When modeling braces in TS, it is required to cut several portions off
an object’s body. For this purpose, there are available special tools,
which cut off and shape out an object’s body as required.
The “Cut part with line” tool shortens beams or columns to
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
To try out applying this tool, create a beam of 2000 mm length,
and by using the “Copy Special- Linear” tool, create five equidistant
copies of the beam at 250 mm from each other.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Make sure that the snapping tool “Snap to any position” is
activated to assure snapping the points of the beams to any place at the
view (v 21.1)
/ (v 2021)
, otherwise you will not be able to select the points of the beams. Enable
the “Line cut” tool and proceed to the algorithm described
below:
The algorithm for using the “Line-cut” tool:
Make sure all operations are canceled or press the Esc key.
Enable the Ctrl +P key combination to go to the view plane.
Make sure that the Z-Axis is perpendicular to the eye gaze direction.
Enable the “Cut part with line” tool.
Select the initial object.
Indicate the first point of the cutting plane.
Indicate the second point of the cutting plane.
Indicate any arbitrary point at the right/left side from the cutting plane,
thus specifying the very part to be cut off.
To disable the “Cut part with line” tool, press the Esc key.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Rotate the view to examine the cut part produced. The infinite cutting
plane shapes out the beam without slicing other objects. It is important
to highlight that the cutting plane is plotted by three points, not two.
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Tekla Structures v2021
Select the cutting plane and move it to 1000 mm along the beam by using
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Note that moving the cutting plane displaces the cut part as well.
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Tekla Structures v2021
Select a point of the cut plane and move it similarly to the below to
Tekla Structures v21.1
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Thus let’s conclude that moving the cut line points shapes out the
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Now select the cutting plane (not the beam cut) and press the “Delete”
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Let’s repeatedly enable the “Cut part with line” tool
and apply it to a group of beams by framing out the objects from right
to left. Please refer to the pictures below to similarly indicate the cutting
plane points.
Keep in mind that point number 5 indicates the side to be
cut off of the beam’s body by the cutting plane indicated by points
3 and 4.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
As the result, you can see that the “Cut part with line” tool
creates several distinct cuts for each beam. Thus every single cut appertains
only to one single object. The software runs the tool several times
for each beam selected.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
In this way, it is possible to edit the cutting plane for each beam separately.
But this tool only shortens the objects and does not elongate them. Let’s
exercise applying one more cut to the end part of a beam.
Go to the view plane by pressing the Ctrl+P key combination and
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
The “Cut part with line” tool can be applied to the objects
In other words, cutting an object with a line is similar to cutting wood
with an ax, whose moving/ cutting trajectory is conditioned by the Z-axis
direction. Let’s exercise the above.
First of all, сreate the side view of the beam by selecting the
object, and enabling the "Create View/ Default view of Part"
tab of the right-click menu.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Go to the side view of the beam.
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Tekla Structures v2021
As you can see, the Z-axis direction is not perpendicular to the eye gaze
Set up the work plane parallel to the side view plane by enabling the
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Now the Z-axis is unidirectional with the eye gaze, and we can recourse
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Compare your results to those presented below:
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Tekla Structures v2021
Restore the work plane and get back to the initial view.
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Let’s try out applying this tool to a metal sheet object. Create
a plate with the dimensions of 1000*1000 mm, and let’s cut a part
off it employing the "Cut part with the line" tool.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Below you can see the key principles for using the “Cut part with
Indicating the cut off side is required
Yes
Applying several cuts at an end
Yes
Elongating the beam, if required
No
Cuttin off any fraction required (over half of the beams length)
The “Fit part end” tool is the most frequently used instrumentation
It works similarly to the “Cut part by line” tool, though
has some particular advantages and disadvantages. The main difference
between these tools functionality is that the “Fit part end”
tool does not require indicating the cut-off side of an object, as the
software is automatically deleting the smallest part of the object. The
key principles for using the “Fit part end” tool will be examined
at the end of the present chapter.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Apply respective changes to the opposite ends of the beams, which are
shaped out by the “Cut part with line” tool, and track out
the main differences between tools outputs.
