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 based on a webservice (SOAP)did its job. But! 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:
- One import or synchronization with IDEA StatiCa typically consumes approximately 5–6 Dlubal API calls.
- API quotas and usage are managed by Dlubal and can be reviewed in the API & Cloud section of the Dlubal Extranet.
For most workflows, the API consumption of the BIM link is relatively low, but it is useful to keep API usage in mind when working on larger or highly iterative projects. In addition, the current BIM link is based on the Dlubal Webservice (SOAP), which has been marked as deprecated by Dlubal.
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