--- title: "Steel Extraction" slug: "cyclone-3dr-scantosteelsteelextractionc" updated: 2026-10-06T14:40:16Z published: 2026-10-06T14:41:42Z canonical: "rcdocs.leica-geosystems.com/cyclone-3dr-scantosteelsteelextractionc" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://rcdocs.leica-geosystems.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Steel Extraction This step allows to extract steel elements from a point cloud. 3 types of steel elements are available: **Beam**, **Column** and **Others**. All types of steel elements are characterized by the following: - **Position**: Low end position of the steel element. - **Length:** Length of the steel element. - A neutral axis: Line in a steel element that does not experience any stress during bending. | Shape type | I-Beam | T-Beam | Corner | Channel | Tube | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Possible positions | ![ibeam_top left.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/ibeam-top%20left.svg)![ibeam_top center.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/ibeam-top%20center.svg)![ibeam_top right.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/ibeam-top%20right.svg) ![ibeam_middle left.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/ibeam-middle%20left.svg)![ibeam_middle center.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/ibeam-middle%20center.svg)![ibeam_middle right.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/ibeam-middle%20right.svg) ![ibeam_bottom left.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/ibeam-bottom%20left.svg)![ibeam_bottom center.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/ibeam-bottom%20center.svg)![ibeam_bottom right.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/ibeam-bottom%20right.svg) | ![tbeam_top left.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tbeam-top%20left.svg)![tbeam_top center.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tbeam-top%20center.svg)![tbeam_top right.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tbeam-top%20right.svg) ![tbeam_middle left.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tbeam-middle%20left.svg)![tbeam_middle center.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tbeam-middle%20center.svg)![tbeam_middle right.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tbeam-middle%20right.svg) ![tbeam_bottom left.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tbeam-bottom%20left.svg)![tbeam_bottom center.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tbeam-bottom%20center.svg)![tbeam_bottom right.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tbeam-bottom%20right.svg) | ![corner_top left.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/corner-top%20left.svg)![corner_top center.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/corner-top%20center.svg)![corner_top right.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/corner-top%20right.svg) ![corner_middle left.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/corner-middle%20left.svg)![corner_middle center.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/corner-middle%20center.svg)![corner_middle right.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/corner-middle%20right.svg) ![corner_bottom left.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/corner-bottom%20left.svg)![corner_bottom center.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/corner-bottom%20center.svg)![corner_bottom right.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/corner-bottom%20right.svg) | ![channel_top left.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/channel-top%20left.svg)![channel_top center.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/channel-top%20center.svg)![channel_top right.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/channel-top%20right.svg) ![channel_middle left.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/channel-middle%20left.svg)![channel_middle center.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/channel-middle%20center.svg)![channel_middle right.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/channel-middle%20right.svg) ![channel_bottom left.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/channel-bottom%20left.svg)![channel_bottom center.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/channel-bottom%20center.svg)![channel_bottom right.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/channel-bottom%20right.svg) | ![tube_top left.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tube-top%20left.svg)![tube_top center.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tube-top%20center.svg)![tube_top right.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tube-top%20right.svg) ![tube_middle left.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tube-middle%20left.svg)![tube_middle center.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tube-middle%20center.svg)![tube_middle right.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tube-middle%20right.svg) ![tube_bottom left.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tube-bottom%20left.svg)![tube_bottom center.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tube-bottom%20center.svg)![tube_bottom right.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/tube-bottom%20right.svg) | - **Axis:** direction of the axis. - **Axis position**: 9 possible positions. - 5 shape types | Shape type | I-Beam | T-Beam | Corner | Channel | Tube | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Representation | ![I-Shaped.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/I-Shaped.svg) | ![T-Shaped.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/T-Shaped.svg) | ![L-Shaped.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/L-Shaped.svg) | ![C-Shaped.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/C-Shaped.svg) | ![Rectangular.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/Rectangular.svg) | | Standard reference example | W10x22 | TB60 | L8x6x1 | MC10x33.6 | HSS10x10x5/8 | - Hide / show the input cloud, levels, environment objects using the bulbs. Adjust the transparency of the input cloud using the slider. - You may also ![InputCloudFilter.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/InputCloudFilter.svg) **Filter** the cloud according to its classes: see [Auto Classification](/v1/docs/cyclone-3dr-cloudautoclassificationc). - All previously extracted steel elements are displayed in the **Extraction** tree: - Steel elements are sorted by ![Level.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/Level.svg)**level** and **type** (![Column.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/Column.svg)**Column**, ![Beam.