Bolt patterns are used to connect profiles. There are two points needed for plac-ing the bolts. Bolts can penetrate one profile, but also a number of profiles.
To insert a bolt pattern, you always need to pick two points. These two points determine the (local) X-direction of the bolt pattern.
Step plan 1. Create two points, required for placing the bolt pattern 2. Double-click the Bolts icon
3. Pick a desired setting and click <OK>
4. Select the parts which have to be connected, terminate the selection with the middle mouse button. In the image below only the base plate has to be selected
5. Pick the start- and endpoint for placing the pattern. These points determine the X-direction for the pattern (important for the bolt distances)
6. The bolts will be inserted
In the image below, a bolt pattern is inserted in a base plate with the settings cor-responding with the above dialog box. The two points which have to be picked before the bolts are placed, are indicated with Point 1 and Point 2.
Point 2
Point 1
With the option Start point (in frame Offset from), you can move the bolt pat-tern in the x-, y- and z-direction. In the example above, the offset from start point in Dx is set to 35, i.e. the bolt pattern will be moved 35 mm in the x-direction, compared to the start point (=point 1)
Explanation of remainder of input fields in the dialog box Bolt properties
.
Bolt size Diameter of the bolt. Available diameters depend on the selected Bolt standard
Bolt standard Standard (quality) of the bolt. Default set to 931-8.8 Bolt type With this listbox can be chosen when the bolts have to
be mounted; already in the workshop or on the site.
Default setting is Site. When bolts are mounted to the parts in the workshop, use “Workshop”.
Thread in material Defines if thread may be situated in fixed length Cut length Depth of search-area, usually about 3x fixed length.
If you want to force a bolt to be a certain length, enter a negative value for length (e.g. -60).
Extra length Extra length for the bolt
Shape The rough shape of the pattern. Options are: Array, Cir-cle and XY-list
Bolt dist. X Bolt distance(s) of the bolts in X-direction. One distance means 2 rows, 2 distances means three rows, etc.
Bolt dist. Y Bolt distance(s) of the bolts in Y-direction Tolerance Clearance between bolt and hole
Slotted hole X Size of slotted hole in X-direction. Works only in combi-nation with the checkboxes above the picture in the dia-log box
Slotted hole Y Size of slotted hole in Y-direction. Works only in combi-nation with the checkboxes above the picture in the dia-log box
Bolt size Diameter of the bolt. Available diameters depend om chosen Bolt standard
A bolt pattern can contain up to 100 bolts or holes as a maxi-mum.
Slotted holes
Besides circular holes, it is also possible to create slotted holes with the Bolt-command. Slotted holes can be set in two directions, X or Y. The length of the slotted holes is set in the input fields Slotted hole X and Slotted holeY (in the image below marked with “2”). This distance indicates the centre distance of the two outside circles.
Example If a Bolt size of 16 mm is selected, with a Tolerance of 2mm, and a Slotted hole size of 30mm, a slotted hole is created with a maximum size of 48*18mm.
When a bolt (pattern) penetrates more than one profile, you can determine for each profile individually if slotted holes have to be created or not. This is deter-mined by checking one or more checkboxes above the bolt picture (in the image below marked with “1”).
• Mark 1: select the profile which should contain the slotted hole (check). If no profiles are checked, no slotted holed will be created!
• Mark 2: set the size and direction of the slotted hole
Different types of holes:
1
2
even odd parallel
Circular bolt patterns
By default, rectangular bolt patterns are created. This is determined by the setting of the Shape-listbox, which is set to Array by default.
A circular bolt pattern can be made by changing the Shape-listbox to Circle. The two inputs below the listbox will change to Number and Diameter.
Editing bolt patterns
In case bolts do not penetrate the correct profiles, than it is easy to edit this:
1. Select the bolt (pattern) and go to Edit > Boltparts in the pull-down menu or click the right mouse button en select Boltparts from the contextmenu After the bolt pattern is selected, the corresponding parts will be highlighted in different colors (red, yellow, white)
2. In the command bar will be asked to pick the connecting parts again The bolt length will automatically be adjusted to the new material thickness.
Point 1
Point 2
Inserting a divided bolt pattern
The Bolt-command is able to divide automatically a bolt pattern across multiple profiles. This can not be done afterwards, it has to be set beforehand.
In the example below, two beams (IPE300) are connected and joined together with a plate.
The properties of the bolts are entered in dialog box “Bolt properties”.
• In X-direction, 4 rows are set (Bolt dist. X = 3*100)
• Close the dialog box with <Apply> and <OK>
• Pick parts which have to be connected. First pick the beams, and than the plate (picking order: 1 –2 - 3; see example). Than pick the points and the bolt pattern will be created. The bolt pattern will automatically be divided across the two beams
In the example above the bolt pattern is divided across two profiles. However, it is possible to divide bolt groups across several profiles.
1
2
bolt group bolt group
3
Modeling bolts on cast-in embeds
You use the bolt-command to connect two (or more) parts to each other. The bolt length is calculated by means of a formula, using the material thicknesses of the connected parts and some other factors. You can also determine the bolt length manually.
Select, like in the example above, only the angle steel profile as the bolted part.
Switch off the checkboxes for the nuts and the washers (possibly switch on the checkbox for the washer at the head of the bolt). For the cut length, enter a nega-tive value: