Suite of groundbreaking Leviat BIM plug-ins makes digital specification easier

A major expansion of Leviat’s existing BIM plug-in suite makes specification faster and more reliable for leading ranges of Halfen and Aschwanden channels, anchors, and concrete reinforcement products.

World-leading engineered connections specialist, Leviat, has announced a major expansion of its BIM plug-in suite, designed to reduce modelling time by up to 50% and give building designers and contractors total flexibility to instantly move, adjust or add a wide range of Leviat components to their BIM project, either at the drawing stage or once the project is on site.

The latest development, by Leviat digital specialists in Europe and the United States, comes ahead of planned legislation which is expected to see BIM become the standard for government buildings and other large construction projects. It adds over 3200 new object variations, each targeting 30+ parameters and attributes, to the original 2022 Leviat HIT plug in, which has now been improved and expanded to meet growing demand from customers.

Available for all major BIM software, including Revit, Allplan and Tekla, the new range of plug-ins is focussed on four of Leviat’s most popular structural product ranges including Halfen HTA/HZA cast-in channels; HDB double head shear reinforcement anchor and SPA sandwich panel anchors and restraint ties, including the new SPA FLEX; as well as economical Aschwanden DURA shear reinforcement cages. 

In addition to the already available Halfen HIT product range, the new suite also facilitates the use of project specific configurated products, allowing innumerable variations for products, such as [SO1] Halfen HDB and Aschwanden DURA steelheads, which are generally created during the specification process.

The new software is not only faster and more intuitive to use, but is continuously updated via Cloud, so users are assured that they are always using the most up-to-date product data, rather than having to check currency before each use.  A new feature improves positioning of products with concrete cover. The ability to use a single tool for several products gives consistency to the design. A built-in Excel export facility then allows the user to generate a semi-automatic Bill of Materials to make component ordering easy and foolproof.

Wibout Roukens, head of Leviat’s Digital Engineering program, who worked alongside colleagues in various countries to develop and expand the project, believes the new suite will prove a breakthrough for BIM designers, giving them the ability to adjust or add components ‘on-the-go’. “Whilst it has taken the industry many years to adapt to the BIM model”, he says,” the pace of change is now increasing exponentially, and it is inevitable that BIM will shortly become standard for most major construction projects. This current project is the second phase of a planned programme that will eventually see most, if not all, of Leviat’s market leading ranges included in the plug-in, making it easy for designers to select a complete connections specification for their building from one single easy-to-use source”.

Available online at leviat.com/bim, the new expanded suite is adapted to different product ranges of the local Leviat sales units in available in the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Nordic countries, and France, as well as other countries where the Halfen products are available.