Cone Generation

The cone generation is used to make cones comprised of nodes and optional members and plates.

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Cone with PlatesTemplate Options

Option	Description
Cone with Plates - tab
Rotation Axis	The Rotation Axis defines the axis to which the direction of the cone is oriented.
Axis Increment	The Axis Increment defines the number of segments the cone is broken down into along the height of the cone.
Sweep Increment	The Sweep Increment defines the number of segments the cone is broken down into along the width of the cone.
Sweep Angle	The Sweep Angle defines the ending angle of the cone arc.
Start Angle	The Start Angle defines the starting angle of the cone arc.
Polar Origin	The Polar Origin defines the reference point from which the arc height and width are measured and the rotation axis is defined.
Start Radius	The Start Radius defines the starting location of the radius.
End Radius	The End Radius defines the ending location of the radius.
Material	The Material option defines the material used to assign properties to the cone members.
Node Prefix	The Node Prefix Defines the prefix used in the node label for each new node generated.
Options - tab
Axis Members	(checkbox) The Axis Member option allows you to toggle members being drawn in the Axis.
Arc Members	(checkbox) The Arc Member options allows you to toggle members being drawn in the arc.
Section Set	Section Set defines the section set assigned axis members or arch members. There are entries for a Section Set for both the arc members and the axis members, so these two sets of members can be different sizes. To generate these members you must select a valid section set. If you don't select a section set, you won't generate these members. Different labels may be assigned to the two member types.
X-Axis Rotate	The X-axis Rotate option defines the local x-axis rotation of the arc relative to the global X axis. It can be used to rotate the local axis in to place. However, you may find that a K-node better serves this purpose.
Member Prefix	The Member Prefix defines prefix to member labels for members created using the generator.
Segments	(checkbox) When selected, this option allows for the drawing of members into several segments or a single member.
Plates	(checkbox) The Plates option allows you to draw plates between members generated using the Grid Generation.
Material	The Material option defines the material used to assign properties to the cone members. A Material Set for plates must be defined.
Thickness	The Thickness option defines the thickness of the plate. A Thickness for plates must be defined.
Plate Prefix	The Plate Prefix defines prefix to plate labels for plates created using the generator.

Specify the polar origin as the point about which the arc rotates and a global axis as the axis of rotation. You can generate a cone the full 360 degrees around the axis of rotation or generate a partial cone by specifying the start and sweep angles.

The start radius and end radius are the distances from the axis of rotation to the cone. The number of increments along the sweep determines how many piecewise straight segments are used to model the arc of the cone. The number and length of increments along the axis of rotation is used to "extrude" the cone in the direction of the axis of rotation.

There are entries for a section set for both the arc members and the axis members so these two sets of members can be different sizes. To generate these members you must select a valid section set. If you don't select a section set, you won't generate these members. Different labels may be assigned to the two member types. The “x-axis rotate “ may be used to rotate the local axes in to place however, you may find that a K-node better serves this purpose.

Finally, you can enter a material set, thickness and label for plates to be defined.