` Import of a Ground Grid in AutoCAD to ETAP

` Steps Involved

` Requirements of AutoCAD drawing

` Creating
g the ETAP XML File

` Importing the ETAP XML File into an ETAP Project

` Example

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 Select & Export
entitles representing
Ground Grid in conductors and rod
AutoCAD Drawing
( DWG) File
(.DWG)

.XML file with Import .XML

conductor and File into ETAP
rod
d llocation
ti and
d
dimensions
NEW ETAP Ground
G id IIn P
Grid i
Presentation
in FEM mode

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 Step 1: Modify AutoCAD drawing to map with ETAP
compatible
ibl elements
l

Step 2: Create an ETAP Extended Markup Language

(XML) file from AutoCAD

Step 3: Import the ETAP XML file into an ETAP project

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 ` Modification is required to map earthing layout in AutoCAD
drawing with ETAP compatible elements.

` Earth mat conductors shall be Lines.

` Locations of rods (Earth Pit) shall be Circle.

` Rods shall be located at exact locations (which may be

shown at the side of conductors as a normal practice)

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 AutoCAD Entity ETAP Ground Grid Element
Line One conductor
Polyline One or more conductors
Polygon 3-1024 conductors
Rectangle
l 4 conductors
d
Revision Cloud One or more conductors
Circle One rod
Ellipse One rod
Ellipse Arc One rod
Bl k will
Blocks ill b l d d and
be exploded db k d
broken down iinto
Blocks
one or more AutoCAD entity types listed above.
Other than above Disregard

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 ` AutoCAD drawing shall be made in different layers

` Earthing Layout shall be made in three separate layers

x Layer-1 is for Locations of Conductors (Earthing Mat)

x Layer-2
L 2 iis ffor llocations
i R
Rods
d (Earth
(E h Pit)
Pi )

x Layer-3 is for risers and conductor earth connections (which may

be shown as Dot in Normal practice)

` Lock all the layers except Layer-1 and Layer-2 (locations of

conductors and rods)

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 ` Change the scale of AutoCAD file to match with ETAP

` The following table shows length mapping of AutoCAD unit to

ETAP unit

AutoCAD Selected Unit to Create

ETAP length
Length XML File
1 mm Meters 1 meter
1 mm Centimeters 1 centimeter

1 mm Inches 1 inch

1 mm Feet 1 feet

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 ` Example of Scaling:
1
1. Change the AutoCAD drawing file to th
1000
2. Select unit as meters while creating XML file.

` Example Calculation (when meter is selected for creation XML file)

1. A length of 300mm shall be scaled to 0.3mm in

AutoCAD file

2
2. 0 3
0.3mm iin A CAD fil
AutoCAD file iis taken
k as 0 3
0.3meter (i
(i.e.
300mm) in ETAP

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 ¾ Open the drawing file having the Ground Grid

ETAP Tools> Export

Ground Grid

Click ok to select
Conductors and Rods

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 ¾ Select the Ground Grid from AutoCAD (.DWG) File

¾Then p
press “Enter”

Select
S l t Following
F ll i
> Conductor Type
> Rod Type
> AutoCAD Drawing
U i **
Unit**

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 Click ok to convert to
.XML File
¾ Once .XML
XML file is created a message is displayed as…
as

Click ok

¾ A file with the name ETAP_GGS.XML

_ is created in the same location as the
AutoCAD drawing file

Note: If the file already exists, a dialog box is displayed to confirm overwriting it

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 ¾ Open a New ETAP Project

Drop a ground grid

element on the ETAP- OLD

Double-Click on The Element

¾ Select Finite Element Method (FEM)

Note: IEEE Method study model does not support import of ground grids

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 File >
Import From XML File…

Browse and Select

ETAP_GGS.XML file

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 ¾ AutoCAD .XML file Loaded into ETAP is as shown

Note: Check for X,

X Y,
Y Z co-ordinates
co ordinates of all conductors and rods

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