Best way to model connections between beams?
I have a model of beams created from my FEM model in BlenderBIM. Now I'm looking for a way to make the connections between them.
A connection consists of:
- Connectors (screws, bolts, ... )
- Holes
- Void in each of the beams (e.g. slot, notch)
- Additional connection part (e.g. angle bracket, slotted in steel plate for timber connections, ...)
I think it would suit my workflow best to make the connection with FreeCAD and then exporting it to Blender? Is there any way of doing this? Or any other advice?
Comments
@bernd is the expert in FEM and Arch/BIM in FreeCAD to my understanding :)
For Connectors (screws, bolts, ... ), perhaps using IfcMechanicalFastenerType.
For Holes and Voids can do the following...
Additional connection part (e.g. angle bracket, slotted in steel plate for timber connections, ...)
perhaps using IfcMemberType
Unfortunately mirroring doesn't work, as far as I know, so you'll have to create (2) separate types for members that are mirrored.
...
And then if you want to create an 'aggregate type' of a group, or assembly of beam/connections/plates together, you could use @bruno_perdigao's tool:
https://github.com/IfcOpenShell/IfcOpenShell/pull/3328
@theoryshaw Thank you for your answer. This was helpful.
My connections will be reoccurring in different projects. I was wondering if there is a way to load all parts of the connection in a similar way I would load a window or a door?
Then i probably still have to assign the voids to the element?
Yes, loading aggregates, would be a nice feature.
Maybe meanwhile you can put everything (bolts, plates, brackets) in one type, that then can be loaded into a project.
I think theres some talk of associating an ifcopeningelemet, like you can with an ifcwindow, with other types as well.... which would obvoiusly be helpfull in this sitation.
I've managed to take get a FreeCAD geometry to Blender (With Sverchok). It updates when I change it in FreeCAD. Now i want to add it as a void to a beam. Preferably so i can also update it when changing it in FreeCAD. Any ideas? I Don't think there are voids yet in ifcSverchok?
