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Figure 01 - RSTAB Export Interfaces

Figure 02 - RFEM Export Interfaces

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FAQ 002767 EN-US

12/06/2019

Markus Baumgärtel Import / Export & BIM RFEM RSTAB Building Information Modeling (BIM)

Which interfaces are available for the export?

Answer

Interface between RFEM/RSTAB and Autodesk Revit

RFEM and RSTAB communicate with Revit Structure via a direct interface and allow data to be exchanged. Structures modeled with RFEM and RSTAB can be transferred at the touch of a button to Revit Structure.

RFEM/RSTAB are based on an object-oriented building model, Revit on a parametric modeling. Thus, the intelligence of the objects is not lost during the data exchange. This means that you get another equivalent object in Revit or RFEM/RSTAB for a column or beam, and not just a collection of lines.

Direct RSTAB/RFEM interface to Autodesk AutoCAD

The members are exported as lines from RFEM/RSTAB. The layers of these lines contain information about the used cross-sections and materials. When exporting a DXF file from RFEM, it is possible to export the numbering, which is controlled by the navigator, in addition to the entire model - including the FE mesh.

Another option for exporting from RFEM/RSTAB is to transfer results in the form of isolines to a DXF file. Various elements such as isolines, FE mesh, values, etc. can be specifically selected.
Direct RSTAB/RFEM interface to Tekla Structures

By means of the direct integrated interface, you can easily transfer the analytical model of detailed structures from Tekla Structures to RFEM / RSTAB.

In the case of modifications in structural engineering, the Tekla model can be updated quickly by using the direct interface by comparing the modified materials, profiles and coordinates. It is also possible to remove non-existing ones or to add new structural elements.
Interfaces to Rhino & Grasshopper

Rhino interface: Lines as well as surfaces including openings can be transferred to RFEM (export) or imported from RFEM (import). The following line types can be transferred: Line, polyline, arc, circle, ellipse, parabola and NURBS. In addition, it is possible to exchange these surface types: Plane, Rotated Surface, and NURBS.

Grasshopper Interface: With the interface, the Dlubal-Tab in Grasshopper is activated. This includes three components. The "Surfaces" component allows you to add Dlubal-specific surface properties (material, thickness, surface stiffness type) to 2D geometries. Use the "Member" component to add member-specific properties (material, cross-section, member rotation) to incoming lines or curves. The third component allows for a direct export to RFEM.

Other exchange formats

DXF, IFC, STP (e.g. for Intergraph, Advance Steel, SEMA, Cadwork, HSB-Cad, etc.), DSTV (e.g. for Bocad and Frilo), FEM (Glaser) and CFE (Strakon), XLS (Microsoft EXCEL), CSV, ISM.DGN, DGN (Bentley ISM), DAT, SMLX (Advance Steel), ASF (Nemetschek Allplan), ESF