SpaceClaim Online Help

Creating beams

The library of standard profiles includes several basic beam profiles. You can use these profiles and edit them to your own dimensions.

Create a beam

1. Click Create in the Beams group on the Prepare tab.

   The Create tool won't be active until you select a profile, which adds the profile to your design document.

2. Select edges or points to define the beam path:

   • Click the Select PointSingle location in the sketch grid. 2-D object that has no height, width, or length. The origin, an axis, and a vertex are examples of points. Use the Point tool to sketch a point on the sketch grid. Points are useful as a dimensional reference, for splitting, and for creating a point on a line or curve through which you want to draw a three-point circle. Chain tool guide and then select an edge or curve, or click on a series of points to create the path.

   • Click the Select Point Pairs tool guide and then select a beginning and end point for the path.

   • You can use intersection points and midpoints on edges and other beams. Click on the small triangles on the ends and midpoint when you hover over an edge or beam.

The beam object is defined, and the Beams and Beam Profiles folders are created in the Structure treeDisplay in the Structure panel that shows you each of the objects in your design. You can expand or collapse the nodes of the tree to view the objects. You can rename objects, create, modify, replace, and delete objects, as well as work with components.. The profile name is displayed in parentheses after the beam name in the Structure tree.

Tool guides

The following tool guides help step you through the process. Use the Tab key to cycle through them. As soon as the tool guide switches, the cursor may change to reflect the active guide.