Create Simple Panels

These panels are created without setting a panel specification. The first part is to create a panel which defines the overall area of a large floor plate and then divide this up into more manageable sizes such as might be specified for fabrication purposes. These panels represent the schematic areas only.

1. From the main menu select Create > Panel.

   The Create Panel window is displayed and provides, among its other settings, various ways to specify the positions of vertices.

   

2. Set the Justification to Bottom.

   This allows you to position the bottom face of the panels on the top of their supporting sections.

3. Set the Thickness.

   If a panel specification had been set, the default thickness would be shown.

   Entering a new value is permitted but this message is displayed:

   

   • Click Yes to override the default thickness value and change it to Unset.

   • Click No to disregard the entered thickness value and retain the default value.

4. Leave the Representation set to Predefined: Default for now.

   These settings (Levels and Obstruction) affect the way items are shown in 3D views and how they are dealt with when checking for clashes between design items.

5. Define four vertices, V1-V4, to define the overall area of the floor plate shown shaded in the diagram:

   

Create Methods enables you to define each vertex the methods used are:

For the purpose of this user guide, two options are used to illustrate the principles:

• Derive Points From Graphic Picks

• Point Offset From Previous.

  6. Click Derive Points From Graphic Picks.

     The Positioning Control tool bar indicates that you are now in event-driven graphics mode, ready to pick the position of the first vertex.

     

  7. Set Pick Type to Element.

  8. Set Pick Method to Intersect.

  9. Pick the column and either of the beams whose intersection coincides with V1 in the diagram.

     From the Create Methods part of the Create Panel window, ‘No vertices currently defined’ is automatically changed to ‘1 Vertices defined (no Panel created)’. After the definition of this first vertex, Remove Previous Point becomes active. From this, you are able to delete the previous vertex definition.

     Note: The first vertex defined for a new panel becomes the panel’s origin (as displayed) by default. You can change this if required.

  10. Repeat this point-picking procedure to define V2 and V3, in that order.

As soon as you have defined three vertices, the plane of the new panel is shown in the 3D graphical view (as a triangle) and a PANEL element added into the Design Explorer.

From the Create Methods part of the Create Panel window, ‘1 Vertices defined (no Panel created)’ is automatically changed to ‘3 Vertices defined (Panel created)’.

Once the third vertex has been defined, an axis aid is displayed at the default panel origin. It shows the panels axis system. The Y (North) direction is defined by the direction from vertex 1 to vertex 2.

As a demonstration, V4 is positioned relative to V3.

11. Click Point Offset From Previous.

    The Define vertex window is displayed in which you can specify the required offset.

    

12. Set the Direction and the Distance.

13. Click Apply to create the vertex, or click Dismiss to discard any information and close the Define Vortex window.

    The Create Methods part of the Create Panel window, is automatically changed to ‘4 Vertices defined (Panel created)’.

    If required, you can modify the panel vertices immediately.

14. Select the Display modification form checkbox.

15. Click OK to complete the panel creation operation.

    The Design Explorer now includes one PANEL, one PLOOP and four PAVERT elements (as defined in How Panels are Represented).