Download: this guide as a PDF (for printing or reading offline).

The IDX Beam Analysis Tool checks deflection and stress on a beam. You define the beam, its cross-section, material, supports and loads, and the tool draws the diagrams for you. It is a plug-in that runs inside TurboCAD. The result goes into your drawing as a parametric object that you can edit later.

1. Check you can run it

• TurboCAD 2026 64-bit (2026.1). This 2026 plug-in (version 3.0.1) is built for TurboCAD 2026.
• TurboCAD Professional or Platinum.
• You need your Beam Analysis Tool license key from your order. It starts with the letters BAP.

2. Install

1. Close TurboCAD. If you installed this plug-in before, uninstall it first in Windows Settings ▸ Apps ▸ Installed apps (your license stays activated).
2. Run the installer, Beam_Analysis_Tool_2026_r2.exe. It installs IDX Beam Analysis Tool 64-bit.
3. If the installer asks which TurboCAD to use, pick TurboCAD 2026.
4. Enter your license key in the installer’s activation step. Copy and paste it from your order email. You do not enter it again inside TurboCAD.
5. Finish the installer, then start TurboCAD.

The tool’s files go into the Program64\Draggers and Program64\Regens folders of your TurboCAD folder.

3. Find it inside TurboCAD

After installing, open the Add-Ons tab of the ribbon. It is the one spelled with a hyphen, next to Modify; the separate AddOns tab further right holds other tools. It has three buttons:

• Add Beam — start a new beam.
• Edit Beam — reopen a beam that is already in the drawing.
• IDX on the Web — the developer’s web page.

The manual shows the older menu bar, where the same commands are under IDX ▸ Beam Tool.

The IDX Beam Analysis Tool window has a beam diagram at the top and these tabs below it: Beam, Supports, Loads, Cross-Sections, Diagrams, Units and Options. Its toolbar has Open, Save, HTML, Help, About and OK.

4. Your first beam: a simple beam with one load

This example is a 20 ft steel beam on two supports with a 1,000 lb load in the middle.

1. On the Add-Ons tab click Add Beam, then click in the drawing where you want the diagrams. The IDX Beam Analysis Tool window opens. It starts with a sample beam (30 ft, a fixed end and a roller, 100 lb at mid-span) that you change in the next steps.
2. On the Units tab, check that Axial is set to feet and Load to pounds. (The defaults are fine if they already match.)
3. On the Cross-Sections tab, click Edit Section, choose Standard Sections, and pick a W-Steel section from the list (the default is W_10x19). Click OK.
4. On the Beam tab, click in Beam length, type 20 and press Enter.
5. On the Supports tab, click Add Support. In the Supports dialog choose Pin, set Support Location to 0 and click OK. Add a second support: Roller at 20, then OK.
6. On the Loads tab, click Add Load. In the Loads dialog choose Point load, set Load to 1000 and Location to 10, click Normal load (straight down) and click OK.
7. Open the Diagrams tab. Click Normal (shear force), Deflect, Moment and Stress to read the results. The beam diagram at the top shows each support and load with its force.
8. To keep a copy outside the drawing, click Save (XML file) or HTML (a web page with the diagrams).
9. Click OK. The beam model and its diagrams are placed in the drawing where you clicked in step 1.

Hand check: with Add beam weight to calculations turned off (on the Beam tab), each support should carry 500 lb, and the largest moment should be 5,000 lb·ft at mid-span.

The table already has supports or loads? You cannot put two supports at the same spot, and you cannot make the beam shorter than its furthest support or load. Select the row and click Delete Support or Delete Load (or Edit Support / Edit Load) first.

Five things worth knowing early

If something goes wrong

“I installed it but there is no Add Beam button.” Restart TurboCAD and look on the Add-Ons tab. Check that you installed into TurboCAD 2026 64-bit with the 2026 installer (Beam_Analysis_Tool_2026_r2.exe); older installers put the tool in a folder TurboCAD 2026 does not load.

“My key is invalid.” A Beam Analysis Tool key starts with BAP. Paste the whole key with no spaces. If it still fails, contact support with your order number.

“A diagram is grayed out.” That force does not exist in your beam. For example, with no torsion load the torsion diagrams are not available.

Where to go next

• The full manual covers every load type (point, linear distributed, moment, torsion moment), custom cross-sections, units, precision, HTML publishing and editing beams through Selection Info. It is installed with the plug-in as IDX Beam Analysis Tool for TurboCAD Pro.pdf in the Beam folder of your TurboCAD folder (normally C:\Program Files\IMSIDesign\TCW2026\Beam).
• Support: email [email protected] with your order number and the exact text of any error message.