Translate Elements

Move or copy existing elements at equal or unequal spacings.

From the Main Menu select Model > Elements > Translate.

Select Geometry > Elements > Translate in the Menu tab of the Tree Menu.

Click Translate Elements in the Icon Menu.

Shortcut key: [Alt]+3

Click to the right of Translate Elements: Display the Element Table.

Start Node Number

Assign a starting number of the nodes automatically created in the element generation process. This number is auto-set to the largest node number in use +1. To modify this item, click and select an option to specify a desired number.

 

Start Element Number

Assign a new starting element number for new elements being created by copy. This number is auto-set to the largest element number in use +1. To modify this item, click and select an option to specify a desired number.

 

Mode

Copy: To copy elements

Move: To move elements

 

Translation

Node Increment (Applicable when nodes are already defined)
Node increment is used when elements are copied (or moved) using existing nodes.

Number of Times: Number of times to copy

Equal Distance
To copy (or move) at an equal spacing

dx, dy, dz
Copy (or move) distance in each axis direction.

To enter the copy (or move) distance, type in each distance, or click the entry field and assign the copy (or move) distance in the working window with the mouse.

Number of Times: Number of times to copy

Unequal Distance: Copying (moving) at unequal spacings

Axis: Assign copy (or move) direction.

x: To copy at unequal distances in UCS x-direction

y: To copy at unequal distances in UCS y-direction

z: To copy at unequal distances in UCS z-direction

Arbitrary: To copy at unequal distances in a specified direction

Distances: Enter unequal copy distances in the specified direction as many times as desired.

(Ex. 5, 3, 4.5, 3@5.0, 4 = 5, 3, 4.5, 5.0, 5.0, 5.0, 4)

Direction Vector: If a specific direction is selected, enter the direction vector components in each of the x, y, z-directions.

 

Material Inc.
An increment for material property numbers while copying elements

: if the field is checked in, the material property number increases by the given increment while the number of copies is repeated.

 

Section Inc.
An increment for section numbers while copying elements

: if the field is checked in, the sectional property number increases by the given increment while the number of copies is repeated.

 

Thickness Inc.
An increment for thickness numbers while copying elements

: if the field is checked in, the thickness number increases by the given increment while the number of copies is repeated.

Note
To copy wall elements, press to display the dialog box and select whether or not to apply the increment for Wall ID numbers.

 

Delete Free Nodes
Applicable for Move Mode only, Delete Free Nodes automatically removes the remaining original nodes pertaining to the elements being moved.

 

Intersect
Applicable only for line elements

If Intersect Node is selected and existing nodes are on the created line elements, the elements are divided at the existing nodes.

If Intersect Element is selected and the created line elements intersect with existing line elements, nodes are automatically created and the elements are divided at the intersections.

 

Copy Node Attributes
Select the option whether to copy the attributes (nodal boundary conditions, nodal concentrated loads, etc.) to the nodes being copied. Click assign desired to attributes selectively.

 

Copy Element Attributes
Select the option whether to copy the attributes (element boundary conditions, element loads, etc.) to the elements being copied. Click to assign desired attributes selectively.


Specify a merging tolerance to merge newly created nodes and existing nodes.

Note
When moving elements, the nodes connected to the elements are not moved but rather copied at the relevant positions. To also move the nodes, Translate Nodes to move the nodes as well as the connected elements simultaneously.