Formwork placing tools - Slabs

Formwork placing tools - Slabs is a set of components that helps in detailed modeling of typical slab formwork. These components are placing tools, and therefore you need to have all relevant formwork products such as panels, girders, and shuttering props available in the Applications & components catalog.

You can get the formwork products provided by formwork suppliers from Tekla Warehouse, for example. In addition, Formwork placing tools - Slabs requires additional configuration files that contain the necessary information about the formwork product components. These configuration files may come with the formwork product catalogs provided by formwork suppliers, but you can create the configuration files yourself as well.

Formwork placing tools - Slabs contains tools to place and modify the following formwork elements:

formwork slab panels typically appearing as two-dimensional arrays covering a certain area
cross and main girders supporting the slab panels
shuttering props supporting the girders or slab panels directly depending on the formwork system
stop ends on top of slab panels
safety railings in the outer edges of the slab panel area

Because Formwork placing tools - Slabs consists of a set of sub-tools which are combined in one dialog box, each tab is an individual sub-tool. Both the Formwork placing tools - Slabs and the sub-tools are available in Applications & components catalog.

Most of the settings in the components are preset. You can control the different settings by selecting a suitable options in the dialog box. These preset settings are organized according to the formwork supplier and the product families.

However, if you create your own configuration files, you can use the values in the configuration files instead of the preset values. Configuration files are loaded when you open Formwork placing tools - Slabs or use Formwork placing tools - Slabs for the first time after opening a model. If you edit the5 configuration files during modeling, click the Refresh button to reload all available configuration files. The Refresh button is available for both the main component and for each available sub-tool.

You can access the Formwork placing tools - Slabs in the Concrete Contractor, General Contractor and Rebar Detailer roles in the Default environment.

Panel tab

Use the Panel tab to model an area of formwork panels for slabs.

On the Panel tab, in the Formwork supplier and Product family list, select the suitable options.

The options vary depending on which catalogs and tool configurations you have in use.
Select the panel size in the Formwork panel list, and set the other panel properties.
Click Apply and Insert new to start placing the slab panels.
Hover the mouse pointer on top of the slab to identify the bottom surface.
Select the slab and pick three or more points to identify the area on the surface. A preview of the panels is shown while you pick the points.

Alternatively, hold down the Alt key and select the surface to create panels on the whole surface.
To finish, click the middle mouse button.
If you need to modify the panel, drag the corner points.

Cross girders and Main girders tabs

Use the Cross girders and Main girders tabs to create cross and main girders in two directions, or only main girders, or no girders at all.

On the Cross girders or on the Main girders tab, select the girder in the Girder name list.
Enter an Overlap value. If you leave the value empty, the tool sets it automatically.
Enter the girder Length, if the girder length is not fixed. Use space as a separator if you need to have girders with different lengths.
1. To create girders at once, select the panel area, and click Apply and Add to selected.
  
  The Add shoring dialog box opens.
2. Set the girder offset and spacing.
  
  You can also select the option whether to create girders at the panel area edges, and the girder layout at the panel seam.
3. Click Create.
1. To create a single line of girders, click Apply and Insert new.
2. Pick the girder points.
3. To finish, click the middle mouse button.

Shuttering tab

Use the Shuttering tab to create shuttering props, shuttering bases, and shuttering heads.

On the Shuttering tab, select the prop name in the Girder name list, the prop head name in the Head name list, and the prop base name in the Base name list.
Enter the total height for the prop.
- To create multiple shuttering props, select the panel area and click Apply and Add to selected.
  
  The shuttering props are created.
- To create a single shuttering prop, click Apply and Insert new. Pick the shuttering prop location.

Stop ends tab

Use the Stop ends tab to create stop ends around the slab panel.

On the Stop ends tab, select the stop end name in the Stop end name list.
Enter the offset and spacing for the stop ends.
Click Apply and Insert new to start inserting the stop ends.
- If no panel is selected, first select the slab panel.
- If you have already selected the slab panel, you do not need to do it again.
Pick the start point and the end point for the stop end.
To finish, click the middle mouse button.

Railings tab

Use the Railings tab to create railings around the slab.

On the Railings tab, select the railing name in the Railing name list.
Enter the offset and spacing for the railings.
Click Apply and Insert new to start inserting the railings.
- If the panel is selected, first select the slab panel.
  
  Depending on the railing type, you may need to select the top face of the slab, side face of the wall, or the slab panels.
- If you have already selected the slab panel, you do not need to do it again.
Pick the start point and the end point for the railing.
To finish picking, click the middle mouse button.

Contextual toolbar for formwork slab panel

When you select a slab panel, the following contextual toolbar appears and you can modify the parts:


Option	Description
	Modify the boundary of the panel area and openings. Move edges or points by dragging, or insert new points by dragging the insertion points at the middle of the edges. In addition, you can move the start point, which is the corner of the panel, and direction of the panel by dragging the handles.
	Modify the panel width and length in the panel array.
	Add new rectangular openings in the panel area. After adding a rectangular opening, you can edit the opening to any shape. Typically, the openings are larger areas where the panels are not needed. To replace the regular panel with some special infill parts, use the single panel removal tool .
	Remove or restore single panels in the area. Select the panels to be removed and click . Select multiple panels by holding down the Shift key when clicking the panels. Hold down the Ctrl key to unselect the panels.
	Modify cross girders. To modify a single girder line, select the line to modify it.
	Modify main girders. To modify a single girder line, select the line to modify it.
	Modify shuttering props in the panel area. You can move the individual props by dragging the handles. Hold down the Ctrl key to create a copy of the prop. move a whole line of props by dragging the line handles. Hold down the Ctrl key to create a copy of all the props in the line. change the shuttering prop head or base for shuttering props on all selected points and/or lines. Note that props created for the girder lines can only be moved/copied along the girder line.