CYPE Connect

It is now possible to select the type of steel for bolt layout checks.

This feature is available when using the Eurocode, its national annexes or the Spanish structural code "Código Estructural" as the steel standard.

Up until version 2025.d, when the Eurocode, its national annexes or the Spanish structural code "Código Estructural" were selected as the steel standard, the separation between the axis of a bolt and the plate edges of all bolts in an operation was verified.

However, from this version onwards, this verification shall not be carried out when the bolts are located inside a group of bolts.

As of version 2025.d, the representation colours of the different elements are configurable.

This customisation is carried out from the "Project > Settings" menu, where the colours can be edited according to the user's preferences.

This feature is made even more relevant by the new tools, incorporated in this version, to include images in the connection reports.

As of version 2025.d, the contour plot result views include a new option to show or hide the finite element mesh.

When the thicknesses of the plates to be joined are different, the cutting plane may vary according to the direction in which the bolt is placed, passing through one area or the other. In these cases, the bolt shall be evaluated in both directions and, if in any of them the cutting plane passes through the threaded area, this condition shall be considered in the check.

The length of the shear plane is included in the bolt library. The series of bolts available in the program have been updated to incorporate this information. In projects created with previous versions, the bolt libraries will assign the threaded area a length equal to the length of the thread, as was previously the case.

The libraries can be updated via the library management to include the length of the shear plane. To do this, simply click on the blue arrow icon and select the series to be imported. If you have a customised user library, the same procedure must be followed to update the bolt libraries and then save the customised library again.

In version 2025.d, the import of the nodes defined in the structural model has been implemented.

This task can be carried out in the import of structures from CYPE 3D, ETABS® or SAP 2000®. A node will be created with the same reference as the node in the structural model and with the same bars.

In previous versions, geometric detection was carried out based on the ends of the bars.

As of version 2025.d, a small diagram with the layout of the bolts for each operation will be included in the section on the definition of the bolts in the summary report.

The index drawing of each bolt, anchor or timber fastener has been implemented in the 3D view of the connection.

The options to show or hide these indices are enabled under "View options".

By clicking on "Snap image", a snap of the 3D view is generated and saved in the image library. Users can assign a reference to it, which will be the text shown at the bottom of the image in the list. Furthermore, depending on the type of 3D view, the image has a specific type, which determines in which chapter of the report it will be included.

• Images snapped from the "Model" tab shall appear in the "Connection components" section.
  
  
• Snaps from the "Maximum demand capacity ratio" view shall be included in the "Checks" section.
  
  
• The screenshots of the contour plot result views of the "Stress/Strain" analysis shall be placed in the "Stress/Strain" section.
  
  
• Screenshots of the buckling results shall be placed in the "Buckling" section.

The size of the images in the report is set by default, although users can scale the images according to their needs.

As well as snaps of the 3D views, additional images can be added to the library. To do so, simply click on the "Add" icon in the list of images in the library.

In the connection analysis model, one of the bars is set as the load-bearing element, unless a baseplate has been defined. The remaining bars are connected to this element, on which the loads are applied.

Up until version 2025.d, the bars connected to the load-bearing element had no external links, allowing users to define forces in the direction of each axis and moments around each axis.

These new models are useful for dealing with different structural situations. For example:

Case 1
The hollow section bar is hinged in the structural model and connected by a single bolt. If the unrestrained model is used, an unstable mechanism can be generated (Case 1 - A). By changing the load model to N - Vy - Vz, the local model of the connection resembles the connection conditions in the global model of the structure (Case 1 - B).

Case 2
Two angles are connected, where one acts as a load-bearing element and the other receives a tension applied at the centre of gravity of the section. If the unrestrained model is used, the eccentricity between the load and the connection of the load-bearing section generates a penalising moment (Case 2 - A). By changing the loading model to N - Vy - Vz, a more balanced stress distribution between the two sections is achieved (Case 2 - B).

Case 3
The eccentricity of the diagonal bar generates a moment that penalises the haunch. In this case, the displacement out of the plane formed by the beam and the diagonal is constrained, so the local model of the connection is more similar to the global model by selecting the N - Vz - My model (Case 3 - B).