Components

Tekla Structures
2023
Tekla Structures

Components

Components are tools that you can use to connect parts in the model. Components automate tasks and group objects so that Tekla Structures treats them as a single unit. You can save the properties of a component and use them in other projects.

Components adapt to changes in the model, which means that Tekla Structures automatically modifies a component if you modify the parts it connects. When you copy or move objects, Tekla Structures automatically copies or moves all the associated components with the objects.

All components are stored in the Applications & components catalog. Click the Applications & components button in the side pane to open the Applications & components catalog.

System components

Tekla Structures contains a wide range of predefined system components by default. There are three types of system components:

  • Connection components connect two or more parts, and create all the required objects such as cuts, fittings, parts, bolts, and welds.

    For example, end plates, clip angles, and bolted gussets are connections.

    In the Applications & components catalog, the connection symbol is .

  • Detail components add a detail or a reinforcement to the main part. A detail is only connected to one part.

    For example, stiffeners, base plates, and lifting hooks are steel details, and beam reinforcement and pad footing reinforcement are concrete details.

    In the Applications & components catalog, the detail symbol is .

  • Detailing components automatically create and assemble the parts to build a structure, but do not connect the structure to existing parts.

    For example, stairs, frames, and towers are detailing components.

    In the Applications & components catalog, the detailing symbol is .

You can also create your own components, custom components, if you do not find a system component that suits your needs. You can use custom components in the same way as system components.

Component properties

Each component has a dialog box where you can define the properties of the component. You can open the dialog box by double-clicking the component in the Applications & components catalog.

The image below shows a typical example of a steel connection, the Two sided clip angle (143) connection. Concrete and reinforcement component dialog boxes may have different options.

Description

1

In the upper part of the dialog box, you can save and load predefined settings. Some components have buttons for accessing bolts, welds and DSTV properties.

When modifying connections and details, you can select whether Tekla Structures ignores other types of connections and details, or modifies all selected connections and details irrespective of their type. With the modify option, the type of the selected components is changed to match the type of the component you are currently modifying.

For more information, see Save and load object properties in the property pane or in the dialog boxes and Model folder files and file name extensions.

2

On the tabs, you can define the properties of the parts and bolts that the component creates. You can enter values manually, use system default values, AutoDefaults values, automatic values, or for some steel connections, the values in the joints.def file.

Manually entered values, AutoDefaults, automatic values and the properties defined in the joints.def file all override the system defaults. System default values are used if you do not manually enter a value or select any other type of property value. You cannot change the system default values.

For more information on joints.def, see Define connection properties in the joints.def file.

3

For information on the dialog box buttons, see View and modify properties by using dialog boxes.

4

If you select an AutoDefaults option, Tekla Structures uses the property defined in the AutoDefaults rules.

The image in the AutoDefaults option is an example and does not necessarily match the outcome in the model.

For more information on AutoDefaults, see AutoDefaults.

5

If you select an automatic option, Tekla Structures automatically determines which option to use for a property.

For example, when you use the automatic option for the stiffener in End plate (144), the connection automatically adds the stiffener to a beam-to-column connection, but does not add it to a beam-to-beam connection.

For more information on AutoConnection, see AutoConnection.

6

The parts that are yellow in the component dialog box are created by the component.

7

The parts that are blue in the component dialog box should already exist in the model before you create the component.

8

Up direction indicates how the connection is rotated around the secondary part, relative to the current work plane. The symbol on the Picture tab of the component dialog box indicates the correct up direction.

If there are no secondary parts, Tekla Structures rotates the connection around the main part. The options are: +x, -x, +y, -y, +z, -z.

You can change the default up direction on the General tab of the component dialog box. Try changing the positive directions first.

Add a component to a model

When you add a component to a model, you either attach the component to existing parts in the model, or pick positions to indicate the location or length of the component.

Connections and details have a main part that you select first. Connections also have one or more secondary parts that you select after you have selected the main part. Detailing components do not always have a main part and secondary parts. Instead, they automatically create and assemble the parts to build a structure when you pick a position in the model.

