1. Create a beam with two stiffeners.

   

   Tip:

   To create the stiffeners, you can use the Stiffeners (1003) component and then explode the component.

2. Click the Applications & components button in the side pane to open the Applications & components catalog.
3. Click the Access advanced features button and select Define custom component....

   The Custom component wizard dialog opens.

4. In the Type list, select Detail.
5. In the Name box, type Stiffeners.
6. Click Next >.
7. Select the stiffeners and the beam as the objects that form the custom component.

   

8. Click Next >.
9. Select the beam as the main part.
10. Click Next >.
11. Select the middle point of the beam as the reference point.
    Tip:

    Switch to the plane view to select the middle point more easily.

    

12. Click Finish to finish creating the stiffener detail.

    Tekla Structures displays a component symbol for the new custom component and adds the stiffener detail to the component catalog.

    

Bind the custom component handles to a plane to control the shape of the stiffeners.

1. To make it easier to select the handles, ensure that Direct modification is switched off.
2. To make it easier to select the available planes, set the model object rendering so that the object faces are properly shown, such as using Parts rendered (Ctrl+4).
3. In the model, select the custom component.
4. Right-click and select Edit custom component.
5. On the Custom component editor toolbar, select Outline planes from the list.

   

6. In a custom component view, select the stiffener on the right.
7. To bind the two inside handles of the stiffener to the beam web:
   1. Select the two handles next to the beam web.

      

   2. Right-click and select Bind to plane.
   3. Move the mouse pointer over the face of the web to highlight it.

      

   4. Click the web to bind the handles.
8. To bind the two outside handles of the stiffener to the face of the top flange:
   1. Select the two handles.
   2. Right-click and select Bind to plane.
   3. Move the mouse pointer over the face of the top flange to highlight it.

      

   4. Click the top flange to bind the handles.
9. Bind the two bottom handles of the stiffener to the inside face of the bottom flange in a similar way as above.

   

10. Bind the two top handles of the stiffener to the inside face of the top flange in a similar way as above.

    

11. Select the stiffener on the left and create distance variables for the stiffener in the same way as for the right stiffener.
12. On the Custom component editor toolbar, click the Display variables button.

    The Variables dialog opens.

13. To create a new parametric variable P1, click Add.
14. Modify the variable P1 as follows:
    1. In the Formula box, enter 10.
    2. In the Label in dialog box box, enter Stiffener set back.
15. For all variables that got values during the binding of the handles, enter =P1 in the Formula box.

    For example:

    

    The variable P1 now controls the distances of these variables.

16. In the Visibility list, set the variable P1 to Show and the other variables to Hide.

    

    You have now created distance variables that control the stiffener shape.

Bind the custom component handles to a plane to control the position of the stiffeners.

1. On the Custom component editor toolbar, select Component planes from the list.

   

2. Select all the handles of both stiffeners.

   

3. Right-click and select Bind to plane.
4. Bind the handles to the vertical component plane.

   

   You have now created distance variables that control the position of the stiffeners.

Control the stiffener thickness so that it is one and a half times the web thickness rounded up to the nearest available plate thickness. The available thickness values are 10, 12, and 16 mm.

1. On the Custom component editor toolbar, click the Display variables button.

   The Variables dialog opens.

2. To create a new parametric variable P2, click Add.
3. Modify the variable P2 as follows:
   1. In the Formula box, enter =1.5*.
   2. In the Visibility list, select Hide.
   3. In the Label in dialog box box, enter Plate calculation.
4. Select the beam in a custom component view to highlight the beam (main part) in the Custom component browser.
5. In the Custom component browser, select Web thickness of the main part.
6. Right-click Web thickness and select Copy reference.

   

   Tekla Structures copies the reference to web thickness to the clipboard.

7. In the Formula box, paste the reference value after =1.5*.

   =1.5*fP(Web thickness,"9582798d-e45b-40fb-9528-987872e8cdd2")

   In the formula, fP(Web thickness,"9582798d-e45b-40fb-9528-987872e8cdd2") is the web thickness reference, including the beam GUID, copied from the Custom component browser.

   Note:

   A reference function refers to the property of an object, such as the web thickness of a part. If the object property changes, so does the reference function value.

8. To create a new parametric variable P3, click Add.
9. Modify the variable P3 as follows:
   1. In the Value type list, select Number.
   2. In the Formula box, enter =if (P2 < 12 && P2 > 10) then 12 else if (P2 > 12) then 16 else 10 endif endif.

      This means that if P2 is less than 12 and greater than 10, the thickness is 12. If P2 is greater than 12, the thickness is 16. If none of these conditions are met, the thickness is 10.

10. In the Custom component browser, link the variable P3 to the Profile property of the first contour plate.

    

11. Repeat step 10 for the second contour plate.

    You have now created and linked all required variables that control the stiffener thickness according to the web thickness.

Create five variables to control which stiffener plates are created and what is the class of the plates.

1. On the Custom component editor toolbar, click the Display variables button.

   The Variables dialog opens.

2. To create a new parametric variable P4, click Add.
3. Modify the variable P4 as follows:
   1. In the Formula box, enter 2.
   2. In the Value type list, select Number.
   3. In the Visibility list, select Show.
   4. In the Label in dialog box box, enter Plates created.
4. To create a new parametric variable P5, click Add.
5. Modify the variable P5 as follows:
   1. In the Formula box, enter =if P4==0 then 0 else 1 endif.
   2. In the Value type list, select Yes/No.
   3. In the Visibility list, select Hide.
   4. In the Label in dialog box box, enter Do not create right.
6. To create a new parametric variable P6, click Add.
7. Modify the variable P6 as follows:
   1. In the Formula box, enter =if P4==1 then 0 else 1 endif.
   2. In the Value type list, select Yes/No.
   3. In the Visibility list, select Hide.
   4. In the Label in dialog box box, enter Do not create left.
8. To create a new parametric variable P7, click Add.
9. Modify the variable P7 as follows:
   1. Rename P7 as LeftC.
   2. In the Formula box, enter 4.
   3. In the Value type list, select Number.
   4. In the Visibility list, select Show.
   5. In the Label in dialog box box, enter Left plate class.
10. To create a new parametric variableP8, click Add.
11. Modify the variable P8 as follows:
    1. Rename P8 as RightC.
    2. In the Formula box, enter 5.
    3. In the Value type list, select Number.
    4. In the Visibility list, select Show.
    5. In the Label in dialog box box, enter Right plate class.
12. In the Custom component browser, link the variables P5 and RightC to the right stiffener plate.

    

13. Link the variables P6 and LeftC to the left stiffener plate.