Summary

Create a 1D member of an unstructured section using User Section.

How to Run

Ribbon Menu > [Model] Tab > [Member] Group > General > Create

Explanation

Create General Member

[Creation Type]
Select the method for creating General Members.
- By Section : Places User Sections and assigns lengths.
- By Path : Assigns User Sections to paths.

Create General Member - By Section

[Tapered Section]
Set whether to create the tapered section.
[Select User Section]
Select a user section to use.

Based on the material type setting, the corresponding user section is shown in the list.

Reference - Property Difinition Functions (User Section)

[Assign User Section]
Place the User Section on the screen.
After clicking the Plane (3 Points) button, define the placement plane on the screen.
- Origin Point : Enter the coordinates of the reference origin point of the plane for placing the User Section.
- Plane Axis : Enter two axes that will define the plane for placing the User Section.

Reference - Define Plane

Keep Section Plane : When set to On, the direction of the section is set to be same as the initial direction.

When set to On, set the section direction (the normal vector of the section) to be fixed when changing the 1D axis of the member using functions such as move Constraint Point or Edit > Move Vertex.

When set to Off, set the angle between the section direction (the normal vector of the section) and the center axis of the member to be fixed when changing the 1D axis of the member using functions such as move Constraint Point or Edit > Move Vertex.

[Define Path]
Enter the direction and length of the general member.
- Normal (Default) : Sets the creation path to proceed from the centroid of the placed User Section in a direction perpendicular to the plane where the User Section is placed. The starting point of the creation path can be set using the Cardinal Point block.
- Direction Vector : Sets the creation path to proceed from the centroid of the placed User Section in the direction specified by the input direction vector. The starting point of the creation path can be set using the Cardinal Point block.
- Length : Enter the length of the member. (Entering a negative value will create the member in the opposite direction of the member creation direction.)

[Cardinal Point]
When "By Section" is selected, this block appears, allowing you to set the position where the section is placed along the Geometry Line of the member.

Using the options in the drop-down menu, the geometry line of the member can be placed as shown in the illustration below.

Offset (Local-Y) : Enter the offset in the Local Y axis direction from path’s starting point selected from the drop-down to translate the path horizontally.
Offset (Local-Z) : Enter the offset in the Local Z axis direction from path’s starting point selected from the drop-down to translate the path horizontally.

Create General Member - By Path

[Define Path]
Set the path of the General Member's member.
- Direct Draw : Draw a 1D wire using the Sketch tool, then set that wire as the creation path for the General Member.
- By Select : Select a pre-existing edge to set it as the creation path for the General Member.
- Reverse Direction : Reverses the start and end points of the path.

[Sweep Lock]
Select the constraint method for creating the section of the shape.
- Sweep Lock Type : Select the constraint method for creating the shape.
  - Direction Locking : Fix axes to set the position (angle) of the plane where the section creating the shape is placed based on the tangent direction of the path.
  - Plane Locking : Fix all axes of the plane based on the Global Axis to create the shape of the section along the path.
- Lock Option : Select the constraint method for the direction (axis).
  - None : No constraint on the axis..
  - Rotation Only : Fix one axis of the plane to create the shape of the section along the path. In other words, only rotation of the section on the plane is allowed.
  - Path & Direction : Fix one axis of the plane to create the shape of the section along the path.
- Lock Direction : Select the method for setting the constraint direction.
  - Auto : Apply the direction vector as (0, 0, 1).
  - By Direction : Apply the user-entered direction vector.
    - Vector : Enter the direction vector value.
  - By Plane : Apply the normal vector of the plane.
    - Plane Setting : Set the plane for setting the direction. Use the normal vector of that plane as the axis.
[Tapered Section]
Set whether to create a variable cross-section General Member.
[Select User Section]
Select the material type of the General Member and the User Section to be used.

[Assign User Section]
Place the User Section on the screen.
Click the Plane (3 Points) button and define the placement plane on the screen.
- Origin Point : Enter the coordinates of the reference origin point of the plane where the User Section will be placed.
- Plane Axis : Enter two axes that will define the plane where the User Section will be placed.

[Keep Section Plane]
When set to On, the direction of the section is set to be same as the initial direction.

When set to On, set the section direction (the normal vector of the section) to be fixed when changing the 1D axis of the member using functions such as move Constraint Point or Edit > Move Vertex.

When set to Off, set the angle between the section direction (the normal vector of the section) and the center axis of the member to be fixed when changing the 1D axis of the member using functions such as move Constraint Point or Edit > Move Vertex.

[Option]
This option appears when selecting Direct Draw or Select Edge method. When turned On, it sets the direction of the target section relative to the path.

When turned On, it sets the direction of the target section relative to the path.

Create General Member - Tapered Section Setting

Activated when Tapered Section is selected, the tab sets the vertex matching between the start and end section of the General Member side section and its shape changes.

[Vertex Matching]
Sets vertex matching between the start and end section.
[Variation Origin]
Sets the criteria by which the shape changes when Shape Variation properties are applied.
[Shape Variation]
Sets the order and type of the line that connects the vertices.

Auto: This method performs Vertex Matching where the program determines one of the three methods below as necessary.

Quadrant Connection: This is a suggested method to use when the number of vertices is different between the start and end sections and creates a general member as shown below.

Connects the outermost vertex of each quadrant into a focal point of the quadrants.
Matches the remaining vertices in the order of longitudinal bisections of the start and end sections.
Match any remaining vertices to the to vertices that were matched right before to create a shape.

Quadrant Half Area : This is a suggested method to use when the number of vertices are different between the start and end sections, and creates a general member as shown below.

Connects the outermost vertex of each quadrant into a focal point of the quadrants.
Match vertices as a group for each quadrant.
Match any remaining vertices to the to vertices that were matched right before to create a shape.

Loop Sequence : This is a method to use when the number of vertices are same between the start and end sections, and creates a general member as shown below.

Manual (MIDAS CIM)

General Member

Summary

How to Run

Explanation

Create General Member

Create General Member - By Section

Create General Member - By Path

Create General Member - Tapered Section Setting

Create General Member

Reference Materials