Ground-Mounted Solar Mounting System Automation with RSTAB 8 API
One of the biggest challenges in the solar energy sector is the time-consuming process of recalculating every project from scratch and determining optimum sections. To solve this, I developed an automation software using the Dlubal RSTAB 8 API, providing a direct solution to these issues.
1. Modeling Automation
When project data is entered, the software builds the entire model automatically:
🔹 Loads are auto-generated based on province, district, and elevation
🔹 Supports, connection details, and set members are assigned by the program
🔹 Braces and diagonals can be added optionally by the user
🔹 Load types (e.g., wind loads) can be defined per Eurocode or wind tunnel reports
⏱ Engineers’ preparatory work that once took hours is now completed in seconds.
💡 Wind tunnel tests previously required half a day per model and could not be applied to every project. With the developed algorithm, these are now integrated into the model instantly, ensuring reliability and cost efficiency.
2. Optimum Section Selection (Custom Algorithm)
The software’s strongest feature is its optimization engine:
🔹 Performs multiple trials for east–west frames based on angle, loads, and spans
🔹 Selects the best sections within user-defined limits
🔹 Delivers optimum sections for all projects across Turkey in under 12 hours
🔹 Generates internal forces, support reactions, and detailed outputs automatically
🔹 Reports which combinations govern which elements under specific load cases
Problems Solved
🔹 Faster tendering: Project data can be matched with pre-generated abacuses, cutting design time drastically.
🔹 Stronger sales team: Engineers are freed from calculations, allowing sales to focus on clients.
🔹 Accurate, not approximate: Optimum sections are determined at the bidding stage, enabling immediate production after approval.
🔹 Reduced model checks: Only input accuracy needs validation.