merge join hand rails

[muleman1]

We are trying to join the 8 sections of a top handrail, below. AS creates the bends with welded fittings. We want to detail the top rails as one piece as this is the way we bend them in the shop.  Is there anyway to do this thru the railing macro or is there another technique? When I try 'merge beams' it doesn't work properly......

[TomislavGolubovic]

I just did a quick test, and made a polyline, did a line to beam command, then merged the beams (and used the Australian CHS profile), and it came out as one item in the output drawings.

[muleman1]

Did you draw the polyline from scratch or did you somehow draw on top of the macro generated rail?

[TomislavGolubovic]

It was just a polyline generated in space with a 140 radius fillet at each corner, then I ran the line to beam command.

[wtheron · Accepted solution]

Hello Muleman,

You can use the Use PolyBeams options from the Railing Macro. This negates having to explode the railing macro and remodel with polylines.

[muleman1]

thx wtheron, when I use polylines it doesnt pick up the last vertical post.....any ideas? however this is for sure much better and closer to what we want. thx again for your time

[wtheron]

I am assuming you have positions the last post with an offset value? As far as I know I am not aware that AS can include the posts as Polybeams, only the railing part as that is where the option for polybeams are located.

If you can upload your model I would be happy to take a look at it, however no promisis

[muleman1]

No problem, we can modify it to suit. We find ourselves trying to use these softwares thinking like fabricators and that doesn't always work very well. 

[AleckGiles]

To make the whole handrail (top beam only) into one bent peice including the end loops etc. tick the box "Use Polybeams" box on the End of Handrial page in the joint properties.

To make the middle rail one long length threaded through holes in the posts, rather than short pieces between each post, go to the Post - Middle Rail page and change the Connection Type to Continuous. This will not include any end loops or go round bends though.

It is not currently possible within the macro to include posts as part of the top rail but you should be able to play with the downstand and middle rail extension settings to get the equivalent result.  As per the screenshot the magenta top rail is one piece and the green and yellow middle rails are one piece each with a welded section in the middle. This is the best the macro can do at this time.

[daveBT5BH]

Can you elaborate on how to get the magenta top, turns and posts as one continuous piece? I can only get the top rail and turns. The posts do not join using the poly checkbox.

Thanks!

[AleckGiles]

Hi,

As I said in the previous message, you cannot merge the posts into the rail at this time. The last post in the image is set "Distance End of rail to last post" = 0 on the Posts page.. Then play with the "end of handrail (end)" settings.