Add beams inside mechanical at fastener holes automatically

Erik Kostson

Say we have multiple fastener holes (defined say as named selections), how can we then add automatically beams inside mechanical?

Erik Kostson

Below is the code for the automatic beam creation inside mechanical:

It needs to have a cross section folder, and named selections created - each named selection is of the 2 edges that are to be connected by the beam. Beam will be connected to these 2 edges via 2 fixed joints (MPC rigid). Finally a Bolt-Pretension is added to the new beam.

model = ExtAPI.DataModel.Project.Model
analysis=model.Analyses[0]
ns=model.NamedSelections.Children
construction_geometry = model.AddConstructionGeometry() # add folder
 # add line object
for n in ns: # get named sel. hole edge pair needs to be there (so 2 edges)
    nId=n.Location.Ids
    a = construction_geometry.AddConstructionLine()
    pointlist=[]
    for edge in nId:
        e = ExtAPI.DataModel.GeoData.GeoEntityById(edge)
        if str(e.CurveType) =="GeoCurveCircle":
            ce=e.Centroid # get centre of hole
            #print(ce)
            pointlist.append((ce[0],ce[1],ce[2])) # beam points at the centre
            points=a.CreatePoints(pointlist)
    for i in range(0,len(points)-1):
        edge_collection_5 = a.CreateStraightLines([points[i],points[i+1]], [(0,1)]) # create the points and add beam
    beam=a.AddToGeometry() # create beam
    geobeam=beam.Bodies[0] # 
    treebody=ExtAPI.DataModel.Project.Model.Geometry.GetBody(geobeam) # get tree body beam
    cross_sec=ExtAPI.DataModel.GetObjectsByType(DataModelObjectCategory.CrossSections)[0].AddCircularCrossSection()
    cross_sec.Radius = Quantity(float(e.Radius), "m")
    treebody.CrossSectionSelection=cross_sec
    connections = Model.Connections
    connectiongroup = connections.AddConnectionGroup()
    j=0
    for edge in nId: # create mpc rigid connections
        joint = connectiongroup.AddJoint()
        selection = ExtAPI.SelectionManager.CreateSelectionInfo(SelectionTypeEnum.GeometryEntities)
        selection.Ids=[geobeam.Vertices[j].Id]
        joint.MobileLocation = selection
        selection = ExtAPI.SelectionManager.CreateSelectionInfo(SelectionTypeEnum.GeometryEntities)
        selection.Ids=[edge]
        joint.ReferenceLocation = selection
        j=j+1
    bopr=analysis.AddBoltPretension()
    bopr.SetDefineBy(1,BoltLoadDefineBy.Load)
    load = Quantity(1000,'N')
    bopr.Preload.Output.Field.Output.SetDiscreteValue(0,load)
    selection = ExtAPI.SelectionManager.CreateSelectionInfo(SelectionTypeEnum.GeometryEntities)
    selection.Ids=[geobeam.Edges[0].Id]
    bopr.Location=selection