Create Member Panels

Use the Member Panels tool to connect three or more members.

1. From the Skeleton ribbon, click the Member Panels tool.

   
   
   Figure 1.

2. Create panels in one of two ways:

   Option	Description
   Automatically	Select three or more members which form an enclosed loop. Figure 2.
   Using existing parts	Check Use Existing then select the components or elements to be considered as a panel.

   In both cases the panel is connected to the members and joints via spring elements.
3. Click on the guide bar to define mesh and connection options.

   Element size

   Size of the panel elements.

   Element type

   Quad, Tria, Mixed, R-Tria, Quad Only

   Shrink offset

   Offset between the panel edge and the member.

   Connect

   Spring stiffness values which are applied to the PBUSH property, which is then subsequently associated to the CBUSH elements.

   Figure 3. Without offset

   
   
   Figure 4. With offset

4. On the guide bar, click one of the following:
   • - Apply and stay in the tool
   • - Apply and close the tool
   • - Exit the tool without applying