If more than one grid system has been defined in the model, first specify the grid system by selecting it from the drop-down list. Note that the four options on the form - Vertical frame object major direction is X, Vertical frame object direction is Y, Vertical frame object is Radial, Vertical frame object is Tangential - have no effect unless the selected element is a vertical frame object.
Select the Assign menu > Frame > Local Axes command to access the Frame Assignment – Local Axes form. Choose the desired parameters for the bullet items that follow step 3.Redefine the orientation of the local 2 and 3 axes of a frame object by rotating them about the local 1-axis as follows: The projection of the positive local 2-axis onto the global Z-axis is in the same direction as the positive global Z-axis, upward. The positive local 2-axis has an upward sense. Local axis 2 is perpendicular to the frame object.The projection of the positive local 1-axis onto the global Z-axis is in the same direction as the positive global Z-axis, upward. The positive local 1-axis has an upward sense. Local axis 1 is along the frame object.Other (neither vertical nor horizontal) Frame Objects. For line objects that are not vertical and are not horizontal, the local axes have the following default orientation:.The direction of the positive local 3-axis is determined from applying the right-hand rule using the directions of the 1 and 2 axes described in the preceding bullets. Local axis 3 is perpendicular to the frame object and is horizontal.The positive local 2-axis points in the same direction as the global Z-axis, upward. If the frame object is parallel to the global Y-axis such that there is no projection onto the global X-axis, the positive direction of the local 1-axis is the same as the direction of the positive global Y-axis. The projection of the positive local 1-axis onto the global X-axis is in the same direction as the positive global X-axis.
For horizontal frame objects (parallel to the global X-Y plane), the local axes have the following default orientation: Local axis 3 is perpendicular to the frame object.The projection of the positive local 2-axis onto the global X-axis is in the same direction as the positive global X-axis. The positive local 1-axis is in the same direction as the positive global Z-axis, upward. Vertical Frame Objects. For vertical frame objects the local axes have the following default orientation:.The default local axes orientation for frame objects is different for Another way to display local axes orientation on the screen is to check the Extrusions check box in the Special Effects area of the Set Building View Options form. This is the same order as the colors of the American flag: red, white and blue. When local axes are displayed on the screen, local axis 1 is red, local axis 2 is white and local axis 3 is blue, always. Note: Use the View menu > Set Display Options command to access the Set Building View Options form then check the Shell Local Axes and Frame Local Axes check boxes in the Object View Options area of the form to display both shell and frame object axes. The default orientation of the local 2 and 3 axes depends on the frame-type (column, beam or brace) and in some instances the orientation of the frame element itself. By default the local 1-axis of a frame object extends from the i-end of the element to the j-end.