Since version 2020.f, applications with a 3D working environment include a floating toolbar to make it easier to enter or edit model components on the workspace. The options displayed in this toolbar depend on the active view and the element(s) being entered or edited.
This component is now anchored below the application toolbar. This makes better use of the available space in the user interface.
In the previous version (2023.a), a tool was implemented in the user interface of some of the programs with a 3D working environment. This tool allows elements from the building’s digital model, originating from the associated BIMserver.center project, to be managed from the "Elements read" menu located in the left-hand sidebar of each application. More information is available in the new feature for version 2023.a "Managing the visibility and object snaps of external elements".
In the current version (2023.b) this management of visibility and object snaps is also implemented in:
As of version 2023.b, Open BIM applications that have a direct link to other tools include the "Export BIM model" option. This option, which is active by default, allows users to decide whether to export the job information produced from the source application before opening the target application.
The possibility to skip the export process saves a significant amount of time when continuing the workflow in several different programs without making changes to the source application. However, it is important to note that if this option is deactivated and changes have been made, they will not be shared in the BIMserver.center project.
Eurocode 2 – Design of concrete structures – Part 4: Design of fastenings for use in concrete.
Implemented in CYPE Connect and StruBIM Steel for checking anchors in concrete.
Polish National Annex to Eurocode 2 (Design of concrete structures. Part 1-1: General rules and rules for buildings.
Implemented in CYPECAD, CYPE 3D, Reinforced concrete cantilever walls and Embedded retaining walls, for the analysis and design of concrete structures.
The "Measure angles" tool has been added to the "Sketch", "Architecture" and "Furniture" tabs. With this tool, users can measure an angle in the space by marking three points.
The "Create a level at the elevation of a point" tool has been implemented. It can be found among the tools that appear when the "Levels" option is opened in the "Architecture" tab of the top menu. With this feature, a new level can be created at the elevation of a point by selecting it in the view of the user’s choice.
In version 2023.b of CYPE Architecture, several new features and improvements have been implemented in the "Furniture" tab:
The layer in which an element is classified within CYPE Architecture is exported to IFC. This will allow these layers to be used in programs such as Open BIM Quantities to order the elements or to obtain quantities.
The properties of the construction elements in the architectural model are automatically linked to the content of the Open BIM Layout tags. This means that the element tags entered will be automatically updated if changes occur in the architectural modelling.
In previous versions of the application, after being linked to the BIMserver.center project, all exterior exposed floor slabs entered in the architectural model were added to the "Roofs" group. As of version 2023.b, Open BIM Construction Systems includes the "Exterior floor slabs" category in the "Building envelope" section. This group includes the floor slabs that are exposed to the exterior and that have not been defined as roofs. This new category is incorporated into the documents generated by the program and is exported when the model is shared in the BIMserver.center project.
Thermal and acoustic simulation applications will now interpret these construction systems as floor slabs instead of roofs.
The "Group spaces" tool has been added to the list of spaces in the analytical model and is available via the "BIM Model" button on the toolbar. By running it, users can choose several spaces and the application will group them into a single space, which will contain all the surfaces and edges of the selected spaces. Furthermore, the surface area and volume values of the new space will be calculated.
This tool is particularly useful for spaces that are entered independently in the architectural model but are connected and, therefore, form a single analytical space.
Open BIM Analytical Model version 2023.b includes the following improvements and corrections of the program for certain cases:
In version 2023.b, three options have been added for editing the deflection groups of beam frames. Up to this version, deflection groups were generated automatically and no changes could be made. These options are as follows:
As of version 2023.b, CYPECAD exports the quantities of the IFC standard ("IfcQuantitySet") related to structural elements with steel sections to the BIMserver.center project. These quantities can be read by other applications integrated in the Open BIM workflow via the BIMserver.center platform.
For example, the Open BIM Quantities tool can use this information for generating the bill of quantities.
In previous versions, the construction elements that could be entered in CYPECAD were defined between groups ("Beam definition" tab > "Loads" menu). Now the possibility to enter "Parapets" has been implemented. Parapets are defined in the same way as the construction elements between groups, but instead of specifying the end group, the height of the parapet must be defined.
Parapets will not be included in seismic analyses, as opposed to partitions.
When importing a BIM project, elements whose "IfcWallTypeEnum" property is "PARAPET" shall be automatically marked to be imported as construction elements of the "Parapet" type. If they do not have this property, they can be marked manually in order to be generated correctly.
The interface of this submenu has been updated. It consists of the following options:
The "Shear resistance calculation" option has been implemented in order to optimise the check and design of the transverse reinforcement of beams. It can be accessed from the "General data" panel (General data > Bars > By position > Beam options > Design / Code checks).
If this option is activated, the calculation of the shear resistance in beams will always be carried out considering the contribution of the transverse reinforcement and the additional provisions according to the criteria of the code for this type of reinforcement will be taken into account. Otherwise, a check is first made as to whether the element resists the shear resistance without considering the transverse reinforcement.
