Copyright 2014 Tekla Corporation

Beam Extruder

1. Purpose and description
This tool creates consecutive beams with any profile and can be used for bridge modelling.
The tool uses an external excel spreadsheet where you define start points for the beam
segments and which profile to use. Custom profiles can be created in Tekla Structures.
A sample model (ExtrusionTestModel) is attached to the installation package. The sample
model contains extension presets with a couple of sample profiles and two sample
spreadsheets (these are located in the folder excel in the sample model folder).
The extension can create layout points along all part edges. To create layout points along
specific part edges, the extension comes bundled with a plugin called EdgeMeasurement.

2. System requirements
Environments: Default, Finnish, UK, US. For others, see Installation.
Languages: English

3. Installation
To install the application:
1. Install the Beam Extruder msi file. Follow the installer instructions.
a. If you arent using the Default, Finnish, UK or US environment, you need to
copy the BeamExtruder.cs macro from the common/macros/modeling folder
and place it into the appropriate environment/role macro/modeling folder.
2. Restart Tekla Structures.


Copyright 2014 Tekla Corporation
3. Theres an example model with example presets provided with the installation
package. If you desire to use this, copy the model to your model folder (preferably
C:\TeklaStructuresModels) and open it in Tekla Structures.

4. Usage

1. Inside Tekla Structures, go to Tools
> Macros, select Beam Extruder
and press the Run button. The Node
Adder interface should appear.
a. When you restart Tekla
Structures, you should see an
icon on a new toolbar in which
you can launch the Beam
Extruder as well.


2. If you have opened the test model,
you can load one of the presets and
hit Extrude Beams to create a test
bridge.
a. Note: If your model folder is
something else than C:\TeklaStructuresModels you need to change the excel
file path in the dialog.
Otherwise:
3. Define an excel sheet to use as input on the dialog field. Check the option Show
excel to show the sheet. On the excel sheet there should be columns with
coordinates X Y Z, a column with the profile string and a column that will contain the
GUID numbers returned from the model. Please see the sample sheets in the sample
model folder provided.
4. On the application dialog, map the columns and specify the number of header
rows. When you enter a column or row, the corresponding column will show up in red
on the excel sheet (if its open).
5. Part attributes can be changed on the Part attributes tab.
6. Insert beams into the model by pressing Extrude beams. The excel sheet will get
updated with the GUID numbers. In case the column references are mapped wrong
nothing might get created.
7. Once beams are created, they can be updated by the button Update beams.
Updating is based on the GUID numbers returned on the excel sheet


Copyright 2014 Tekla Corporation
8. To use a single polybeam instead of consecutive beams, check the option Use
polybeams. With complex profiles this might produce simplified results.
9. On the Layout Points tab you can choose to create layout points along all part
edges.
10. The extension comes bundled with the EdgeMeasuerement plugin, which can be
used to create layout points along specific edges only. The plugin has a launch icon
on the Beam Extruder toolbar as well.
11. When closing the Beam Extruder, Excel might ask you if you want to save the
changes since the ID numbers have been updated. Click yes to be able to update the
beams next time (rather than recreating them).