Scale Elements

The scale feature lets you change the size of selected items. Selected nodes, members and plates are all affected when the scaling is applied. Loads are not scaled except distributed and surface loads that are a function of the size of the element.

Note: If you wish to scale in a direction other than a global direction you can rotate the model to a global direction, scale it, and rotate it back.

Scale Selected Items

To scale selected items:

  1. Open a model view if one is not already open.

    1. Go to the View ribbon.

    2. Click the Open 3D Views icon.

  2. Select the items you want to scale by clicking on them or clicking and dragging over them.

  3. Go to the Modify ribbon.

    Click on image to enlarge it

  4. Click the Scale icon.

    The Properties panel displays the Move Scale options.

  5. Change the scale factors you want.

  6. Click the Specify Origin arrow and choose an option.

    • Coordinates: If you choose this option, enter an origin about which to scale and a scale factor to apply to each global direction.

    • Click to Locate: If you choose this option, click a node to define the origin. The origin is the point that remains stationary during the scaling. 

    The factors are applied in each direction to adjust the node coordinates, member lengths and plate sizing. The factors work so that a factor of one has no affect, a factor of two will double the size of the item, and so on.

    When you scale items the node coordinates that define the items are moved. For this reason, the scaling is applied to all selected items plus unselected nodes of selected items.

    For example, if you have selected members to scale but have unselected some of the end nodes, the nodes are scaled anyway since this is the only way to scale the member.

  7. Click Click to Apply or Apply to Selectedbutton.
Note: You may undo any mistakes by clicking the Undo button in the Quick Access toolbar.