Edit the Shape of Bolt Patterns and Contour Cuts

Learn how to edit the shape and size of existing steel element contour cuts or bolt patterns.

Note: This editing option is available for bolt, anchor, hole and shear stud patterns.

To edit the shape of a bolt pattern or a contour cut:

1. Select a bolt pattern or a contour cut.
2. Click Modify | Bolts tab Mode panel (Edit Pattern).

   OR

   Click Modify | Modifiers tab Mode panel (Edit Boundary).

3. Edit the shape and size of the existing contour cut or bolt pattern or draw new shapes.
4. Click (Finish Edit Mode) to save your changes or (Cancel Edit Mode) to discard them.

Remarks:

• The temporary dimensions in sketch mode initially reference the position of the selected sketch line towards neighboring element edges. For the temporary dimension to target a neighboring element edge, that edge needs to be visible in the workspace at that point. These initial dimensions do not always target the edges that would be needed to better position the edited cut or pattern. In this case, you can change the dimension by dragging the dimension reference lines on top of the desired element edge, using the dimension snap grip.
• Once you click (Finish Edit Mode), if the sketched loop is closed and valid, the shape of the element will be updated accordingly.
• As a rule, after editing the shape of an element, this shape can be applied to the element only if it holds no more than one loop, if that loop is closed and if it does not self-intersect.
• While in sketch mode, the element parameters are not available for viewing or editing in the Properties palette. To review the parameters and make changes, you need to exit sketch mode.

Editing the shape of a contour cut:

• The contour cut can be edited to use a variety of shapes: rectangular, circular, polygonal, a loop containing both lines and curved edges.
• If, for polygonal contour cuts, there is a fillet on each corner, but at least one of the fillets has a different radius or arc length than the others, the radius parameter of the contour cut will be greyed out in the properties palette and the contour cut fillets will only be controlled from inside the Sketch Mode.
• If all fillet radii are equal in radius and arc length, the Radius parameter will be editable and controlled in the properties palette of the contour cut and, in Sketch Mode, these fillets will not be available for editing.
• If the contour cut shape is changed from circular to a polygonal/rectangular one, the radius of the circle will be applied to the fillet of all polygon corners, if this is geometrically possible; to bypass this behavior, delete and re-create the contour cut.

Editing patterns of bolts, anchors, shear studs and holes:

• The bolt, anchor, shear stud, and holes patterns can only be rectangular or circular.
• If a rectangular pattern of bolts is changed to only have 1 bolt on at least one of the two directions, the Edit Pattern button will not be available; the same applies for patterns of anchors, shear studs and holes.

Dimensions created on editable elements

If there are dimension lines that target the edited steel elements, these dimensions will be kept and updated if, after finishing editing:

• The sketch lines that correspond to the element/pattern edges included in the dimension are kept and keep their direction.
• Some sketch lines are replaced with other lines that keep the same direction.

If the existing lines are edited or replaced in a way that the initial shape is changed more drastically, the dimensions targeting the edited element will be partially or completely removed from views. Drastic changes include:

• Changing the shape completely.
• Skewing sketch lines that correspond to object edges/pattern sides included in the dimension.
• Adding fillets at polygon corners for contour cuts.