Modeling Modifications/Refabricating of Items In Shop/Field for PowerFab eXchange (PFX)

Tekla PowerFab uses the model Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) of the objects — not their marks — to Manage changes to a production control job. 

Tekla PowerFab will not allow items to be modified after they have been “taken from stock” (TFS) or have other tracking information (ex. loaded/shipped). If a object (GUID) has been TFS (or other tracking), it cannot be modified in PowerFab on import. To have a new part created, a new part will have to be made from a new model object, to obtain a new GUID.

Since Tekla PowerFab uses the Tekla Structures model GUID, any previously detailed and transferred from stock (TFS)/shipped items should remain in the model as fabricated/shipped. Any revised assemblies and parts that have tracking information (TFS, loaded, shipped, etc.) will need new GUIDs. This will maintain model integrity as to what was built/shipped to the site.

If all instances of assembly/part needed the same exact correcting only by modifying the original pieces on site, they could retain the assembly mark and the modified modeled parts could be re-used. This would require that the TFS/tracking status' be removed prior to the import. Then the station processing would have to be completed again.

When new material is required to make the adjustments required, the new material should be modeled with new GUIDs. To retain model and PowerFab integrity:

1. Explode any macros/components that may automatically update their parts when previously to be replaced items are moved.
2. Change the phase and hide or move the to be replaced objects away from the rest of the project (move away from the project in x, y, or z)
3. Copy the existing previously fabricated items and modify as required (this gives new GUIDs) or completely re-model the new members.

It is necessary to be very careful that the old (already fabricated) model elements are the same GUIDs and new model elements are different GUIDs. The already fabricated items’ marks and quantities are to remain.

If scope was removed from the project, we advised the modeled items should not be deleted from the model. The removed scope objects should be placed in their own phase (and/or moved in x, y, z (and that phase filtered so they are not shown in the drawings.