Automatic definition of beam element cross-section orientation and normal?

[dfgsdfgfd]

When I allocate beam elements in a 3D model, Abaqus asks me to define the cross-section orientation (and normal?). I have a lot of elements, so I'm looking for an efficient way to define the direction. My beam cross-section is circular, so the direction doesn't really matter. Is there a way to automatically set the direction, for example based on the start/end points of the struts? I also want to avoid looping through every element and calculating it, as it takes a lot of time. If I don't assign it, I get the error

Error in job job-manual_block: Error in defining or computing beam section normal in XXX elements. The elements have been identified in element set ErrElemBeamSecNormal.
Error in job job-manual_block: The beam cross-section direction vectors coincide at a node in YYY elements. The elements have been identified in element set ErrElemBeamSecDirVect.

The number of elements (XXX and YYY) is smaller than the total number of elements, so it seems to work for some. Also, I'm using Python.

Thanks a lot for your help!

 

[Mustaine3]

Is your definition on geometry or orphan mesh?

 

[dfgsdfgfd]

I have a wire (or a set of wires) created through ".WirePolyLine", which I'm trying to mesh with the beam elements.

 

[Mustaine3]

The beam orientation has to be defined in the Property-module. Use that command on an example and then take the python command out the .rpy.