“Tekla PowerFab is a solution that digitalizes all of the core tasks of domestic steel fabrication companies, thereby simultaneously achieving increased profitability and quality innovation. We expect that major domestic production companies will introduce it in large numbers in the second half of this year.”

Trimble, a global 3D BIM leader, held a press conference at the Lotte City Hotel in Guro on the 17th to explain Tekla PowerFab, Korea's first steel fabrication management system.


Trimble Korea President Park Wan-soon, who gave the opening remarks, said, “Since its establishment in 2012, Trimble Korea has targeted steel shop drawings and fabrication companies as its main customers and has now expanded its business areas by securing over 1,000 customers in construction, engineering, plants, civil, bridge, and precast.” He added, “In particular, our ‘Connected’ strategy, which continuously utilizes data throughout the construction life cycle, and our open platform ‘Trimble Connect’ are our key competitive advantages.”

In particular, “Tekla PowerPack, officially launched in March, provides automated estimation, real-time material tracking, and process-specific work instructions and progress management functions based on the existing Tekla Structures model,” he said. “By automating processes and moving away from manual work or Excel dependency, it eradicates material waste and data inconsistencies and increases the speed of on-site response.”

President Park Wan-soon said, “Tekla Powerpack is a solution that will digitalize all of the core tasks of domestic steel fabrication companies, thereby simultaneously achieving increased profitability and quality innovation.”He said, “We expect that major domestic production companies will introduce it in large numbers in the second half of this year.”


Next, a detailed explanation of Tekla PowerFab was given by Trimble Korea's Seongmin Jeon.

Tekla PowerFab is an integrated management solution for improving productivity and profitability in steel fabrication. Its launch in Korea is expected to usher in a full-fledged digital transformation and productivity innovation in domestic steel fabrication sites.

Meanwhile, domestic steel fabrication companies have been suffering from factors that lower productivity and profitability, such as errors due to manual estimates, inventory errors, information disconnection, material waste due to rework, and schedule delays.

Tekla PowerFab fundamentally solves these problems through model-based estimating, real-time material tracking, and process automation.

Tekla PowerFab connects the entire process from design to manufacturing and installation in a single platform.

Design changes are shared immediately on site, digital work instructions reduce worker dependency, and enhanced 3D collaboration minimizes errors.

This will greatly increase the response speed at steel fabrication sites.

Tekla PowerFab is linked with Tekla Structures, a structural BIM software, to provide: △elimination of manual file conversion process; △automatic verification of compatible materials; and △real-time visibility of the entire project information.

Maximize productivity by maintaining a smooth flow of data from the design stage to the production stage.

The steel fabrication process has also been innovated step by step.

First, in the quotation stage, a quick and reliable quotation is submitted using an automatic model quotation.

In the purchasing stage, CP and nesting-based material orders are processed, and for schedules and work instructions, duplication is eliminated through integrated schedule management and digital work instructions.

In the inventory management stage, real-time material tracking reduces inventory errors and waste, and in the production management stage, it provides visualization of work volume by process and real-time monitoring.

Looking at the main functions and user interface, office staff can manage accurate BOM based on model, automatically create bid proposals, and integrate project schedules and documents, while field workers can check the cutting list in real time with the mobile app 'Powerfab Go' and operate a paperless workplace such as receiving materials, performing quality inspections, and attaching photos.

Inventory managers can: △ check integrated inventory in the office and field; △ track the entire history of material hit numbers.

“Tekla PowerFab will dramatically reduce the complexity of collaboration between domestic detailed designers and fabricators,” said Jeon Seong-min, a professional engineer in charge of the presentation. “Accelerating digital transformation in the Korean market will further strengthen the global competitiveness of the domestic steel fabrication industry.”


Domestic supply is handled by DSTECH.

DSTEK is a major steel fabrication company operating a modular factory in Pohang.Saro was recognized for its understanding of field processes and technical support capabilities.

Trimble Korea and DS Tech jointly conducted education and technology consulting to complete localization optimized for the Korean industrial environment.

At this press conference, DS Tech Director Choi Hong-gyu said, “Tekla Powerpack connects business data from all processes including sales, design, purchasing, production, and transportation to implement a digital production management system.” He continued, “The cutting list created in the office module is transmitted in real time to a mobile device on-site, and the progress of each process such as CNC machining, attachment, welding, finishing, and painting can be checked on a tablet screen. All data is automatically updated without paper, and everything from invoice creation to shipping is processed in batches.”

He also said, “The 3D model-based automatic quotation function will improve quotation accuracy by linking with DS-Tech’s solution. In the future, we plan to accelerate productivity innovation by linking with automation technologies such as robot welding.” He added, “Domestic steel fabricators will be able to secure real-time visibility and quality control by breaking away from manual work and Excel-based management.”