Build Grid
Overview
The Build Grid module is a powerful tool for constructing arbitrary 3D ground electrode configurations, whether simple or complex.
The Professional edition of SafeGrid allows below or above-ground conductors to be specified.
Grids can be built using built-in editing tools, or custom grids can be imported from CAD files.
Grid XY preview
This display illustrates the 3D grid in the X-Y (top-down 2D) plane and the dimensions.
You can select segments from the grid preview by left-clicking the mouse. You can left-click and drag the cursor whilst holding the left mouse button to select multiple segments (dragging left or right affects the selection).
Right-click segments with the mouse to modify or set their properties. Scroll the mouse wheel to zoom in/out. Hold down the mouse wheel to pan.
Grid scale and total number of segments
Used to set the grid scale. 'Fit area' will stretch the grid to fit the drawing area, whereas 'Equal scaling' will reflect the actual aspect ratio of the grid. The total number of segments is displayed.
The total number of segments displayed does not consider the additional segments added during the main calculations in Display Results.
Grid operations
Used to manually alter the grid by in-built drawing functions; and import grid from CAD file or export grid as DXF file.
New Grid - Opens the Build new grid window to create a new standard grid shape which you can modify. Note it can be a below ground (positive depth Z) or above ground (negative depth Z) grid.
Import CAD - Opens the Import grid from CAD file window, which allows you to import a grid that has been drawn in CAD and saved in DXF (ASCII) file format.
Export - Export grid as DXF file where tags will be used as layer names.
Snap Tools—This opens the Snap Tools window, which allows you to enable different snap tools to help you add or modify the segments.
Drawing Tools – 19 new drawing functions are provided to help you edit the grid. Refer to the Drawing tools summary page to explain each drawing tool.
Undo – Reverses the last operation or multiple operations performed on the grid and reverts to the previous state.
Select and view options
View—Change the view between 2D Grid View, Conductor Type view and Orthographic view.
The Conductor Types view allows you to visualise the Conductor types of the segments in the drawing space.
The Orthographic view allows the grid to be viewed and edited in 3D. Rods and segments can now be clicked in the ZX and the ZY planes.
Tags Manager—Opens the Tags Manager window, which allows you to add, remove and edit the tags. You are also able to include or exclude tags for calculations. Note that segments with tags excluded from calculations will be hidden in the Grid XY preview and not be used for calculation.
Edit mode—Change the edit modes: edit grid segments together with background segments, edit grid segments only or edit background segments only.
Properties and overlapping errors
Properties
These controls display the properties of the currently selected segment (which are numbered).
Conductor type—Choose the conductor type defined under Design Settings. Conductor types are settable from the Design Settings window.
Insulated, Faulted, Background—Specify whether a segment is faulted or displayed as a background segment. In the Design Settings module, define whether a conductor type is insulated.
Tag name—Create and assign tags to segments.
Coordinates—Change the segment coordinates.
Rod (indicator only)—Determined by whether the segment alignment is vertical (exact start and end X and Y coordinates with different start and end Z coordinates) and if it is below ground (buried).
Overlapping errors
The segment numbers for the overlapping segments are listed. Input the index in Selected to quickly locate the overlapping segments in the drawing for further investigation.