Creating Gussets

You can add gussets:

  • Between structure members for support
  • Using standard profiles
  • Between members and plates
  • Between plates and cylindrical surfaces

This task shows you how to:

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

Create Gussets along Faces

You can create gussets along two intersecting or nonintersecting faces or along a predefined axis system.

  1. From the Structure section of the action bar, click Gusset .
  2. In the Gusset dialog box, from the Placement list, select Supporting Faces.
  3. From the work area, select two intersecting faces to add a gusset between them.
    The selected faces appear in the Supporting Faces field. The first selected face in the field is the primary face. The preview of the default gusset profile appears in the work area. The X-axis of the profile in the preview aligns with the primary face.
  4. Optional: Click to swap the primary face with the secondary face.
    The second face now becomes the primary face. The X-axis of the profile now aligns with the new primary face.
  5. Optional: Click Swap Placement to swap the X-axis alignment of the gusset profile with another face.
  6. Optional: Select Support Plane and from the work area, select a plane to orient the gusset.
  7. From the Profile list, select a profile to apply to the gusset. See Standard Profiles for Gussets.
  8. Under Contour details, specify the dimensions for the gusset profile.
  9. Under Thickness, from the Thickness direction list, select the direction for the gusset. See Thickness Direction Options.

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

  10. Specify a thickness value for the gusset in the Overall thickness field.

    Alternatively, from the work area, use handles.

  11. Under Location, from the Gusset Location list, select an option that adds a gusset at the starting point, mid point, or end point of the member.

    Alternatively, from the work area, click the dot to specify gusset location.

  12. In the Offset field, specify the distance of the gusset from the selected members.
  13. Click .

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

Create Gussets Along an Axis System

You can create gussets along a predefined axis system and along two intersecting or nonintersecting faces.

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

    Alternatively, from the work area, use handles.

  8. Click .

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