CYPECAD version 2023.b includes other minor improvements and corrections of the program for certain cases:
The StruBIM Embedded Walls and StruBIM Deep Beams programs export the reinforcement of the structural elements they consider to the BIM model. They can now be imported by the StruBIM Rebar program to produce the joint BIM model of the reinforcement from these and other programs.
The programs that currently export bars corresponding to the reinforcement are the following:
Version 2023.b implements the detailed checking of anchors in accordance with Eurocode EN 1992. Until version 2023.b, the analysis of the connection was carried out by considering the anchors positioned and the non-linear contact between steel and concrete, but without checking the resistance of the anchors.
These new detailed checks can be consulted in the "Analysis" tab, as well as the checks already implemented for the rest of the elements. These checks can be for a single anchor as well as for the group.
In the project options, in the "Codes" dialogue box, the group of options relating to the concrete code for anchor testing has been implemented.
The "Anchors" operation includes the "Check anchors" option. When this option is activated, the program checks the anchors and also allows certain parameters and factors that must be taken into account in this check to be edited.
The connection summary list includes the resistance tables of the anchor group and the individual resistance of each anchor.
Up until version 2023.b, the operations entered in the connection were accessed via the side list. In this version, quick access has also been provided by clicking on elements in the 3D view. Selecting elements in the 3D view will open the operation where the element is defined in the left panel.
CYPELEC Electrical Mechanisms version 2023.b now includes the possibility of automatically saving jobs every so often.
A new example job has been added for an apartment block with 8 dwellings. In this building, based on the architectural model, the distribution of electrical mechanisms and lighting points is completed with the corresponding checks of the protection volumes in bathrooms and toilets, and the minimum provision in rooms.
CYPELEC Distribution has changed from a 2D environment to a new 3D work environment, achieving greater capacity in the design and modelling of the electrical installation.
The new 3D work environment achieves the following:
The implementation of the 3D work environment, together with other new features presented in this patch, prevents this version 2023.b of the program, and any subsequent versions that are published, from reading any jobs created using versions prior to 2023.b. Nevertheless, should users wish to read jobs from previous versions via CYPELEC Distribution, they should note that this can always be carried out with a version prior to version 2023.b. Thus, using this earlier version, users can edit, modify or simply view jobs from previous versions. Furthermore, previous versions of the program can be downloaded and installed at BIMserver.center should users wish to install them.
For new jobs, we recommend that this latest version is always used.
CYPELEC Distribution allows lights contained in the BIM project to be imported from lighting design programs such as CYPELUX. This extends the number of programs containing electrical equipment that can be imported into CYPELEC Distribution. Currently, these programs are as follows:
The loads and equipment imported from the BIM model can be quickly converted into receivers by using an icon on the toolbar called "Assign receivers". The table displayed in the image lists the different loads and electrical equipment imported along with their power consumption so that a receiver with the necessary electrical features can be assigned to each one of them.
The receiver library has been added to speed up the introduction of receivers with electrical load characteristics of the same type. This tool is located in "General options" > "Types of receivers". In the receiver editing panel, the following must be indicated:
The conduit editing panel has been modified to allow feeders to be defined. The upper part of the panel shows the supply lines to switchboards or link nodes, and the lower part shows the circuits belonging to the switchboards.
The automatic generation of lines and circuits inside the conduits is also improved. This tool is represented by an icon on the toolbar called "Generate conductors".
Due to the change from the 2D to the 3D work environment of the program, the "Generate branches" tool has been modified. Help on how to use it has now been included, indicating the steps to be followed:
This generation of branches can be carried out either from junction boxes to receivers, pattress boxes or other junction boxes, or from switchboards to junction boxes.
The tree view tool has been moved to an icon in the toolbar which creates a more manageable tree structure in the right margin of the program interface.
It should be noted that this tool allows the different nodes that make up the installation and the distribution of electrical lines and circuits to be highlighted.
Two examples have been added for an electrical workshop which has opted for an interior installation and an example of an apartment building with 8 dwellings in which, apart from the interior installation, it also distributes the feeders.
Should the BIM project contain electrical distribution information provided by the CYPELEC Distribution program, this information will be processed by CYPELEC CORE so that this program shows the electrical project specifications to be met in the left-hand margin of the work area.
Compliance with these project requirements is based on the verification of the following points:
It is worth mentioning that in order to meet the requirement of the measurement length of a circuit, the sum of the design length plus the sum of the additional length must be equal to or greater than the required length. Both lengths are present in the edit panel of a circuit as shown in the following image.
If project requirements are generated from the information that may exist in the BIM project (see the new feature from this version 2023.b "Import and checking of the specifications from the CYPELEC Distribution program"), a receiver is added that automatically imports the diagram.
The use of project labels has been improved. For this purpose, the following features have been added:
Vertical pipes can be generated automatically for a part of the installation if this part is selected in the work area before using the "Vertical Pipes" tool.
