Tapered welded beams with varying cross section along their system line can be created from plates or flats welded together. The beams are handled as a single section.
Create tapered welded beams
You can create welded sections like simple sections, by entering a start point and an end point according to the current coordinate system. The current user coordinate system (UCS) determines the position of the sections main axes: the beam web runs in the Z direction of the UCS - the top of the section is in the Z direction.
To create tapered welded beams, use the Welded beams flyout on the Beams panel of the Objects tab.
Additionally, you can create custom welded sections and store them in a library. Using the properties dialog box, you can control the section class and the section of each individual element in the welded beam.
Tapered beams can be created in different shapes:
- With one segment.
- With several segments (up to five).
- Flanges can be made out of plates or flats (bottom and top flanges can be the same or different).
Tapered welded beams behavior
During the numbering process, in drawings and lists, the tapered welded beams behave in two ways:
- As one profile, with a compound section.
- As separate profiles.