BidUnity DocsPart use conventions
How part uses size frame and door parts on elevations, with worked examples.
When you add a part to a system component, you choose a Part use. The part use is the rule BidUnity uses to work out two things each time the component appears on an elevation (one framed opening on a proposal):
- the part's size: a length, a count, an area or a volume
- how many pieces of that size to make
Different parts on the same component can use different rules. For example, a horizontal can carry a full-length extrusion, screws every 16 inches and a bead of sealant along one edge.
You choose the part use when you add or edit a part on a component. See Edit product validations and components. Door parts work differently: BidUnity sets up how they are sized. See Door parts.
All lengths on this page are in inches: elevation sizes, shims, face dimensions, glass bite, custom lengths and spacing.
How sizes work
Each part use gives a size in one of four kinds:
| Kind | Measured in | Used by |
|---|---|---|
| Linear | Inches | Most part uses: lengths, heights, widths and perimeters. |
| Units | A whole count | One unit, the inches-on-center uses, the intersection uses, Per component and Units per square foot |
| Area | Square inches (priced in square feet) | Glass block area and Square feet |
| Volume | Milliliters (mL) | Sealant and caulk beads |
These rules apply to many part uses:
- One piece by default. Most part uses give one size each time the component appears.
- Applied. With per each piece (the default), the part is made each time the component appears. With per each elevation, it is made once per elevation, from the first place the component appears, however many times the component appears.
- Side counts. The "perimeter sides only", "intermediate sides only" and intersection uses count how many of the component's sides qualify, so they give 0, 1 or 2 pieces. Per opening side counts how many of the opening's four edges the component touches (0 to 4). A count of 0 means no part. Extra pieces are copies of the first.
- Add to processed size. This optional amount is added after the part use works out the size: to the count for Units parts, the length for Linear parts and the volume for Volume parts. It can be negative. It isn't used for area parts and is hidden for the Total area purchase type.
- Receptors. On a receptor (the channel the frame sits in), the added amount is multiplied by the number of opening sides the receptor touches. The Applied to field decides what happens when it touches none: with the option ending in to every segment, the amount is added once; with the option ending in to segments at perimeter, nothing is added.
- No negative or zero sizes. A size below zero is set to zero, and zero sizes are dropped. So a part whose size works out to zero or less is not made at all.
- Quantity. The part's Quantity multiplies a Units count. For other kinds, it makes that many copies of each size.
- Glass rounding. Glass block area rounds the glass height and width up to the next even inch before multiplying, with a minimum of 576 square inches (4 square feet). Square feet has no rounding and no minimum.
- Merging counts. BidUnity adds up Units counts of the same part into one count when they are in the same row and column of the elevation and have the same orientation, even if they come from different part uses.
Frame and elevation part uses
There are 44 part uses for frame and elevation components. The Part use list only shows the ones that fit the part's purchase type and the component type:
- Per unit and Per unit, lot quantity parts get the Units uses. Units per square foot is offered only on Overall elevation, Glass lite and Column/section components. The intersection uses are offered only on horizontals, and Per opening side only on receptors.
- Total length, Stock length and Stock length, spliceable parts get the Linear uses. Component length is offered on frame and receptor components. Component face dimension is offered on frame, receptor and Overall elevation components. The "perimeter sides only" and "intermediate sides only" daylight uses are offered on Glass lite components and intermediate horizontals.
- Total area parts get Glass block area, plus Square feet on Overall elevation, Glass lite and Column/section components.
- Container volume parts get the six volume uses.
The examples use one elevation with an opening 121.5" high by 97.25" wide. Its shims (the gap between the opening and the frame) are 0.75" top, 0.5" bottom, 0.375" left and 1" right. Its receptor deductions are 1.25" top, 0.875" bottom, 1.125" left and 0.75" right.
Opening and frame sizes
All are Linear and give one piece.
| Part use | Size |
|---|---|
| Opening height | The elevation's total height. |
| Opening width | The elevation's total width. |
| Opening perimeter | The perimeter of the opening. |
| Overall frame height | Total height minus the top and bottom shims. |
| Overall frame width | Total width minus the left and right shims. |
| Horizontal assembly width | Overall frame width minus the left and right receptor deductions. |
| Vertical component height | The component's own height. |
| Component length | The component's length. |
Examples:
- Overall frame height = 121.5 − 0.75 − 0.5 = 120.25"
- Overall frame width = 97.25 − 0.375 − 1 = 95.875"
- Horizontal assembly width = 95.875 − 1.125 − 0.75 = 94"
- Component length on a 119.25" component is 119.25". With an Add to processed size of 2.375" it becomes 121.625". With −125" the size drops below zero, so no part is made.
