1. What a profile TDS must contain
A technical data sheet for a structural profile pairs a dimensioned visual with a properties block. The visual establishes the geometry; the block quantifies structural and mass performance. Most of the quantitative fields are exact functions of the cross-section and can be computed automatically once the section is known.
| Field | Symbol | Unit (SI / US) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-sectional area | A | mm² / in² | Computed from section |
| Mass per length | m | kg/m / lb/ft | A × density |
| Second moment of area | Iₓ, I_y | mm⁴ / in⁴ | Computed from section |
| Elastic section modulus | Sₓ, S_y | mm³ / in³ | Computed from section |
| Radius of gyration | rₓ, r_y | mm / in | Computed from section |
| Torsion constant | J | mm⁴ / in⁴ | Closed-form / thin-wall |
| Material & grade | — | — | Selected |
| Compliance standard | — | — | Declared |
2. Density references for weight computation
Mass per unit length follows directly from area and density. The following reference densities are standard for weight take-offs; the computed value should be shown alongside any published catalogue figure so the small delta from nominal-density assumptions is explicit.
| Material | Density (kg/m³) | g/cm³ | lb/in³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structural steel (S275 / A36) | 7850 | 7.85 | 0.284 |
| Stainless steel 304 | 7900 | 7.90 | 0.285 |
| Aluminium 6063-T5 | 2700 | 2.70 | 0.098 |
| Copper C11000 | 8940 | 8.94 | 0.323 |
| Pultruded FRP (E-glass) | 1900 | 1.90 | 0.069 |
3. Layout conventions for European and US datasheets
- Dimensioned isometric or section figure at the top, callouts in the reader's unit system.
- Properties table immediately below, grouped: geometry, mass, stiffness (Iₓ/Sₓ), torsion.
- Material, grade and governing standard (e.g. EN 13706 for pultrusion) in a header block.
- Both unit systems where the sheet is distributed internationally (kg/m and lb/ft).
- A verification note: computed values exclude root fillets (<2%); confirm against certified data.
4. Generating the sheet without CAD
Given the section, the entire quantitative half of the TDS is derivable and the visual is an exact extrusion — so the sheet can be assembled in a browser in seconds rather than through a CAD-model-then-render pipeline. For a product range, batch generation applies one template across every size, holding the visual language constant and eliminating the per-part manual work that causes datasheets to drift.