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Leading the way in open BIM software
development
 Tekla
was one of the first software
developers to introduce a structural
design tool that truly supports
building information modelling (BIM)
through its interoperability with
other applications. Open-interface
programs, such as Tekla Structures,
make it possible for all building
information to be produced and
managed within a single 3D model,
and are crucial for integrating the
different applications and
disciplines in the industry.
One of the first examples of
interoperability with other software
was linking Graphisoft's
award-winning 3D building design
solution ArchiCAD with Tekla
Structures. This import-export link
means that design elements can be
transferred directly into Tekla
Structures for structural design
tasks, such as analysis and
detailing, and then returned to
ArchiCAD retaining their critical
parameters. The same virtual
building model can be used from the
earliest sketches through to the CNC
machine for manufacturing building
elements, using the appropriate
software solution for every phase.
 For
quite some time, Tekla has been
working within the International
Alliance for Interoperability (IAI)
to support the open-format Industry
Foundation Classes (IFC) standard
that enables communication between
different software solutions and
disciplines. The IFC enables a
standard building model, which not
only includes all geometry data but
also other types of data, such as
information on materials, change
management, structural analysis, and
HPAC. As one example of the
possibilities that IFC provides,
Tekla and the German Dlubal GmpH
have developed an enhanced interface
between Tekla Structures and
Dlubal/RFEM/RSTAB. The standardised IFC import-export links allow
seamless integration between Tekla
Structures and third-party software.
Structural elements can be
transferred directly into the 3D
model for structural analysis and
design, and then returned to other
applications as required. Tekla
Structures is IFC 2x3 certified.
To advance the development and
adoption of BIM even further, Tekla
Open API (Application Programming
Interface) enables an even wider
range of third-party applications to
integrate their functionality and/or
communicate with the 3D modelling
environment. The open API enables
users and vendors to develop plug-in
applications and additional
functionality with the Tekla
Structures modelling platform. It is
implemented using Microsoft .NET
technology, and any COM or
.NET-compatible programs, such as
database applications based on, for
example, MS Access, Excel, Word, or Mathcad, as well as MIS and ERP
software, can receive data from a
Tekla Structures model, run
calculations, and then return the
results back into the model. Tekla
Structures supports the MS Vista
operating system, and Tekla is in
the process of becoming a Microsoft
Certified Solution Developer |
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New product for construction
management announced in DBIA and
Big5
 Getting more value out of the
building information model for the
owners and contractors of building
projects has lead Tekla to expand
its product offering. The Tekla
Structures for Construction
Management concept will be announced
at this year's Design-Build
Conference & Expo in Dallas, Texas,
from 31 October to 2 November, as
well as at the Big5 event in Dubai,
U.A.E, from 25 to 29 November.
The Tekla model contains all the
building information needed in both
the pre-construction as well as the
construction phase of a building
project. Contractors and project
owners already have engineers and
fabricators working for them that
can provide a 3D model – why would
they not use it to its full
potential?
 The upcoming Tekla Structures for
Construction Management is a
platform of information-model-based
solutions that supports contractors,
sub-contractors, and project
management professionals by
centralizing project data into a
visual 3 and 4-dimensional context.
Schedule and cost control can be
realized by an effective and
informed communication and
decision-making process that results
from being able to manage the
fragmented nature of both project
planning and performance data.
The Tekla model can be used to
model the whole process from project
planning to site management, i.e. to
plan and schedule the structures,
the quantities and the resources.
Project managers can visualize the
building in its as-built condition,
locate the task in the building, and
show their team an exact way to
proceed.
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The best degree of
automation on the market with steel
scribing
 A
new CNC process called scribing
reduces human errors in the layout
and fitting process in steel
fabrication. Bringing information
directly from the Tekla 3D model to
the shop floor is revolutionising
the fitting process in the
fabrication of steel assemblies.
