On the end of your ducting in Feature Practice file cut a contour around the blue beam with 5mm clearance
13. Connection Connection Elements
• Bolts
• Bolt Properties
• Anchors
• Welds
• Edit Connected Objects
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In order to connect separate objects together when manufacturing or assembling structures welds and bolts must be used. Here are the tools for creating these things in your Advance Steel models.
13.1. Bolts
The commands for placing Bolts are also used for placing Anchors, Empty Holes or Shear Studs. Which type of object is currently placed depends on the setting of the switch. The icon next to the switch indicates which mode is active.
Click AS Modeling > Switch > Switch Bolts / Anchors / Holes / Shear Studs repeatedly until Bolts is the active mode.
It is best to ensure your UCS XY plane is on the surface of the objects to join prior to using these commands.
Whenever a bolt pattern is created the holes for the bolts to go through are automatically created too.
13.1.1. Rectangle, 2 Points
Places a rectangular pattern of bolts based on 2 points to define position and spacing.
• AS Modeling > Connection Objects > Rectangle, 2 Points.
• Please select the parts to be connected ~> Select objects: Select all the parts to bolt together and accept.
• Lower left corner Select a point for one corner of your bolt pattern.
• Upper right corner Select the diagonally opposite corner of your bolt pattern.
A pattern of bolts will be placed and the Bolts Properties box displayed.
13.1.2. Rectangle, Corner Point
Places a rectangular pattern of bolts based on one corner to define position and spacing.
• AS Modeling > Connection Objects > Rectangle, Corner Point.
• Please select the parts to be connected ~> Select objects: Select all the parts to bolt together and accept.
• Start point:_ Select a point for one corner of your bolt pattern.
A pattern of bolts will be placed and the Bolts Properties box displayed.
13.1.3. Rectangle, Centre Point
Places a rectangular pattern of bolts based on a centre point to define position and spacing.
Advance Steel 2011 Training Manual
• AS Modeling > Connection Objects > Rectangle, Centre Point.
• Please select the parts to be connected ~> Select objects: Select all the parts to bolt together and accept.
• Central point:_ Select a point for one corner of your bolt pattern.
A pattern of bolts will be placed and the Bolts Properties box displayed.
13.1.4. Circular, Centre Point
Places a circular pattern of bolts based on a centre and radius.
• AS Modeling > Connection Objects > Circular, Centre Point
• Please select the parts to be connected ~> Select objects: Select all the parts to bolt together and accept.
• Centre of circle Select a centre point for you bolt pattern
• Radius of circle Select a radius for your bolt pattern
A circular pattern of bolts will be placed and the Bolt Properties box displayed.
13.1.5. Shift Bolts / Holes
Sometimes, depending on how the sections were created, a bolt pattern may come up in the wrong flange of a section. If this happens it is easy to put right with this command.
• AS Modeling > Connection Objects > Shift Bolts / Holes
• Please select the bolt/hole pattern you want to move: ~> Select objects: Select the bolt pattern to move and accept.
• Please select the element (beam or plate) that defines the reference area Select the correct flange of the section.
The bolts will immediately jump to the correct flange.
13.2. Bolt Properties
However it is placed a bolt group has much the same properties available.
• Definition tab
o Type – Select the desired type of bolt connection o Grade – Select the desired bolt grade
o Bolt Assembly – Select the desired set of items such as Standard = Bolt, Washer & Nut or N+2W = Bolt, Washer, Washer, Nut.
o Diameter – Select the nominal diameter of your bolt.
o Hole Tolerance – Set the general hole clearance desired. For example 20mm bolt with 2 mm tolerance = 22 diameter hole.
o Inverted – Tick to swap the bolt and nut over so that the head of the bolt is at the other side of the connection.
o Finish Calculation at Gap – Normally ticked so a bolt only goes through one flange of a section. For RHS sections this can mean bolt heads or nuts in inaccessible places. Take the tick out of this option to make the bolt go right through the section so the Head or Nut are easily accessible on the outside of the section again.
• Distance Tab – Only for rectangular patterns.
o Number X and Number Y – How many bolts in that direction.
o Total Length and Total Width – The size of the area you defined.
o Intermediate Distance X and Y – The space between bolts in each direction
o Edge Distance X and Y – The distance in from the edge of the chosen area to the first bolt.
o Changing one value will recalculate the others. Total Length = (Number X * Intermediate Distance X) + (2 * Edge Distance X). You would not normally want to cahgne the Total sizes but use the other values to get the bolt pattern desired within the specified area.
