Tweaking Scia Engineer 3D Scene

What is making Scia Engineer unique comparing to most of other FEM or analysis programs is very powerful and easy to use 3D Scene control.

Scia Engineer and Rhino Data Exchange

Now it is possible to transfer 3D geometry directly from Rhino to Scia Engineer.

One interesting field that is recognized by a whole new generation of architects and designers is generative design. Generative Design is a design method that is based on a set of rules, or an Algorithm, and provides designers a fast and easy way to quickly explore many design possibilities.

3D Connexion support

 

Its been a while since we received 3D connexion device. The idea was to give us device for free with expectations that we will implement direct support into Scia Engineer. This implementation never got the right priority, we were not sure how many users already own this device or are at least considering to buy toy like this.

Another Data Exchange with Scia Engineer

I did this specific data exchange research for client interested in timber structures quite some time ago.

Generative Design

I am quite new to Generative design, I started exploring general principles only couple of weeks ago. You can find lot of descriptions “what is” generative design. At the moment I like most the one from Lars Hesellgren :

“Generative design is not about designing the building – Its’ about designing the system that builds a building.”

Scia Engineer model representations

One of the unique features of Scia Engineer is, that every project regardless license setup is able to handle more representations of the same model.  These model representations are are present as view parameter - they just represents different view on the same object. Based on that, one object can have more representations, and there are various types of them.

This is brief summary of all available options in current Scia Engineer 2010 version.

Scia Engineer and ArchiCAD

I used these storyboards to explain data exchange between architect and structural engineer. Building model was created in ArchiCAD, and from filtered view transferred to Scia Engineer using IFC file format.

From Structural model Analysis model was worked out and used to generate FEM model for analysis, design,checks and optimizations.

Scia Engineer and Spaceclaim

I created this video describing possible data exchange between SpaceClaim and Scia Engineer as a part of my research about the software itself.