Use the Calculate Characteristics command to calculate the characteristics for a part. Doing this is an efficient way of getting a summary of any numeric attribute for all parts in a structure. Calculations can be performed on numeric values only. You can insert any attribute available and execute a calculation even if the attribute itself does not exist in any of the parts in the structure.
The part and its structure must exist.
The calculation process starts with all bottom parts and works its way up toward the part selected for calculation. If there is a manually entered value in the characteristics on one of the parts in the structure, the process ignores all parts below that part and uses the entered value instead. The value is always multiplied by the quantity.
The result of the calculation depends on the unit as well as the attribute. The unit is used to convert values in the characteristics if the attribute contains a unit other than the one entered in the calculation criteria. If you enter a unit that does not belong to the attribute, you get an error message' you are then required to specify the correct unit.
The algorithm of the calculation process is:
If manually inserted value exists
calculated value = manually inserted value
Else
calculated value = sum of all calculated values in the structure below this level
End If
calculated value = calculated value * conversion factor * quantity