This section explains how to add different properties for custom components.
Topics Adding an option to create parts (p. 90) Defining bolt size and standard (p. 91) Defining bolt group location (p. 92) Replacing a sub-component (p. 94) Changing the properties file (p. 96)
Defining meshes in custom components (p. 97)
Adding an option to create parts
To include an option to create or not create parts in a custom component properties dialog box:
1. In the Variables dialog box, add a new property 2. Set the Value type to Yes/No,
Side view Top view Skew Slope Beam
5. In the custom component browser, link the property to a part:
6. Save the custom component and exit the custom component editor.
When you open the custom component properties dialog box, you now have the option to create or not create the part:
Defining bolt size and standard
To add an option for selecting the bolt size in the custom component, you must add two options:
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Bolt size•
Bolt standardThey work together and cannot be used separately.
To define the bolt size and standard options:
1. Click the Variables icon on the Custom Component editor toolbar to open the Variables dialog box.
2. Click Add twice. Now you have two variables P1 and P2.
3. In the Value Type field, select Bolt size for P1 and Bolt standard for P2. Tekla Structures automatically adds the extensions "_diameter" and "_screwdin" to the name of the variables. Do not change these extensions.
4. Change P2_screwdin to P1_screwdin. The prefix must be the same, otherwise the variables do not work.
5. Modify P1_diameter label to "Bolt size" and P1_screwdin label to"Bolt standard".
6. In the custom component browser, link the parameters to the bolt:
7. Save the custom component and exit the custom component editor.
Defining bolt group location
To define the vertical distance from the secondary beam top flange to the first bolt, we add the following option to the custom component dialog box.
This option requires a distance that binds the bolt group handle to the secondary beam top flange and a parameter for inputting the value in the user interface.
1. Double-click bolts in the custom component editor view. The Bolt properties dialog box appears. Remove any dimensions from the Offset fields, then click Modify. Bolts will move to the same level with the first handle of the bolt group.
2. Select the bolts, then select the top handle. Right-click and select Bind to plane from the popup menu.
3. Select the top flange of the secondary beam.
4. A new distance parameter D1 appears in the Variables dialog box.
5. Click Add to add a new parameter P1. In the Formula field, change the distance value. In the Label in dialog box field, enter a suitable label, for example: "Vertical distance to bolt".
6. In the Formula field of D1, type in the equation "=-P1".
7. Save the custom component and exit the custom component editor.
Replacing a sub-component
Use the Name property in the Custom component browser to replace a sub-component inside a custom component with another sub-component.
In this example we have created a custom component that contains a pair of cast-in embeds as sub-components (castin1 and castin2):
Then we will replace castin1 with castin2. To do this:
1. Select the custom component.
2. Right-click and select Edit custom component from the pop-up menu to open the custom component editor.
3. In the Variables dialog box, add a new parameter.
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In the Formula field, enter the name of the sub-component, castin1.•
Set Value type to Component name. Castin 14. In the Custom component browser, add the equation P1_name for both sub-components:
The field Cast-in plate will appear in the dialog box of our custom component.
To change the sub-component:
1. Click the ... button next to the name field. The Select component dialog box opens.
2. Select the component to use (in our case castin2) and click OK.
3. In the custom component dialog box, click Modify. Tekla Structures changes the component in the model.
Changing the properties file
Use the Attribute file property in the Custom component browser to use different properties Castin 2
1. Select the custom component.
2. Right-click and select Edit custom component from the pop-up menu to open the custom component editor.
3. In the Variables dialog box, add a new parameter.
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In the Formula field, enter the name of the properties file (in our example, prop1).•
Set Value type to Component attribute file. Tekla Structures automatically adds the extension _attrfile to the parameter name. Do not change this extension, but make sure that the prefix is the same as for the component name (in our example, P1).•
Enter a name for the parameter (in our example, Properties file) in the Label in dialog box field and set Visibility to Show.4. In the Custom component browser, add the equation P1_attrfile for Attribute file.
To use another properties file for a sub-component, in the component’s dialog box, click the ...
button next to the Properties file field, and then select the properties file from a list:
Defining meshes in custom components
You can include rectangular meshes and change the mesh in your custom components.
To define a rectangular mesh type in a custom component:
1. Create the mesh in the model or in the Custom component editor. See Reinforcement mesh (p. 154) for more information.
2. In the Custom component editor, select the mesh, right-click, and select Properties... to open the Reinforcement properties dialog box.
3. Click the Select button next to the Mesh: field to open the Select mesh dialog box:
4. Copy the name of the mesh you want to use.
5. Click the Variables icon on the Custom component editor toolbar to open the Variables dialog box.
6. Click Add.
7. In the Value Type field select the Text option.
8. Paste the mesh you copied into the Formula field.
9. In the Custom component browser, add "=P1" after Catalog name in Component >
Component objects > Reinforcement mesh > General properties.
10. Click the Close editor icon to close the Custom Component editor. Tekla Structures prompts you to save your changes. Click Yes to save your changes. You have now defined the mesh in the Custom Component editor.
To change the mesh in the custom component:
1. Select the mesh in the 3d view.
2. Right-click and select Properties....
3. Copy and paste another mesh into the Parameter 1 field (in our example, the Mesh field).
4. Click Modify to save your changes.
Creating surface treatments in custom components
To create surface treatments in the Custom component editor:
1. Select Outline planes on the toolbar instead of Boundary planes (which is the default).
2. Click Detailing > Create Surface Treatment and select the command to create the surface treatment.
3. Optional: To select the surface treatment, set on the Select surface treatments selection switch . This switch is set off in the Custom component editor by default.