Layout Manager is created to integrate with on-site layout equipments. Layout equipments are widely used in current construction sites. The term "Layout" (放樣) sometime is confused with "Surveying" (測量), which mostly serves site preparation or civil projects. There are usually three different types of measuring equipments used in a construction site: 1) site-preparation, 2) layout, and 3) leveling and alignment.
The Layout Manager project started after the establishment of Tekla and Trimble partnership in 2008. The scope was to explore possible way to integrate construction site Layout technology, including both hardware and software, with a 3D construction management application. The integration is a directly link between Trimble Layout SDK and Tekla Open API. Trimble Layout SDK is a set of DLLs that enable to read and write layout information between hardware device and partner applications. A prototype was quickly released during the time of Tekla Structures 15.1. The first testable alpha version, called Layout Manager, went out in 2009 as an extended application that runs on Tekla Structures 16.0. The extended application lasted through several versions and finally being incorporated into Tekla Structures in 17.0.
Layout Manager allows you to:
- Export model points to the field device so operator can easily mark points in field. This is extremely applicable to work collaboratively between structural systems. For example marking precise anchor bolts locations in a concrete footing prior to pour. Then the steel column can be erected and bolted seamlessly to the anchor rods with great precisions. Other applications include positioning concrete formworks, MEP boxes, pipe-hangers and pipe routing and etc.
- Bring field points into 3D model for validation and checking. Operators are allowed to check whether collected field points are aligning properly within the model which increases the overall precision and quality of job.
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| Trimble Total Station |
Above figure shows the basic components of a total station. The left is the receiver station where you place it according to a known reference on field. An operator will take the pole (middle) and walk around on field for positioning. The receiver station will constantly sending out signals and capturing reflection from the pole which obtains a high accuracy optical reflector. The measured distance then will be displayable in the attached device. There are a wide arrange of devices that are available form the manufacturer, ranging from a mobile device to a tablet.
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| Figure 3 points where to embed MEP piping hanger screws on the slab formwork |
Integration Highlights
Layout points and lines are likely being used in multiple scenarios. Scenarios such as previous positioning of anchor bolts, concrete formworks, and MEP equipments. A generic point and line is demanded to serve in different scenarios where specific properties are addable in an ad-hoc fashion later on. Hence, a simple parametric point and line object are created. The intention was for people to use these basics and further extending them to other parametric objects, aka Components in Tekla terminology. By nesting these parametric objects together, I foresee great flexibility and possibility to newer breeds of use-cases.
In addition, a standalone browser and application is created to visualize and manage points and lines created by users. The point and line components together form the overall layout manager structure. As an example of extending the generic point to other scenarios, Tekla US office has created a custom component for concrete footings that automatically place points 1) to footing corners and 2) intersections between anchor bolts and top surface of the footing.
During the project period, Trimble Layout SDK leverages Windows ActiveSync and earlier Mobile 6.0 for synchronization. A minor impediment is that MS Mobile does not support direct copying files from a 64 bit machine to the device. Hence, this was absent from Layout Manager. Current version of Trimble Layout SDK consists of three C++ native DLLs.
Lesson learned
In order to visualize layout points in Tekla Structures, I need to embed an explicit Part i.e. beam in the layout point component to resize it and reshape accordingly to different scenarios. Ideally, points ought to be displayed as a graphic object such as a coordinate tripod or a simple .dwg object. Unfortunately, this was not available in the API at this moment. It causes some ambiguity in user’s reports and drawings.
I have learned Tekla Structures API and Trimble SDK from this project.
Future work
Tekla has received a lot of feedbacks from users after rolling out the Layout Manager and overall contributing to a better integration solution in future. It requires enhancements on both sides. In spite of the users’ suggestions, I personally will like to see:
- Incorporable with Geo-Spatial coordinate system: This is not a big challenge since Tekla already has the know-how from its X-City product. This makes points translatable among conventional Cartesian coordinate systems versus Geo-coordinate systems. It is then possible to link with other Trimble solutions.
- A remote and wireless synchronization: This could be done by either Tekla Structures or Trimble. A ubiquitous synchronization process between points and possible receiver. There are many alternatives to approach.
- Enhancements on the Trimble SDK is desired, for example GUID assignment, enable raising events while new points created or existing points modified, or project saved and closed.
- Desired changes on Tekla Structures API: incorporate graphic objects in the API. Graphic objects shall be persistent after view changes or redraw.
Acknowledgment
Special thanks to Trimble, Tekla Co, Tekla Inc., Hans Ehrnrooth, Stacy Scopano, Andy Dickey and Hannu Lindberg.
References
Videos
- Tekla Structures and Trimble LM80 - Part 1
- Tekla Structures and Trimble LM80 - Part 2
- Trimble Total Station
- Taking BIM to the Field with Tekla and Trimble LM80 - Part 1
- Taking BIM to the Field with Tekla and Trimble LM80 - Part2
Webinar
- BIM for the Jobsite webinar
- Tekla Structures for the Erector Webinar
- Structures Congress/North American Steel Construction Conference (NASCC 2010)
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