INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW OF

MICROSTATION

By : Mr. Bhardwaj Trivedi

JEC-Mechanical
REAL Jamnagar

19-Aug-2008

INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW OF

MICROSTATION

DAY # 1
Introduction to Microstation
Advantages of using Microstation
Limitations of Microstation
Equivalent commands w.r.t. Auto-Cad
Microstation Manager & Seed files
Overview of Basic commands
Practice session # 1

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INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW OF

MICROSTATION

 Introduction to Microstation
Microstation is a drafting software which works both in 2-D & 3-D
environment.
Microstation (Mst) is a Product of M/s Bentley (U.S.A) supported by
IGDS (Intergraph Design System).
Microstation files are with Extension .dgn.
Microstation is supported by PDS (Plant Design System).
Latest version of Microstation available for commercial use is 7.1.
Origin of Co-ordinates is at the Centre Of Work space.

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INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW OF

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 Advantages of using Microstation

Easy to understand, as compared to other CAD softwares.

Uses comparatively low disk space.

User-friendly tool bars make drafting quicker and easier.

Has a vast library of standard items like flanges, Pipe fittings, Valves,
etc. (optional add-on facility).

Short-cut Keys can be customized in Microstation, unlike Autocad.

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INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW OF

MICROSTATION

 Limitations of Microstation

Micro-Station has limited graphical capacity.

Microstation has only 64 levels (layers) unlike Auto-Cad, which has
got unlimited layers.

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INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW OF

MICROSTATION

 Equivalent commands w.r.t. Auto-Cad

MICROSTATION
TERM

AUTO-CAD TERM

AUTO-CAD TERM

MICROSTATION
TERM

Osnap

Tentative

Pick

Identify

Pick button

Data button

Pick Point

Data point

Pop down menus

Pull down menus

Key-ins

Prototype file

Seed file

Command prompt area

Command window

Purge

Compress

Drawing .dwg file

Design .dgn file

Redraw

Update

Elevation

Active Depth

Rubberbending

Dynamic update

Entity

Element

Style

Font

Entity properties

Element attributes

Units

Working Units

Erase

Delete

View Port

View

Explode

Drop status

Window

Fence

Grips

Handles

X-ref

Reference file

Layer

Level

Line type

Line style

Auto-cad development system

(ADS)

Microstation development
language (MDL)

Attributes

Tags

Block

Cell

Cancel

Reset

Command

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INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW OF

MICROSTATION

 Microstation Manager & Seed file

Create & manage files & directories with Microstation manager.

Go to file menu>new>file name>select directories.

Prototype files with customized settings per Reliance standard are

available in servers for both 2-D & 3-D drawings. These prototype
files are called as seed files. Open required seed file and save as
with file name given earlier.

Fig.1.1 MICROSTATION MANAGER

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MICROSTATION

Fig.1.2 WORK SPACE AFTER CREATING A NEW FILE

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INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW OF

MICROSTATION

 Overview of Basic commands

Button assignment : To configure snapping & reset commands.

Function Keys : For keyboard short-cuts, e.g. F8 can be assigned for

Ortho ON/OFF.

Main tool bar : This tool bar is mainly used to draw any shape
(element), e.g. Lines, Circles, Polygon, Text, etc.

Modify tool bar : This tool bar is for modifying any element, e.g.
Extend, Trim, Chamfer, Fillet, etc.

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INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW OF

MICROSTATION

 Tool bars Main & Modify

Fig.1.3 MAIN TOOL BAR

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Fig.1.4 MODIFY TOOL BAR

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Drawing basic elements like line, circle, polygon, text etc.

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Fig.1.5 LINE TOOL

Fig.1.6 CIRCLE TOOL

Fig.1.7 POLYGON TOOL

Fig.1.8 TEXT TOOL

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 Practice session # 1

Use of main & modify tool bars.

Create the followings:

Line
Circle
Polygon
Text etc.

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DAY # 2
Use of precision Input Key-in
Snapping modes and button bar
Dimensioning
Creation of level (layers)
Practice session # 2

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 Use of precision Input Key-in

Precision Input key-in can be used in place of mouse, to provide

coordinates through key-board, e.g. enter the following in key-in
window:
dx=100,100 (x,y)
di=100,90 (x,)

Fig.2.1 USE OF KEY-IN

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 Snapping modes and button bar

Snapping modes / tools are useful for selection of elements EndPoint, Mid-Point, Intersection, Quadrant, Perpendicular, Tangent, etc.

Fig.2.2 USE OF SNAP TOOL BAR

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 Dimensioning

Dimension tool bar is used for assigning various types of dimensions,

e.g. Linear, Angular, Ordinate dimensions etc.

Fig.2.3 DIMENSIONING TOOL BARS & SETTINGS

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 Creation of level

Level is same as layers in Auto-cad.

Settings like pen settings can be made different in different layers,

e.g. All dimensioning can be kept in one level, centerlines can be kept
in other level. Levels can be switched-off to hide contents in that
level.

There are three alternate layouts, chosen with the display menu Level numbers, Level Names, and Level groups.

Fig.2.4 CREATION OF LEVEL

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Fig.2.5 USE OF LEVEL MANAGER

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 Practice session # 2
Create an object through use of key-in.
Use of snap tool bar.
Create objects and assign dimensions as in Fig.2.3.
Create the following levels:
Out-line
Centre-line
Hidden-line
Text level

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DAY # 3
Use of reference files
Cell / Tag creation & placement
Iplot / Issueplot
Overview on 3-D modeling
Practice session # 3

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 Reference files

Reference files are template files stored in common server for all
sizes. These can be retrieved from path
-\\jamsbr03\22960\\core\mst\all\borders &
\\jamsbr04\25194\zallp\mst\all\borders.

Template files need to be adjusted to required scale.

Fig.3.1 USE OF REFERENCE FILE

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 Cell / Tag files

Cell / Tag files are customized blocks made and kept in library for
future use (like blocks in Auto-cad).

Fig.3.2 USE OF CELL FILE

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 Iplot / Issueplot.

Iplot & Issueplot menus are used for taking plot & generation of HPL
file.

Fig.3.3 USE OF ISSUEPLOT

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Fig.3.4 PREVIEW OF ISSUEPLOT

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 Overview on 3-D modeling

Microstation can also be used for 3-D modeling.

Fig.3.5 SAMPLE 3-D MODELING

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 Practice session # 3

Insert A2 real format by use of reference file.

Create cell file of Hexagonal head stud M24x275 Long, Hexagonal nut
M24 as given Fig.3.6.

Assemble bolt & nut.

Exercises for further practice Refer hand-outs.

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QUESTIONS

?
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EXERCISE # 1
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EXERCISE # 2
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EXERCISE # 3
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EXERCISE # 4
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Thank You
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