Bracing in more difficult circumstances

In this exercise the following items are handled :

- an example case where the bracing can't be copied

- drawing a bracing at an angle if the base profiles are not aligned

For demonstration purpose we will first copy a bracing to 2 base profiles that are not suited for the bracing.

- Open the drawing Bracing more difficult.dwg

- Click on the icon SmartCopy

- Select the macro of the bracing between the columns E1 and F1

- Then press <Enter> to confirm the selection

- Select the column on intersection C4

- Select the column on intersection C3

- Select the top plane of the beam between the columns C3 and C4 by moving the cursor to an open space of this plane and then clicking on the left mouse button

- Then press <Enter> to accept the plane selection

The bracing couldn't be copied because the orientation of the 2 columns on C3 en C4 are rotated 90° compared to each other.
To draw a bracing between these 2 columns we need to use the Bracing command again.

- Press <Esc> to cancel the command

- Click on the icon Bracing

- Double-click the bracing Angles

- Choose to a level for fixing the top, and for the level choose Attic Floor

- Click on in the window Fixing the bracing

- Select the column on intersection C4

- Select the column on intersection C3

- Double-click the connection Rectangular Gusset plate

- Double-click the bolt for the connection in the middle of the bracing

- Then press <Enter> to end the command

- Press 3 times to close all the connection windows

Parabuild has now used different gusset plate connections for the column on C3 (some welded to the web and others welded to the flange).
That is also the reason why the smartcopy command of the other bracing didn't work.

- Click on the icon SmartCopy

- Select the macro of the bracing between the columns E1 and F1

- Then press <Enter> to confirm the selection

- Select the column on intersection A1

- Select the column on intersection B1

- Select the top plane of the beam between columns A1 and B1 by moving the cursor to an open space of this plane and then clicking the left mouse button

- Then press <Enter> to confirm the plane selection

The bracing is drawn wrong because Parabuild always prefers to draw the bracing parallel to the first column that was selected.
This is to avoid plates welded at an angle.
In the current situation we have to draw the plates at an angle, but this is easily adjustable...

- Click on the icon Review macro

- Select the macro of the bad bracing

- Then press <Enter> to confirm the selection

- Activate the check box Allow oblique placement

The angle profile that goes from bottom left to top right is shown in yellow because it collides with column A1.

The other angle profile has received a too big gusset plate against the column A1.
The reason for this is that the angle profile is coming close to the outer edge of the column.
The cutting routine in Parabuild in this case automatically draws the cut to the outer flange of the column instead of the web.

This is easily corrected by moving the bracing...

- Modify the displacement of the bracing on the left hand side to 80

Thanks to the continuous collision checks during the design phase you can see the issues that would cause erection problems.