As of version 2023.b, in the BIM project component tree of the "Quantities of the BIM model" tab, a translated text can appear next to the IFC entities. This makes it easier for users to identify the codes used in the standard IFC format for the most common entities.
A button has been added to the "Sets of measurement rules" list components that are available from the toolbar of the "Quantities of the BIM model" tab. In previous versions, the active set of measurement rules was the one selected in the list. Now, via this button, users can explicitly indicate the active set of measurement rules in the project.
As of version 2023.b, Open BIM Quantities offers three different ways of displaying the BIM model component tree in the "Quantities of the BIM model" tab. Up until now, the elements could be arranged according to the IFC entity to which they belong (IfcWall, IfcSlab, IfcSpace, etc.) or the spatial structure (IfcSite->IfcBuilding-> IfcBuildingStorey, etc.). In this update, the "Layers" button has been added to the "View" group of options in the application toolbar. By clicking on it, the tree is organised according to the layers defined in the IFC model. In this case, the layer components are grouped together in a tree branch being assigned the name of that layer.
The "Assign all" option has been added in the "Assign codes" panel of a cost database in a set of measurement rules. With this tool, items used in the rules of measurement can be updated. If there is an item in the cost database with the same code as in a rule, the latter will be updated with the database’s properties (work section, code, unit and reference). When the process is complete, a summary is displayed with the codes of the items that have been updated.
The "Quantities" panel has been improved. The following elements are now included in its structure:
As of version 2023.b, Open BIM Quantities allows the subtotals in the quantity detail lines to be generated from the sets of measurement rules. To do this, the tags associated with the rules of measurement are used.
Now, in the "Tags" window that appears in the editing panel of an item, the "Generation of subtotals" option is included. From this field, users can choose whether to generate partial or accumulated subtotals. These subtotals are linked to the first tag entered in the list and a subtotal line will be created in the quantity details each time the value changes. For this reason, at least one tag must be entered in the item to be able to generate subtotals from a rule of measurement.
The French example job "Immeuble de bureaux" has been added along with its cost database and set of measurement rules ("Français – Immeuble de bureaux").
The Spanish example job "Unifamiliar aislada" has been updated along with its cost database ("España – Unifamiliar aislada").
A button has been added to the "Cost databases" list components, available from the toolbar in the "Bill of quantities" tab. In previous versions, the active cost database was the one selected in the list. Now, using this button, users can explicitly indicate the active cost database in the project.
The "Sort tree" option has been added to the "Edit" group of the toolbar in the "Bill of quantities" tab. The option is also available in the "Project database" and "Cost databases" editing windows. This feature allows users to sort the work sections and/or items by their code and in alphabetical order.
Due to the increase of available options, the way to activate or deactivate the visibility of the columns in the bill of quantities table or in the databases has been modified. For this purpose, the "Columns" button has been added in the "View" group of the toolbar in the "Bill of quantities" tab, as well as in the editing windows of the "Project database" and the "Cost databases". Clicking on it displays a panel where the visible columns, which are sorted by category, can be selected.
Along with those available in previous versions, the following columns have been added:
The "Show the complete description instead of the summarised description" option has been added in the "BoQ Reports" configuration panel. When this option is checked, the text entered in the "Description" tab of its definition in the "Project database" is used as a reference for the items. Otherwise, the text entered in the "Summary" field is used.
As of version 2023.b, job certifications can be registered and managed from the "Bill of quantities" tab. A job certification consists of economically quantifying the job carried out up to a given moment in accordance with the items included in the bill of quantities that has been accepted and signed between both parties.
To define the job certifications, the "Certifications" button has been added to the "Project" group in the toolbar. A job certification has the following user-configurable parameters:
Once the job certifications have been defined, the quantities can be valued from the new "Certifications" tab found in the editing panel of a bill of quantities concept. The way in which the executed quantity is indicated depends on the type of item:
The "Certifications" tab can also be used to consult the results of the job certifications in a work section or in the complete bill of quantities. This panel displays a list that, in addition to the general data of each certification, includes the following columns:
Please note that, in a conventional workflow, the job certification is carried out after the project’s bill of quantities has been generated. For this reason, when working on a BIMserver.center project, it is common for the contribution corresponding to the bill of quantities to already exist. However, the Open BIM Quantities application allows you to read the project bill of quantities via the "Bills of quantities included in the BIM project" option, available from the toolbar in the "Quantities of the BIM model" tab. This way, the project’s bill of quantities can be loaded directly and certifications can be created on it without the need to re-generate the quantities.
As of this version (2023.b), when using the FIEBDC-3 export format(.bc3), job certifications can also be included. As stated in the FIEBDC-3 standard specification, each certification is exported in a separate file with a ".bc3" extension. The name of the file containing the certification (to origin) will have the same name as the bill of quantities file with the addition (concatenation) of "#certificationNNNN" where NNN is the certification number.
In order to generate the job certification documents, the "Valuation to origin" and "Valuation summary" reports have been added. When selecting one of them from the "BoQ Reports" option in the toolbar, the job certification must be indicated.