Bolt detection can locate bolt locations automatically.
The Virtual Bolt Detection tool searches selected shell and solid regions to locate all
potential bolt locations automatically based on the criteria you specify. You can
review the search results, and the tool creates bolts at the locations you choose.
Three placement methods are available. The free method identifies bolt locations by
searching the geometry for suitable holes. The points method provides you with more
control over the placement locations by letting you pick points in the geometry. The
lines method is similar to the points method, but lets you use line length as a
limit for the bolt length.
Free Placement Method
With the Free placement method, the bolt detection tool
searches the selected supports for bolt locations based on the criteria that you
specify. You can restrict the bolt creation to holes of a particular size, and
you can control which parts the bolt connects.
You can restrict the search to look for circular holes only, or you can have it look for all
holes. For noncircular holes, you can specify both height and width of matching
holes.
Points Placement Method
With the points placement method, you select points to determine bolt locations. For some
points there might be more than one possible combination of layers that the bolt
can connect. You can limit the possibilities by specifying minimum and maximum
bolt lengths.
Automatic bolt detection with the points placement method does the following:
- Looks for the bolt hole that is closest to the placement point.
- Searches other layers for holes aligned with the first.
- If the distance to another hole is within the specified minimum
and maximum lengths that you specify, it forms a bolt between
the holes.
- If more than one other bolt hole is within that length range, it
uses the hole that creates the longest bolt length.
Note:
If you define the bolt properties to include connections to
intermediate layers, the hole closest to the placement point might
be either a bolt head or an intermediate layer. This hole can be an
intermediate layer if the specified length range is large enough to
include layers on both sides of the placement point.
Lines Placement Method
With the lines placement method, you select lines to determine bolt locations.
There might be more than one possible combinations of layers that the bolt can
connect. You can limit the possibilities by specifying minimum and maximum bolt
lengths, or you can use the line length itself to determine which layers the
bolt connects.
Bolt detection with the lines placement method does the following:
- Searches for the bolt hole that is closest to the start point of the
selected placement lines.
- Searches other layers for holes along the line direction.
- If a hole is within the specified minimum and maximum lengths,
it forms a bolt between them.
- If more than one other bolt hole is within that range, it uses
the hole that creates the longest bolt length.