In practice, there are situations where it is not possible to use a joint from the Connection Vault. However, that situation might not be unique and you may wish to use that configuration many times. Interactive custom joints can be defined, containing the desired set of connecting objects.
Although custom joints are not part of the Advance Steel Connection Vault, they can be stored and reused later.
Model the custom joint
A custom joint is a custom combination of several basic elements drawn separately or as bricks, used to connect one, two or three profiles.
To create the custom joint template, you must model the elements to be connected by the joint and the elements that will be created by the joint. You can use any of the modelling methods available in Advance Steel:
- Include joints from the Connection Vault : create the standard joint, modify the properties as necessary
- Custom combination of basic elements such as beams, plates, bolts, welds, cuts, copes, weld preparations etc.
- Building bricks
Best practices
While modelling the custom joint, ensure you use good modeling practice such as:
- Ensure system lines meet
- Assign model roles to all parts
- Do not number the parts
Define custom joints
A custom joint definition includes the joint name, the connected elements and the selection order, the set of connecting elements and (optionally) the location of the reference point to be used for aligning the joint.
You can define a custom joint using the
Create connection template
tool 
, from the
Custom Connections
tool palette. Once the custom connection is created, you can use it in the same model or in a different one.
To define a custom joint:
In a new drawing, manually model a typical example of the joint
Define the elements as joint template using Create connection template
Save the .dwg file containing the custom joint.
Place the saved .dwg file in \ProgramData\Autodesk\Advance Steel 2016\Shared\ConnectionTemplates.
Definition methods
The following definition methods are available:
- One beam with end: used to define a connection at the end of a beam (a base plate, an end plate, etc).
- One beam and point: used to define joints that are created at a selected point (e.g. stiffeners, reinforcement plates, gusset plates)
- Two beams: used to define joints between two beams
- Three beams: the connection is used for one main beam and two diagonals or for one main beam and two secondary beams.
Custom joint connection object
All joint elements and definitions in the custom joint are held together and represented as a blue bounding box (connection object).
Using the blue box you can select the joint in order to delete it, copy it or modify it.
The box can be displayed using the All visible tool from the Quick views tool palette.