Structural component woes

[patricks]

I have a building with several large storefront windows set in metal stud walls, which are going to require being framed with steel channels for support. There will be channels at the jambs on either side, running from floor to roof beam above, and several short channels underneath the window supporting a horizontal channel for the window to sit on. I would really like to model these channels, but the structural tools seem to be VERY limiting. If I try to use the Brace tool, the channel ends up being locked to a plane, and I can only move it in one direction, can't rotate it or do anything like that. I can't place a channel using the column tool. The beam tool seems equally difficult.

Is my only option here to create a channel using a generic model family? Perhaps I could open the channel family and convert it to a generic family and then re-save it under a different name?

[ryanmcin]

If you want to the use a channel in a vertical configuration you will need to create a channel column family similiar to the beam family.

[Adam Mac]

Yeah - i'd agree with ryanmcin - just use a column family.
I don't have a "C section" column family myself but you could create
one in-place easily enough.

HTH

Adam

[patricks]

Well another problem is that the horizontal channel under the beam needs to be oriented with the flat web facing up, and the two legs facing down, and I can't seem to get C-channel beams or braces to do anything except stand with the web oriented vertically, and the legs top and bottom.

[ryanmcin]

Well another problem is that the horizontal channel under the beam needs to be oriented with the flat web facing up, and the two legs facing down, and I can't seem to get C-channel beams or braces to do anything except stand with the web oriented vertically, and the legs top and bottom.

Open the properties for the beam and change the rotation angle.

Is this what you are looking for (see attached)

[Shaun v Rooyen]

Patrick, just when you think you are on top if it, it will come back and bite you on the ***.

We had a similar window situation and also used structural components, and throughout the project, constantly gave us ****.
We eventually built the entire thing as a family, and since, have been trouble free!

[patricks]

Open the properties for the beam and change the rotation angle.

Is this what you are looking for (see attached)

But if I rotate it in the family, what if I need it oriented vertically at some other point in the future?

[ryanmcin]

But if I rotate it in the family, what if I need it oriented vertically at some other point in the future?

Honestly, the easiest way (maybe not the quickest) would be to create a new family for each different configuraiton (vertical, flanges down, etc). It would be a little more user friendly when/if you have to revise the placement of the beams.

My personal expereince with the structural components has been filled with frustration, they work fine until you ask them to do something that isn't typical. Once that happens the headaches begin, if you aren't concerned about being able to use them as structural components and you just want them to appear correct graphically I would suggest using generic families. I have converted quite a few of the structural components that were giving me problems into generic families and so far it has worked pretty well.

[Tom Weir]

You might use sweep solids using channel profiles for those hard to model items. Attached are two profiles you can use.

Tom Weir
Los Angeles