wood framing, and a plywood deck, define a component for each of these items to illustrate their location. Slab components can be offset from the edges of the walls (automatically bounded edges) or the edge of the slab (manual edges); each edge can have a unique offset setting, as needed. Components’ appearance can be specified for cross-section views, and they can be textured, creating realistic section views and rendered views, as well as accurate slab material estimates. The area and volume of slab components (minus any holes cut) can be calculated in worksheets; see Worksheet Functions).

The overall thickness of a slab is equal to the sum of its components. Component fill and pen style are only displayed in section viewports.

To define slab components prior to drawing the slab:

1. Click the tool and click Preferences.

The Slab Preferences dialog box opens.

2. On the Definition tab, click New.

The Slab Component Settings dialog box opens.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter	Description
Definition
Name	Provide a name for the component, which displays in the Components list in the Slab Preferences dialog box
Function	Specifies a function for the component, to be included in IFC exports
Class	To control appearance and visibility, select a class from the list of classes present in the drawing, or create a new class. Select <Object Class> to place the component attributes in the same class as the slab object.
Thickness	Specifies the component’s thickness; the thickness of a slab is the sum of its components. A component must have a thickness greater than 0.
Lambda	Indicates the lambda value for the slab component. The lambda value participates in energy analysis calculation parameters for the slab component. Vectorworks Architect is required to conduct an energy analysis; however, energy-related parameters can be specified here for informational purposes.
Look Up	Opens the Look Up Lambda Value dialog box, to specify the lambda value. The value can be calculated based on the U-value or R-value and the component thickness; the calculated value is displayed. Alternatively, lambda values are provided for typical component materials; select the component material with its predefined lambda value. Filter the displayed list by entering a filter term; click Edit List to enter the value manually.
Edge Offset	The method of offsetting the component from the edge of the slab depends on whether the edges are automatically bounded with walls or drawn manually. The settings on this dialog box establish the default offsets for new slabs and edges. The offsets for existing edges can be edited individually by Setting Edge Offsets. The edge offset setting displays for each component in the component list on the Definition tab of the Slab Preferences dialog box.
Auto-Bound	Sets the component edge to the inner or outer face of the wall, outer face of the inner wall component, inner face of the outer wall component, or inner face/outer face/center of the wall component designated as the core component. Set the component’s additional Offset amount, if any.
Manual	Specifies the offset of the component from the edge of the slab
Master Snap Points	Sets the location of any master snap points for the component. A master snap point takes priority over other object snap points; add master snap points to the top or bottom of components where priority snapping is desirable. For example, when dimensioning slabs, you may wish to easily place the dimension witness line on the top of a specific component. See Concept: Snapping Indicators.
Top of Component/ Bottom of Component	Select the option to enable a master snap point location on either the top or bottom, or on both the top and bottom of the component
Section Fill	Specifies the component appearance in section views. Select a fill style, or Class Style to set the fill attributes by class. Depending on the Style selected, select a color, pattern, or resource (hatch, image, gradient, tile). Use a tile fill with Fit to Wall selected to represent insulation fill. See Defining Tiles.
Section Pen	Specifies the component appearance in section views. Select a pen style, or Class Style to set pen attributes by class. Depending on the Style selected, select a color, pattern, or line type resource.
Thickness	Select the line thickness; to use a custom thickness, select Set Thickness from the line thickness list (see Line Thickness Attributes)
Texture	Applies the selected texture to the component. Class Texture sets the component to use the texture specified by the component’s class; see Applying Object and Component Textures by Class. If Texture is chosen, this setting overrides the object class texture; from the Resource Selector, double-click a texture to apply it.
Make All Attributes By Class	Sets all fill, pen, and texture attributes by class
Remove By Class Settings	Removes all class settings for fill, pen, and texture attributes

3. Click OK to create the component and return to the Slab Preferences dialog box.

The slab’s Overall Thickness value changes to be determined by its components. As components are defined, they display in the preview. Click and drag a component in the # column to change its order. Determine which component is the datum component by clicking in the Datum column. Set the datum to the top or bottom of the component.

4. To save the component settings with the slab settings as a slab style, click Save Preferences as Slab Style.

Once created, the components of a selected slab can be edited by clicking Components from the Object Info palette.

Defining Components for Existing Slabs

To define or edit slab components for an existing, unstyled slab:

1. Select the slab.

2. From the Object Info palette, click Components.

Since the components are part of a slab style’s definition, the components of a styled slab cannot be edited unless Edit Style or Convert to Unstyled Slab is first selected from the Style list.

The Slab Components dialog box opens.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter	Description
Preview	Displays a preview of the slab structure, including the defined components
Overall Thickness	The thickness of a slab with components is defined by the sum of the component thicknesses
Datum	Select whether the datum is applied to the top or bottom of the designated component; the indicator in the Datum column updates accordingly
Drainage	Select whether the slab is of uniform thickness or has a tapered component to assist with drainage. Click in the Tapered column to designate the tapered component.
Components	Lists the components that form the structure of the slab, in order from top to bottom as displayed in the preview. To change the order of a component, click and drag within the # column. If multiple components are selected, changing the order moves all selected components to the new location.
Datum	Click in the column to designate the datum component. An indicator in the column either points towards the top or bottom, to show that the datum is placed on the top or the bottom of the component. To change the datum to be at the top or bottom, either click on the indicator to switch the placement, or click Top of Component or Bottom of Component under Datum at the top of the dialog box.
Tapered	If Tapered Component is selected in the Drainage section of the dialog box, click in the column to designate which component is tapered. The bottom surface of the designated component is flat, and the top surface is tapered to incorporate the drainage. All components above and below the tapered component are of uniform thickness to maintain the taper that the designated component brings to the overall slab.
Other Component settings	The remaining columns in the component list display the current settings for the slab, from the Slab Component Settings dialog box. If the slab is a hardscape slab, some architectural parameters do not apply.
New	Opens the Slab Component Settings dialog box to define the components of the slab as described previously in this section
Edit	Opens the Slab Component Settings dialog box to edit the attributes of one or more selected components; changes are made to all selected components. Alternatively, to edit a single component, double-click the component to open the Slab Component Settings dialog box.
Duplicate	Duplicates one or more selected slab components; the duplicates are added to the component list right below the originally selected components; the slab thickness is adjusted accordingly
Delete	Deletes one or more selected slab components; the slab thickness is adjusted accordingly

3. Click New or Edit, and define or edit the components as described in Creating Slab Components.

The new component definition is applied to the selected slab.

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Concept: Resource Libraries

The Attributes Palette

Defining Tiles

Setting Class Properties

Slab Properties

Creating Slabs

Creating Slab Styles

Using Slab Styles

Editing Slab Geometry

Energos Energy Analysis Module

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