For years, the steel industry has
automated the drilling/punching of
holes, copes, and saw cuts on beams
based on electronic information from
a 3D model. What still seems a
headache for the businesses,
however, is the lack of automation
in fitting operations. Previously,
piece marks and the location of
detail material were marked manually
based on information from detail
shop drawings. A scribing system can
automatically create layout
information, such as lines, part
marks, measurements on plates, or
all sides of a beam, totally
eliminating the normal
labour-intensive process. Combining
scribing technology with the
information in the Tekla 3D building
information model is an excellent
example of the benefits that the
Tekla Open API can bring to the
market.
 The
Italian-based company Ficep has
incorporated a high-speed carbide
scribing system within their product
range of CNC drilling lines that
permits the scribing of characters
and lines on the top and bottom of
the web as well as the outside of
both flanges. This technology allows
the CNC machine to clearly mark the
location of the parts and their part
marks to the beam. To maximize the
benefits of the scribing technology,
the French company Steel Projects
has developed a new application that
can take the CNC information
directly from the Tekla 3D model to
Ficep fabrication machines on the
shop floor. Tekla Open API enabled
this development to be implemented.
The application not only extracts
the traditional punching, drilling,
cutting, and coping information,
which is used in more common CNC
file extractions (like DSTV), but it
also introduces new information,
such as detail material part marks,
and detail part locations on the
main member material. With the
introduction of this new interface
and the 4-sided scribing technology,
efficiency and accuracy in the shop
layout and fitting process are
greatly increased.
A few advanced structural steel
fabricators, for example Barrett
Steel Buildings in Bradford, UK,
have already responded to the
growing productivity demands of
their customers by implementing the
latest scribing technology, and have
found this decision to be highly
beneficial. Through increased
automation, the realised benefits
include a significant reduction in
fitting labour and in field errors.
Furthermore, the companies utilising
scribing have been able to reduce
their skills requirements as well as
manufacturing and rework costs, and
thus they have been able to increase
their productivity, improve
accuracy, and enhance overall
profitability for stakeholders.
According to results obtained in the UK, marking with automatic line
scribing is approximately 80% faster
than manual methods of layout
marking.
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Tekla Structures for general
design
 This
autumn, Tekla has been campaigning
to explain to the industry how Tekla
Structures software now supports
General Design better than ever. The
campaign has included, for example,
free-of-charge webinars. The overall
message has been: Collaborate -
Design - Deliver. The Ramboll Group
provides a model example of the
extensive use of Tekla Structures in
General Design.
Three years ago, Ramboll Finland was
among the first users of the new
General Design release of Tekla
Structures. Since 2005, Ramboll
Finland has trained more than 40
designers to use the software. The
Group’s target is to ensure that
100% of design work is carried out
with Tekla Structures during the
next two years. Ramboll designers
are extremely motivated to use the
kind of design method that lets them
avoid making design errors, which is
important not only for the design
but for the whole building process.
The Ramboll Group strongly invests
in 3D tools and has chosen Tekla
Structures as their strategic tool
for the general and structural
design of steel and especially of
concrete, because the software
greatly helps in modelling
complicated geometry. Using a proper
3D design tool ensures the
consistency of the structure with
technical models, such as the HPAC
model, and greatly reduces errors
caused by redundant data. The
geometrical Tekla model can be
exported to FEM software for
structural analysis, and within
Tekla Structures it is possible to
create standard details, including
structural calculations with MS
Excel.
 The
Group has become an extensive
Tekla user and has used the
software in hundreds of General
Design projects. All larger
projects in the building
divisions of Ramboll Denmark are
being modelled with Tekla
Structures, and Ramboll Finland
has continuously developed their
procedure in concrete design and
produces almost all workshop
drawings of pre-fab concrete
elements using Tekla Structures.
Tekla Structures offers a
better, more integrated way of
working for engineering offices
in General Design, especially in
large time-critical and
information-rich projects.
Faster and more efficient
modelling allows for more
alternative design solutions and
lets companies compete for more
complex projects; powerful
visualisation and accurate cost
estimates help win projects.
