align segmented beams to top or bottom

[Gerry Leonor]

Hi all,

unsure if this has been asked before, but is there a way to align the segmented beams to either the top or bottom face of a beam?

we're using Imported Steel Profiles & would've loved to model a segmented portal frame rafter with a single beam, but found that there was no option to align the top faces. a possible solution we found was to adjust in the Profile Manager where the origin point was at the top (or bottom). this would've been OK, except it affects the placement of already placed columns or other beams using the same profile.

[Ignacio Azpiazu]

In Profile Manager I duplicate steel sections moving the origin to top center, just as you did, and add a “-BEAM” suffix to the new Profile name. So already placed beams need to be switched to the new profiles, and elevated as needed –which goes fast on the 3D window showing all stories, hiding all the other layers, and using Find-Select if needed.

I haven't used Structural functions, so I am not sure whether this can complicate things at some point, but I suspect it shouldn't too much.

[Gerry Leonor]

thanks.

we didn't want to go down that route because now that means having to manage multiple profiles. we'd rather have one profile, not use Segmented Beams, & use multiple beams for one rafter -- just as before.

perhaps this can be added as a Wish? we're only in 25, so i'm not sure if the functionality has been improved in 26.

in any case, we'll be reverting back to the previous methodology & avoid the Segmented Beams for now. cheers for the response.

[Ignacio Azpiazu]

Keeping the beam profile origin on the section center will be a pain the moment somebody needs to change the beam profile, which happens often during the design process. Positioning, repositioning, stretching, is more cumbersome too, with multiple beams. Having distinct column and beam section profiles, and several profiles along a segmented beam, is much less pain, much easier to manage. Not the ideal yet, but the best available that I am aware of in 25.

[Barry Kelly]

When using complex profiles in the segments, you have no control of their position.

The origin of the complex profile is placed on the reference line of the beam.

So yes you have to adjust the origin of the profile.

But as you say that will affect existing beams using those profiles.

So duplicate the profile and name them something like 'beam - top' and  'beam - bottom', so you know which is which.

Now use the appropriate profile based on how you want them to align.

Barry.