Creating a Panel

You can create a panel.

Before you begin: Create a structural system under the root product. Rename it, if necessary.
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Content for Structure Apps
  1. From the Function section of the action bar, click Panel .
    The Panel dialog box appears.
  2. In the Category box, select a category for the panel.

    You can edit the category while editing panel.

    Note: If no dictionary is set in Data Setup, only the default category is available.

  3. Optional: Clear the Automatic check box and type the required name in the Name box.

    Note: If a naming action rule is set in Rules Catalog or Rules Library in Data Setup, and the Automatic check box is selected, the structural object is named automatically according to naming action rule. For more information, see Action Rule for Naming.

  4. Select the Material and Orientation tab and enter the details.

    For more information, see Material and Orientation Tab.

  5. In the Geometry tab, select a required support in the work area in the Support box.

    Important: The selection must be compatible with the selected category. You can select multiple elements.

    • You can select either a reference plane or a surface from the work area.
    • You can also select the reference plane by right-clicking in the Support box, and choosing Select Reference Plane.
    • You can create a plane or a surface to define the support using other stack commands.

    To view all support elements, click next to display the elements list. You can use the Remove and Replace commands to remove and replace the selected support, respectively.

  6. Optional: In the Offset box, enter the required value by which the panel should be offset from the support.

    Important: The offset value is applicable for planar supports only.

  7. Specify the limits of the panel.
    • You can select:
      • Geometrical entities.
      • Structural objects. When you select a profile, its trace is considered as a limiting element.
      • A volume or a closed surface.
      • Particular faces of the stiffener as the limiting elements. Press the Alt key while selecting the stiffener. It displays the faces which can be selected as a limit. For more information, see Naming Section Edges.

    • You can sketch the boundary by clicking .

    Recommendation: If you want to create a panel connected to an existing panel as shown below, you should select the common plane as a limit.

    The selected limits appear in Limits area. The default limit type is applied as per the selection of the limiting element. Use the commands in the context menu available for the Limit column to define limitation type.
    Notes:

    • If a stiffener is interrupted by an opening, the complete stiffener is used as limit.
    • Click Switch Side to get the correct orientation of panel.
    • Click Remove to cancel the previously selected limit.
    • Click Replace to replace a limiting element with another element. To do so, select a limiting element to be replaced, click Replace, and select another limiting element from the work area.
      Note: The sketched limit cannot be replaced.

    • You can define the required offsets to the limits.

      • Normal Offset: Defines the offset normal to the limit.

        You can apply the normal offset only if the limit is a planar surface.

      • Offset: Defines the offset along the support.

        If you specify both offsets, the normal offset is applied first followed by the offset along the support. The orientation of the normal offset differs from the offset along the support. The normal offset follows the global orientation.

  8. Click OK.
    The panel is created.
    The following image shows panels created with different categories. A denotes Shell, B denotes transverse bulkhead, C denotes longitudinal bulkhead whereas D denotes deck.