If you use a component you are unfamiliar with, use the default properties of the component. Then check what needs to be modified, and modify only few properties at a time to see how the modifications affect the component. This is quicker than trying to set all the component properties before seeing what the component actually creates.

Tekla Structures opens a command prompt when you add a component. Do not close the prompt window, because it displays information on adding the component. This information can be useful in problem situations.

  1. Click the Applications & components button in the side pane to open the Applications & components catalog.

    You can also press Ctrl + F.

  2. Select a component and do one of the following:
    To Do this

    Add a connection

    1. Select the main part.

    2. Select the secondary part or parts.

    • If there is one secondary part, the connection is automatically created when you select the secondary part.
    • If there are several secondary parts, click the middle mouse button to finish selecting the parts and to create the connection.

    In the example image below, the numbers from 1 to 4 show the selection order of parts. The blue parts should already exist in the model before you create the component.

    Add a detail

    1. Select the main part.

    2. Pick a position in the main part to determine the location of the detail.

    Add a detailing component

    Pick one to three positions to determine the location of the objects that the detailing component creates.

When you have added components to the model, you can use the property pane to list the components:

  • If you select one component in the model, the property pane shows the name and number of that component. You can open the component properties dialog box by clicking the Component properties button in the property pane.
  • If you select several different components in the model, the property pane shows lists that have the text Varies. Open the lists to show the names and numbers of the selected components.
  • If you select components and other model objects, click the Object type list button in the property pane to open a list of the selected object types, and select Component to list the components.

Component status

When you have added the component, Tekla Structures shows the component status using the symbols shown in the table below. Double-click the symbol to open the component properties.

Color Status

The green symbol shows that the component was created successfully.

The detailing component symbol in the model is .

The yellow symbol shows that the component was created, but has problems.

This often occurs when bolts or holes have an edge distance that is less than the default value.

The red symbol shows that the component was not created.

Common reasons are that the properties are incorrect or that the up direction is not appropriate.

Modify a component in a model

You can modify the properties of a component after you have added the component in the model, for example, if you need to change the number of bolts or plate dimensions.

  1. Double-click the component symbol in the model to open the component dialog box.
  2. Modify the properties.
  3. If needed, define which connections and details are modified:
    • Ignore other types: Tekla Structures only modifies the connections and details that are of the same type as the connection or detail you are modifying.

    • Modify connection type: If you have selected several connections and details, click Modify to modify all the selected connections and details irrespective of their type. If the connection type of a selected connection is not the same as in the connection dialog box, Tekla Structures changes the connection type.

  4. Click Modify.

View a component in a model

You can create several views of a component to view it from different viewpoints.

  1. Click the component symbol in the model to select the component.
  2. Right-click and select Create view > Default views of component.

    Tekla Structures creates four views: front, end, top, and perspective.

    The example image shows the default views of the End plate (144) connection.

Note:

You can check the dimensions, such as bolt locations and edge distances, using the Measure tool in the Component front view.

Component tips

Default properties

If you use a component you are unfamiliar with, use the default properties of the component. Then check what needs to be modified, and modify only few properties at a time to see how the modifications affect the component. This is quicker than trying to set all the component properties before seeing what the component actually creates.

Valid profiles

Some components work with certain profiles only. If a component is not created successfully, try entering a valid profile.

Select components switch

You can switch on the Select components switch to be able to select any object that belongs to the component.

Component is not added to the model

If the component is not added to the model, check the status bar. For example, you may need to click the middle mouse button to stop selecting parts before Tekla Structures creates the component.

Using thickness to create needed parts

If a component does not by default create the parts that you need, look for options to create them. If there are no options, try entering a thickness value for the parts.

If a component creates parts that you do not need, look for options to remove them. If there are no options, enter a zero (0) as the thickness of the parts.

Many secondary parts are found

If you are using a connection that only allows one secondary part, you may see the message Many parts found on the status bar. This means that Tekla Structures cannot determine which parts to connect. You may have several parts in the same location, or the view may be set too deep.

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