2009

In May we released IMPACT 9.0, the new generation of precast modeling and detailing tools. The new database will be a robust foundation for the continuous development of IMPACT. The release also included among others new drawing layout tools, improved hollow core element types and several production features like; reinforcement collision checks, mass and size rules for forms and reinforcement, and much more.

In June we released FEM-Design 8.04 with the new Revit FEM-Design Add-In 1.0.

The development of the next IMPACT version 10 started already in April and in August we could test construction site tools like crane-, erection- and transportation (stack) planning. IMPACT Reinforcement 10.0 was released in September and IMPACT Precast 10.0 will be released during the beginning of 2010. IMPACT 10.0 will have more planning features and new tools for all kinds of columns and beams.



IMPACT 10.0 is compatible with AutoCAD 2010 and will also come with new Revit IMPACT Add-Ins. SQL Server 2008 will be supported.

During the whole year we have been working with FEM-Design 9.0, with a completely new graphical engine, much faster calculation and automatic design. FEM-Design 9.0 will be released during the beginning of 2010.

We look forward to make many more good and integrated releases in 2010 and we wish you all

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year


The current releases are:

FEM-Design 8.04.012
Revit FEM-Design Add-In 1.1.002
IMPACT Precast 9.0.017 and Reinforcement 4.1.003
IMPACT Reinforcement 10.0.000

WIN-Statik Concrete Prestressed 6.0.001

Hollowcore Online

Together with the Hollow Core Slab producers in Sweden
we have made a calculation guide according to Eurocode.

It is a free service on internet, it is in English and it is
very easy to use. Please click on the picture and try it yourself.

3D Viewer

Here is another IMPACT model made by Prekon i Syd AB in Lund, Sweden.







I'm using Navisworks Freedom 2010 to view this model.

Designing your Report

This is about how to make you own report. When you design your own report you can choose from four different types of selections: Element Mark, Element ID, Reinforcement, Cast-In Material or Drawings.

I will show you how to make an Element Mark Report.

1. First I will make a template in Excel.



Line 1-4 is the 'Header Section', here I would like to have name in cell (10,1) and date in cell (10,2). Line 5- is the 'Selection Section'. I would like to have 11 columns in the report with the same data as the 'Element Mark' table in the 'Project Manager' (PM).

The template should be saved in the templates_reports folder e.g. '...\impact_1101\common\1100\1100\templates_reports\MyReport.xls'

2. Now I have to add and configure the new report in 'Administrative Tool' (AT)



Right click on the Reports node and select new.



Write Report Id and Name. Report Type should be 12.



File name should be the template file name e.g MyReport.xls. The continuous section starts at row 5 and has no end row (0). I have chosen to have no max page size (0,0) and no continuous header (0) or footer (0).

Now I have to tell AT where to put data in the Excel file.



Add the two fields to the Header Section



Add columns to the Continuous Section.

The configuration is done!

3. Update the Report in PM

All report templates are copied to the project once when the project is created.
If the report is new or changed I have to update my project template.




Right click and select 'Update Template'.

4. Generate the report in PM





Good Luck!

IMPACT Reinforcement 10

The IMPACT Reinforcement family has a new addition in version 10, whichs works on the 32-bit version of AutoCAD 2010.

New in this version is that, in addition to the traditional menu and toolbars, reinforcement commands can be found the ribbon interface.

Project Manager

Do you know that everyone in the team from Sales to Transportation can install and run Project Manager (PM).


With PM you can gather useful information like bills of quantities, statuses and drawing lists...

If you download 'DWG TrueView' from Autodesk (it's free) you can open, plot and take measures on drawings without changing anything. Just change 'Drawing Startup Configuration' to 'DWG TrueView'. You will find this setting under the Systems menu in PM.

Revit Add-In 1.1

There is a new version of the FEM-Design Revit Add-In (1.1.000) on the download center. Now with improved Material and Profile Mapping.

Concrete & Steel

Prekon i Syd AB is a design company specialized in IMPACT and prefabricated concrete and steel structures. Here is an IMPACT model I got from them recently.

.

In this case the steel was originally modeled in Tekla. and then exported to IMPACT via dwg. All steel parts were saved to the IMPACT database as 'Linked Elements'.

With the help of the steel frame the concrete slabs were modeled in IMPACT,



In the end the complete IMPACT model can be viewed in a free 3D viewer.



By selecting an element you can read the element properties from the database.
The dwf viewer is good tool to distribute and analyze the IMPACT model.

IMPACT Reinforcement - Revit workflow

So you want to use IMPACT Reinforcement in your Revit projects? With the right settings it's easy.


In Revit, export a dwg-file for each plan that you want to reinforce.













Create a new AutoCAD-drawing and xref the Revit export into it, making sure that the instertion point is 0,0.

Start reinforcing. Here I created a simple reinforcement plan using the palettes surface reinforcement tools.

Save the drawing and go back to Revit.
















