Monday 9 May 2011

Create a Cellular Beam Family - A Method - Part 5 - Structural Framing Cellular Beam Family


  • Create a type catalogue txt file from the earlier created csv file. The filename must match the name of the 'Generic Model Steel Half Beam' family
  • Create a new Structural Framing Family from the 'Metric Structural Framing - Beams and Braces' template
  • Delete the elements and amend the 'Length' value to 15000 as shown
Add the following family parameters and set to instance and as a reporting parameter:
  • Section Length - (Length)
Add the following parameters from the shared parameter file and set to type:
  • Cell Pitch - (Length)
  • Cell Diameter - (Length)
  • Section Top - (Family Type : Generic Model)
  • Section Top Depth - (Length)
  • Section Btm - (Family Type : Generic Model)
  • Section Btm Depth - (Length)

  • Now load in the Steel Half UB Generic Family, selecting the required types. In this case, I've loaded every size, but you can load only the ones you need to keep down the file size. The more observant will ask 'why not make this family shared and load it from the project?'  This is a valid point, but using a shared family means you can't curve the beams. If this is not an issue, consider the shared option to optimise performance
  • In a plan view, insert a Half UB Section. Ensure 'Place on Workplane' is selected. Lock off to reference planes as shown
  • Dimension the inner end reference planes and label with the 'Section Length' parameter
  • Pick the Half UB Section. Through link the parameters as shown. Set the label to the 'Section Top' parameter
  • In a 3D view, insert another Half UB Section. Ensure 'Place on Face' is selected and pick the underside face of the web of the top section. 
  • Lock off to reference planes and through-link the parameters as per the top section. In this case however, set the label to the 'Section Btm' parameter and through-link the  'D' parameter to the 'Section Btm Depth' parameter

    I hope all this will be of help. Enjoy, and please feel free to comment with any queries





      2 comments:

      cadalot said...

      I can see a white rectangle, is that a video or a drawing?

      Darren Snook said...

      Hi Alan
      Its a video on Youtube. Looks ok from my end, but if you search for user 'dajasnook' on Youtube direct, you should find it there