EndBolts is used to place bolts at the end of a beam (surprised?) and locate them by a minimum end distance. The bolts are inserted as an array with controls for spacing, number of rows, bolt diameter... End distance is checked against a beam selected by the user.
Insertion
- Select the beam receiving bolts.
- Select a limiting beam. The script calculates end distance by measuring from the bolts closest to the end to the contact plane of the two beams.
- Make appropriate selections in the OPM for your situation.
- Use the Rt-click > Custom > Link Plates to Bolts context command to associate EndBolts to either AutoPlates or PlateFromPline.
Mods
See MidBolts for modifications to insertion defaults.
Here various situations display the different uses of MidBolts and EndBolts. The accute end of the mitre connection is one scenario which is not easily addressed currently, this is the motivation for a FreeBolts routine which is pending.
Caveats
- There is a context menu option to reselect the limiting beam, this function is in development and doesn't yet function properly.
- The routine simply checks end distance against the selected beam, other geometry in the connection might constrain the true minimum end distance. Check the connection carefully in complex situations.
- You are limited to 3 rows of bolts, and 12 bolts per row. If you need more, insert a second instance of the script.