Back in the plan view, run the link CAD command. Import CAD can also be used, but this will not allow you to update the drawing to reflect changes made in the dwg-file.

Make sure that Positioning is set to Auto - Origin to origin so that the drawings line up correctly.











If you have used the same scales in AutoCAD as you have set in Revit, dashed lines should appear the same. However, as you can see in the picture to the left, I have lost the diameter symbol for the rebar text. This has to do with Revit using standard Windows fonts while AutoCAD uses SHX-files for text.












In your Revit installation folder ...\Program Files\Autodesk Revit Structure 2010\Data, there is a file named shxfontmap.txt. Open this in a texteditor. Here you can see what fonts AutoCAD shx-files are replaced by when imported into Revit. To add a font, simply write on a new row the name of your shx-file followed by a tab and the name of the font you wish to use in Revit. Depending on the font used, it may require some testing before the texts look ok.



















In this case I used "iso.shx isocpeur". The diameter symbol looks ok, but a linebreak has appearedd in some of the texts.

















In this picture I used "iso.shx isocp", which seems to be working for me.













Edit: It has come to my attention that the isocp font is too thin for printing properly. This is probably because it is not a proper TrueType font. Instead I have found that using Arial Unicode MS has given me good results. Diameter symbols show up OK and there dont seem to be any incorrect carriage returns.

Now when I have made any changes to the reinforcement, I can simply reload the CAD link using the manage links command.

In 3D view I can even see the leg of the L-shaped rebar connecting the slab and walls.


Happy reinforcing!

Revit to FEM Design

IMPACT Reinforcement Detect bar shape

Erection Sequence and Remark

Last week we talked about cranes and erection sequence. Erection sequence was already implemented in IMPACT Precast version 8.2. In 9.0 we have implemented Remark. You can add a remark to the element in the 3D model e.g. a note for the team or complexity factor. The remark will also be transfered to Eliplan and Betsy or to your reports.

There are new service releases available. These are the latest versions:

FEM-Design 8.04.007 (August 13)
Revit FEM-Design Add-In 1.0.000 (June 30)
IMPACT Precast 9.0.006 (August 5)
IMPACT Reinforcement 4.1.001 (June 16)

Keep your software updated.

Construction cranes

With the new IMPACT 9.0 we have made a total redesign of the database and also a new powerful configuration tool 'IMPACT Adminitrative Tool'. All old superusers will be surprised, no more tables. The new database will be a very good platform for the future development.

The development of version 9.1 is already almost done and the tesing has started. One new component is the Crane. You can add different cranes types with differnt lifting capacities at different radiuses and make restrictions to sectors, max height and max radius. You can then add virtual construction cranes to the 3D model. IMPACT will check the units mass with the crane capacity.



In the example above the green elements are ready for production, the red are not ready and the blue are to hevay for the crane. (You can use your own colors.) The new tooltip will show element information like Type, Name, Id, Phase, Mass etc.

You can also set and show erection sequence in the 3D model. All information will of course be transfered to the planning systems like Betsy and Eliplan.

Analysis

Here is a model made by Tyréns AB, Sweden


In Revit Structure


Exported to FEM-Design



One of many analysis results in FEM-Design

Connections

With the new IMPACT 3D multiuser database it is easy to connect various tools, applications and users to the 3D model. I have made two sandwich walls to show you some examples.


Here are the newly created walls in Revit Architecture.

With the IMPACT Revit Tools you can save the walls to the IMPACT database. At the same time the walls will get unique IMPACT element ids.


Here are the same walls in AutoCAD. With the IMPACT AutoCAD Tools you can add end caps, reinforcement proposals lifting devices etc.


Here are the same walls in a more detailed design.


With reinforcement mesh.


In Project Manager.

Now you can set the walls ‘Ready for Production’ and batch generate shop drawings, make reports and exports to production and planning systems like Betsy, UniCAM, ELiPLAN, LEIT2000 and exports to reinforcement robots with Unitechnik, BVBS and Q-Spec files.


You can also export to dwf for free viewing and markups.

Now you can update or generate the final model in Revit Structure.



With the FEM-Design Revit Link you can export the model to FEM-Design 3D Structure for analyses.


The walls in FEM-Design

The different tools like IMPACT Revit, IMPACT AutoCAD and IMPACT Project Manager are connected to the same walls in the database. Also the shop drawings are connected to the walls which means you can update the model from the shop drawing which sometimes is very efficient.

More connections:

In Revit you can import and export the walls as IFC models.



With the IMPACT Open DataBase Connectivity (ODBC) Data Source ‘IMPACT_9’ you can access the walls from any application, for instance Microsoft Excel…





… or Microsoft Project.



The first IMPACT Revit Tools will be included in the IMPACT 10.0 distribution this year. All other connections are available in IMPACT 9.0 or FEM-design 8.04.

FEM-Design 8.04

FEM-Design 8.04 was released last week.



Now you can import a model from Revit Structure to FEM-Design 3D Structure.



Italian code has been added to the list of design codes.