Monday, October 28, 2013

Update file command in FEM-Design

A new command Update File has been introduced in FEM-Design. It is accessible from the main menu: Edit → Update File.

The Update File command gives a possibility to update elements that were initially imported from struxml to FEM-Design with the changes that have been made in Revit afterwards:
  • Material change
  • Section / Thickness change
  • Geometry change
Changes in material/profile/thickness/geometry properties are detected in the file containing the updated model in relation to the elements that are exported to FEM-Design at the moment. After the initial model is imported to FEM-Design, it has to remain at the original coordinates exported from Revit. Otherwise, the update of the model with changes performed in Revit will not be successful.

Procedure:

The procedure to update a model in FEM-Design is as follows:

1. Export the updated Revit model into new .struxml file.
2. Open a FEM-Design project containing the model that has been originally imported from Revit.
3. Go to Edit → Update File.
4. Select the new .struxml file containing the updated model and press Open.

Limitations:

The functionality of the Update File command at the current state of development has some limitations concerning elements that have been deleted in the updated Revit model or in FEM-Design:
  • If an element has been deleted in the updated Revit model, after using the update command, this element will not be deleted from FEM-Design model.
  • If an element has been deleted in FEM-Design model (but not in updated Revit model) and then updated with other changes made in Revit, it will reappear in FEM-Design.
Furthermore, if a load has been added to e.g. a floor element in FEM-Design, and after the update the floor will contain an opening, the surface load will not adjust to the new shape of the floor element - the opening in the surface load will have be made manually.