Arch Structure

Description
This tool allows you to build structural elements such as columns or beams, by specifying their width, length and height, or by basing them on a 2D profile.



The above image shows a column based on a 2D base profile, a column and a beam based on no profile (defined by their height, length and width dimensions) and a metallic profile based on a 2D contour (face, wire or sketch). Additionally, a certain number of presets available during object creation, allow you to quickly build a structural element from a predefined standard profile.

How to use

 * 1) Select a 2D shape (draft object, face or sketch) (optional)
 * 2) Press the  button, or press  then  keys
 * 3) Adjust the desired properties

Options

 * If no object is selected, a default 3-dimension block is created
 * The height, width and length of a structure can be adjusted after creation
 * Press or the  button to abort the current command.
 * Double-clicking on the structure in the tree view after it is created allows you to enter edit mode and access and modify its additions and subtractions
 * In edit mode, it is also possible to add axes systems to the structural element. When adding one axes system, the structural element will be copied once on each axis of the system. When adding two axes systems, the structural element will be copied once on each intersection of the two systems.

Properties

 * : The length of the structure (only used if not based on a profile)
 * : The width of the structure (only used if not based on a profile)
 * : The height of the structure (or the extrusion length when based on a profile)

Scripting
The Structure tool can by used in macros and from the python console by using the following function:


 * creates a structure element based on the given profile object and the given extrusion height. If no base object is given, you can also specify length and width for a cubic object.

Example: