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Creating rails to use with Bending machines

Tekla Structures bendtech bending export handrail export bend-tech pipe bending pipe stp STEP CNC Export NC export nc CNC
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Tekla Structures
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If you are starting to use bending equipment for your rails you will need to be aware of a few details that are required so the bending software can read the data. 

  • If possible, model all rails with as many straight sections not complete polybeams. When polybeams are exported most bending software show the parts as faceted.  Faceted means that each segment of the shape is now a face instead of a smooth surface. Avoid Creat[ing] a steel polybeam of the entire rail when modeling rails to be bent in a bending machine. 
  • If you need to use bent pieces, you use short elbows by Creat[ing] a steel polybeam as shown in the image below. When polybeam elbows are used, most bending software will detect the bends correctly.
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Tip: Some machines may require you set the proper set backs and radius to use with their dye. Having this information before modeling may reduce rework.

 

Example of Facets 

The rail on the left is a straight piece of rail with a smooth surface and there are no lines between each segment. The rail on the right is a polybeam and as you can see, there are facets around the shape.

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Screenshot showing smooth and faceted rails

Model Elbows Using Components

Tekla Structures allows you to automatically model components in most cases. See the image below for the options in different components that you can use when modeling.

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You can use options that use miters similar to the image below.

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If you are using options with miters, you might want to follow-up that intersection with an actual elbow.

Some users will prefer just to place miters or straight cuts and then use elbow components or manually apply a polybeam at the intersections. See example images below.

This is an example of using the Rail Fitting-Elbow component.

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Manually Create Elbow with Polybeam

You can also manually Create a steel polybeam to model required elbows.

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Exporting to STP Using Multi Converter

Finally, you need to export the assembly to an STP file, for most bending software should accept this file type. To do this you will need to use a tool called the Multi Converter, in 2019 and onward this tool is included in the US environment. For older versions the Multi Converter can be so downloaded from the Tekla Warehouse.

When you launch the tool you can use the 1 file by assembly mark option. This way each file will contain one entire assembly, so you can select the handrail assemblies in the model and hit "convert". This will produce a .stp file for each assembly mark, send these to the fabricator for use. 

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