Faster BIM workflow with RFEM6 and RSTAB9: Meet the new Checkbot link
Checkbot in a nutshell
If you’re new to IDEA StatiCa, Checkbot is your central hub for data import, management and design.
It allows you to:
- Import the members, including their position, cross-section and material
- Import internal forces
- Organize and group similar connections
- Launch detailed design checks in IDEA StatiCa Connection
What’s changed in the new BIM link
The original BIM link between RFEM6/RSTAB9 and Checkbot did its job. But! Many users experienced long waiting times during import and slower synchronization updates. For projects that involved many nodes and combinations, importing data required patience.
The newly released Dlubal–Checkbot integration changes this experience significantly. Thanks to a redesigned approach based on Dlubal’s new API, the import process is now more than 4x faster (depending on the number of load cases and nodes). This means less waiting, more designing and smoother collaboration between analysis in RFEM6/RSTAB9 and connection design.
Powered by the new Dlubal API
The improved performance comes with a technological shift. The new BIM link is built on Dlubal’s new API infrastructure. A few important things to know:
- Each user gets free 1,000 API calls per month
- One import or synchronization with IDEA StatiCa typically consumes 5–6 API calls
- The API usage beyond the limit may be subject to additional costs (depending on Dlubal’s policy)
For most users, this allowance is more than sufficient for daily workflows, but it’s good to stay aware, especially in larger or highly iterative projects. More over currect BIM link is based on Webservice | SOAP is marked by Dlubal as deprecated and can be completely shut down anytime soon.
Already widely used across Europe
The Dlubal–Checkbot workflow is not new. It’s already one of the top 3 most used BIM links in Europe within IDEA StatiCa users.
A common approach we see in practice:
- Engineers perform global analysis in RFEM6/RSTAB9
- Internal forces are imported into Checkbot
- Connections are designed and code-checked in IDEA StatiCa Connection
This hybrid workflow combines the strengths of both tools:
- Global analysis in RFEM6/RSTAB9
- Connection design in IDEA StatiCa