VectorWorks Machine Design Workspace

When a VectorWorks Design Series product is launched by double-clicking the application in Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Macintosh), the Default.sta template file opens with predefined settings which vary slightly between products.

If only one Design Series product is installed, the default template file for that product is loaded. If multiple Design Series products are installed, the VectorWorks Architect Default.sta file is loaded. See Creating a New File for information on opening a different template.

The Machine Design default template opens with the following predefined settings:

File > Document Settings > Units are set to inches on the General Display tab

Decimal rounding is set to three decimal places

Design layer scale is 1:1

Machine Design shares many of the same menus as VectorWorks while adding several menus and commands. The following table shows menu commands that are in the Machine Design workspace (Tools > Workspace > Machine Design) but not the standard VectorWorks workspace:

 

Submenus and Commands Specific to the Machine Design Workspace
File menu Document Settings Drawing Setup Import Import PartSpec Import PDF Import 3DS (3D only) Import SketchUp Export Export PDF Export PDF (Batch) Export 3DS (3D only) Export KML (3D only) Batch Print   View menu Rendering Sketch Sketch Options Rotate Plan Create Section Viewport	Modify menu Convert Convert to Viewport   Machine Design menu Create Multiple Views Spring Calculator Shaft Analysis Simple Beam Calculator Draw Cam Diagrams Simple Beam Simple Beam Analysis Conversion Factors Solution of Triangles Belt Length Calculator Chain Length Calculator Control Values for Keys Centroid 3D Properties Create 3D Object from 2D	Tools menu Reports Create Bill of Materials Create Parts List Scripts VS Compiler Mode Utilities Reset All Plug-Ins Workspaces Machine Design   Text menu Convert Old Notes to New Add Text to Database Reconcile Notes Redlines Show or Hide Redlines Pick up Redline Restore Redline Create Redline Status WS   Window menu Palettes Navigation

Machine Design-specific Tool Sets

The Machine Design workspace contains the standard VectorWorks tool palettes and tool sets, including 2D and 3D tools. In addition, there are tool sets and tools unique to Machine Design.

Many Machine Design tools are documented only in the VectorWorks help system, in the Design Series volume. These tools are indicated with an asterisk ( * ) in the following table.

 

Tool Sets and Tools Specific to the Machine Design Workspace
Hardware Inch/Metric tool set *Acorn Nut (Inch) - 2D, 3D *Clevis Pin (Inch, Metric) - 2D, 3D *Cotter Pin (Inch) - 2D, 3D *Dowel Pin (Inch) - 2D, 3D *Eye Bolt - 2D, 3D *Fastener tool (ASME Inch, ASME Metric) - places Lock Washer, Nut, Plain Washer, Screw and Nut, Set Screw, Shoulder Screw - 2D, 3D *J-Bolt - 2D, 3D *Knurled Thumb Nut (Inch) - 2D, 3D *Retaining Ring (ASME) - 2D, 3D *Rivet - Small, Large (Inch) - 2D, 3D *Swing Bolt - 2D, 3D *Swing Eye Bolt - 2D, 3D *T-Bolt - 2D, 3D *Taper Pin (Inch) - 2D, 3D *Thumb Screw (Inch) - 2D, 3D *U-Bolt - 2D, 3D *Wing Nut - Type A, B, C, D (Inch) - 2D, 3D   Welding Symbols tool set *Leader Line *Surface Texture Symbol *Welding Sym-Fillet, Flange, Groove, Misc, Slot-Plug (AWS, ISO)	Hardware ISO/DIN tool set *Clevis Pin (DIN) - 2D, 3D *Fastener tool (DIN, ISO) - places Lock Washer, Nut, Plain Washer, Screw and Nut, Set Screw, Shoulder Screw - 2D, 3D *Hex Cap Nut (DIN) - 2D, 3D *Knurled Thumb Nut (DIN) - 2D, 3D *Parallel Pin (DIN) - 2D, 3D *Retaining Ring (DIN) - 2D, 3D *Retaining Washer (DIN) - 2D, 3D *Rivet (DIN) - 2D, 3D *Taper Pin (DIN) - 2D, 3D *Tubular Rivet (DIN) - 2D, 3D *Wing Nut (DIN) - 2D, 3D   Bearings tool set *Ball Bearing - 2D, 3D *Bearing Lock Nut - 2D, 3D *Flanged Bearing - 2 Hole, 4 Hole - 2D, 3D *Needle Bearing - 2D, 3D *Pillow Block - 2D, 3D *Roller Bearing - 2D, 3D *Tapered Roller Bearing - 2D, 3D *Thrust Bearing - 2D, 3D	Springs tool set *Belleville Spring - 2D, 3D *Compression Spring 1, 2 - 2D, 3D *Conical Compression Spring - 2D, 3D *Die Spring - 2D, 3D *Extension Spring - Front, End - 2D *Extension Spring - 3D *Torsion Spring - Front, End - 2D *Torsion Spring - 3D   Machine Components tool set *Bevel Gears - 2D, 3D *Hub - 3D *Key - 2D, 3D *Pulley - 2D, 3D *Roller Chain - Circular, Linear, Offset Link - 2D, 3D *Shaft - 2D, 3D *Sprocket - 2D, 3D *Spur Gear - 2D, 3D *Spur Gear Rack - 2D, 3D *Threaded Shaft -2D, 3D *Woodruff Key - 2D, 3D *Worm - 2D, 3D *Worm Gear - 2D, 3D
Furn/Fixtures tool set Base Cabinet Desk Shelving Unit Table and Chairs Utility Cabinet Wall Cabinet Workstation Counter Workstation Overhead Workstation Panel Workstation Pedestal   Detailing tool set *Hole - Drilled - 2D, 3D *Hole - Tapped (Inch, Metric) *Hole Pattern *Keyway *Screw Threads *Shaft Break 2	Building Shell tool set Campanile Column Door Duplicate Symbol in Wall Parking Spaces Ramp Remove Wall Breaks tool Round Wall tool Stair Wall tool Wall Join tool Window   Visualization tool set Human Figure tool	Dims/Notes tool set *Center Line Marker Datum Feature Symbol Datum Target Symbol Detail Bubble Feature Control Frame General Notes tool Geom Dim and Tol Note *Material Note North Arrow Redline tool Revision Bubble *Section Note Stipple