Trimble's 2025 Tekla Update: Revolutionizing Structural Design Collaboration

In the ever-evolving landscape of structural engineering, Trimble's latest update to its Tekla Structural Designer and Tekla Tedds software is a game-changer. The 2025 versions, announced on March 12, 2025, bring a suite of enhancements that promise to streamline design collaboration, boost productivity, and ensure compliance with the latest design standards. But beyond the hype, what does this mean for the industry and its stakeholders?



The integration of trimble SketchUp and autodesk Revit with Tekla Structural Designer is a significant leap forward. This seamless transition of models between platforms allows structural engineers to reuse information and share models more efficiently, enhancing productivity and accuracy. The Tekla Structural Designer Integrator for Revit 2025, for instance, includes improved connectivity rules and additional profile families for the UK and USA markets, ensuring more accurate and connected models. This bidirectional transition reduces redundancy and ensures that all stakeholders are working with the most up-to-date information, minimizing errors and enhancing overall project accuracy.

But the benefits don't stop at integration. The 2025 update includes enhancements for the design of podium structures with masonry, which now include improvements for the design of reinforcement and the ability to model wall edge releases. This specific feature is particularly beneficial for engineers working on masonry structures, as it provides a more precise and efficient design process. The update also introduces a new integration with Structural PANDA, allowing UK-based structural engineers to perform rapid carbon assessments during the preliminary design stage. This tool generates a wide range of structural design solutions from initial concepts, helping engineers optimize building designs based on various criteria, including carbon footprint and cost. This integration not only supports sustainable design practices but also helps in making informed decisions early in the design process, potentially leading to long-term cost savings and environmental benefits.

The potential long-term benefits for investors in the construction and engineering sectors are substantial. The enhanced design capabilities and improved workflows can lead to increased productivity and reduced errors, resulting in faster project completion times and lower costs. For example, the enhanced connected workflow between Tekla Structures and Tekla Structural Designer allows for efficient sharing of model information for the analysis of steel structures, which reduces errors in the design process and facilitates a comprehensive design-to-detail workflow. This seamless data transfer and collaboration can lead to more efficient project management and better coordination among team members, ultimately improving the overall quality of the construction projects.

Moreover, the updates to Tekla Tedds, which include the latest North American Loading and Steel Design codes (ASCE7-22 and AISC360-22), ensure that engineers have access to the most current design standards. This compliance with regulatory standards can help investors avoid costly penalties and delays associated with non-compliance. Additionally, the introduction of new temporary works calculations for Outrigger loading design (EN1997/TWf) and crane wind loading assessment (BS ISO 4302) further enhances the software's capabilities, making it a comprehensive solution for modern engineering challenges.

But what about the risks? The reliance on AI and cloud-based services introduces new vulnerabilities, such as data security and privacy concerns. For example, the AI Cloud Fabrication Drawing service requires the upload of sensitive project data to the cloud, which could be a target for cyber-attacks. Investors must ensure that robust security measures are in place to protect this data. Furthermore, the initial investment in AI technologies can be high, and there may be a learning curve for engineers to adapt to these new tools, potentially leading to short-term productivity losses.

In summary, Trimble's 2025 update to Tekla Structural Designer and Tekla Tedds enhances the efficiency and accuracy of structural design and analysis workflows through improved integrations, advanced design capabilities, and compliance with the latest design standards. These enhancements can lead to increased productivity, reduced errors, and faster project completion times, providing long-term benefits for investors in the construction and engineering sectors. However, investors must carefully consider the associated risks and ensure that adequate measures are in place to mitigate them.