Structural Analysis Software

[AUDY11]

Is anyone else using SmartPlant 3D in conjunction with SPACEGASS or any other similar structural analysis program. Is there a way of exporting from SmartPlan 3D to a neutral file format or through a format converter that SPASSGASS will understand and read and then analyse and then output back into SmartPlant 3D whilst still keeping load combinations and other information intact with the structure.


Thank you

 

[delagina]

I use Smartplant but just the viewer.
Are you talking about SP3D or just the viewer?

I have done something like this many times but it's between PDS and StaadPro.
It's just one time conversion from PDS to Staad and just member sizes and geometry, not load combination.

I would strongly advice not to do back and forth conversion. You will have problems with workpoints, etc..

 

[AUDY11]

The company I work for uses SP3D and the viewer
but they want something that will go back and forth to get rid of some of the double handling that is going on at the moment.

I know with autodesk there is a way of going between the modelling and stuctural analysis but the company already has a fair few licences for SP3D suite and I dont think will want to change half way through a project.

Thanks

 

[delagina]

we dont do it in our company. just 1 time conversion.

you will have many problems with work points, members divided instead of just one member due to joints, etc..

but then again i use PDS and Staad not SP3D and Spacegass but i still believe its a bad idea. Let the designer do their job updating the 3d model.

 

[JoshPlumSE]

Does SmartPlant support a file export or import from a CIS/2 or CIM Steel format? AISC tried to get the US companies to standardize on this file format awhile back. I don't know how successful that was with SmartPlant. SpaceGas isn't really used here in the US, so they may not have done it at all.

I know RISA's got a pretty robust CIS/2 link and that it's used for linking with SDS/2 and Tekla. But, I'm not sure if SmartPlant has that capability.

I've also seen SDNF files (Steel Detailing Neutral Files) be used for this purpose. But, not as many analysis programs support that format.

 

[AUDY11]

JoshPlum:
Yeah intergraph used SDNF on their older programs but for SP3D they decided not to and instead went with CIS/2. SPACEGASS also uses the CIS/2 format but the way that it reads the data isn't matching up with the way that SP3D is writing it.

Delagina:
When you do the 1 time conversion what type of file format are you exporting to? and does the model require any cleaning up when it is in Staad? and yeah we would let the designer do their job but the problem is that there is to much double handling going on from SP3D to SPACEGASS with the structural engineers having to redraw the section they want into SPACEGASS, and then everytime the mechanical guys want to change something and get the designers to add it into SP3D the structural guys have to change the model in SPACEGASS including the load combinations, and members (Along with other things) and then get the desginers to throw it back into SP3D. This all taking way to much time.

 

[JoshPlumSE]

That's what kills you with CIS/2. It's a monstrous file format and everyone seemed to implement their links to it slightly differently. We (RISA) spent a decent amount of time making sure that the detailing programs our users were asking about (SDS/2 and Tekla).

But, that's really only possible when the two companies are a) have a friendly relationship and b)have a mutual interest in getting the link working well.

If you're dedicated to SpaceGas, then I'd recommmend going through their tech support to get the issue resolved in the long term. It doesn't help you much in the short term, of course.

If not locked into SpaceGas, then you could send us the CIS/2 file that SP3D produced and we'll bring it into RISA and give it back to you. As soon as we give you the file back, you should be able to use our Demo version to see if the translation is going to work for you. I'm not trying to do a high pressure sale here... just offering to see if our CIS/2 link would work better for you.

 

[AUDY11]

Yeah no I completely understand and trust me if it was up to me I would change from SPACEGASS but the problem is that the project we are focusing on at the moment is heavily involving SPACEGASS and all the people working on it know it. In the long run I think they will have to change to get what they want and that is the next task to find some programs that speak really well with eachother, but yeah at the moment they want to keep SPACEGASS and SP3D and just find a way for them to speak to eachother. Trust me I would much rather change the programs right now but on the project scale it would take to much time and money to do it half way through.

But yeah I will work on getting the CIS/2 file from the designers and send it to you (The project is in another office across town), because yeah it might be an option for some of the other projects that we are doing that are just begining to change to a different analysis program.

 

[delagina]

pds converts to exactly staad file. it require some cleaning up (members not connected at ends, etc..).

converting from staad to pds that would require major clean up, i dont think anyone would do it.
staad divides members everytime there is a joint so instead of say 1 column you'll have multiple columns if there are beams connecting to it, you wouldnt want that in 3d model and 2d drawing.

idk why you will have problems with load combination if you are just adding/modifying members in Spacegass.