Rotating Structural Beams

[David Sammons]

I am creating a built-up section consisting of a steel channel and a wide flange beam. I need to rotate the channel so that the weak axis of the channel is parallel to the top flange of the beam. After rotating the channel, I will place it on top of the beam. How do you rotate beams and other framing for that matter?

I can rotate columns with the ROTATE command but this command does not seem to work for beams or other framing.

Any ideas? Do I need to be in section view to rotate the beam?

Dave S.

[beegee]

Hi David,

This Topic (www.zoogdesign.com/forums/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1922&highlight=sloping+steel) may help.

[gregcashen]

Actually, beegee, that thread refers to sloping the beams from top to bottom, if I understand it correctly. David wants to rotate the beam section about it's own centroid if I read that post right.

David, if I were you, I would create a new structural framing family that was the compsoite shape you want. You could then add parameters for the total weight of the individual components, but it would all be in one family.

BTW, you could basically take the type catalog for both families into excel and create one type catalog for the situations you envision occurring the most...i.e. the depth of the C would be approximately equal to the width of the top flange of the W.

[beegee]

Thanks Greg,

my bad.

I should leave any structural questions for the mesh master.

[gregcashen]

Smart@$$. ;)

I probably misread more posts than anyone here, so it's bound to happen to thw #1 poster!

[Scott D Davis]

and don't tell Zoog someone has overtaken him in the 5th spot for number of posts! :shock:

[beegee]

and don't tell Zoog someone has overtaken him in the 5th spot for number of posts! :shock:

Be careful Scott, he has the power to wipe out your last 50 posts with the click of a mouse ! :shock:

[Archman]

David:

The topic Beegee points out would work. Only difference is that instead of using the roof as your work plane you would use a reference plane that you set up at the angle you desire.

Hope this helps. If you need more clarification, I can post an example.

[David Sammons]

beegee - As Greg mentioned, the thread you suggested is for sloped beams but I was still able to glean some very useful information from it for creating sloped framing for one of my roofs. Thanks.

Greg - You are correct. I do want to rotate the channel about its centroid and I decided to create a family for this built-up shape as you suggested. However, it would be nice to be able to rotate a beam or brace about its centroid similar to rotating a column.

Dave S.

[David Sammons]

Archman,

I am still not sure how to rotate the channel about its centroid with the method you suggest. It seems to me that this still creates a sloped member. An example would be helpful.

Thanks,
Dave S.

[Archman]

Here you go. Try rotating the reference plane.

The hard part is going to be getting the reference plance exacly where you want it. The only limitation I have found is that you cannot rotate the beam 90 degrees from it's normal orientation. (So that the weak axis is parallel with the floor)

[David Sammons]

Archman,

I tried to rotate the reference plane to 90-degrees but I receive an error message: Workplane not valid for Structural Framing component "C-Channel : C12x30". I can rotate to any angle but 90-degrees. I believe this is the case since this structural member is in the beam family.

Looks like I will just create a family for my special shape.

Thanks for the help.

Dave S.