Creating End Caps

You can create end caps to close open structure members.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: Open a physical product containing members.
See Also
About Plates, Gussets, and End Caps
Defining an Axis System
Ordered Geometrical Sets

Create End Caps Along Faces

You can add end caps directly at the open ends of members or define an axis system at a specific location on a member end and then add an end cap at that location. The following procedure explains how to add end caps along faces at the open ends of members.

  1. From the Structure section of the action bar, click End Cap .
  2. In the End Cap dialog box , from the Placement list, select Supporting Faces to add an end cap along the faces.
  3. Optional: Click Swap Placement to swap the end cap placement from one end of the member to another.
  4. Optional: Select Perpendicular to member Axis to add an end cap at the location normal to the member axis.
  5. From the Profile list, select a profile to apply to the end cap. See Standard Profiles for End Caps.
  6. Under Contour details, specify the dimensions for the end cap.
  7. Under Thickness, from the Thickness direction list, select the direction for the end cap. See Thickness Direction Options.

    Alternatively, from the work area, use the shortcut menu to adjust the direction of the thickness.

  8. Specify a thickness value for the end cap in the Overall thickness field.

    Alternatively, from the work area, use handles.

  9. Optional: Specify the Distance Ratio to position the end cap along the path of the member.

    The Distance Ratio value ranges from 0 to 1. A value of 0 positions the end cap at the beginning of the member whereas a value of 1 positions the end cap at the end of the member.

  10. Click .

    The newly created end cap appears under the separate Ordered Geometrical Set in the Design Manager Tree.

Create End Caps Along an Axis System

You can define an axis system at a specific location on a member end and then add the end cap at that location.

Before you begin: Define an axis system in the work area to add an end cap at that location.
Note: You must define all the axes in the axis system correctly to place an end cap at the proper location. The X and Y axes define the horizontal and vertical lengths of an end cap and the Z-axis specifies a direction for the thickness.
  1. From the Structure section of the action bar, click End Cap .
  2. In the End Cap dialog box , from the Placement list, select Axis System to add an end cap along a predefined axis system.
  3. From the Design Manager Tree or work area, select the axis system.
    The selection appears in the Axis System field in the dialog box. The preview of the default end cap profile appears in the work area.
  4. From the Profile list, select a profile to apply to the end cap. See Standard Profiles for End Caps.
  5. Under Contour details, specify the dimensions for the end cap.
  6. Under Thickness, from the Thickness direction list, select the direction for the end cap. See Thickness Direction Options.

    Alternatively, from the work area, use the shortcut menu to adjust the direction of the thickness.

  7. Specify a thickness value for the end cap in the Overall thickness field.

    Alternatively, from the work area, use handles.

  8. Click .

    The newly created end cap appears under the separate Ordered Geometrical Set in the Design Manager Tree.