Component sizes
| Part use | Size |
|---|---|
| Component face dimension | The component's visible face width. |
| Component thickness/depth | The component's depth. |
| System depth | The system's depth. |
| Interior sealant height | The system's interior sealant height. |
Daylight and glass
Daylight is the clear opening you see through. A component's daylight width and height are its own width and height. Glass sizes add the system's glass bite (how far the glass extends past the daylight opening).
| Part use | Size | Pieces |
|---|---|---|
| Daylight width | The component's width. | 1 |
| Daylight height | The component's height. | 1 |
| Daylight width applied to perimeter sides only | Daylight width. | 1 for each of the top and bottom that is on the perimeter |
| Daylight height applied to perimeter sides only | Daylight height. | 1 for each of the left and right that is on the perimeter |
| Daylight width applied to intermediate sides only | Daylight width. | 1 for each of the top and bottom that meets an intermediate member |
| Daylight height applied to intermediate sides only | Daylight height. | 1 for each of the left and right that meets an intermediate member |
| Glass height | Daylight height plus the vertical glass bite. | 1 |
| Glass width | Daylight width plus the horizontal glass bite. | 1 |
| Daylight perimeter | 2 × daylight width + 2 × daylight height. | 1 |
Examples, for a component 34.6875" wide and 58.375" high, with a vertical glass bite of 1.25" and a horizontal glass bite of 1.0625":
- Glass height = 58.375 + 1.25 = 59.625"
- Glass width = 34.6875 + 1.0625 = 35.75"
- Daylight perimeter = 2 × 34.6875 + 2 × 58.375 = 186.125"
Vinyl
Vinyl uses add the system's Add per foot vinyl allowance for every foot of run.
| Part use | Size |
|---|---|
| Glass perimeter vinyl | Daylight perimeter + daylight perimeter × (add per foot ÷ 12). |
| Horizontal vinyl length | Daylight width + daylight width × (add per foot ÷ 12). |
| Vertical component vinyl length | Component height + component height × (add per foot ÷ 12). |
Example: with an allowance of 1.5", a Horizontal vinyl length on a 34.6875" daylight width = 34.6875 × (1 + 1.5 ÷ 12) = 39.0234375". With the allowance at 0, the size is just the daylight width.
Custom and single items
| Part use | Size |
|---|---|
| Custom length | The Custom length you enter. |
| One unit | 1 unit. |
| Per component | 1 unit for each component. |
| 1 mL (1 cubic centimeter) | 1 mL. |
Add to processed size works on these too. A One unit part with 3 added becomes 4 units. A 1 mL (1 cubic centimeter) part with 0.5 added becomes 1.5 mL.
Spacing (inches on center)
These count how many pieces fit along the component at a set spacing: the component length divided by the spacing, rounded up, plus one.
| Part use | Count |
|---|---|
| Eight inches on center | Length ÷ 8, rounded up, + 1 |
| Twelve inches on center | Length ÷ 12, rounded up, + 1 |
| Sixteen inches on center | Length ÷ 16, rounded up, + 1 |
| Twenty four inches on center | Length ÷ 24, rounded up, + 1 |
| Custom distance on center | Length ÷ the Distance on center you enter, rounded up, + 1. A distance of 0 is treated as 1. |
Example: a 119.25" component at Sixteen inches on center gives 119.25 ÷ 16 = 7.45, rounded up to 8, plus 1 = 9 pieces.
If you also need fasteners a set distance from each end, add them as a separate Per component part.
Intersections and counts
These give 1 unit for each place that qualifies.
| Part use | Count |
|---|---|
| Per horizontal/jamb intersection | 1 for each perimeter jamb (side frame member) the horizontal meets: 0, 1 or 2. |
| Per horizontal/mullion intersection | 1 for each intermediate mullion (inside vertical member) the horizontal meets: 0, 1 or 2. |
| Per opening side | 1 for each opening side the receptor touches: 0 to 4. |
| Units per square foot | Length × width ÷ 144, rounded up. |
Areas
| Part use | Size |
|---|---|
| Glass block area | Glass height rounded up to the next even inch × glass width rounded up to the next even inch, with a minimum of 576 square inches. |
| Square feet | Component length × component width, with no rounding. |
Example: glass 59.625" high by 35.75" wide rounds to 60" × 36" = 2,160 square inches (15 square feet). Only the area is rounded. The glass height itself stays 59.625".
