User-Defined Components

User-Defined Components allow you to create your own component series and use them in RFEM 6. In addition to the series provided in the Dlubal Center, this also allows you to integrate company-specific design logic and detailed design checks.

Prerequisites

The following is required to create and perform calculation on user-defined components:

• Basic subscription to the Dlubal API
• Creating an API key in the Extranet
• Integrating the API key into RFEM

Creating API Key in Extranet

1. Open the Extranet
2. Navigate to API & Cloud → API II → My API Keys
3. Select Create new API key
4. Assign a name and generate the key
5. Save

Integrating API Key into RFEM

1. Open RFEM
2. Open the View → Console menu
3. Select Python | Dlubal API | gRPC
4. Select the key icon
5. Enter the API key (name + key)
6. Confirm

The key is saved in a config.ini file.

Creating User-Defined Component

You can activate the entry of a user-defined component as follows:

1. Open the Component Series dialog box.
2. Select the User-defined option.

This will unlock all input boxes.

Activating User-Defined Option in Dialog Box

Categories (Metadata)

Setting Component Series | Tab Main | Categories

• Assignment type (for example, object assignment)
• Manufacturer / new manufacturer
• Standards and edition
• Function / category
• Material

Configuration Files (Files)

Setting Component Series | Tab Main | Configuration Files

1. Images

• Add any images or system sketches
• Purpose: visual display of the component

2. Parameter Structure (JSON File)

• Grouping of the input structure
• Definition of parameter assignment

Important Fields:

Additional groups can be added as needed.

Parameter Structure for User-Defined Components

3. Parameter Data (Excel File)

• The data defines the parameter structure.
• It is necessary to give each row a unique name.
• The columns can be freely defined but must be used consistently.

4. Visualization (RFEM 6 file)

• It allows for detailed visualization in the RFEM work window
• However, a component can also be generated without a visualization file

Python Scripts (Script After Calculation)

Setting Component Series | Tab Main | Python Scripts

The Script after calculation controls the design checks of the component.

Function: "define_design_checks"

• Definition of design check categories
• Type = Display in RFEM (freely selectable)
• Description, category, and subcategory can be freely defined

Function: "evaluate_single_check"

• Transfer of design ratios to RFEM

Function: "setup_component_series_data()"

• Performing the design process
• Reading parameters via "properties_parameters"
• The key must be identical to those in JSON and Excel
• Consistent type between definition and evaluation required

Saving and Reusing Components in Dlubal Center

You can save a user-defined component as a template so that you can use it in other projects as well.

Proceed as follows:

1. In the Component Series dialog box, click the button at the bottom.
2. The “Save Component Series” window appears with the suggested save location: Documents → Dlubal Software → Component Series.
3. Enter a file name and then click the Save button.

Saving User-Defined Component

User-defined components are added to the Component Series category in the Dlubal Center. Under the entry Owner → User-Defined, you can select the appropriate component and assign it to a member.

As an alternative, use the button at the bottom of the Component Series dialog box to import the component from a file.