ExtrudeLines 2025: The New Version is Coming!
Dear users,
I am thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of ExtrudeLines [2025], which includes many enhancements designed to enrich your experience and improve efficiency.
New Features
- Extrusion by projection Plane: Extrude using an object plane, 3 nodes, structural axes, at a distance or up to the plane, by vector or normal to the plane
- Section for each: Extruded elements can be automatically cut using intermediate floor or grid levels, grid axes and object planes.
- Local Support Frame Consideration: If the "Local" option is enabled, extruded nodes will align with the local support frame.
- Mesh Panel FE Extrusion: New capability to extrude finite elements of mesh panels.
- Opening Extrusion: Automatically add all hosted objects (e.g., openings) to panels without requiring additional selection.
- Modified Object Handling: Objects with existing modifications, such as extrusion or revolution, are now eligible for extrusion.
- Profile and thickness: Default profiles and thicknesses are applied when the selection is set to ‘delete’, resulting in bars without sections and unfilled panels (opening).
Improvements
- Enhanced Dialog Box Clarity:
- Additional method and mode options for broader use and future expansion.
- Improved status messages and a progress bar now featuring an object counter.
- Optimized Element Numbering: More efficient numbering of nodes, bars, and objects to streamline project management.
- Identical Panel Detection & Removal: Detect and eliminate duplicate panels to enhance modeling efficiency.
Before you start:
Extrusion is now based on two key elements: a method (how to extrude) and a means (how far or toward what).
Methods:
- Arbitrary vector: it will be automatically normalized. Use the button on the left to display the full vector.
- Along line : the reference line can be a bar, a line, or the first segment of a polyline.
- Along Axis (local or not): choose whether to follow the local axis of an object or a global reference.
- Normal to plane : → See the section "About the Normal to Plane Method" below.
Means:
- Distance : values can be positive or negative, and expressed in the unit of your choice..
- Object : targets can include arcs, circles, and both filled and unfilled contours
- Three nodes: nodes are placed in the default numbering order, but you can assign them as: (origin, X axis, Y axis), Z is always treated as the normal
- Structural axes : Note: changing your selection resets the list to the first index. Double-check your choice
Special Options:
- Enable Nodes: Extrude nodes to generate bar elements.
- Enable FEs : Extrude FEs.
- Enable Openings: Automatically includes hosted openings during contour extrusion. No need to select them manually.
- Bars as shells: Extrude bars as shells elements → See the section "Bar extrusion" below.
Section for each:
Note that the number of generated objects can grow rapidly, some structures can exceed 1,000 panels.
To manage this, the number of intermediate cutting planes is limited to 50.
About the “Normal to Plane” method:
There are two use cases:
- Extrude up to a selected plane
- Extrude using the normal of the plane with a defined distance
→ For the second case, first select the option to define your reference plane, then return to the “Distance” option.
Bar extrusion: (version 2.10 and higher)
Starting from version 2.10, the rules for bar extrusion have been updated. Bars can now be extruded when the extrusion vector is parallel to the bar's axis. In such cases, the program will automatically extend the bar and copy its properties.
→ If the vector is not parallel, you will get an outline, as before.
→ If you select both the bar and the node, the extrusion will occur along the node instead.
Tapered sections are not taken into account, but local and global offsets resulting from a parallel bar are.
Generation of shells from Standard Sections (since version 2.20)
From version 2.20 onward, standard section bars can be converted into shell elements. Extrusion and cutting rules also apply in this context.
Cold-Formed Section Support (since version 2.30)
Cold-formed, parametric concrete and timber sections have been added to the list of bar profiles that can be converted and generated as shells.
Profiles based on DXF imports as thin walls or solids from the section definition module (since version 2.40)
Extrusion of bars along their longitudinal axis, supporting both shell representations and bar extensions.
Support for profiles based on DXF imports like thin-walled elements integrated into the section definition module.
→ The next update, 2.8.0, will improve the algorithm for converting solid sections imported from DXF into neutral-axis shells.
Compound Section Support (since version 2.50)
Compound steel sections I, U, IU, IL, 2L, 4L, XL, have been added to the list of bar profiles that can be converted and generated as shells..
→ Sections : CONCR_COL_R, CONCR_COL_L, CONCR_BEAM_I, CONCR_BEAM_RECT, CONCR_BEAM_T, CONCR_BEAM, UNKNOWN, CAE, CAEP, CAI, CAIP, DCEC, DCED, DCIG, DCIP, HEA, HEAA, HEB, HEC, HEM, HER, HHEA, HHEB, HHEM, IIPE, IPE, IPEA, IPEO, IPER, IPEV, IPN, MHEA, MHEB, MHEM, MIPE, PRS, TCAR, TEAE, TEAI, TREC, TRON, UAP, UPN, UUAP, UUPN, WOOD_RECT, UPAF, RECT_FILLED, TRND, BOX, USER_BOX, RECT, USER_RECT, TUBE, USER_TUBE, USER_I_BISYM, USER_I_MONOSYM, USER_T_SHAPE, CUSER, DRECT, USER_BOX_2, USER_BOX_3, COLD_SIGMA1, COLD_SIGMA2, COLD_ZED1, COLD_U, COLD_CE1, COLD_ANGL, COLD_OMEGA, COLD_SO1, COLD_C_PLUS, COLD_SIGMA_SL, COLD_SIGMA, COLD_Z, COLD_L_LIPS, COLD_Z_ROT, 2I, 2I_WELD, 2C_BACK, 2C_BACK_WELD, 2C_FACE, 2C_FACE_WELD, 4L_BACK, 4L_BACK_WELD, 4L_FACE, 4L_FACE_WELD, 2L_SHORT, 2L_SHORT_WELD, 2L_LONG, 2L_LONG_WELD, 2L_FACE_SHORT, 2L_FACE_SHORT_WELD, 2L_FACE_LONG, 2L_FACE_LONG_WELD, 2L_CROSS, 2L_CROSS_WELD, CI, CI_WELD, CI_BACK, CI_BACK_WELD, 2LI, 2LI_WELD
Efficiency:
The typical speed is 5 to 10 panels per second, depending on the current number of elements in the project and the complexity of the segments.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us at [email protected]
Best regards,
Stephane Kapetanovic
ExtrudeLines 2025 Building, Curved Front Panels, Welded Node, DXF Import as thin-walled section
For those who haven't done so yet, you can download the current version from the App Store .
Stéphane Kapetanovic
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