Working with steel profiles

BricsCAD Shape offers standard structural steel profiles which enable you to easily create structural elements. Multiple standards are available, including American, British and European standards.

Steel profiles are created as linear solids.

Creating a steel profile

  1. Click the Profile icon the vertical toolbar, on the right-hand edge of the screen.
    The Profiles panel displays.
  2. Optionally select a standard.
  3. Select a profile shape.
    A list of all profiles of the selected shape displays.
  4. Click a profile in the list, then move the cursor to the model.

    The outline of the selected profile is attached to the cursor.

  5. Specify a point.

    A linear solid displays dynamically.

    A length and angle field display the current length an angle of the profile.

    When the current direction is close to the X, Y or Z direction of the current coordinate system a colored tracking line displays. Press the Shift key to lock the tracking line. Press again to unlock.

  6. Do one of the following to create the profile:
    • Specify a point.
    • Type a value in the length field, then press Enter or press the TAB key to activate the angle field.

    The next profile displays dynamically.

  7. Repeat the previous steps to create more profiles or right click to stop.

Connecting Profiles

The L-Connect tool creates various types of L-connections between two selected profiles.

  1. Select both profiles.
  2. Click the L-Connect tool in the Model tab on the Quad.
    • A bisector L-connection is created.
    • The Hotkey Assistant (HKA) displays at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Press the Ctrl key to modify the connection type.

    The current connection type highlights in the HKA.

  4. Right click to accept the connection type.

Assigning a different profile

  1. Place cursor over the new profile in the Profiles panel. Do not click.
  2. Hold down the left mouse button, then drag the profile onto the linear solid.

The selected profile is assigned to the linear solid.

Assigning a custom profile

  1. Draw a custom profile shape using the tools in the Draw tab on the Quad:
    • A closed polyline.
    • A square or rectangle using the Rectangle tool.
    • A circle.
    • An ellipse.
  2. Optionally, use the Offset tool to create a hollow profile: select the outline, then specify the offset.
  3. Hold down the Ctrl key, then select one or more linear solids. The linear solid(s) highlight(s).
  4. Click the Apply profile tool in the Model tab on the Quad.

    Prompts you: Select profile [selection options (?)]:

  5. Do the following:
    • Select the custom profile.
    • Use the window overlap selection method to select the profile outline and the offset when applying a hollow profile.
    • A preview of the result displays.
    • Prompts you: Apply profile? [Ok/Quarter turn/Rotate/Delete clippings] <Ok>:
  6. Do one of the following:
    • Right click to apply the profile.
    • Choose an option.
    • Press the Esc key to quit.