Define and modify units

Tekla Structural Designer allows you to switch between Metric and US customary units. Furthermore, by following the below instructions you can select the units which you want to use in the selected unit system. For example, if you use US customary units, you can change say, the Force unit to input in either kip or lb, or the Dimension unit to have dimensions measured in either feet, inches, fractional inches, feet and inches, or feet and fractional inches.

Change units and unit precision in an existing project

On the Home tab, click Model Settings.

The Model Settings dialog box opens.
Go to Units.
Select the unit system (Metric, or US Customary).

Note:
If you change the unit system in an existing project, you should also consider the design section orders applied to steel/cold formed members as these may require re-selecting (so that metric or customary size sections are selected aligned with the Units setting).
Set the units and unit precision that you want Tekla Structural Designer to use.
Click OK.
Note:
The length unit can be set appropriate for the type of dimension being input:
- Fine Dimension units are used for defining stud spacings, section size constraints, and other typically small distances.
- Dimension units are used for defining grid spacings, positioning members, positioning load locations, and so on. They are also used to control the accuracy of any measured dimension lines that you apply to the model.
- Deflection units are used for reporting deflection results.
- Distance units are used for defining large dimensions.

Once you have set the units according to your needs, Tekla Structural Designer will then expect input in the same format.

Example

If the Dimension units are set to ft, in fract.:

To input a dimension of two feet, six and one quarter inches, you need to type 2' 6 1/4"
To input a series of irregular grid lines in the grid wizard at spacings of fifteen feet, followed by three spacings of twenty feet, six and one half inches, followed by one spacing of fifteen feet, you need to type 15',3*20' 6 1/2",15'

Define the default units and unit precision for new projects

On the Home tab, click Settings.

The Settings dialog box opens.
Select a suitable settings set, and click >> Active to make the set active.
Go to Units.
Select the unit system.
Set the units and unit precision that you want Tekla Structural Designer to use.
Note:
The length unit can be set appropriate for the type of dimension being input:
- Fine Dimension units are used for defining stud spacings, section size constraints, and other typically small distances.
- Dimension units are used for defining grid spacings, positioning members, positioning load locations, and so on. They are also used to control the accuracy of any measured dimension lines that you apply to the model.
- Deflection units are used for reporting deflection results.
- Distance units are used for defining large dimensions.
Click OK.
To use the set units in a new project, on the Home tab, click New.
A new project opens with its units, (and all of its other model settings) copied from the active settings set.

Once you have set the units according to your needs, Tekla Structural Designer will then expect input in the same format.

Example

If the Dimension units are set to ft, in fract.:

To input a dimension of two feet, six and one quarter inches, you need to type 2' 6 1/4"
To input a series of irregular grid lines in the grid wizard at spacings of fifteen feet, followed by three spacings of twenty feet, six and one half inches, followed by one spacing of fifteen feet, you need to type 15',3*20' 6 1/2",15'