Beam to Plate — convert beams into a plate/solid mesh
b2p_convertUse to replace beam elements with a plate or solid mesh of their real cross-section (a detailed local model). Not for building a new deck (skew_grillage) or changing spans (bridge_reshape). Converts beam elements into a plate (or solid) mesh of their cross-section with the Beam to Plate plugin's own engine (1.0.6): every section CIVIL NX gives geometry for (rolled/fabricated steel, PSC, boxes, composite, tapered groups, VALUE, catalogue), solid concrete sections as a grid of plates or as solids, exact beam loads / nodal loads / temperatures moved onto the mesh, haunches, diaphragms, deck slabs joined, rigid links to whatever else meets the beam's nodes (staged per construction stage), virtual beams per row of plates, groups and composite casting stages carried across. Previews by default (totals, volume check, per-section verdict, notes, what is left behind such as tendons or lanes, problems, planHash) and writes nothing. With apply: true and confirmPlanHash it re-reads the model, refuses if the plan changed, and writes the plugin's way: nodes, thicknesses and elements written and read back, then links, loads, groups, stages, virtual beams, and only then the source beams deleted (deleteSourceBeams); a write that fails part way is rolled back by the plugin. The run is recorded for b2p_undo. Lengths are in the model's unit. Use b2p_survey first. Runs as a background job on the website (poll job_status).
Tool call template
This tool declares no required parameters. Add optional parameters from the input schema as needed.
{
"id": 1,
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"method": "tools/call",
"params": {
"arguments": {},
"name": "b2p_convert"
}
}Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| apply | No | Write to CIVIL NX. Only after the user approved the preview. | |
| model | No | convert = plates/solids along the member; slice = a transverse slice of each section meshed in its own plane (beams kept, nothing linked or loaded). | convert |
| facets | No | Facets per circle for round sections. | |
| groups | No | Every beam in these structure groups. | |
| loadAt | No | Where a converted load lands: exactly where it acts; on the section centreline; spread over the section; spread over the deck top. | exact |
| meshAs | No | Per-section override of the suggestion, {sectionId: 'plate'|'solid'}. | |
| linkAll | No | Rigid-link every member end, not only where something else attaches. | |
| longSize | No | Mesh size along the member (default 0.5 m), in the model's length unit (b2p_survey reports it). | |
| sections | No | Every beam of these section ids. | |
| calibrate | No | Adjust plate thicknesses so the mesh has the section's own A, centroid, Iyy, Izz: where the shape is idealised (generic), every section, or never. | generic |
| groupName | No | Structure group for the whole mesh ('' for none). | B2P mesh |
| joinDecks | No | Join neighbouring girders' deck slabs. | |
| loadFloor | No | Ignore nodal loads under this, in the model's force unit (default 0.01 kN); totals are kept. | |
| materials | No | Material per composite part, {sectionId: {part: materialId}} (b2p_survey lists each section's materialSlots); default: from the CS data or the beam's own. | |
| solidMode | No | auto = each section as the plugin suggests (solid for compact concrete, plates for thin walls); plate; solid. | auto |
| transSize | No | Mesh size across the section (default 0.25 m), in the model's length unit (b2p_survey reports it). | |
| deckPlates | No | Deck plates (plugin 1.0.6): follow = along the slab's mid-thickness, as before; straight = every top-slab node on one line under the top surface, each thicker plate (tapering cantilever, haunches) offset to its own concrete through the plate offset, so area, centroid and second moments are kept; webs run on to the deck line. | follow |
| diaphragms | No | Fill compact diaphragm segments of a box run with plates (plate mode). | |
| elementIds | No | Beam element ids: "101-118, 205" or [101, 102]. | |
| sliceAtPct | No | model 'slice': where along each member, %. | |
| sliceWidth | No | model 'slice': the slice width = plate thickness (default 1 m), in the model's length unit (b2p_survey reports it). | |
| solidPlates | No | How a solid (concrete) section meshed as PLATES is idealised: grid of plates over the real section; thin plates round the outline; one plate per wall. | grid |
| convertLoads | No | Move beam loads, nodal loads on the beams' nodes and element temperatures onto the plates. | |
| virtualBeams | No | One virtual beam per row of plates, so results read as beam forces. | |
| boundaryGroup | No | Boundary group for the rigid links (one per stage in a staged model). | B2P links |
| acceptSections | No | Section ids to convert although their check failed (the window's 'Convert anyway'). Only with the user's agreement. | |
| mergeTolerance | No | Node merge tolerance (default 0.0001 m), in the model's length unit (b2p_survey reports it). | |
| confirmPlanHash | No | planHash from the approved preview; the write is refused if the plan differs. | |
| deleteOrphanNodes | No | Remove the beams' own nodes that nothing else uses once they are deleted. | |
| deleteSourceBeams | No | DESTRUCTIVE: delete the converted beams after the mesh is written and read back (b2p_undo puts them back). Never deleted for a slice. | |
| useCivilSelection | No | The elements selected in CIVIL NX right now. | |
| reuseExistingNodes | No | Use a model node already at a mesh point instead of a new one. | |
| thicknessGroupingPct | No | Plates within this % share one thickness record. | |
| transverseStiffeners | No | Add transverse web stiffeners (CIVIL NX holds none): h outstand, b thickness, spacing along the girder, side, one at each end. | |
| includeUncountedStiffeners | No | Also mesh stiffeners CIVIL NX leaves out of the section (the 'C' box unticked). |