Tekla Structures gets new functionality-focused licensing options, simplified change management plus lots more
Trimble has introduced 2021 versions of its Tekla tools for constructible BIM, structural engineering and steel fabrication management – Tekla Structures, Tekla Structural Designer, Tekla Tedds and Tekla Power Fab.
The big news for Tekla Structures 2021 is the introduction of three new subscription options: ‘Carbon’ for viewing models and collaborating with project stakeholders; ‘Graphite’ for creating constructible, intelligent BIM and structural documentation; and ‘Diamond’ for design, detailing and fabrication.
New features include simplified change management, with enhanced clash detection and cloning tools; better usability with in-product guidance and localisation; faster, more accurate modelling, with drawing and object handling improvements; and new extensions for various modelling tasks, including scaffolding.
Tekla Structures 2021 also offers increased interoperability, with improvements for IFC and other formats, deeper integration with the Trimble Connect collaboration platform and continued enhancements to Tekla Model Sharing.
Tekla Structural Designer 2021, the structural analysis and design software, introduces the “design-to-detail workflow” for what Trimble describes as more efficient modelling of reinforced cast-in-place concrete and transferring reinforcing bars – including slabs, foundations, beams, columns and walls – to Tekla Structures.
The 2021 release also features a new carbon calculator. This provides the ability to understand a structure’s embodied carbon impact during design, as well as compare alternative schemes to identify the most effective, sustainable and affordable option.
Tekla Tedds 2021, the structural analysis and design calculation software, offers users new and improved calculations, including base plate, precast hollow core slab, concrete foundation and timber racking loads, to satisfy multiple design codes.
Meanwhile, the 2021 version of the steel fabrication management software, Tekla PowerFab, delivers visual dashboard reporting, with enhanced options for filtering and organising data, as well as continued improvements for automated machine instruction on the shop floor.