The algorithm for using the “Fit part end” tool:
Make sure all operations are canceled or press the Esc key.
Enable the Ctrl +P key combination to go to the view plane.
Make sure that the Z-axis is perpendicular to the eye gaze direction.
Enable the “Fit part end” tool.
Select the initial object.
Indicate the first point of the cutting plane.
Indicate the second point of the cutting plane.
To disable the “Fit the part end” tool, press the Esc key.
Note that there was no necessity to indicate the cut-off side of the beams,
as the TS deleted the smallest parts of the beams, crossed by the cutting
plane.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Select the cutting plane and move it to the left to the intersection with
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
As you can see, the cut was shifted to the opposite end of the beam, being
Let’s move the cutting plane to the right, stepping over its initial
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Thus the beam was elongated, this being an essential distinctive feature
Now, exercise applying the “Fit part end” tool to a group
Make sure all operations are canceled or press the Esc key.
Enable the Ctrl +P key combination to go to the view plane.
Make sure that the Z-axis is perpendicular to the eye gaze direction.
Enable the “Fit part end” tool.
Select the beams group by framing them from the right to left direction
Indicate the first point of the cutting plane.
Indicate the second point of the cutting plane.
To disable the “Fit part end” tool, press the Esc key.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Thus you can see that the second cut worked over the beam group, deactivating
the cut-off produced in the previous example. TS avoids operations collisions,
thus runs the later tool applied, deactivating the previous.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
In concluding, let’s bring in that the “Fit part end”
Pay attention to the below:
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Also, the “Fit part end” tool is not applicable for shaping
Hereby, are conducted the key-principles for using the “Fit part
Indicating the cut off side is required
No
Applying several cuts at an end
No
Elongating the beam, if required
Yes
Cutting off any fraction required (over half of the beams length)
No
Can be applied for shaping out metal sheets
No
Find below the comparative table for the cutting-off tools examined:
Tools attributes
“Cut part with line” tool
“Fit part end” tool
Indicating the cut off side is required
Yes
No
Applying several cuts at an end
Yes
No
Elongating the beam, if required
No
Yes
Cutting off any fraction required (over half of the beams length)
Yes
No
Can be applied for shaping out metal sheets
Yes
No
The “Fit part end” tool is applied when modeling steel structures
Enabling the “Cut object with polygon” tool creates a plate
analog added material object. In other words, it is possible to abstract
a part with the shape of a plate of any object.
Hereinafter let’s refer to this tool as an added material
plate, for further convenience based on the similarity of its properties
with the plate's object.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Create a beam of 500 mm length.
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Tekla Structures v2021
Now, let’s create an added material plate by using the following
algorithm for applying the “Cut object with polygon” tool:
Make sure all operations are canceled or press the Esc key.
Enable the Ctrl +P key combination to go to the view plane.
Make sure that the Z-axis is perpendicular to the eye gaze direction.
Enable the “Cut object with polygon” tool.
Select the initial object (the beam created).
Switch the object's display mode by using the Ctrl+2 key combination
Indicate in sequential order the points of the added material plate.
Pressing the “Space” key or the mouse wheel button finalizes
creating the added material plate.
To deactivate the “Cut object with polygon” tool, press the
Esc key.
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Tekla Structures v2021
Let’s examine the new object by opening its "Properties"
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Tekla Structures v2021
The first thing to highlight is that the "Properties" window
is similar to the "Plate Properties" window, where the "Material"
field value is set up as ANTIMATERIAL. But keep in mind that the “Cut
object with polygon” is a separate tool, thus modifying a plate’s
material to "Antimaterial" does not bring the same result.
The added material plate object can be moved. Let’s move the added
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Similar to the standard plate object, the added material plate can be
Proceed as shown below.
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The added material plate's profile value is editable as well as its
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Tekla Structures v2021
Click on the added material plate and select one of its points.
In the points properties dialog window, you can set up the chamfer type
Tekla Structures v21.1
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To create an added material plate at a different plane, first of all,
assure all the default views of the part by using the algorithm: make a
right-click on the object, and in the drop-down menu, select the tabs "Create
View/ Default view of Part". Do not forget to collapse the current
view to see the other view options that appeared.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Set up the work plane parallel to the view plane at the "Side view"
window opened. Make sure that the Z-axis direction is perpendicular to
the eye gaze direction.
