Line data: Attachments

A number of attachments may be added to each line. Each attachment may be either one of the predefined attachment types or a clone of a specified 6D buoy.

Attachment type

This may be a clump type, a drag chain type, a flex joint type, a stiffener type or an existing 6D buoy.

If you select a 6D buoy as the attachment type, then the attachment is a clone of that 6D buoy: changing the properties of the 6D buoy will change the properties of the attachment in the same way. The 6D buoy from which the attachment is cloned cannot be deleted without first deleting all the attachments that are clones of it.

6D buoy attachments are especially useful when you want a number of identical 6D buoys attached to a line. For example, to attach 20 identical buoys to a line, you would create the first buoy separately from the line and then connect it to the line by setting its connection data item. This first buoy acts as the parent from which all the other attachment buoys are cloned. Then, on the line data form, specify 19 attachments and set their attachment type to be the first 6D buoy.

Note:

6D buoy attachments can only be used when the line includes torsion.

Position, z relative to

The $x$, $y$ and $z$ coordinates define the position of the attachment relative to the line.

The attachment is connected to the node whose reference arc length is closest to the specified $z$-coordinate, measured relative to either end A or end B as specified.

Clumps, drag chains, flex joints and stiffeners have $x$ and $y$ coordinates zero and not editable. Their $z$-coordinate is the arc length; they are attached at the node nearest to this arc length.
For stiffeners in particular, the $z$-coordinate specifies the arc length on the protected line of the stiffener connection point.
For 6D buoy attachments, the $z$ coordinate defines the arc length at which the buoy should be attached to the line. The buoy will be connected to the nearest node to that arc length, at an offset (relative to the node axes) given by the buoy's initial (x,y) position.

Note:

Clump attachments are also offset vertically from the node by the offset distance given by the clump type data, with the convention that the offset is positive upwards.

Node arc length

The reference arc length of the node where the attachment is connected.

Orientation

Available to 6D buoy attachments only, rotation 1, rotation 2 and rotation 3 determine the initial attitude of the attached buoy.

Name

The name of the attached object may be used to select results for that object. This is not available for clump types, since results are not available for individual clump attachments.