Level Symbols in Autodesk Advance Steel

It is often desirable to put a Level Symbol in a General Arrangement drawing to indicate the height of a point above sea level or similar. This can be useful for planning purposes and such like. However, it is good practice to always model your structure at 0,0,0 in the World Coordinates. So how do you get the system to tell you the right height above sea level for a given point? The answer is using Level Symbols correctly.

In the drawing the elevation of a point is indicated using a standard Level Symbol. These can be placed using the insert level Symbol command on the Labels & Dimensions > labels ribbon panel.

Insert Level Symbol

Select the view

Select the point to dimension

Place the symbol text.

These symbols will start off giving the Z coordinate of the selected point in the model. If you modelled at 0,0,0 then this is not likely to be the correct elevation for your structure. You need to set the correct datum for your structure – this is done in the model.

On the Home ribbon tab in the Objects panel is a Leve Symbol command.

This command is different to the other one and is purely for models. Click this and select a point in the model where you know the correct required elevation. Most likely this will be a point on the Finished Floor Level for your ground floor, but you can select any point so long as you know what the correct elevation should be.

For example, in the stair image above the platform is actually at 2400mm Z coordinate and the ground is at 0. I know the platform real elevation should be 31.273m and I place my model level symbol on the corner of the platform.

When placed the properties box displays and shows an absolute level of 2400. You need to calculate the difference between the current absolute level and the desired elevation. I this case that is 28873. Enter that value in the Datum level box on the Global Page. Now the absolute level will read the correct amount.

If you wish you can put multiple level symbol in your model and they will all share the same datum. Any drawing view that is based on one of the Elevation drawing styles (UK Build) that encompasses a level symbol in the model should show a Level Symbol in the drawing automatically.

When you update your existing drawings or create new drawing any levels symbols will now all share the same model datum and show the correct elevation as per the first image of the stairs above.

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