Taking advantage on switching from StruCad to Tekla Software
Trimble Navigation and Tekla’s acquisition of StruCad put the companies in a position to lead the technology development of 3D Building Information Modeling (BIM) software for steel detailing and fabrication. Many customers by choice have successfully switched their old StruCad software to Tekla Structures.
For Matrix Cad Ltd, choosing to start to use Tekla software instead of StruCad was not a difficult decision.
“Whilst we were aware that there may have been cheaper software solutions available in the market, the pure software capabilities and potential, Tekla’s commitment to development, and their huge client base made our investment decision quite easy,” says Richard Burchell, Managing Director at Matrix Cad Ltd.
Tekla works hard to support former StruCad users with adopting Tekla software.
“The support and open-door policy at Tekla is second to none and gave me vital confidence in the early days. I was detailing a job at the same time I attended the training course and was efficiently operational immediately after. I have not looked back since,” says Ian Worthington of Titan Steel Projects Ltd.
Compared to StruCad, with Tekla software, it is easy to place, move, resize, and even twist members. Tekla BIM software can also be used to produce drawings from the model, and changes in the model will be immediately revised on the drawings. In addition, there is a wide variety of properties that can be altered to achieve the preferred style of drawing, and afterward, the style created can be cloned for future use.
Impressed by modeling capabilities
Tekla software is an object-based system. The commands are as simple as possible: for example, the software has just one copy command instead of having a separate end, bolt, and other copying commands. Learning to use Tekla software is straightforward.
“I found the transition from StruCad to Tekla quite seamless. If you have any experience on other 3D modeling systems the foundations and approach are just the same, it’s only a case of learning a new set of commands, and with Tekla, these are quite easy to follow,“ says Ian Worthington of Titan Steel Projects Ltd.
When using Tekla Structures, you can choose between working on single or multi-user modes. In the vast majority of projects, Tekla’s customers choose multi-user mode where multiple users work simultaneously on the same model. Tekla Structures is not just a steel detailing software as it also has multi-material capabilities to model interfaces between steel and concrete trades.
Working in a solid model benefits the modeling process and your workflow can take advantage of using reference models. In addition, simple parametric such as magnetic grids enable rapid model changes. After switching to Tekla software, former StruCad users have reported a rise in their productivity.
“Placing steel members where you actually want them is so easy and even the most complex structures can be modeled quickly. The automated connections are very impressive and I have written numerous custom components myself that have further increased my output,“ says Dave Newell, Technical Director at Matrix Cad Ltd.
Tekla and Trimble are focused on delivering constructible solutions to the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. With StruCad, Tekla aims to further extend its presence in the structural steel industry with a priority to also provide deeper and richer solutions that enable improved productivity for our customers. There will be the opportunity to take advantage of the portfolio of tools that we provide along with the synergies of the extensive range of our solutions for building and construction.