Using the Stiffener Dialog Box

This task explains how to complete the Stiffener dialog box when creating a stiffener or placing end cuts.
1. When you click the Stiffener button , the Stiffener dialog box is displayed.

Select from the Category drop down list. You can select More to display the Class Browser, and select from what is available in the catalog.
  2. A Name is assigned automatically, using the object naming rules. If you want to assign your own name, uncheck the Automatic box and enter a name.
  3. Select a plate in your 3-D session, and it displays in the Plate field.
  4. Select a support in your 3-D session, and it displays in the Support field. You can select any of the following:
  • A plane.
  • A surface that intersects the plate. You can create your own surface if you need to.
  • A grid.

The stiffener is placed when you select a support. The support defines a trace on the plate that the stiffener follows when it is placed.

    You can also select a support as follows:
  • Click the button next to the Support field to display the Elements List. From the list, select the support. You can use the Remove and Replace buttons.
  • Right click in the Support field, and select Select Reference Plane. This displays the Plane Systems dialog box. See Using the Reference Plane Browser in the Structure Functional Design User's Guide for an explanation of the Plane Systems dialog box.

Warning: It is important to select a Support that is compatible with the selected Category. For more information about Selecting a Support, see Defining Molded Conventions.
  5. Select the Fast Preview check box to get a quick preview of all the operations performed for creating the stiffener. It displays a trace of the stiffener in your 3D session. When this check box is selected, the display of the stiffeners is optimized during any operations performed in the Stiffener dialog box as it generates only a trace and not the full presentation of the stiffener.

When the Fast Preview checkbox is cleared or when you click OK, both the trace and the full presentation of the stiffener is generated.

Fast Preview selected Fast Preview deselected
  6. You can enter a value in the Offset field.

This is the value by which the stiffener will be offset from the support you selected. The value is expressed in the units selected in your workbench.

Enter a negative (-) sign in front of the value to offset it in the opposite direction.
  7. The Limits pane displays the limits of the stiffener. By default, stiffeners are placed from end to end on the selected plate.

You can swap the default limits by clicking the Swap Ends button. (Click again to toggle).

     

You can define the stiffener limits. However, the Swap Ends button becomes unavailable once a limit is defined.
  8. Use the Limits pane to define the limits of the stiffener if you need to resize a stiffener.

In the Name field, select Start and select a starting limit. You can select a plane, plate, another stiffener or a surface. The stiffener is limited as soon as you make your selection.

Use the same method to define the End.

This image shows a stiffener that has not been limited.

This image shows a stiffener that has been limited at the end.

Under Offset, you can define the offset value of each stiffener limit.
In the Structure Detail Design workbench, when selecting a limit (Start or End), you automatically place a Short Point end cut on the stiffener. To change to another type of end cut, see Placing End Cuts and Editing and Deleting End Cuts.
  9. You can select the angle at which a stiffener is placed. By default, it is placed Normal to plate. To place the stiffener along the selected support, select the Along plane option. For example, in the image below the stiffeners created on LONG -7 and LONG -8 are Along plane and stiffener on LONG -9 is Normal to plate.
 

      

NOTE: When creating a stiffener using a curve as a support, the Along plane angle has no effect. Use the Normal to plate option.

  10. Click OK to close the Stiffener dialog box.