Very often, when working on your project, there is a need to split or merge a beam after they are already in place. Here are the procedures to follow when making those tasks:
Splitting A Beam
The Split Beam tool is used when you need to split a structural member into two. When you perform a beam split, you’ll have the chance to insert a gap between the two resulting beams. To split a beam, use the tool Split Beams available in the Home and in the Objects ribbon tab.
To access the tool from the Home ribbon tab, go to:
Home tab > Objects panel > Split Beams
To access it from the Objects ribbon tab:
Objects tab > Beam panel > Split Beams
When you engage the tool, you will be asked to select an object. Select the structural member you want to split and press ENTER. You will be asked to select the split point or define the gap. If you decide to split the beam without specifying a gap, specify the point(s) where you want to split the beam and approve it by pressing ENTER. The beam will be split at the points.
If you would rather split the beam with the gap, just when you get a prompt to select the split point or define the gap, press “G” and enter the value of the gap. Confirm it by pressing ENTER, then specify the point where the split needs to be performed. Press ENTER to accept. The beam will be split with the gap specified.
Merging Beams
The Merge Beams tool lets you merge two coplanar structural sections into a single section. The beams can be collinear or at an angle to each other. The only thing that matters is that the sections be in the same plane.
If the sections are at an angle to each other, they will be converted into a single bent section.
If there is a gap between two selected sections, the gap will be filled.
To access the tool, you have two options: the Home tab or the Objects tab on the ribbon. To access from the Home tab, go to:
Home tab > Objects panel > Merge Beams
To access from the Objects tab go to:
Objects tab > Beams panel > Merge Beams
When you activate this tool, you will be asked to select objects. When you select your objects to be merged, press ENTER to confirm your selection. Your beams will be merged, even if there was a gap.
This concludes the Split and Merge Tutorial. Good luck using all the methods and tools described above. If you find this article valuable, please subscribe to my blog to be notified whenever I publish a new article.
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