Open Check Enhancements in version 15.1

 

15.1

This patch of SCIA Engineer v15 delivers some interesting enhancements in the Open Check functionality. A user is now able to:

  • create customised Setups for any external check via the Design Forms Dialog tab;
  • plot results on the 3D structure in a colour-palette of his/her choice;
  • use new visualisation options (previously only available for plate elements and joints) now also in design checks for beams & columns;
  • etc.

User-defined Setup(s) for Integrated Design Forms Checks

Setup dialogs permit an end-user to define design-related parameters for all the members in a model which will undergo a specific Integrated Design Forms check. In Design Forms, simply drag and drop input variables to the 'Setup' tab of the Design Forms Dialog. The menu created in this way will then be visible in SCIA Engineer; the input variables you selected will become editable properties that apply for all members in the model. The values you define for these properties are sent to the external check as model input.

User-defined Setups are thus created in exactly the same way as user-defined Member Data for Integrated Design Forms checks. Default values (which will apply to all models) for the included variables can be edited via the Check Manager, while the values to be used in the current model should be defined in the Setup itself.

Setups are accessible from the Integrated Design Forms tree, under the specific subgroup of the external check. Each external design check is linked to a unique Setup instance. This avoids confusion for users working with many external checks.

Results colour schemes for Integrated Design Forms Checks

It is now possible to plot results from external checks on the 3D structure in a colour scheme of one's liking. The functionality allows you to:

  • as before, plot the different ranges of check outcome in the default colour scheme used in SCIA Engineer internal checks (grey, green, red);
  • plot the different ranges of check outcome (e.g, in the case of unity checks: underdesigned, safe, and insufficient section) in colours of your choice;
  • do not plot certain results variables.

More visualisation options for 1D members

An updated Open Check technology, which was previously only used in plate member design and joint design, allows the user to:

  • print/hide units on 3D result plots,
  • hide values and print check results as diagrams only,
  • print average values of check results over the a member.

Trace file as additional output for Integrated Design Forms Checks

The trace file contains a report on the execution of a external check. Having the file easily available simplifies any debugging that may be needed during the creation of external checks. Any errors encountered during the calculation will be listed in this layout and can be reviewed simply from the Preview tab.

Clean-up and update of outdated data

Automatically, SCIA Engineer will check the integrity of existing Member Data instances in the project upon exiting the Check Manager.

  • If a Member Data instance is outdated (the dialog was changed via Design Forms), it will be updated to the new content. The user will need to verify the values.
  • If a Member Data instance belongs to a check that does not exist anymore, the Member Data will be purged.

A button is added directly in the main Integrated Design Forms Check tree, to avoid the need for the user to open the Check Manager.

 

16/06/2015