Dear reader,
 Tekla is fully committed to delivering our software users new and improved functionality every year, no matter the economic situation. With the help of new interactive videos you can easily see what important features we have to offer. Now is the time to start preparing for the next upturn by reviewing your work processes and learning how to use Tekla Structures even more effectively!


Tekla Structures 15 coming soon

Every spring brings the latest version update: Tekla Structures 15 will be launched very soon, at the end of March.

The new features in Tekla Structures 15 will let you model and detail more intuitively, enhance your drawings and other output, as well as improve project collaboration through enhanced interoperability and visualization.

See for yourself and learn your reasons to update at www.teklastructures.com

Tekla Structures 15 release notes and installation downloads are available at the Tekla Extranet.

New Tekla ExtranetThe new Tekla Extranet published soon is meant for all customers who have purchased software maintenance. This new online dimension provides you with professional online support, useful tips and answers to your questions, a chance to meet other users in the global Tekla network, as well as a smoother way to download the latest version updates and releases.

Extranet content is structured in a more logical way than before. In addition to English, the new extranet is available in French, German, Japanese and Chinese. All customers have access to content in every language.

The old hints & tips have now been moved to Questions & answers, and there is some new content, too, from the Tekla global helpdesk. Extensions to Tekla Structures (both custom components and extended applications) can now be found under Product menu with informative pop-ups describing their functionality. The Installation Troubleshooting Guide and version Release Notes you can find under Version downloads. The License Borrowing Guide and Quick and User Guides to FLEXnet are all under Licensing, and Task Manager User Guide as well as Keyboard Shortcuts, for example, can be found under Manuals.

Remember that the latest version of Tekla Structures software is available from the Tekla Extranet. Login or register to benefit from this value-added service!


Tekla Structures GlossaryIn recent years, the Tekla terminology group has compiled the key concepts related to Tekla Structures software into one glossary. The glossary’s aim is to facilitate all our users’ project communications by clarifying the concepts and terms they need in their work.

The glossary clarifies the contents of more than 450 Tekla Structures related concepts. The relations between concepts are illustrated by means of concept diagrams, and the definitions and supplementary notes offer an effortless way to familiarize oneself with Tekla Structures terminology. The glossary also gives recommendations on the usage of certain English terms. Login or create a My Tekla account to browse through the glossary!


Customer satisfactionThe annual Tekla customer satisfaction survey was conducted last December – many thanks for your participation and feedback! The results are based on the responses of 1,726 respondents, who were asked to evaluate Tekla B&C’s product and services. The response rate was 23%.

Technical support was considered the most important and Tekla Structures deliveries as the most successful service fields in 2008. Satisfaction with Tekla customer relations and Tekla Structures software was at the highest level ever. There is still some room for improvement in the speed of technical support, however. In 2008, altogether 74 percent of the survey respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the overall performance of Tekla. On a scale from 1 to 5, the satisfaction with overall performance of Tekla has increased from 3.6 to 3.8 since 2007.

The most important benefits gained from the business relationship with Tekla are seen to be higher design quality with less errors, increased accuracy and efficiency, and increased productivity. Our customers are also the most satisfied with the realization of these issues.

Wednesday WebinarsTekla has started to arrange online webinars on building information modeling (BIM) for structural engineering. The first webinar in February illustrated how engineers and detailers can benefit using the same Tekla model, how the information created in the general design phase by engineers is useful downstream in the process, and how to confirm RFIs electronically as well as manage liability issues.

Aimed mainly at engineering offices, Wednesday Webinars also serve other building and construction disciplines. The first webinar on 4 February attracted about 150 attendants. Excellent feedback  included several further questions about the process. The topic for the March webinar was passing an engineer’s design downstream in the BIM process.

The webinars are held on the first Wednesday of every month, twice a day at 12:00 CET and 12:00 EST. There are nine more webinar days planned for 2009. The webinars use Webex technology and last about 30 minutes. All webinars are recorded and posted on our Wednesday Webinar page. Their attendance is growing steadily session by session and has already reached almost 1000 visitors. Go check out previous webinars or register to attend the next one!

Tubular steel profile modeled in Tekla Structures Tekla and HGG started cooperation on developing a standardized software solution for the steel tube industry in the fall of 2007. As a result, Tekla Structures 15 introduces the production of required control data for CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machinery in standard open XML format. Tekla Structures is the only solution on the market to cover all 3D tubular structures from design and detailing to automatic fabrication.

Up until today, data transfer with tubular sections has been possible but it has required several manual operations and editing of data to complete the process. By completing the 3D building information model (BIM) with a wide range of tubular connections, it is now possible to export information to tube profiling machines by using open XML as the new industry standard. Read more

BPDL, Canada
Last fall we introduced you to BPDL, Bétons Préfabriqués du Lac, of Canada, who have rapidly succeeded with the implementation of Tekla Structures in their operations.

Click this link to read more about the company and their Essex County Veterans Courthouse project.

BuildingSMARTTekla hosted annual buildingSMART Implementer Support Group (ISG) meeting in Espoo, Finland, between 10 and 12 March 2009. The meeting focused on the framework for the continuous development of IFC-based communication between software solutions for structural engineering as well as presented successful BIM projects carried through in Finland.
 
Meeting participants represented software vendors and organizations from several countries, including aec3, Forschungscentrum Karlsruhe, iabi and Nemetschek (Germany), Graphisoft (Netherlands), Gehry Technologies (US), DDS, EPM and Nosyko (Norway), SCIA (Czech Republic), Granlund, Progman, Solibri and Tekla (Finland).

In connection with the meeting, Finnish BIM pioneers Senate Properties, Skanska and Pöyry presented their outlines for establishing more standardized design and construction processes to both local and international projects. Read more

Cad has been modeling so hard that he is starting to have weird dreams… How can he survive in the wild west of 3D modeling? What’s wrong with pioneer Bim these days? Will we ever see Cad again...?

Buildign Buddies Cad and Bim go west