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/Beam.svg)**Beam** or ![Others.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/Others.svg)**Others** ) - You can **Delete** (DEL or via the contextual menu), **Zoom on** (via the contextual menu), **Change color** and **Show/hide** each on. ## Toolbar A toolbar is displayed in the scene to provide extraction, edition and copy tools for steel elements: ### Selection tool Use ![Select-20260427-092208.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/Select-20260427-092208.svg) **Select** to select a steel element. > [!NOTE] > Muti selection is available: > > - ‘Ctrl' + Left Click: to add a steel element to the selection on click > - ‘Shift’ + Left Click + Drag: to add a bundle of steel elements with the square selection. > [!NOTE] > When a steel element is selected, its neutral axis is displayed. ### Extraction tools - Use ![Column.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/Column.svg)**Column**, ![Beam.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/Beam.svg)**Beam** or ![Others.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/Others.svg)**Others** to extract the corresponding type of steel element: - Select the **Standard** you want to use for the extraction. - Select **Type** to define the shape of the steel element. - For Column only - **Force vertical**: The neutral axis of the steel element is forced along Z direction. - **Snap to levels**: The steel element is stretched to nearest levels. - For Beam only - **Force horizontal**: The neutral axis of the steel element is forced to XY plane. The shape is also lays flat to XY plane. - For Others only - **Constraint**: See the table hereunder | Constraint | Description | | --- | --- | | None | No constraint on the beam orientation | | Snap to axis | Element axis snapped to the closest local axis | | Snap to plane | Element axis snapped to the closest local plane | | Align to X | Element axis aligned to the closest local X axis. | | Align to Y | Element axis aligned to the closest local Y axis. | | Align to Z | Element axis aligned to the closest local Z axis. | | Orthogonal to X | Element axis orthogonal to the local X axis (in the plane). | | Orthogonal to Y | Element axis orthogonal to the local Y axis (in the plane). | | Orthogonal to Z | Element axis orthogonal to the local Z axis (in the plane). | ### Alignment tool Use ![Alignment.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/Alignment.svg) [**Alignment**](/v1/docs/cyclone-3dr-scantosteelalignmentc) to join a steel element to 2 reference elements. ### Duplicate tool Use ![Duplicate.svg](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/Duplicate.svg) [**Duplicate**](/v1/docs/cyclone-3dr-duplicate) to create copy of existing steel elements. ## Extracting - Use the [https://hexagon.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/RCD/pages/46401782038/Steel+Extraction#Extraction-tools](/v1/docs/cyclone-3dr-scantosteelsteelextractionc#extraction-tools) from the toolbar to perform an extraction. ### Extraction view An additional scene called **Extraction view** is displayed when an extraction is performed. **Extraction view** displays profile view of the extraction along the profile characteristics. - Information related to the extraction is displayed on top left of the **Extraction view**. > [!WARNING] > This information is not updated when the reference is changed manually. ### Free move - Use [Free move](https://hexagon.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/RCD/pages/45393184447/Free+Move)’s manipulator to manually adjust the position of the steel element. - In the **Extraction view**, the adjustments are done in profile’s plane. - In the **3D view**, the adjustments can be realized freely. ### Profile - In **Properties**, change the reference if needed. > [!NOTE] > When a reference is selected, it is automatically applied to the steel element. - References are sorted in ascending order, from the smallest **Overall error** to the highest. - ***Overall error*** *shows the overall quality of the fit between the section and the point cloud.* - ***Coverage*** *shows the percentage of profile area which overlaps the point cloud.* - You may filter the references by name using **Search Reference**. > [!NOTE] > The results depend on the selected standard. ## Element edition - Use [https://hexagon.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/RCD/pages/46401782038/Steel+Extraction#Selection-tool](/v1/docs/cyclone-3dr-scantosteelsteelextractionc#selection-tool) or the extraction’s treeview to allow edition of the steel element. ### General - In **Properties**, - Edit the **Level** the steel element is assigned to. - Edit the **Axis position** of the steel element. > [!NOTE] > The **Axis position** is defined relative to the axis direction. As a result, the visual representation of the neutral axis in the 3D scene may differ from the **Axis position** label. ### Profile - In **Properties**, change the **Reference** of the steel element. > [!NOTE] > **Overall error** and **Coverage** values are not saved after the extraction. > [!WARNING] > Only available when only one steel element is selected. ### 3D scene - Edit the length by using the handles placed on each extremity of the steel element. - **Quick mode**: Grab and release the handles for an approximate adjustment. - **Precise mode**: Click on the handle to adjust with [Define Points](/v1/docs/cyclone-3dr-enteringpointprocedure). - While in Quick mode or Precise mode, use TAB to enter numerical values. > [!TIP] > ### Tips & Tricks > > Only the visible points are used for extraction: hide the unwanted classes to take full advantage of the point cloud [Classification](/v1/docs/cyclone-3dr-cloudautoclassificationc). > [!TIP] > ### Tips & Tricks > > - To get an efficient profile extraction, select an area where only the points from the point cloud define the steel element (not too close from an intersection like a floor or a connection (see 3D scene - Example 1). > - In 2 points extraction, select 2 different parts of the profile (see Extraction view - Example 2: a point on the flange & a point on the web) > > ![image-20260427-143501.png](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/image-20260427-143501.png) > > 3D Scene - Example 1 > > ![image-20260427-143331.png](https://cdn.document360.io/820e11db-8ed5-45ae-ac86-f6b77dcb2aa7/Images/Documentation/image-20260427-143331.png) > > Extraction view - Example 2 > [!TIP] > ### Practice > > [Guided Workflow | Modeling an As-Built Steel Structure](/v1/docs/cyclone-3dr-guided-workflow-modeling-an-as-built-steel-structure)