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CIS and CIMSteel models

Tekla Structures
2020
Tekla Structures

CIS and CIMSteel models

The CIS (CIMsteel Integration Standards) is one of the results of the Eureka CIMsteel project. The current version CIS/2 is an extended and enhanced second generation release of the CIS. It was developed to facilitate a more integrated method of working through the sharing and management of information within, and between, companies involved in the planning, design, analysis, and construction of steel framed buildings and structures.

There is one limitation: multi-material objects cannot be defined, because the standard concentrates on steel objects.

Import a CIMSteel model

  1. On the File menu, click Import > CIMSteel.

    The New Import Model dialog box opens.

  2. Select Import CIS Model from the Type list.
  3. Use the default name import model or enter a new name.
  4. Click OK.
  5. Select the model from the list.
  6. Click Properties... to open a dialog box where you can define the settings for the import file type you selected.
    Setting Description

    Parameters tab

    Model type

    Select the model type: Design, Analysis, SP3D.

    CIS Version

    Select CIS/1 or CIS/2:

    • CIS/1 imports files compatible with the CIMsteel LPM4DEP1 schema declaration.

    • CIS/2 imports files compatible with the CIMsteel CIS/2 (STRUCTURAL_FRAME_SCHEMA) schema declaration.

    Input file

    The name of the file you want to import. You can also browse for the file.

    Origin X, Origin Y, Origin Z

    Define the origin coordinates to place the file in a specific location.

    Combine members

    Max length for combining

    To combine several elements in the CIS model into one part in Tekla Structures, set Combine members to Yes.

    For example, if a beam in a file consist of more than one element, and you select Yes, the elements are combined to form one beam in the Tekla Structures model.

    If you use the value No, Tekla Structures creates a beam for each element in the CIS model.

    Max length for combining is only applied if you set Combine members to Yes. Use this setting to define the maximum length for combining parts. Tekla Structures combines elements into one part only if their combined length is less than the value you enter here.

    Ignore offset

    CIS/1 and CIS/2 analysis models can include member offsets, which means that nodes are not exactly at the beam’s end points. With the default Yes, Tekla Structures uses these offsets to locate the physical members. With No, Tekla Structures determines the location using the node locations.

    Ignore forces

    Use to define how forces are imported. With No, Tekla Structures imports absolute values of maximum forces to parts’ user-defined attributes Shear, Tension and Moment. With Yes, Tekla Structures does not import forces.

    Import GUID (design model)

    Select Yes to include the part GUID in the import.

    Conversion tab

    Profile conversion file

    Material conversion file

    Twin profile conversion file

    Define the conversion files you want to use.

    Conversion files map Tekla Structures profile and material names with names used in other software.

    For more information about conversion files, see Conversion files.

    Advanced tab

    Action when objects status is (compared to)

    Previous plan lists the objects in your model, compared with the objects in the file to be imported. They can be New, Modified, Deleted, or Same.

    Tekla Structures compares the state of imported objects with those in your model. They can be Not in model, Different, or Same.

    Use the options under Not in model, Different, and Same to specify the actions when importing changed objects. The options are No action, Copy, Modify, or Delete.

    Usually there is no need to change the defaults.

  7. Click OK to go to the New Import Model dialog box.
  8. Click Import.

    Tekla Structures displays the Import model info dialog box.

  9. Select which version of parts to import.
  10. Click Accept all.

    If you have changed the model and want to re-import it, you can also reject all changes by clicking Reject all, or accept or reject individual changes by clicking Select individual....

  11. Tekla Structures displays the message Do you want to save the import model\nfor subsequent imports? Click Yes.

    Tekla Structures displays the import model in a model view.

  12. Right-click the model view and select Fit Work Area to Entire Model to ensure that the imported model is completely visible.
  13. If parts are missing, check the View depth Up and Down values in the View Properties dialog box and change them if necessary.

Export to a CIMSteel analysis model

  1. Open a Tekla Structures model that you want to export.
  2. Select the objects to export using the appropriate selection switches or filters.
  3. On the File menu, click Export > CIMsteel: Analysis model.
  4. Select the CIS version from the CIS Version list.

    • CIS/1 generates a file that is compatible with the CIMsteel LPM4DEP1 schema declaration.

    • CIS/2 generates a file compatible with the CIMSteel CIS/2 (STRUCTURAL_FRAME_SCHEMA) schema declaration.

  5. Enter a name for the export file in the Step file box or accept the default.

    You can enter the path or browse for it. If you do not enter a path, Tekla Structures creates the export file in the current model folder.

  6. If required, enter the a name and organization to identify who created the export file.
  7. From the Flavor list, select one of the following standards to apply to the export: UK, EUROPEAN, or US.
  8. Set units to metric or imperial in the Linear units (CIS/2 only) box.

    Imperial is only available for CIS/2. CIS/1 is always exported in metric units.

  9. Enter coordinate values in Origin X, Origin Y, and Origin Z boxes if you want to export the model to a specific location.

