Tekla Structures

Tekla Structures (also owned by Trimble) operates at the absolute extreme, bleeding edge of heavy structural engineering. While Revit is perfectly fine for drawing the architectural shell of a skyscraper, Tekla is used by the structural engineers and fabricators to model the actual physical skeleton that keeps the skyscraper from collapsing. It is heavily renowned for its massive, unprecedented "Level of Development" (LOD 400+). Tekla does not just draw a steel I-beam. It draws the exact, millimeter-perfect steel I-beam, the massive gusset plate connecting it to the column, and every single specific physical bolt, nut, and washer required to hold that specific connection together. Because the 3D model is perfectly accurate down to the literal bolt, Tekla connects directly to massive CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines in the steel fabrication factory. The software instantly generates the exact mathematical "DSTV" files, commanding the robotic lasers in the factory to cut the steel beams perfectly, ensuring absolute precision when the steel arrives at the construction site.