Tekla Structures 2024 introduces two new options and a preview in the bolt creation command. It is now easy to create bolts correctly at once, with one click in the model. You can visually check that the bolts will be created in the desired location and have the bolt head at the appropriate end.

When you start the renewed Bolt command from the Steel ribbon tab, the contextual toolbar opens with three options to place bolts and holes, or studs:

With the two new options and where you use a part face, the edge of the part face that is nearest to the mouse pointer is selected as the basis for the preview. The bolt group direction will be perpendicular to this edge.

To create bolts using the new options:

• Click By face, and then pick a location on a part face.

  If you want to temporarily lock the edge direction, hold down Alt while you pick.

  With this option, Tekla Structures uses the Cut length value in the Bolt properties to automatically select the parts to be connected.

  The part with the largest volume will be the main part, and the secondary parts will be in order that they are found.

• Click By parts and face, and then select the main part and the secondary parts, click the middle mouse button, and pick a location on a part face.

  If you want to temporarily lock the edge direction, hold down Alt while you pick.

  With this option, Tekla Structures calculates the bolt cut length based on the parts that you selected, and corrects the Cut length value in the Bolt properties.

To create bolts in the same way as in the previous versions, but with the help of a preview:

• Click By parts and points, and then select the main part and the secondary parts, click the middle mouse button, and pick two points to define the bolt group origin and x direction.

Note that when you pick locations, you can use various snapping methods, such as numeric snapping, or you can create temporary reference points by holding down Ctrl.

To change the bolt direction, you can use the contextual toolbar either while you are placing the bolts, or after you have created and selected the bolts. Clicking Flip bolt direction changes the direction of the bolts by 180°, but maintains the other bolt properties, such as the order of special holes and the hole locations.

In the preview that is shown before the bolts are created, bolt heads are shown with crosses:

If you want to snap to part center lines when you are placing the bolts, click Snap to center lines on the contextual toolbar. Then select whether you want to show the center lines for profiles, such as beams and columns, or for plates, or for both.

When you are placing the bolts, you can adjust whether dimensions are shown in the preview. On the contextual toolbar, click Dimensions, and then click Internal dimensions to show or hide the dimensions between the bolts in the group.