    The origin comes from the origin in Tekla Structures.

  10. To split a part in the Tekla Structures model into several elements in the CIMsteel model, set Split members to Yes.

    For example, three columns may be connected to a beam in a model, so that one column is in the middle and the others are at each end of the beam. With the Yes option the beam is split into two equal elements in the CIMsteel model. With the No option there will be one beam, a single linear element, and two nodes (a node at each end) in the CIMsteel model.

  11. Click Apply and Create.

    Tekla Structures exports the CIMSteel analysis model to the current model folder, or to another folder you specified, using the name you specified.

Export to a CIMSteel design/manufacturing model

  1. Open a Tekla Structures model that you want to export.
  2. Select the parts that you want to export.
  3. On the File menu, click Export > CIMsteel: Design/manufacturing model.
  4. Go to the Parameters tab and specify the required information:

    • Select the LPM version: LPM5 or LPM6.

    • Enter name for the export file in the Output file box or accept the default.

      You can enter the path or browse for it. If you do not enter a path, Tekla Structures creates the export file in the current model folder.

    • Select the model type from the CIS/2 Model Type list. The options are manufacturing, design, and SP3D.

    • Set units to metric or imperial in the Linear units (CIS/2 only) box.

      With Imperial units Tekla Structures writes all of the designations for nuts, bolts, and washers in fractional inches.

    • Enter a name for the structure in the Structure name field.

    • Enter the path to the profile and material conversion files or browse for them.

      If you leave the profile and material conversion file paths empty, Tekla Structures uses the conversion files in the current profile folder for the conversion.

    • To export globally unique IDs instead of internal ID numbers, set Export Globally Unique IDs to Yes.

    • If you want to export concrete parts, set Export concrete to Yes.

  5. Go to the Standards tab, and enter the appropriate profile, material, and bolt standard organization, name and year.

    Tekla Structures populates the export file with the information you enter here. If you do not enter the standard organization or the name, Tekla Structures places an empty entry ("") in the export file. If you do not give the year, Tekla Structures uses 1999 as the default value.

  6. If you are exporting to a manufacturing model, go to the Manufacturing model tab, and specify the required information:

    • Set Include NC files to Yes to include information on NC files in the export.

    • In NC file directory, specify the path (relative to the current model folder) to the folder where the NC files are located.

  7. If you are exporting to a design model, go to the Design model tab, and set Export design connections to Yes to export design connections.
  8. Click Apply and Create.

    Tekla Structures exports the CIMSteel design or manufacturing model to the current model folder, or to another folder you specified, using the name you specified.

CIMSteel conversion files

Here are examples of the contents of the conversion files used in CIMSteel conversion.

Example 1

This example shows part of the profile conversion file prfexp_cis.cnv:

! US Imperial Flavor

! Profile name conversion Tekla Structures -> CIS

!

! If Converted-name does not exist, it will be

! the same as Tekla Structures-name.

! Tekla Structures-name Converted-name

!

!American Sections - Imperial

!W - Wide Flange Beams

W44X335 S\SECT\US\W44X335\ASTM_A6\1994

W44X290 S\SECT\US\W44X290\ASTM_A6\1994

W44X262 S\SECT\US\W44X262\ASTM_A6\1994

Converted-name contains the following information, and items are separated by a backslash (\):

  • S (fixed value)

  • SECT (fixed value)

  • Name of the standardization organization

  • Standard name of the profile shape

  • Name of the standard

  • Year of the standard

If the conversion file does not contain the relevant profile type, the Tekla Structures name of the profile is used. Tekla Structures also uses the standardization organization, standard name and year of standard defaults given on the Standards tab.

Example 2

This example shows part of the material conversion file matexp_cis.cnv:

! US Imperial Flavor

! Material name conversion Tekla Structures -> CIS

!

! If Converted-name does not exist, it will be

! the same as Tekla Structures-name.

! Tekla Structures-name Converted-name

# Carbon Structural Steel (ASTM_A36\1994)

GRADE32 S\MAT\US\GRADE32\ASTM_A36-94\1994

GRADE36 S\MAT\US\GRADE36\ASTM_A36-94\1994

#High Strength Carbon Manganese Steel (ASTM_A529\1994

GRADE42 S\MAT\US\GRADE42\ASTM_A529-94A\1994)

Converted-name contains the following information, and items are separated by a backslash (\):

  • S (fixed value)

  • MAT (fixed value)

  • Name of the standardization organization

  • Standard name of the material

  • Name of the standard

  • Year of the standard

Converted-name contains the following information about bolts, nuts, and washers, separated by two colon characters (::):

  • Name of the standards organization

  • Name of the standard

  • Year of the standard

  • Standard name of the bolt, washer, or nut

Tekla Structures names for bolts, washers, and nuts are constructed from their fastener standard, fastener type and size.

If the conversion file does not contain an equivalent profile name, Tekla Structures uses the name of the material.

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