Sealant and caulk volumes
Volume uses work out a bead of caulk or sealant in cubic inches and convert it to milliliters (1 cubic inch = 16.387 mL). Some add an allowance for waste.
| Part use | Size |
|---|---|
| One-side perimeter joint volume (x2 for waste) | For each side: shim × caulk depth × side length. The left and right use the total height, the top and bottom use the total width. The sum is multiplied by 33.774, which converts it to mL and adds about double for waste. |
| Exterior perimeter joint volume (x2 for waste) | The same idea, but the left and right use the total height plus the interior sealant height, and the bottom counts twice. The sum is converted to mL and multiplied by 1.7 for waste. |
| Glass perimeter joint volume x system properties | Daylight perimeter × Structural sealant width × Structural sealant depth, converted to mL and multiplied by 1.25 for waste. If either sealant value is 0, the volume is 0. |
| Horizontal edge length x 1/4" x 1/8" | Component width × 0.25 × 0.125, converted to mL. No waste. |
| Vertical edge length x 1/4" x 1/8" | Component height × 0.25 × 0.125, converted to mL. No waste. |
The caulk depth is half the shim, kept between 0.25" and 0.375". A side with no shim adds nothing.
Door parts
BidUnity sets up how door parts are sized, so you don't choose a part use for them. This section explains the sizes so you can check door quantities.
A door part is only made when the door has both a frame and a leaf (the moving panel). Each part counts toward the frame or the leaf, based on its component. A transom is the glass panel above a door.
For a pair of doors, the leaf glass width and the door glass area give two pieces, one per leaf. Every other size gives one piece. For example, the door opening width is the single opening width, even for a pair.
The examples use a door opening 37.75" wide by 84.5" high in an elevation 120.5" tall, with the same shims and receptor deductions as above.
| Size | How it's worked out | Pieces |
|---|---|---|
| Single item | 1 unit. | 1 |
| Door opening width | The door opening width. | 1 |
| Door opening height | The door opening height. | 1 |
| Elevation height | The elevation's total height. | 1 |
| Door vertical height | Total height minus the top and bottom shims, minus the top and bottom receptor deductions. | 1 |
| Door frame height | Total height minus the top shim. | 1 |
| Leaf glass width | The glass width inside the leaf's stiles (side rails): leaf width minus 2 × the stile glass deduction. The leaf width is the opening width (halved for a pair) minus the hinge and lock deductions. | 1, or 2 for a pair |
| Leaf height | See below. | 1 |
| Leaf glass height | Leaf height minus the top and bottom rail glass deductions. | 1 |
| Transom glass height | Door frame height minus the door opening height, minus the face of the transom frame head and the face of the transom door head. | 1 |
| Door glass area | (Leaf glass height + add to glass height) × (leaf glass width + add to glass width), each rounded up to the next even inch. | 1, or 2 for a pair |
| Transom glass area | (Transom glass height + add to glass height) × (door opening width + add to glass width), each rounded up to the next even inch. | 1 |
The door glass and transom glass areas get the 576 square inch minimum only when the part is on a glass component. Door sizes below zero are set to zero, and zero sizes are dropped.
Examples:
- Door vertical height = (120.5 − 0.75 − 0.5) − 1.25 − 0.875 = 117.125". This differs from the frame part use Vertical component height, which uses the component's own height.
- Door frame height = 120.5 − 0.75 = 119.75"
- Leaf glass width, single door with a 0.3125" hinge deduction, 0.4375" lock deduction and 2.125" stile deduction: 37.75 − 0.3125 − 0.4375 − 2 × 2.125 = 32.75"
- Leaf glass width, pair with the same deductions: (37.75 ÷ 2) − 0.3125 − 0.4375 − 2 × 2.125 = 13.875", made twice
- Transom glass height, with transom head faces of 1.75" and 2.25": 119.75 − 84.5 − 1.75 − 2.25 = 31.25". If the transom heads have no face dimension, nothing is taken off for them.
Leaf height
The leaf height uses one of three rules, based on the door's hardware:
- If the hinge has a bottom clearance: door opening height − 0.125 − bottom clearance − threshold face.
- Otherwise, if the door hardware includes a threshold: door opening height − threshold face − 0.1875 − 0.125.
- Otherwise: door opening height − 0.6875 − 0.125.
A bottom clearance of 0 counts as no bottom clearance. Example, hinge rule with a 0.375" bottom clearance and a 1.125" threshold face: 84.5 − 0.125 − 0.375 − 1.125 = 82.875".
Where sizes go next
BidUnity adds up each part's sizes across the elevations of a specification, turns them into an amount to buy, and prices them. See How pricing works.