• Size tab – Only for Circular Patterns. Set Radius and Number of Bolts.
• Hole Definition tab – Overrides the general hole tolerance and hole type for a specific member of the joint.
o Part – Select the part that you want to change the hole in. The selected part will be highlighted in red on the model.
o Type – Select the desired type of hole.
o Depending on the type of hole selected different settings are shown to control it. Complete these other settings to suit your needs.
If you want a single bolt in the middle of an area but there is no centre pint to snap try using Rectangle, 2 Points instead. Select the corners of the area you want the bolt in then set the Number X and Number Y values to 1. You will get one bolt in the middle of the area.
Advance Steel 2011 Training Manual
13.3. Anchors
Anchors basically work exactly the same as bolts. When using a Base Plate type joint Anchors are placed automatically instead of bolts.
You can place anchors directly like bolt groups:
• Click AS Modeling > Switch > Switch Bolts / Anchors / Holes / Shear Studs repeatedly until Anchors is the active mode.
• Then use one of the placement commands described in 13.1 au-dessus.
The anchors range includes hooked anchors of various shapes. In order to control which direction the hook goes in you can edit the Anchor group and change the setting on the Orientation tab.
13.4. Welds
Although the weld beads are not actually modelled it is vital that welds are identified correctly in the model in order to get the correct information on drawings and to identify fabricated assemblies.
Welds are represented in the model by pink crosses. These are only visible in the 2D Wire Frame Visual Style.
13.4.1. Weld Point
To insert a weld manually use the Weld Point command.
• AS Modeling > Connection Objects > Weld Point
• Please select the parts to be connected ~> Select objects: Select all the parts to weld together and accept.
• Please define insertion point of the weld: Pick a point on the correct edge of your parts. The selected point is where the weld note on drawings will point at.
For threaded holes a hole tolerance of zero must be set to ensure the correct thread is called up on the drawings. However, a zero clearance hole will show as a clash during Collision Checks. You will simply have to recognise and ignore these clashes.
If you somehow have bolts or welds that connect nothing in your model, these will be found when you do a Technical Check. See 16.3 Technical Check below.
A weld will be placed and the Weld Properties box displayed.
• Upper Weld tab – This is where you define the symbol you require on the upper side of the weld symbol on the drawing. In Advance Steel this is always the side of the material that the arrow is pointing at.
o Weld Type – Select the desired type of weld.
o Surface Shape – Select the desired shape for the top of your weld bead.
o Weld Preparation – Choose the desired weld preparation.
o Thickness – set the size of your weld.
• Lower Weld tab – Sets the weld definition for the far side of the material the arrow is pointing at. This is shown on the bottom of the weld symbol on drawings.
o Weld Type – Cannot change this if a double sided weld is selected in the Upper Weld – Weld Type box. Set to None if no lower weld required.
o Distance From Upper – Thickness of the material being welded on both sides (gap between the
“upper” and “lower” bead)
• Weld Definition tab.
o Location – Select Site or Shop for where the weld is to be made.
o Continuous – Tick this box to turn on the “All Round” symbol on the weld symbol on drawings.
• Additional Data tab.
Adds additional objects to a connection. If the connection is a bolt group the grip will be adjusted to include the new object(s).
• AS Modeling > Connection Objects > Add Connection Objects.
• Please select connecting element (bolt or weld): ~> Select objects: Select the bolt group or weld to adjust and accept.
• Select the parts (beam or plate) of the connection to be inserted or removed. ~>
Select objects: Select the object(s) to add to the joint and accept.
The connection will be immediately adjusted to suit.
Advance Steel 2011 Training Manual
13.5.2. Remove Connection Objects
Removes selected objects from a connection. If the connection is a bolt group the grip will be adjusted accordingly.
• AS Modeling > Connection Objects > Remove Connection Objects
• Please select connecting element (bolt or weld): ~> Select objects: Select the bolt group or weld to adjust and accept.
• Select the parts (beam or plate) of the connection to be inserted or removed. ~>
Select objects: Select the object to remove from the connection and accept.
The connection will be immediately adjusted to suit.