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Tekla Structures for precast
concrete
Denmark's leading supplier of
concrete units, Spaencom, has
started to use Tekla Structures and
is thus opening a whole new market
area for precast modelling solutions.
In Finland, the software was used
successfully in building the
Helsinki-Vantaa Airport Hotel
Hilton. Furthermore, the
intermediate release Tekla
Structures 13.1 includes several
improvements for precasters.
Spaencom opens new precast market
for Tekla in Denmark
 Spaencom
A/S has been in business for more
than 50 years and is presently
Denmark's leading supplier of
prefabricated concrete units. At the
factories in Hedehusene, Tune,
Kolding and Aalborg, more than 700
employees develop, construct and
produce concrete units and system
solutions for business and
residential buildings. The company
bases its activities on the needs of
its clients and develops new
products and solutions in tune with
current demands and trends. Spaencom
is currently investing in new
factories and tools and has chosen
Tekla Structures to enhance its
solution offering. The company is
Tekla's first precast customer in
Denmark and thus the opener for a
whole new market. Spaencom's
strength is its large selection of
standard units and systems. With
Tekla Structures modelling, the
company will be able to implement
building information efficiently in
its new production lines.
Tekla model integrates concrete
and steel structures and is of use
in HPAC planning
 Finnish
engineering office A-insinöörit Oy
created the building information
model for the Hotel Hilton at
Helsinki-Vantaa Airport using Tekla
Structures. Using the software made
it easier for other parties, such as
the manufacturers of concrete
elements and steel sections and
plumbing designers, to visualise the
structures. The seven-storey hotel,
which will no doubt become one of
the airport's landmarks, was
completed at the end of the summer
in 2007. The foundation stone was
laid in February 2006.
 The
building has a total of 17,000 gross
square meters and car parking space
for one hundred cars. Its vertical
frame consists of reinforced
concrete and composite columns cast
on-site and of load-bearing
reinforced concrete walls. The
horizontal structures are primarily
hollow-core slabs. According to
A-Insinöörit, the benefits of
modelling came to the fore especially
in the design of the structural
elements, in which the company
achieved a significant benefit in
the compatibility of the sections.
The putting together of the various
components was easy. Modelling
cast-in-place and precast walls
worked well, especially in the
construction of joints. The fixing
parts were successfully aligned in
place. The drawings of the
cast-in-place and precast walls, and
the label drawings and lists for the
hollow-core slabs were obtained
directly from the Tekla building
information model.
Case study (pdf)
Tekla Structures 13.1 offers
several improvements for precasters
 According
to Tekla's product manager, the
latest intermediate release, Tekla
Structures 13.1, offers several
benefits for detailing or
manufacturing precast concrete. For
example, you can now have better
control over automatic numbering as
there is no need to change your
current numbering practices. The
detailing tools for reinforcement
have been extended, which helps in
full detailing including the
reinforcement of new piece types.
Furthermore, the drawings are easier
to edit and more automated, so you
can spend less time finalising piece
drawings and create drawings faster
as well as make them "readier" than
before. There is more detailed
information in the release notes on
the Tekla extranet.
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Tekla extranet – a
feast for the user
Are you already familiar with the
Tekla extranet? Although in the
process of being upgraded, it is a
treasure chest that offers various
possibilities for Tekla Structures
users to interact with their
software developer. For example, the
extranet is the place to download
and install Tekla Structures
updates, learn about and participate
in beta tester programs, as well as
to find out about extended
applications. Interested?
Tekla Structures updates
Tekla Structures 13
is being constantly updated to
provide important fixes for all
users. Users can login to the Tekla
extranet, download and install the
latest version on top of their
current 13.0 installation. These
service releases are available for
all users with a valid maintenance
agreement. Tekla recommends that all
users update their current 13.0
version with the latest
installation. If you have a Tekla
Extranet account, you will receive
automatic notification about the new
updates.
In addition to
version 13.0 updates, Tekla releases
an intermediate version, 13.1. Some
of the bigger improvements to the
software cannot be delivered as
updates to the existing version. One
intermediate release per year makes
sure that users who need this
functionality do not have to wait
for the next main version to start
enjoying the latest benefits.
