How to stop walls showing in the hollow part of and RHS column / beam

[catherinehunt]

Has anyone found  or know the correct way to stop a wall from showing within the hollow part of a RHS or SHS either in plan or section?  I've tried th hole method, the white patch method, but I just want to nknow the correct method.  Priorities don't work, as the airspace within the beam cannot be set to a stronger version of airspace.  The solid element operation will only work if you don't want any wall at the other side fo the operation.

[Lee Hankins]

Is the SHS an object or an actual beam with a profile attached to it?

[catherinehunt]

It's a library object from the structural steel folder

[Lee Hankins]

If you import the steel profile in to Profile Manager you can apply that to a beam and use a beam instead which may perform better with the interaction of the wall. I haven't tried it but in theory it should work so the entire beam outline 'cuts' the wall.

[catherinehunt]

HI Lee,

I've just tried that and the only way it worked was by ading an additional sir space inside, and wacking the priory of that airspace up really high, but it did work. I don't think it would work with a PFC.  Perhaps it's just a wishlist item.  I think I'll just stick to the library objects for now and stick the good old white patch on it!  Thanks for your help though. It's something I hadn't considered!

[Barry Kelly]

How are your GDL skills?

It is possible to add a solid centre to the RHS that will only come into effect when you perform an SEO.

So the beam will still be hollow inside to look at, but when used in an SEO with a simple subtraction (no need to use upwards or downwards extrusion), the solid centre will cut anything it is associated to.

But this will require some GDL skills and amending the default library parts is not a good idea.

You should always work on copies.

So if you are not handy with GDL then I wouldn't attempt it.

If you are handy with GDL I can help you out with the command.

Barry.

[SenecaDesignLLC · Accepted solution]

Here is a modified object like barry suggested. its v24 but i believe its what you are after.

top object is the default

bottom is the modified

https://bit.ly/SteelbeamMod

[jl_lt · Accepted solution]

I would do a profile with form of the Hollow interior, assing a hight priority material to it, and then put it on a special hidden layer (hidden-cut or something like that. Make sure the intersection group of that layer is set to 1) . It will cut the other materials without being visible and without having to do any other operation

[Tim Ball]

This is a great example of users creating details in 3D, which is so important for a useful BIM model at construction drawing stage. It highlights improvements that are overdue for some old objects and also how tricky it is to detail any kind of opening in section. We are constantly having to invent workarounds and it’s almost as if these issues are not considered high profile enough by GS to make it to the top of the improvements list for each release.

[catherinehunt]

Yes, This was suggested yesterday and it does work if I update the imported custom profile with a metal airspace and whacking up the priority. I’m think of doing this and then saving a library of them within our template file. Seems that it’s a shame we don’t have this option in the library part though.