Building a plate girder

[daniel.tarnowski]

I want to build a plate girder.  I can model the 3 separate plates and have them welded together, but nothing from the connections vault works because it is looking for a beam.

What is the best way to go about this?

[johnjmbennett]

Tapered beam command, created web and flanges from plate or standard flat sections.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/advance-steel/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2017/ENU...

[daniel.tarnowski]

Thank you for the response. I had discovered this method on my own, however the problem I ran into is the largest size for section 1 (web) is 12".
I have attached a screen capture of the AS compound beam properties dialogue box I am looking at as well as a sketch of the plate girder I need to create.
I don't know where to look to edit the database so a ½"x41" plate size is available for section 1.

[DumitruBerteanu]

To get that missing flat size, you would need to add it in the database. Once added, it will become avaliable in the dialog.

To add it please check this document : https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/advance-steel/troubleshooting/caas/discussion/t5/Advance-Stee... , or on this page : https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/advance-steel/troubleshooting/caas/discussion/t5/Advance-Stee...

Please note that when adding new sizes to existing profiles, that the values for width, height and other geometrical parameters found in the databases are always expressed in millimeters, so when adding the imperial size - you would need to convert the values and add the metric ones instead. Of course the name can be written using imperial references, and when used in imperial models the values will be displayed in feet/inches. 

[johnjmbennett · Accepted solution]

Hi,

please check you you are using the tapered beam, not compound beam

Command line: _AstM4CrConByVb TaperedBeam

This command has opition to use plate in addition to having standard hot rolled flats.

know that in some fab shops in USA , the use plate plasmas cut from sheet, the process through assembly line to make welded beams sometimes tapered also.  The tapered beam to allows you set to plate and the control the size you need for the plasma cut plate. 

This is tool can be used for pre engineered buildings, very popular in USA.

[daniel.tarnowski]

Both solutions work.  Yes, I had originally tried using the welded beams, I Symmetric.  This did work by adding a 1/2"x41" plate to the database. 

Tapered beam requires no modification of database.

Thank you both for your help!

[mikeM9TCU]

What is the best way to output the plate girder? 
I used drawing styles to display the beam assembly, but it does not call up the flange and web plates as pieces.