This example shows how to use construction planes for defining the position of the stiffeners. You will position two stiffeners so that they divide the beam into three equally long sections.

1. To make it easier to select the handles, ensure that Direct modification is switched off.
2. On the Custom component editor toolbar, click the Display variables button.

   The Variables dialog opens.

3. To create two new parametric variables, click Add twice.
4. Inquire the GUID of the beam:
   1. Right-click the beam in a custom component view and select Inquire .
   2. In the Inquire object dialog, copy the beam's GUID.
      
5. In the Variables dialog, modify the first parametric variable P1 as follows:
   1. In the Formula box, enter =fTpl("LENGTH","b9fff400-5cdf-45b8-8376-93b6c4690679").

      In the formula, b9fff400-5cdf-45b8-8376-93b6c4690679 is the GUID of the beam.

      Reference functions consist of the following syntax: fTpl("template attribute", "object GUID"). You need to always check the GUID of the object that you use with the reference function.

      The value of the variable is now the same as the beam length. If you change the beam length, also the value changes.

   2. In the Label in dialog box box, enter Beam length.
6. Modify the second parametric variable P2 as follows:
   1. In the Formula box, enter =P1/3.
   2. In the Label in dialog box box, enter 3rd point.
7. Create a construction plane:
   1. On the Custom component editor toolbar, click the Create construction plane button.
   2. Pick the required points to define the shape of the construction plane.
   3. Click the middle mouse button to create a construction plane at the center of a stiffener at one end.

      

8. Bind the stiffener to the construction plane:
   1. Select the stiffener.
   2. Hold down Alt and use area selection (from left to right) to select all stiffener handles.

      

   3. Right-click and select Bind to plane.
   4. Bind the stiffener handles to the construction plane.
9. Bind the construction plane to the beam end:
   1. Select the construction plane.
   2. Right-click and select Bind to plane.
   3. Bind the construction plane to the beam end.

      

10. Repeat the above steps for the stiffener at the other end:
    1. Create a construction plane.
    2. Bind the stiffener to the construction plane.
    3. Bind the construction plane to the beam end.

    You have now created two distance variables that bind the construction planes to the beam end.

11. Modify the distance variables as follows:
    1. In the Formula box, enter =P2.

       Do this for both of the distance variablesthat bind the construction planes to the beam end.

12. Save the custom component.
13. Close the custom component editor.
14. Select the custom component in the model, and open the custom component dialog.

    If you now change the beam length, the position of the stiffeners changes so that the stiffeners divide the beam into three equally long sections.