At this stage, you can transfer all internal forces to IDEA StatiCa. Alternatively, you may filter the internal forces based on their maximum values to reduce the number of load cases.
Export Steel Connections to IDEAStatiCa
ProtaStructure is the all-in-one steel detailing and steel connection design software solution for engineers, fabricators, and drafting professionals to perform automated steel connection design and produce high-quality steel detail drawings. The structural model, once analyzed and designed in ProtaStructure, is transferred to ProtaSteel unidirectionally with accurate member positions and eccentricities and analysis results. Connection design, steel detailing, and drafting are then carried out in ProtaSteel.
ProtaSteel provides detailed design reports for a large of steel connections using analytical methods. However, you may want to check the design of complex or user-defined steel connections in your project with Component-Based Finite Element Analysis.
With the IDEAStatiCa check bot, which you can use for such situations, you can transfer the connection members to the IDEAStatiCa interface from the ProtaSteel, and check the connection using the CBFEM analysis.
All you must do is initiate IDEAStatiCa Check Bot in ProtaSteel and select the primary members and connection components by following the instructions on the wizard window.
ProtaSteel is a sophisticated fabrication software that provides design and detailing to its users, covering a large scope. The IDEAStatiCa CAD Link API is designed for CAD information communication rather than internal forces and design information. We are working on solutions to automatically transfer internal forces.
How to Activate the Link
Download the attached project and open it in ProtaStructure and run building analysis.
Export the structural model you have completed analyzing in ProtaStructure to ProtaSteel, and create the connection details using macros or manual connection tools in ProtaSteel.
Checkbot is included with the ProtaSteel installation, and the BIM link is automatically integrated with ProtaSteel, so no additional add-ons or plugins are required.
- Checkbot located in the BIM top ribbon menu. Run "Launch IDEAStatiCa Checkbot" without making any selection to transfer the connections from ProtaSteel to IDEAStatiCa.
Select the New option with project type Steel and design code such as EN. Then select Create Project.
The new Checkbot project is ready to import connections from ProtaSteel.
Import
In the Checkbot application, click on the Bulk button in the top ribbon and return to ProtaSteel.
In the toolbar below, you will notice the "Please Select Objects for IDEA Statica Export" prompt displayed.
Zoom in on the connection node and drag the mouse to select all connection members.
The cutting objects must be selected to avoid clashing of the profiles. Once selected, right-click to proceed.
Visibility settings can be done in the top left corner.
Return to IDEA StatiCa. Once the "Importing IOM Object" process is completed at 100%, the structural members will be displayed within the Checkbot interface.
The structural members imported from ProtaSteel will be displayed in the Checkbot interface as shown below.
A unique connection ID is generated for the imported connection in the "Connections" area.
Right-click on the connection ID and click "Open" to open the joint model in the IDEA StatiCa Connection app.
All members, plates, welds, etc. have been imported to IDEA StatiCa interface.
Load Effects
The internal forces to be used in connection design are calculated within the ProtaStructure analysis model. Since automatic internal force transfer to IDEAStatiCa is not yet available must be added to IDEAStatica manually.
ProtaStructure can generate the internal forces in a CSV file, which can be easily viewed and edited in Excel.
To create the analysis results, go to the "Reports" top menu and select the "Analysis Results".
Select the number of the member and move them to right area. Then press "Next".
Select the combinations one by one or by the groups. Select the output type as "CSV" and press "Create Report".
Inner forces of the selected members are shown in the Excel file.
Select the values of the internal forces in the table and copy them (Ctrl + C).
Then in IDEAStatiCa Connection, press "Load" to add a new load group.
Select the XLS Import tool in the top ribbon to import the loads from an Excel file.
These loads also can be added manually.
With a right-click, select the first cell and paste (Ctrl + V) the values of internal forces.
NOTE: Please be aware you need to have the same order of rows and columns in the Excel table as in the Load effects table in the IDEA StatiCa Connection application.
If the rows or columns are switched, you will get the incorrect input of internal forces on members.
Design and Check
Run the analysis with the "calculate" tool in the CBFEM panel to check the connection detail.
No errors were encountered in the analysis of this detail and the analysis was successfully completed.
Now, go to the display tab Check, and activate Equivalent Stress, Bolt Forces, Mesh and Deformed from the "FE Analysis" ribbon panel to get a full picture of what is happening in the joint.
Report
Once the code-check is finished in the Report tab you can create the report containing results and diagrams for your connection model. The report can be printed or saved in several formats.
You have integrated the joint design using ProtaStructure and ProtaSteel and performed a code check for the structural steel joint according to EN standards.
How to Import a New Connection
To import an additional connection into Checkbot, reopen Checkbot, select "bulk," and import a new connection. This will allow you to view the new connection components and structural elements in the Checkbot interface. You will also be able to see that a name has been assigned to the new connection.
Where to Locate The IDEAStatiCa File
The file generated by Checkbot is stored in a folder named IDEAStatica within the ProtaSteel project directory.
How to Video
Watch this how to video to learn more :
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