2.16.3 The “Create polygon weld” tool in Tekla Structures
The “Create polygon weld” tool configures weld seams with
a broken line. Enabling the tool requires indicating the objects to get
welded as well as the real weld seam alignment in the model by rendering
a broken line. This tool is to be applied only in case a complex shape
weld line is to be done or if a standard weld line is not possible to be
set out correctly.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Create a square shape plate with dimensions of 300x300 mm and a thickness
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Select the plate and copy it vertically by using the Ctrl+C hotkey combination.
Change the class of the new plate to 3.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Go to the view plane by enabling the Ctrl+P hotkey combination.
Select the top plate.
By holding on to the "Alt" key pressed, select the edge points
of the plate from the right.
Move the points at 50 mm to the left by using the Ctrl+M hotkey combination.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Repeat the above for all the edges of the top plate to get offsets of
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Select the top plate.
By holding on to the "Alt" key pressed, select all the edge
points of the top plate.
Press the "Shift" key and go to the “Chamfer properties”
window by double-clicking at any of the points.
Set out the chamfer type to “Line”.
Write in the X and Y fields values equal to 50mm.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Go to the “Weld” properties menu and configure its fields
according to the below picture: weld seam attribute ”Around”,
bilateral “Fillet” type, size 10 mm. Also, make sure that the
“Position” and “Preparation” fields are set to
“Auto”.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
The weld line is uniformly settled down around the top plate. It is not
always feasible to weld all the parts around. Let’s assume, there
is a requirement that the weld seam is defined by a specific curve.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Specify the “Edge/Around” field value as “Edge”.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
By switching the “Position” field values allocate the weld
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Even with all the options available, it is not possible to allocate the
weld seams at the chamfer edges. The fact is that the “Position”
field functional has several restrictions, thus in the case of complex
geometry, it is not possible to specify the exact weld seam placing. Here
is when the “Create polygon weld” tool comes as a convenient
arrangement. It shall be used only in case the “Weld” tool
can not affect the desired result.
Delete the current weld seam and proceed to enable the “Create polygon
The algorithm for creating a polygon weld:
Make sure all operations are canceled or press the Esc key.
Enable the “Create polygon weld” tool.
Select the assembly main component by a click on it.
Indicate the weld-on part by a left-click on it.
Indicate the first point of the weld seam line.
Indicate the subsequent weld line points.
To finalize indicating the weld line points press the mouse wheel button
or the Space key.
To finalize creating a polygon weld, press the Esc key.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Select the weld seam by clicking on it thus its building up points
turn visible. Select the seams corner point and move it at the half
edge length by using the Ctrl+M hotkey combination.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Thus a polygon weld can be of any arbitrary shape and length. Delete the
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Delete all the weld seams upons completing the above exercise.