Parts are created by using the icons in the Steel toolbar.
As an alternative for the icons, the command’s (column, beam, etc.) are also accessible through the pull-down menu Parts.
Columns
To create columns, first double-click the Column icon.
Fill in the dialog box Column properties as displayed below, next click <Save>.
If you want to adjust the profile properties out of the pull-down menu before you create the profile, keep the <Shift> key pressed down and select one of the profiles in the pull-down menu; the dialog box will be opened.
Modifying numbering series
You can modify the profiles’ numbering series by selecting the checkboxes separately for Prefixand Start numberin the dialog box:
Because of this, you can modify start numbers for beams and columns, who have different prefixes, at once.
See also For more information about overlaps in the numbering, see the file Tekla Struc-tures.pdf in the folder
disk:\TeklaStructures\version\environ-ments\europe\pdf.
In the 3D view, pick the intersection of grid lines A-1 to create the column. Go to Supplement 1 in the back of this manual and places the columns as indicated.
Explanation of the inputs in the Column dialog box
Part The Prefix of the part (Part number) is set to “Pr” and the Start Number is set to 1. After numbering the model, a possi-ble Part number for this column can be Pr25. If the Start Number is set to “100”, the smallest number a part can get is Pr100
Assembly The Assembly Prefix is set to “K” and the start number is set to 1. After numbering the model, a possible Assembly num-ber can be K17 for the column
Name The user-definable name of the column can be entered here Profile The profile is a HEA240. It is also possible to enter HE240A.
Click Select to open the catalog containing all profiles.
Material The material is set to “S235JR”. Also for the materials a cata-log is present where a material can be picked
Finish A user-definable finish can be entered here. This text can be displayed on drawings and reports
Class To set the color of the parts in the model views:
Vertical Posi-tion
The vertical position of the column, relative to it’s reference point. Possible options are Up, Middle and Down
Rotation How the profile is rotated around it’s axis Horizontal
Position
The horizontal position of the column, relative to it’s refer-ence point. Possible options are Left, Middle end Right Bottom level The position of the 1st end of the column. Input in millimeters Top level The position of the 2nd end of the column. Input in mm User- defined This button opens a dialog box containing the User-defined
Beams
To insert a beam, first double-click the Beam icon.
In broad outlines, the dialog box Beam properties corresponds to the dialog box Column properties. Only the options in tab Position vary.
Rollover highlight
The rollover highlight makes it easier to select objects, by highlighting each part in yellow as the pointer moves over it in rendered views.
Beams, compression bars, windbracings, plates, tubes, etc. can all be placed with this command.
Activate To switch the feature Rollover highlight on, click shortcut H or go to the pull-down menu Setup > Rollover highlight.
Moving start- and endpoints
When a part is selected, the 1st reference point will be highlighted in yellow and the 2nd reference point will be highlighted in magenta. Next, both ends can be moved.
There are 2 better ways to do this:
Preferably, don’t use the Dx-, Dy- en Dz options in the Position tab of the dialog box for moving the profile-ends.
1. Select the profile which needs to be extended/ shortened. The reference points will be highlighted: the 1st reference point will be highlighted in yel-low, the 2nd reference point will be highlighted in magenta.
Hold down the <Alt> key and select the parts again by clicking and dragging the mouse from left to right to define a window selection (1) and moving the point (2) with the Move > Translate command. The profile will be extended or shortened (3).
2. Select the profile which has to be extended/ shortened. The reference points will be highlighted: the 1st reference point will be highlighted in yellow, the 2nd reference point will be highlighted in magenta.
3. Now, by selecting a reference point and keeping the left mouse button pressed, the reference point can be moved (Drag and drop). The profile will than be extended or shortened.
3 1
2
To know in which direction an profile-end is moved to, it is important to know how the local coordinate system of a profile is set up.
Radius
A straight-lined profile can easily be changed towards a bended or curved pro-file. This can be done by setting a value for “Radius”. In which plane the profile has to be bend (XY-plane or XZ-plane) can also be set.
Remind that the Drag and Drop setting (Setup > Drag and drop) is checked.
In the Tekla Structures view, this will be dis-played with a “D”-character in the status bar.
This also counts for the XSnap (T) and Smart-Select (S) commands