What Is an ACA Curtain Wall?
AutoCAD, from the developers at Autodesk, is a long-running series of 2D and 3D design software for computer-aided drafting. AutoCAD Architecture, often dubbed ACA, offers a software version specifically tailored to architects, allowing them to digitally render sections, elevations and even wall dimensions. The curtain wall object is one of ACA's many design tools. Does this Spark an idea?
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Basics
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In the architectural world the term “curtain wall” refers to a protective wall, often thin and made of metal and glass that doesn't sustain the structure of a building or bear the roof load. AutoCAD Architecture's curtain wall object, which has been around since the software's beginnings as Architectural Desktop, allows users to digitally insert this architectural element into designs. This object kit includes parts such as frames, mullions, infills and divisions, all of which work in conjunction with door and window assemblies in ACA. The curtain wall object is extremely customizable, making it a versatile but often difficult tool to use.
Use
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Like door and window objects, ACA's curtain wall object comes as a three-piece kit known in the program as “Element Definitions.” Divisions – automatically fixed at every 13 feet or under the manual control of the user – establish the horizontal and vertical elements, or grids, within the wall. Infills determine what happens inside the division spacing. Types of infills include windows, doors and panels. Frames surround the grids, while ancillary mullions appear at every grid line.
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Types
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Preset curtain wall styles in ACA include the standard mass base wall with a 4-by-4 grid, walls with pointed vertical mullions, walls with precast panels, walls that feature wide-flanged vertical mullions and even walls with stone infills and revolving doors. Custom objects allow ACA users to create a virtually unlimited number of varying curtain walls. To create custom curtain walls, users must first digitally sketch the wall, assign a color to each grid and define the definitions, frames and mullions.
Tips
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Always adjust the sometimes unwieldy default size of frames and mullions to suit your project. You can convert existing walls into curtain walls or use curtain walls in a non-traditional fashion. For instance, curtain walls serve as a convenient infill for custom window assemblies with curved tops. Import all of ACA's curtain wall styles into the program before use to give yourself as many options as possible.
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References
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