Free Plate (1103)

"Civil Engineering functions" docking window > Steel Engineering > Connections > Individual beam/profile > Free plate (1103)

Use this function to fit plates of flat steel or sheet metal with pre-drilled holes. Besides standard bores, slots and free bores can be used if desired.

When you call the function, the dialogue window for free plates will be displayed.

The Free plate (1103) dialogue window

Manage configurations

Configurations for free plates can be saved, enabling you to access your individual, customised configurations at any time.

More about configurations

Configure free plate

Semi-finished product

The plate can either consist of flat steel or of sheet metal. Click the icon to select plate type and material directly from the corresponding Standard part catalogues.

Geometry

Here you can determine the plate size. In the Definition listbox you can choose between the following procedures:

Definition: Absolute
The plate size is determined by specifying the height and width of the plate.
Definition: With projection beyond grid
The plate size is determined by the identified beam and the specified projection beyond the bore grid.

Example:

Bore type

The following options are available:

Standard bores
Click on the icon and select the desired bore directly from the Standard Part catalogue.
Slot
The bore has the form of a slot. Specify the length and diameter of the slot. If you want to rotate the slot, specify the rotation angle.

Slot (left) and Rectangular slot (right)

Rectangle
The bore has the form of a rectangular slot. Specify the length and width of the slot. If you want to rotate the slot, specify the rotation angle.
Free bore
Select this bore type if you want to use a simple bore defined by diameter specification.

Grid X/Y

The bore grid determines the arrangement of the bores on the plate.

X- and Y-offset (distance to the centroid of the plate)
Number of bores in X- and Y-direction and their distance to each other. If you want all bores running in one direction to have the same distance to each other, you can simplify the data entry by doing the following: Just enter the distance value into the field Change all.

Insert as SP (sub-part)

By default, the plate is inserted as a main part into your drawing. If you activate the Insert as SP checkbox the plate and the active part will form a new assembly.

When all required data have been entered, you can fit the plate. If you select Apply, the plate will be fitted, but the dialogue window will remain open (in contrast to the OK option). If you exit the dialogue window with Close, the function will be cancelled, without fitting or changing the plate.

HiCAD displays a graphical preview when the plate is fitted. Specify a fitting point in the graphic, then specify the position of this point in the current drawing.