Design groups is a tool that can be used for timber, concrete and steel. Start by defining the group by choosing a name and a color and select the objects with the pen. You can also adjust an existing group using the plus and minus signs in the tool.
Once the design group is created, you can make settings for the auto-design by using the question mark associated with the tool "auto design" (lightning bolt icon). In this box you can make settings for which profiles the design selection should select from. The program will then find the most utilized object and select a suitable profile that can withstand the forces. The same profile is also used on the other objects that are part of the current group. It's also possible to set a utilization limit. This can for example be used to reduce the utilization rate for columns in a structure.
Pick / copy properties
These small buttons are often overlooked but can have a great impact on your modeling time by speeding up the settings for your various items. You will find the buttons in the shortcut associated with the "Tools" menu, or simply under the "Tools" menu at the top of the menu bar. Together with the filter button this becomes a very powerful tool for modeling!
Just as it sounds, it is possible to copy settings between different objects using the "Copy properties" button. First select the object which settings are to be copied, then select the objects to which the settings are to be pasted. The settings that are copied are all found under the "Default settings" button for each tool. Note that you can only copy settings between the same object type. It is thus not possible to clone settings between a wall and a slab for instance.
The "Pick properties" button is used when you have a tool open, then all settings found under the "Default settings" button will be retrieved from the object that is selected.
Quick tools menu
This menu is available since version 18 and can be opened up by going to "Window / Other windows / Quick tools". It can be docked to one of the sides or it can be floating on any screen.
The Quick tools menu helps you navigate the model by quickly and easily accessing the layer manager and filter button. All objects modeled in FEM-Design will end up in a specific layer, one for each object type. By using the padlock, you can turn on, off and lock different layers, just like in any CAD program. This greatly facilitates modeling and result management.
The results can also be accessed via the Quick tools menu. Now you do not have to go via the "plus sign" but instead you can simply double-click on a specific result to show it in the 3D view. If you want to compare different results and at the same time save a certain view, you can click on the "Keep" button. Then this result with the associated view will end up in the "Select result" list.
