As project costs and material availability continue to fluctuate, owners and architects are turning to their structural engineers for creative ways to minimize project risk. Tighter collaboration between project team members is one way engineers are leveraging reduced project costs, shorter schedules and lower risk for their clients.

Tekla Structures is helping structural engineering firms collaborate more effectively through:

• Architectural and MEP coordination- Using the latest industry standards of interoperability, Tekla Structures can import and export 2D and 3D file formats compatible with leading architectural and MEP solutions. The ability to model in conceptual structural connections adds an additional level of accurate coordination.
  
  
• Contractor coordination- Engineers and contractors can work collectively in managing changes during the pre-construction and construction phases of a project. RFI tracking, erection sequencing, and virtual shop drawing review can be communicated to project members using the Tekla Structures model.
  
  
• Fabricator coordination - Structural engineers can work with fabricators or detailers early in the project by building a structural model that can be ultimately used in fabrication. Weeks can be removed from the construction schedule when this type of coordination is implemented.
  
  
• In-house coordination- Changes between the structural engineer and structural designer can be visually tracked and documented within Tekla Structures. Furthermore, imported changes made from the engineer's structural analysis tools can be visually tracked within Tekla Structures, with construction drawings being updated automatically.
  

Tekla Structures is the first Structural Building Information Modeling (Structural BIM) solution for structural engineering firms. Structural BIM offers a collaborative 3D platform to model and manage project data from conceptual design through construction.

If your engineering firm is looking for a way to set themselves apart from the competition, see the links below or contact Tekla, Inc. here.