Slab to band beam - Join Linework Inconsistency!!!

[stephen_cadserve301944]

Does anyone have any suggestions on best practice for modelling and joining suspended slabs and beams because the way I am doing it results in constantly having to go back over joins .
Even though they are joining (and are the same material) they DO NOT ALWAYS APPEAR IN PLAN AS HIDDEN LINES!!! The problems seem to start when i have beam connections not at 90 degrees (often) and have to use the oppening by face tool to massage the connection between beams. I get one interface correct only to find a join to slab elsewhere has reverted to solid lines!! arrrgghh. deleting and redrawing / rejoining slabs sometimes works but Im sure there must be a better way? maybe?

My workflow at the moment is to place the band beams (framing members) and then infill the spaces between with the slab thickness as required (using the pick tool on the beam edge). Maybe this is the problem?

There are a number of new users in my office who are very reluctant to persist with the software as this single issue is proving very inefficient as we spend a great deal of project time battling this.

Hellllpppp!!!

[david_peterson]

I'm not sure what you are all trying to pull out of your model, but here's the first issue. Slabs will cut beams. So, place all of your framing as you typically would. Then model a slab over the entire surface, not just the infill. This will help. You'll still get some issues depending on geometry, but they should be reduce.
We model our beams the full structural depth (if system is 30", my beams are modeled 30" deep) and then place the slab over the top (so a 10" slab over the 30" beams with the top of slab and beam elevations matching). This allows you to schedule your beams in the typical manor.
You can also look at the many, many other posts that deal with the similar issue. Search RS for Beam Joins. You'll get lots of threads.
If you're doing more of a flat plate design with middle strips and column strips, there's a different method for that. If you're doing a beam and slab system, the method above works the best IMHO, but be sure if you're changes slabs types ("S1 to S2) make sure the slab joint is on the center of the beam.
Let me know if you have other questions. I've done 4 beam and slab projects in the last year. I don't know that I've run into any issue that can't be modeled. Now the results have varied, but you'll need to talk to Adesk about that.