2.16.2 The main component of an assembly in the Tekla Structures
An assembly is composed of one or a multitude of various components. Assemblies
consisting of just one component have the very component as the main part.
Roof purlins can serve as an example of such an assembly type, where the
purlin with bolt holes in the main assembly component. Anyway, all the
components issued by manufacturing are considered an assembly even if it
consists of just a part.
In the majority of cases, assemblies are composed of several parts.
Thus creating a truss of various profiles welded up into an assembly results
in that each profile has its definite prefix numbering and a title. Assembly
gains the numbering prefix and name of the main component. Indicating the
main component is done when selecting joinable parts and indicating their
sequence to get welded.
The application of the main component is that it is a software reference
for how to layout the assembly in the drawing. Thus the main component’s
(beam’s) X-axis is automatically turning about the entire assembly
horizontally.
If the main component is defined by a column, then the assembly is turned
Let’s create a truss. Start with creating construction geometry
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Create a line as it is shown above and execute the "Copy Special-
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Copy the initial line vertically at the distance of 1580 mm by substituting
the Y-field value at the “Copy-Linear” window from 900 to 1580,
and press the “Copy” button.
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Select the below line to observe its starting and endpoints and create
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Select the vertical line and copy it horizontally at the distance of 150
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Proceed on copying the vertical lines according to the below picture.
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Let’s create the first component of the truss.
Part Prefix
Assembly prefix
Name
Profile
Class
Leave blank
T1
Truss
P150*5
3
Referring to the below, create a horizontal beam connecting the
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Create one more construction geometry line between the second and the
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Now create the upper truss pipe based on the construction geometry objects
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Let’s unite the beams created using the beam tool with the following
Part Prefix
Assembly prefix
Name
Profile
Class
Leave blank
B
Beam
P100*4
4
Use the below scheme to unite the points created.
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Set out all truss components “Position” value at “Middle”.
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By using the “Fit part end” tool face up all the staggered
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To get this done, select by framing all the staggered beams and simultaneously
apply the “Fit part end” tool indicating the parts cut line
direction.
Make sure that the work plane is set to the view plane, and the Z-axis
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Analogously proceed for the bottom part of the truss.
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Now let’s weld up staggered components to the lower horizontal pipe.
For this purpose, enable the “Weld” tool and select the welded
components by framing them (do not select the upper pipe).
The “Weld” tool deploys standard weld for each bracing
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Once welded up, assembly components are automatically color coded.
Let’s check out the welding seams and make sure the welding
type is set up at the “Around”
.
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It is important to remember that the Tekla Structures automatically executes
assembly parts numbering. Software directly searches for identical components
and labels them accordingly 1,2,3..n, where n- stands for the total quantity
of identical parts. If the prefix field is specified by any value, then
parts will get labeled as follows: Text-1, Text-2, … Text-n. Subsequently,
the software generates respective drawings of the parts.
It is important to realize that parts numbering and assembly
numbering are two particular outputs. In the current case study,
the software will automatically search for the identical parts and label
them as follows 1,2,3..n where n- stands for the total quantity of identical
parts. If all the parts are labeled by prefixes, then the assembly prefix
will be just similar to those of the main component.
Switch on the “Select assembly” tool to see the assembly created.
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It is obvious that the top beam is not welded up to the assembly, thus
An assembly is always boxed into a brick, which is codirectional to the
main component. Also, it is important to mention that the main component's
X-axis defines the layout of the assembly at the drawing.
Thus in the current case study with the main component such as beam, the
assembly is turned horizontally. In this way, the brick box comes out to
be the assembly drawing sheet.
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The assembly report shows that the assembly is titled and numbered the
Let’s proceed to weld up the top horizontal beam: enable the “Weld”
tool, make sure it is set up at “Around” weld seam type, select
the beam, and subsequently select the staggered beams by framing them.
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Now the top horizontal beam became the main assembly component, thus the
assembly prefix and numbering shall be similar to it. Insomuch as
the horizontal beams are defined by similar prefixes and numbering, then
the respective characteristics of the assembly have not got any update.
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The major change is that switching the main component turns out the assembly
Let’s switch the main component when all the parts are already welded
up. In this case, we will not enable the “Weld” tool. Make
sure that the “Select object in components” tool is on and
proceed to select the required part and in the right-click menu go to the
“Assembly” tab/ “Set as the main part of assembly”.
Thus the assembly’s configuration remains unchanged, except for the
main component update.
Check on the above when the assembly gets highlighted.
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The “Select components” regime boxes up the assembly in a
different way which is codirectional with the X-axis of the updated main
component.
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The X-axis direction of the main component defines the orientation of
the assembly, where the selected staggered beam gets horizontal, but all
other parts are set out inclined with reference to it. The rectangular
block containing the assembly can be conceived as the smallest box to fit
out the assembly, considering the main component orientation.
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Let’s consciously set up the main component in the way that assembly
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It must therefore be concluded that it is of no sense setting up prefixes
for assemblies, except for the main components only. Thus regarding beams,
the beam profile shall be set as the main component, but the objects welded
up to it shall be considered associate components.
Note that in the “Select objects in component” regime switched
on, it is possible to select the assembly by accessing the right-click
menu tabs as follows: "Inquire"/ "Assembly".
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In the “Select components (assembly)” regime switched on,
when accessing the right-click menu, it is of no sense to pass through
the above algorithm. Directly access the “Inquire” tab.
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Try out exercising the above methods for accessing the assembly report