The “Construction geometry” tools allow creating a multitude
of objects of various shapes, which are used to facilitate modeling. All
the construction geometry objects are not displayed in the drawings and
exist only in the 3D model.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
There are two basic types of construction geometry tools:
Points
Auxiliary objects
Make sure that the snap-type
“Snap to any position” is activated. It allows drawing
up the construction geometry objects at any place of the work area. Also,
press the Ctrl+P hotkey combination to get into the view plane.
A point
is the geometric primitive. To add a point go to the main menu tab,
enable the “Add points” tool and allocate a point at the working
plane. Working in the view plane allows you to indicate coordinates of
a point by axes X and Y, where the Z-coordinate of a point coincides with
the Z-coordinate of the view plane. Create several points at the view.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Each point is defined by several properties. To access the respective
information, double-click on a point thus opening the “Point
information” menu.
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Tekla Structures v2021
Properties of a point are defined by following parameters: coordinates
in the axis system and in relation to the working plane, unique ID number
and phase (the “Phase” parameter will be examined later).
Thus, any user at any time can find out at any point’s coordinates.
The new TS interfaces are also available for specifying a point’s
color. Exercise changing the points’ color on your own.
A line
is an elementary construction geometry tool used for creating complex
objects.
The algorithm for creating a line of an arbitrary length (without specifying
Make sure all tools and operations are canceled or press the ESC key.
Enable the“Add construction line” tool.
Indicate the first point of the line.
Indicate the second point of the line.
To disable the “Add construction line” tool, press the Esc
key.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
While creating lines, note that TS offers discrete steps, which are defined
Use the following algorithm to create a line of a definite length
Make sure all tools and operations are canceled or press the ESC key.
Enable the “Add construction line” tool.
Indicate the first point of the line.
Define the line direction by the mouse cursor and type in the length value
from the keyboard. The value automatically gets inserted into the dialog
box “Enter a numeric location”.
Press the Ok button or the Enter key.
To cancel the “Add construction line” tool, press the Esc
key.
Go to the line settings menu by executing a double-click at the object.
The "Extension of the construction line"
tool allows extending a construction line from its starting point, as
well as its endpoint. The default value of this parameter is set up to
1000mm. Set up the “Extension” parameter value to 0.
Thus the construction line will be confined exactly between the starting
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Set the extension field value to 10 000 mm.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Remember that the “Modify" button applies changes only to the
selected objects. The “Apply” button executes no changes in
the model but sets up the default values for the subsequently created
objects.
Tekla Structures v2021
The “Modify” button applies changes to the selected objects
and sets up the default values for the subsequently created objects.
The “Color” field
defines the color on the construction line. Setting an appropriate color
of a construction line provides better visibility and readability of the
auxiliary geometry shapes.
Note that construction lines (objects) are displayed only in the 3D model
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
The “Magnetic” field
of a construction line by default is deactivated. Activating it makes
all the parts, which points are allocated on the construction line, automatically
move in case of the construction line’s displacement.
When creating a construction line it is important to indicate its length
and direction. Also, it is frequently required to create lines at 90 degree
angles (vertically and horizontally), thus using the orthogonal regime
comes in handy. To activate the orthogonal regime press the “O”
key and at the left bottom corner of the TS window, a respective marker
will appear. Create a strictly horizontal construction line.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Exercise adding various construction lines of a definite/indefinite length
he “Add circle”
tool is the basic
tool used for creating a complex geometry or a geometry requiring any
line extension to the intersection with any object. The algorithm for creating
a circle object is as follows:
Make sure all tools and operations are canceled or press the ESC key
Enable the“Add circle” tool.
Indicate the first point - the circle center.
Indicate the radius value of the circle (if necessary type in a definite
value from the keyboard).
Press the “Ok” button or the “Enter” key.
To cancel the “Add circle” tool, press the “Esc”
key.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
The “ Construction circle Properties" menu is available only
at the color parameter. Exercise changing the color of the circle and adding
circles of various diameters.
