I-Beam

[Bruce Kieffer]

Which VW library/libraries that have I-Beams?

[CipesDesign]

Bruce, unfortunately I think that these are only available if you have VW Architect or Designer :-( However, there is some good news: it is really easy to make your own from a simple extruded form. Here's a quick how-to: 1) If you are in Top/Plan view, decide which direction you I-beam will run. For this lesson I will assume that it runs along the "y" axis (that'd be up-down on your screen). If instead it runs along the "x" axis then you will need to adjust (as stated in parenthesis): 1) Change to a FRONT (SIDE) view; 2) Draw the profile of the beam. Use the POLYGON TOOL and make sre that the shape is CLOSED and FILLED SOLID. It is easiest if you draw it at its actual height- eg. aligned properly with walls; 2a) OPTIONAL: change the LINE COLOR of the POLYGON so that you can easily distinguish it from other objects; 3) With the POLYGON selected, go to MODEL>EXTRUDE, or keyboard shortcut command-E. The CREATE EXTRUDE dialog will appear. Put a number in the "Extrusion" field. Don't worry too much about it being an exact number as you can stretch or shrink it later quite easiliy; 4) Click "OK". 5) Switch back to TOP/PLAN view. You should have your ibeam, however, it will more than likely not be placed accurately along the "y" axis. This is because in VW's every extrude uses the "0" point as its base. 6) Select the extrude and move it into place being very careful to only move it vertically. You can constrain any move or stretch vertically or horizontally by holding the SHIFT key during the process. 7) If you need to adjust the length to the extrude simply move you cursor over the MIDDLE of an end until the RESHAPE cursor appears. Then pull or push it as desired. 8) If you need more than one of these ibeams you can just duplicate the first one and then rotate, move or reshape the duplicate as req'd. HTH's

[Bruce Kieffer]

Peter, Very good tutorial and that is how I would approach the task. I do have some of the VW 11 Architect libraries, but so far I have not found the one with the I-beams. Do you know which library that is?

[Bruce Kieffer]

I think I found them in the 00_Detailing Library! They are 2D symbols that I guess I just need to extrude. So now I need to ask what does the 18.4 mean on an 8" x 18.4 I-beam? Thanks

[CipesDesign]

I-Beam names/sizes are an "industry standard" thing. You should ask your structural engineer to be sure, but if I remember correctly the first number is the flange size and the second number is the gauge of the steel.

[jan15]

8 is the height in inches.

18.4 is the weight in pounds per lineal foot.

The flange width for an S8x18.4 is 4"

[CipesDesign]

Oh yeah, Thanks Jan!

[Drake]

Find "structural shapes" in your "objects" library -you may need to look in an older version of VW (we are using 11.0.1).

[Bruce Kieffer]

Find "structural shapes" in your "objects" library -you may need to look in an older version of VW (we are using 11.0.1).

I found that library too. It seems redundant with the 00_Detailing Library I already found. Thanks

[David Bertrand]

I copied the pages listing the structural shapes from the American Institute of Steel Construction and keep them as a reference. Most of the information you wouldn't need, but they will tell you what's available, and the exact dimensions.

[Bruce Kieffer]

This is unbelievable! I accidentally clicked in my VW tool set palette and there were the I-Beams! It's all in the detailing tool set with the other tool sets at the lower left corner of the screen when the workspace is set to standard. All the same stuff is in that tool set as is in the library "00_Detailing Library."