Curved beam

Purpose and description

1.

Use this tool to create curved beams in the same manner as the two-point curved beam
command, but with the end result of a poly-beam.

System requirements

2.

Tekla Structures version:

17.0

.NET Framework version:

4.0

Environments:

Default

Languages:

English

Installation

3.

1. Download the Curved Beam installation package from the Tekla Extranet.
2. Run the installation package.

Usage

4.

To use the application:

1.

Go to Tools > Macros... to open the Macros dialog box.

2.

Select Curved Beam and click Run.

3.

The Curved Beam dialog window will open.

Copyright 2011 Tekla Corporation

February 2011

4.

Select a profile.

Note: If you click the Create button before selecting a profile, the following message will
appear: Please select a valid profile.
5.

Select a material.

Note: If you click the Create button before selecting a material, the following message will
appear: Please select a valid material.
6.

Select a radius.

Note: If you click the Create button before entering a value in the radius field, the following
message will appear: Radius is too small.
Note: If the mid-distance between the first and second picked points is smaller than the
radius, the following message will appear: Radius is too small.
7.

Click the Create button.

8.

Pick first point.

Copyright 2011 Tekla Corporation

February 2011

9.

Pick second point.

10. The curved beam is automatically created when you pick the second point.

Copyright 2011 Tekla Corporation

February 2011

Application properties

5.

5.1. Attributes tab

Numbering series

Field

Description

Part prefix and

start number

Define the part mark series of a beam.

Assembly prefix
and start number

Define the assembly mark series of the beam.

Attributes
Field

Description

Default

Name

Define the name of the beam.

No name

Profile

Select the profile of a beam from the profile library.

No profile

Material

Select the material of a beam from the material library.

No material

Finish

Define the finish type.

No finish

Class

Define the class number for the beam.

User-defined
attributes

Define the user-defined properties of a beam.

Copyright 2011 Tekla Corporation

February 2011

5.2. Position tab

Position
Field

Description

Default

Define the position of the beam on the work plane.

The options are:
On plane

Middle

Left

Right

Define the value of the position.

Middle

0 mm

Define how much the beam is rotated around its

axis on the work plane.
The options are:
Rotation

Front

Top

Back

Below

Define the angle of the rotation.

Front

0 deg

Define the position of the beam, in terms of depth

perpendicular to the work plane.
The options are:
At depth

Middle

Front

Behind

Define the value of the position.

Copyright 2011 Tekla Corporation

Middle

0 mm

February 2011

Curved beam

Description

Field

Default

Define the plane of curvature

and radius of a curved beam.
The options are:
Radius

XZ plane

XY plane

Define the value of the radius.

XZ plane

0 mm

5.3.

Application buttons

Field

Description

Create

Use to create a new beam using the properties from the dialog box.

Modify

Use to modify the selected curved beam using the properties from
the dialog box.
This button works only for beams that have the following
characteristics:

Get

is a poly-beam;

has 3 points;

the middle point is set at the chamfer type arc.

Use to fill the dialog box with the properties of the selected beam.
This button works only for beams that have the following
characteristics:

Cancel

6.

is a poly-beam;

has 3 points;

the middle point is set at the chamfer type arc.

Use to exit the program.

Additional information

If the user wants to get or to modify the properties of a normal beam the following
message will appear: The next objects are not curved beams: ID1, ID2..

The rotation value in the regular beam dialog will not always be the same as the
rotation value in the curved beam tool dialog, but that the curved beam tool rotation is
correct.

Copyright 2011 Tekla Corporation

February 2011