Allows you to add, modify, delete, import, or export profiles. 3. How to Create and Modify Profiles
Only save project-specific, one-off custom shapes inside the local model folder to prevent cluttering the global database. Troubleshooting Profile Mismatches
The profile catalog acts as a centralized library within Tekla Structures. Every column, beam, brace, and plate references this database to determine its physical geometry and material volume. How Tekla Structures Organizes Profiles
Contains structural properties like cross-sectional area, moments of inertia, and torsion constants used by analysis software. tekla structures profile catalog
Shapes defined by variables (e.g., height, width, thickness) that change dynamically based on user input. 2. Types of Profiles in Tekla Structures
This is the primary binary file containing all standard and fixed profiles. It cannot be edited directly with a text editor.
Open the catalog directly from the part properties card using the "Select..." button rather than typing it manually. Check for accidental spaces in the profile string. Symptom: Missing Structural Properties in Analysis Allows you to add, modify, delete, import, or
The profile name typed in the component or part properties dialog box does not exactly match the catalog string, or the profile type is missing from profitab.inp .
The right-hand pane displays critical geometric metadata used by downstream engineering and detailing teams. This includes the cross-sectional area, moments of inertia ( ), section moduli (
Choose a profile from the tree. You can use the checkbox to see additional properties like weight per meter or cross-section area. Click Apply or OK . 4. Customizing the Catalog Shapes defined by variables (e
The table below shows the key differences between the catalog versions:
: You can enter specific structural analysis data (like moments of inertia) directly into the profile's properties for use in engineering checks. 💡 Pro Tips
Displays the profile name, type, and material category.
Clean the CAD drawing: Ensure the profile is a single closed polyline, remove annotations, layers, and center it around the 0,0 origin coordinate. Save the file as a .dwg or .dxf .
), you can type in the dimensions, and Tekla generates the geometry on the fly. 3. Custom and Sketched Profiles