Improvements to, for example,
multi-user capabilities, model
views, pop marks, and to both system
and custom components are listed in
the Release Notes, to which there is
a link on the installation page in
the Tekla extranet. The next main
release, Tekla Structures 14, will
also be available to install via the
extranet.
Beta tester program for Tekla
Structures 14
Tekla will be
searching for users to participate
in the Tekla Structures 14 beta
testing program. By participating in
the program, Tekla Structures users
get a chance for a sneak-preview on
the upcoming version. The estimated
release date of Tekla Structures 14
is the end of March 2008. A Tekla
Structures beta tester gets a
preview of the new version before
others, learns to use the new
features in real project work, and
receives fast fixes to possible
errors that could affect project
completion. Participating in the
program requires a valid maintenance
agreement, naming a primary contact
person in the company, registering
and reporting experiences
frequently, enabling the new
automatic customer feedback feature,
as well as revealing the project in
which the beta version will be used.
If you are interested in becoming
part of the beta tester program and
fulfill the requirements, read about
the tester program in the Tekla
extranet and fill in an application
form when it becomes available.
Unfortunately, Tekla cannot accept
all applications as we invest a lot
of time in handling issues with each
beta tester so that both Tekla and
the user company get the maximum
benefit from the program.
Extended applications
Extended
applications are an interesting
collection of beta tools and
prototypes that may later become
part of the Tekla Structures product
release based on user feedback and
testing. They have been created to
work in conjunction with Tekla
Structures software and many of them
utilise the Tekla Open API and Tekla
Scripting to interact with the Tekla
Structures model and/or drawings.
These applications are not a part of
the core product release and are
considered "use-at-your-own-risk"
items. Tekla does not ensure that
these applications or their
functionality are continually
updated and improved, or that they
work in all versions and
environments of Tekla Structures.
The extended applications are only
supported on the English .NET
feedback forum of the extranet. This
forum is moderated by the authors of
the applications who have posted
them.
Tekla extranet login
Register to Tekla extranet
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Customer
satisfaction survey coming up soon
 The
annual Tekla customer satisfaction
survey is coming up soon. Last year
we sent out about 6,000
questionnaires and got more feedback
than ever. Obtaining your feedback
helps us to ensure that our business
is meeting and hopefully exceeding
your expectations, and gives us an
insight into where changes should be
made to increase your satisfaction
and overall success.
In 2006, the
customer satisfaction survey was
sent to Tekla customers in ten
countries. The results show that
Tekla Building & Construction has
been successful in meeting the
respondents' expectations.
Altogether, 77 percent of the
respondents were very satisfied or
satisfied with the overall
performance of Tekla. Furthermore,
during the period 2004-2006,
satisfaction with the overall
performance of Tekla has improved.
It really pays to
answer the survey. Based on your
feedback from last year, Tekla is
aiming to improve customer
communication and inform our
customers about industry trends and
development. Tekla B&C Services
department has focused on improving
technical support services, which
customers rated as being very
important. A shared tool has been
rolled out in our key market areas
during the first half of the year
2007, which is reinforcing the
process as well as improving
efficiency and communication. B&C
Services has also strengthened its
resources and is concentrating on
the upskilling of competences in
most of these areas.
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Global model
competition coming up in 2008
 Model competitions
are one way to celebrate the
versatility of Tekla Structures and
to demonstrate how the software is
having an impact on the work
landscape around the world. Local
contests have been arranged this
year, for example, in the U.K, the
U.S. and France, and now there is a
global competition in sight.
Tekla Structures
plays a pivotal role in creating
many of the complex structures seen
and admired every day around the
world. Showcasing these models
expresses appreciation toward
customers and enables Tekla to share
in the great success stories. The
global Tekla Model Competition is
coming up in 2008, so stay tuned for
information on participating as well
as on the rules and categories.
Global model competitions were last
arranged in 2004 and 2005.
Model Competition 2005 |
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