Part reference points and part reference lines

When you create a part, you position the part by picking points. These points are the part reference points. If you pick two points to position a part, the points form a part reference line, and handles appear at the line ends. The position of a part is always relative to its reference points.

Changing the Position values in the part properties moves the profile around the reference line; it does not move the location of the reference line in the model.

All of the Position properties are based on the reference line looking from the start reference point towards the end reference point.

Coordinate systems

There are different types of coordinate systems in Tekla Structures: global and local. The global coordinate system refers to the green cube in the bottom corner of a new model. The global coordinate system indicates the global point of origin (x=0, y=0, z=0) of the model and the default X, Y, and Z directions. The global coordinate system is static and it cannot be changed.

The local coordinate system is also known as the current active work plane. It is represented both as a red coordinate arrow with the X and Y directions and as the symbol in the lower right corner of the model view. You can use the symbol in the lower right corner also for rotating the model view from 3D to a 2D plane by clicking the navigation control axes in the symbol.

The local coordinate system has a direct effect on the positioning values in the beam and column properties in the property pane. A value, which is used when the local coordinate system is set one way, gives completely different results if the local coordinate system is moved or changed.

In addition, the part internal coordinate system can have an effect to the part positioning. You can use the Show coordinate system macro in the Applications & components catalog to show the coordinate system for a part that you select.

Part faces

Tekla Structures parts have four faces: top, front, back, and below.

Part faces are represented as if looked from the yellow start handle towards the magenta end handle.

The beam and column properties in the property pane have the Rotation setting. The options for rotating the part around its axis on the work plane are Top, Front, Back, and Below.

With a default coordinate system where Z direction points up, the beam top face should face the positive Z direction.

Note that the faces do not change if the parts are modeled in differently: if you roll a beam over on its side, the top is still the top, it is just no longer facing up.

Beam properties

For parts that are modeled using the Beam command, all the positioning settings relate to the currently active Z direction.

The beam properties have the following positioning options:

• On plane controls the right-left position, relative to the part reference line.

  The options are Middle, Right, or Left.

• Rotation controls which side faces the positive Z direction.

  The options are Top, Front, Back, and Below.

• At depth controls the up-down position, relative to the part reference line.

  The options are Middle, Front, and Behind.

(1): On plane: Left

(2): On plane: Right

(3): At depth: Front

(4): At depth: Behind

(5): reference line

Column properties

The column properties have the following positioning options:

• Vertical controls the up-down position, relative to the part reference point.

  The options are Middle, Down, or Up.

• Rotation controls which side faces the negative X direction.

  The options are Top, Front, Back, and Below.

• Horizontal controls the left-right position, relative to the part reference point.

  The options are Middle, Left, and Right.

(1): Horizontal: Left

(2): Horizontal: Right

(3): Vertical: Up

(4): Vertical: Down

(5): reference point

Modify the position of a part

Use the property pane and its Position and End offset sections to modify the part position, or use the options on the contextual toolbar.