Trimble has revealed the 2026 updates to the Tekla software suite. The updates “accelerate the entire design-to-detailing process by reducing manual effort and rework, enabling a wider scope of complex tasks without the friction and data-loss risks of switching between disparate applications”, Trimble said.
Access to Trimble Assistant is embedded across the Tekla portfolio. It assists new and existing users to take advantage of features and troubleshoot issues without leaving the software interface.
Additionally, the new AI model and drawing assistant in Tekla Structures is an early preview feature (distributed through Trimble Labs) for modelling operations using natural language. Trimble said the context-specific productivity tool helps users execute tasks through simple natural language prompts.
The updates to Tekla Structures include:
- AI cloud fabrication drawings – a human-in-the-loop AI service that uses user-defined drawing libraries from past projects to automatically generate fabrication drawings. It provides top suggestions that users can verify;
- project settings management console – a user interface for administrators to manage customised environments and project settings from the cloud. It simplifies the installation process and ensures all users have consistent up-to-date settings throughout a project;
- integrated workflows with Trimble Connect CDE – property sets, drawings’ metadata and status sharing across the Trimble ecosystem help integration. Teams can manage live project data across systems and access a single source of truth directly from their working interface;
- simultaneous model and drawing editing with design reuse – this enables detailers to work on general arrangement drawings and the 3D model side by side, with changes reflected instantly. This, combined with the ability to reuse previous projects, can speed up design creation and reduce manual rework, Trimble said; and
- layout manager ‘out of tolerance’ workflow, which automatically flags discrepancies between the design model and as-built data (eg, misaligned anchor bolts), allowing for corrections before steel parts arrive on site.
Other Tekla updates
Tekla Structural Designer updates include:
- accurate centre of rigidity – a precise calculation for seismic design that replaces older approximations, allowing engineers to design structures with greater confidence and safety in mind; and
- enhanced interoperability with Revit and SketchUp allows for tighter collaboration with architects. In addition, Tekla Structures models can now be published to the cloud and pulled into Tekla Structural Designer for verification.
Other updates include one-click access to Tekla Structural Designer LT in Tekla Tedds, while Tekla PowerFab gains pre-shipment validation.
Jari Heino, vice-president and general manager, BIM and engineering solutions, at Trimble, said: “The Tekla 2026 software suite represents a significant leap in how AI and cloud-enabled tools can enhance productivity while maintaining the high levels of accuracy our customers require. By syncing the model and the drawing, and providing real-time data exchange, Tekla solutions bring connected insights to every phase of the design-to-construction lifecycle.”