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Enable the “Cut object with polygon” tool.
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Compare your results to the below. All the cut parts have been created
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Tekla Structures v2021
When tailoring complex cuts, the initial object might get transparent,
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To prevent such errors, shaping out the object shall be done by paying
attention to the fine duty cut not to be deleted. The errors are conditioned
by partially deleting the added material plate at the object's bound
( see marked in red).
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Logically it is reasonable to completely delete a part of an object without
leaving the fine duty cut, but software accepts the latter as a coordinate,
thus leaving the fine duty cut is quite substantial. These types of errors
are particularly prevalent in complex geometry cases, such as twisted beams
laid out at a perplex angle to other objects. To avoid committing
such errors, we would advise shaping out the cuts in a way none of the
added material parts to be coincident with the bounds of the object. Let’s
modify the added material bodies created, taking into account the above.
Refer to the below:
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Now the added material bounds are laying out of the bounds of the object.
When modeling complex projects, such over cautiousness is a key tool to
avoid operational mistakes.
That is why the algorithm for creating the side cut was based on indicating
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
When modeling standard joints for simple beams, you can skip out on using
This tool allows creating beams of various profiles and added material.
Please be reminded that simple editing the material field value to ANTIMATERIAL
at the "Beam Properties'' dialog window does not turn the
object into the added material beam, as creating an added material object
stands for not only pointing out the material type and the object's
geometry, as well as the other object to which it refers.
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Tekla Structures v2021
Create a beam of 500 mm length.
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Copy the beam at the angle of 45 degrees by using the “Copy-Rotate”
tool, and preliminarily make sure that the Z-axis is perpendicular to the
eye gaze direction, thus set up the view to get parallel to the view plane.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Copy the beam at 45 degrees as it was formerly mentioned.
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Tekla Structures v2021
Indicate the rotation center and specify the value of the angle.
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Tekla Structures v2021
Enable the “Cut object with part” tool and refer to the algorithm
Make sure all operations are canceled or press the Esc key.
Enable the Ctrl +P key combination to go to the view plane.
Make sure that the Z-axis is perpendicular to the eye gaze direction.
Enable the “Cut object with part” tool.
Select the initial object which is subject to be shaped (the beam created).
Select the object which is subject to shape out the initial beam.
To disable the “Cut object with part” tool, press the Esc
key.
Select the initial beam and enable the Ctrl+5 rendering mode. Now it is
Switching to the Ctrl+4 rendering mode and deselecting the initial
part, displays the objects under their initial view, as the added material
beam and the beam which conditions the shape of the added material body,
are allocated at the same coordinates.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Switch the display mode using the Ctrl+4 key combination, and select the
added material beam by clicking on its plane (not its bound), and delete
it, leaving the added material beam only.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Pressing the “Delete” key brings the view to as is shown below:
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As you can see, there is only the added material object left in the place
of the beam. Go to the added material object's "Properties"
window. All its fields repeat the respective of the simple beam.
Edit the added material beam profile to D70.
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Set up the position values to as shown below:
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Thus we can conclude that an added material beam works similarly to a
simple beam, it can be copied, moved, deleted, and all its parameters are
editable.
Let’s get to the most common case for applying the “Cut object
Create two pipes of equal diameter with lengths 700 mm and 400 mm. Set
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
As you can see, round tubes came across each other, this being not a realistic
scenario during installation. Let’s shape out the smaller tubes
about the horizontal one.
Do not forget when creating an added material beam it is important to
indicate firstly the initial beam, which is subject to get shaped as required
and later the beam, which shapes out the initial object.
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Repeat the above for the second smaller beam.
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Note that now the smaller tubes are not intersecting with the bigger tube
though they intersect with each other. Enable the “Cut object with
line” tool and proceed to shape out the smaller tubes considering
the right location of the 4th point.
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Repeat the above for the second smaller beam.
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For a better visual display, apply different color coding to the objects.
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Also, there are other methods for creating the added material objects