For example, you have to divide the space between 2 axes into 10 equal
parts. Operating the “Add points on line” tool allows allocating
9 equidistant points at the line.
By default, this tool is set up on dividing a line into 2 equal
Make sure all operations are canceled or press the “ESC” key.
Enable the “Add point on line” tool.
Indicate the first point of the line.
Indicate the second point of the line.
To disable the "Add point on line" tool, press the Esc key.
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Tekla Structures v2021
Let’s examine the tool's properties. Go to the “Divided
line points” menu by executing a double-click on the “Add
point on line” icon.
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Tekla Structures v2021
In the “Divided line points” dialog window, specify the number
of points dividing the line into equal distances. Insert the value of 2
( two points will divide the distance into 3 segments). Press the “Apply”
button. Compare your results to the presented below:
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Exercise dividing a line into 5 and 10 equal segments.
The “Construction plane” tool is a special instrumentation
type aimed to be used not individually but jointly. A construction plane
can be configured to be magnetic thus all the points allocated at the plane
surface will be moving at the plane’s move in the model. At any free
space of the view create a construction plane with dimensions 1000 x 1000
mm.
The algorithm for using the “Construction plane” tool:
Make sure all operations are canceled or press the “ESC” key.
Select the “Add construction plane” tool from the main menu
ribbon.
Indicate the first point of the plane.
Subsequently indicate the other points defining the plane.
Pressing the “Space” key or the mouse wheel button finalizes
creating the construction plane.
To disable the "Add construction line" tool, press the Esc key.
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Tekla Structures v2021
Further, create several construction lines in the way, some of them to
be entirely allocated at the plane’s surface, and some of the construction
lines only intersecting with the plane.
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Tekla Structures v2021
Go to the “Construction plane Properties” nenu. Enable the
"Magnetic plane" checkbox and confirm the operation by pressing
the “Modify” button. Now the construction plate became magnetic
and all the construction geometry points got anchored to its surface. Now
on moving the construction plane conditions moving the construction geometry
objects which are laying on the surface, enclosed into the construction
plane polygon shape.
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Tekla Structures v2021
Rotate the view as it is shown below. Select the construction plane, go
to the right-click menu and select the “Move Special-Linear”
tab.
In the dialog window opened indicate the distance at which the object
Confirm moving the construction plane by pressing the “Move”
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Tekla Structures v2021
Compare your results to those presented below:
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Tekla Structures v2021
All the points enclosed into the construction plane polygon have automatically
The
“Add points at intersection of plane and line”
tool is adding auxiliary points at a plane, and is used while working
with a complex geometry.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Create a test model:
Create and execute “Copy special” of a column at the distance
of 1000 mm from the initial one as it is shown in the above picture.
Rotate the view in the way to see the top side of the column.
Make sure that the “Direct modification” tool is switched
off.
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Tekla Structures v2021
4.
5. Select the column’s endpoint (marked in red) with
6. Move the column by consecutively pressing the Ctrl+М
hotkey combination, setting the moving direction towards the copied column
endpoint, and specifying the distance value of
5000mm
( write in the value from the keyboard).
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Tekla Structures v2021
The result should be as it is presented below: columns intersected.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Enable the “Add points at intersection of plane and lines”tool.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Specify the plane by 3 (three) points using the following algorithm:
Make sure all operations are canceled or press the “ESC” key.
Indicate the origin point.
Indicate the first arbitrary point at the plane.
Indicate the second arbitrary point at the plane.
Indicate the first point of the line, intersecting the plane.
Indicate the second point of the line, intersecting the plane.
Repeat 5 and 6 until all the required lines are created.
To cancel the “Add point at intersection of plane and lines”
tool, press the “Esc” key.
As a result, we get marked up points at the intersections of the plane
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Remark: there are many other construction geometry tools, but the ones