Compound Cross Sections
The compound cross section consists of a main profile and one or several secondary profiles.
Compound cross section
How to add a compound cross section
- In the Description of defined geometries dialog box, select the Compound cross sections tab (if the tabs are not displayed, click the Add button).
Adding a compound cross section
- Cross section name: The name of the cross section is automatically generated: CS - Compound Section; the number of the compound cross section type (in chronological order); the name of the main profile cross section; the name of the secondary profile cross section and the position of the secondary profile according to the main profile (distance on the local x axis, distance on the local y axis, rotation, symmetry and/or mirror values). The user compound cross sections can be manually named.
- From the Type drop down list select a compound cross section type. Each cross section type has a code that is displayed in the compound cross section name.
Type of cross section
- In the Compound cross section tree structure, click the Main profile and define the cross section.
Main profile
- The
button opens the Cross section libraries dialog box that allows the selection of a main cross section from the libraries. The content of the cross section library is filtered according to the type of compound cross section (i.e. if the IU top type of compound cross section is selected, the library for the main profile contains only "I" cross sections types and the library for the secondary profiles contains only "U" cross section types). - The
button opens the Defined dialog box that allows the definition of the main cross section parameters. The content of the cross section types is also filtered according to the type of compound cross section. - Cross section: Displays the name of the cross section. The
button selects the next cross section from the library. The 
button selects the previous cross section from the library. - Rotation: The rotation value can be selected from the drop-down list.
Rotation
- In the Compound cross section tree structure, click the Secondary profile and define the cross section.
- Click Add. The compound cross section is displayed in the current list of cross sections.
Compound cross section
How to create "user defined" compound cross sections
The user defined option allows the creation of compound cross sections with more than one secondary profile. The cross section libraries content is not filtered, so any type of cross section can be selected as main or secondary. To create a user defined compound cross section:
- In the Description of Defined Geometries dialog box, Compound cross sections tab, select User type from the Type field.
- Select the main profile and define the cross section as described at point 3 above.
- Select the secondary profile and define the cross section as described at point 3 above.
- Distance y: Defines the distance (in cm) between the reference point of the main profile and the reference point of the secondary profile on the local y axis.
- Distance z: Defines the distance (in cm) between the reference point of the main profile and reference point of the secondary profile on the local z axis. Note: The reference point, represented by a red dot in the preview area helps to determine a precise distance between the profiles. It does not represent the center of gravity.
- Symmetric: Rotates the cross section by 90 degrees in the trigonometric direction, around the reference point represented by a red dot in the preview area.
- Mirror: Mirrors the cross section on local z axis of the main cross section.
- Click
to add and define new secondary profiles.
User defined compound cross section
How to delete secondary profiles
-
Select the secondary profile(s) to be deleted in the tree structure of the compound cross section.
-
Click
.
If the compound cross section has only one secondary profile, it can not be deleted.
Deleting secondary profiles
How to show/hide the dimension lines in the preview area
The dimension lines of each profile can be displayed/hidden by right-click on the desired element and selecting Show the dimension lines / Hide the dimension lines from the context menu.
Show / hide dimension lines
To display/hide all the dimension lines of the compound cross section elements, right click on the cross section name and select Show the dimension lines / Hide the dimension lines from the context menu.
How to reinitialize the parameters
- Click
to reinitialize the parameters. This allows the selection of different cross sections for the main and the secondary profile(s).
How to export a combined cross section as .xml file
Compound cross sections can be exported so they can be used in other projects. After defining the parameters of the compound cross section, export it as .XML file:
- Click
. - The Save As dialog box appears. Enter a name for the .XML file.
- Click Save and the compound cross section is saved on the selected disk.
How to import a combined cross section from an .xml file
It is possible to import in the current project a compound cross section defined in a different project and exported as .XML file.
- Click
. - In the Open dialog box, browse to the location of the .XML file on the disk, select it and click Open.
- The compound cross section is imported in the current project list of cross sections.