topic Re: hand rails in Libraries & objects

!Restored: hand rails

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 21:01:27 GMT

I am trying to place metal handrails (for ADA) on stairs and ramps, any body have a clue how i could show this? They need to stick out beyond the stair or ramp

Re: hand rails

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 21:46:12 GMT

ASH,
If you had CadImage's Profiler you could make this handrail.
You could script it in GDL or you can make one using
complex profiles and the beam tool.
I just made a sloped hand rail with ends that returned to the
wall by drawing a fill the shape of a 2" dia. circle and pasting
it into the complex profile editor and selecting the beam tool
to use the shape. The beam tool can make a sloped beam
so it can follow a stair or ramp.
Peter Devlin

Re: hand rails

Laura Yanoviak — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 22:37:48 GMT

Unfortunately, none of the stair tools out there allow for ADA requirements (not ArchiStair, StairBuilder, StairMaker nor the Stair Objects). I experimented with CadImages Profiler and the Trussmaker tool (both work OK) but have resorted to creating a "Simple Handrail" Object.

(if anyone can tell me how to fillet the corner with a radius...)

Re: hand rails

Laura Yanoviak — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 00:23:45 GMT

P.S. This object was "inspired" by "Rail Tube 10" from the AOL, which may very well suit your needs.

Re: hand rails

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 01:24:31 GMT

Laura,
Look at the code for the example TUBE in the GDL manual
to see how to code the path to make an arc.
This is all you need to "fillet the corner with a radius".
Peter Devlin

Re: hand rails

Aussie John — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 03:51:09 GMT

Peter wrote:
Laura,
Look at the code for the example TUBE in the GDL manual
to see how to code the path to make an arc.
This is all you need to "fillet the corner with a radius".
Peter Devlin

As far as I know tubes can only follow straight line paths so arcs need to be segmented.

Re: hand rails

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 04:46:04 GMT

John,
You are correct.
I should have been more precise and said "approximates an arc
with mitered straight segments".
Peter Devlin

Re: hand rails

Laura Yanoviak — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 15:49:08 GMT

Peter wrote:
Laura,
Look at the code for the example TUBE in the GDL manual
to see how to code the path to make an arc.
This is all you need to "fillet the corner with a radius".
Peter Devlin

That I did, and I understood it to a point, and then was totally lost (I wish the example was easier to follow).

Re: hand rails

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 19:15:49 GMT

Hello Laura,
I know exactly what you mean.
I just looked at that code again and "was totally lost".
When I was learning the TUBE command I re-wrote
the example so that I could understand it and to make
it parametric. Instead of using some arbitrary dimension
I, for example, used the variable "R" to stand for the radius
of the "arc". The attachment is this object and hopefully
the code is more clear than the code in the manual.
Peter Devlin

Re: hand rails

Aussie John — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 22:20:16 GMT

the cross section of the tube is defined (like a poly shape), then the path it follows is defined as xyz coordinates. The cross section can twist as it follows the path as well but from most instances stays at 0

The thing to note is the first and last sections of the path are always invisible and are used to define the angle of end mitres (ie if the path continues along the same line the end will be square, if goes off at 90º will have 45º mitre.)

Re: hand rails

Anonymous — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 05:09:44 GMT

Hello Laura,
I edited a copy or your simple handrail object so that
the ends return to the wall in an "arc".
see attachment
One thing I don't know is, does the ADA code require that
the handrail overhang or extension be measured from
the termination at the wall or at the start of the straight
part of the extension.
In my code, the extension goes from the start of the
straight part to the termination at the wall so
the curved part is within the code required extension.
If the ADA code does not allow this, you will have to
fix this in the GDL code.
Peter Devlin