Introduction You can build custom components either by exploding and modifying an existing component, or by creating the component objects individually.
You then define a custom component by selecting the objects to include in the custom component, and specifying the information the user needs to input, for example, main part, secondary parts, or points they need to pick. You can now apply the custom component in a similar location in the model to where it was originally created.
Go to Detailing > Component > Define Custom Component to define the properties of a new custom component.
To browse a list of custom components,
1. Press Ctrl + F to open the Component catalog.
2. Select Search results > Custom. Topics Exploding components (p. 62)
Defining a custom component (p. 62) Custom component types (p. 66)
Custom component basic properties (p. 68)
Exploding components
Explode Component is a very useful command to use when defining custom components. It ungroups the objects in an existing component, you can then remove and modify parts and other objects in the component.
To explode a component:
1. Click Detailing > Component > Explode component. 2. Select the component to explode.
3. Tekla Structures ungroups the objects in the component.
Defining a custom component
You can define and save custom components in the component library.
Before you can define a custom component, you need to create a sample component in the model containing all the necessary component objects, such as parts, fittings, bolts, and so on.
Use the Custom Component Wizard on the Detailing menu to define the properties of a new custom component. See the following example.
To create a parametric custom component, you need to do some more editing. For more information, see Editing custom components (p. 69).
To quickly create a custom component, explode a similar existing component, then change it to suit your needs. See Exploding components (p. 62).
Example In the following example we will create a custom component based on an existing end plate component that we have exploded.
1. Click Detailing > Component > Define Custom Component... to open the Custom Component Wizard dialog box.
2. On the Type/Notes tab, set Type to Connection. Enter a Name for the custom component.
3. On the Position and Advanced tabs, set the Position type and other properties for the custom component. For more information on other properties, see
Detailing > Component > Define Custom Component... (p. 112).
4. Click Next.
5. Select the objects to use in the custom component and click Next.
Follow the steps in the custom component wizard. Some steps are different for different types of custom component.
To explode a component, select the component, right-click and select Explode Component from the pop-up menu.
6. Select the main part and click Next.
You can use area select to select the objects to include. Tekla Structures ignores the main part, secondary parts, grids and component symbols when you are selecting objects to include in the custom component.
7. Select the secondary part(s). To select several secondary part(s), hold down the Shift key while you select the parts. The maximum number of secondary parts in a custom component is 30.
8. Click Finish.
Pay attention to the order in which you select secondary parts. The custom component will use the same selection order when you use it in a model.
9. Tekla Structures displays a component symbol for the new component.
You have now defined a simple custom component, which you can use in similar locations to where it was originally created. This component is not parametric and Tekla Structures does not adjust dimensions to suit any changes in the model. To create a parametric custom component, see Editing custom components (p. 69).
See also Custom component basic properties (p. 68) Custom component types (p. 66)
Custom component types
Custom component types are:
Type Description Example Connection Creates connection
objects and connects secondary part(s) to a main part.
Component symbol is green.
Detail Creates detail objects and connects them to a main part at a picked location.
Component symbol is green.
Seam Creates seam objects and connects parts along a line picked with two points.
Component symbol is green.
Part Creates a group of objects which may contain connections and details.
Gets no symbol, has same position properties as beams.
Main part Secondary part
Custom component basic properties
Tekla Structures automatically creates each custom component with a set of basic properties, which we describe in this section. To view the properties of a custom component:
1. Press Ctrl + F to open the Component catalog.
2. In the Search result listbox, select Custom. A list of custom components appears in the lower pane.
3. Double-click a custom component on the list to open its properties dialog box.
Basic properties of custom connections, seams, and details
Custom connections, seams, and details have the following basic properties:
Basic properties
of custom parts Custom parts have the following basic properties:
Field Description More information
Up direction Rotates the component. Up direction (p. 13) Position in relation to
secondary part
The creation point of the
component relative to the main part.
Available for details by default.
To use this property in connections and seams, select the Allow multiple instances of connection between same parts checkbox on the Advanced tab when you create the component.
General tab (p. 15)
Class The class of the parts that the custom component creates.
About parts Connection code Identifies the connection. Tekla
Structures can display this connection code in connection marks in drawings.
Mark elements
AutoDefaults rule group
The rule group used for setting the connection properties.
Using AutoDefaults (p.
45) AutoConnection rule
group
The rule group Tekla Structures uses to select the connection.
Using AutoConnection (p. 42)
Field Description More information
On plane Changes part location on work plane.
Position on the work plane
Rotation Rotates part in steps of 90 degrees. Rotation
See also Defining a custom component (p. 62) Using a custom component (p. 106)
Detailing > Component > Define Custom Component... (p. 112)