Purlins

[4hoursstanding]

I am relatively new to RS3, so please bear with me. I am trying to create a family of purlins, but I am not sure how to restrain it so that I am able to type in different values for different sizes. If anyone could help, that would be greatly appreciated. I also cannot modify the length of the purlin when I import it into the drawing. Is this a setting? Thanks in advance for any help.

[Paul Andersen]

Kale, what template did you start with to create this family? I would recommend creating a profile family to describe the geometry of your purlin. Then starting with either the Structural Framing - Beams and Braces template (Imperial Library, not sure if it's called the same in the Metric Library) or a delivered structural framing family you can use this profile to create the beam sweep.

[4hoursstanding]

Ok,

I have created a purlin Profile with all the different types. How do I put this in a beam family? Sorry for my ignorance, I have been thrown in the deep end without a paddle. All the different values are there, but when I import that into my drawing file, I cannot rotate the profile at all. Any help would be appreciated. I have attached the Profile file.

[Firmso]

How do I put this in a beam family?

1. You'll probably need to create it using Structural Framing - Beams and Braces.rft
2. Create mass and under Settings select Family Catedgories and Paremeters... Structural Framing.

Hope this helps.

[Paul Andersen]

Kale, here's a quick shot at it that may still have some gremlins to work out. I created a fine and medium profile of your purlin. The fine profile is exactly the same as the one you posted. For the medium I just removed the radius from the corners. I made a copy of the UB-Universal Beams.rfa family to use as a template and called it ZPurlin.

File -> Load From Library -> Load Family and load in both of the ZPurlin profiles. Edit the two UB sweeps and swap out their profiles with the appropriate ZPurlin ones. Create symbolic lines for the coarse view and hidden lines. Delete all UB specific parameters out of the Family Types dialog and add all relevant parameters for your Z-purlin. In the project browser path to the profiles (Families -> Profiles) and expand each of the ZPurlin families. Right Click -> properties on the profile family type to bring up the Type Properties dialog. Click the small box at the end of the Purlins dimension parameters and select the equivalent parameter you created. This links the Profiles parameters to the parameters in your actual family and allows everything to flex correctly.

I chose this route rather than starting from a scratch template such as (Metric Structural Framing - Beams and Braces.rft) because the delivered content has some nice features built-in such as the angle parameter. And I find it quicker to just swap out their profiles with new ones rather than creating them all from scratch. I also created a type catalog (essentially a txt file with the same name as your family which holds all of the values for your parameters). The help file has good information on these.

[4hoursstanding]

Thanks so much, that was a huge help

[Paul Andersen]

Kale, Glad you found the information useful and welcome to AUGI.

[4hoursstanding]

The Purlins are working pretty well, however when I go to put them in as girts, i can change the angle to 45, 60...etc, but not 90 or 270. Is there something in the setup that I have missed? Any help would be appreciated.

Kale

[Paul Andersen]

Kale, it appears to be an issue with the linework I placed for the coarse display in section. I may have time to troubleshoot it later this week. A quick fix would be to open the family -> go to an end view (right or left elevation) -> delete the coarse linework while leaving the two sweeps -> save and reload it into your project. You should now be able to rotate it to 90 and 270.

[4hoursstanding]

Thanks Paul,

I was able to get it working. Thanks for the help.