Outrigged Scaff/Lighting Pipe

[nakedeye]

Hi all, whats the workflow for adding an outrigged pipe from the top of the truss going out 90 degrees so the pipe and fixture are selected on select system objects and also calculates the weight in braceworks?

[TomWhiteLight]

Hi Max, I tried this out this morning, creating the geometry os easy enough but I could not get the system to calculate. I have asked the Braceworks team for clarification. I will let you know when I hear back.

[TomWhiteLight]

Hi Max.

So Braceworks does not currently account for truss roll and forces exerted on the truss when it is cantilevered sideways. Braceworks does do cantilevered loads but only running in the same direction as the truss span.

So the insert connection tool can be used to attach the scaff pipe to the truss, you can even add the clamps if you check use symbol.

Select system objects will not select the truss as the insert connection tool enables you to connect two separate truss systems.

 

So Alternatively...

You can make the pipes and the truss a hanging position...

You can make a point load use a symbol, this could include the pipe. It could also just be the connection clamps/hardware.

This doesn't really work for Braceworks but at least select system objects and total hung weight functions.

Here is the file...

 

 

Insert .vwx

[TomWhiteLight]

Hi @nakedeye

 

Jesse spoke to me about this yesterday, Braceworks does calculate rotational forces (Roll)m I was misinterpreting the error message.

 

"The virtual FEM message is warning that the truss is being twisted because a unbalanced rotational force is acting on it"

 

So this should calculate.

[Wood]

Hi @TomWhiteLight,

 

Can you take a moment to explain your workflow here?

 

I'm a rigger, dealing with submitted light plots that rarely conform to any sort of braceworks or vectorworks standards. This pipe out situation is classic, and annoys me during load calculations. Currently, I just drag the light onboard the truss and add a point load for the pipe. This is inefficient and makes the drawing inaccurate.

 

I use truss as truss, and have never converted to a lighting position.

 

Specific questions are:

• How did you quickly make the point load use the two clamp symbol? Did you custom build the symbol or is that in a library somewhere?
• What should that point load represent? The load of the pipe and light? Or is that handled via the lighting position tool?
• How does the lighting pipe interact with this point load?
• Does the fixture placed on the lighting pipe automagically incorporate itself into the overall load calculation?

 

 

 

Is there an easier way? I find the braceworks documentation to be lacking, is there a direction you can point me in? I feel like I'm bashing my way through the program.

 

Many thanks

[jcogdell]

14 hours ago, Wood said:

How did you quickly make the point load use the two clamp symbol? Did you custom build the symbol or is that in a library somewhere?

You don't need a 2 clamp symbol, you need to use a rigid truss cross for the connection. The truss cross will be automatically created if you add the pipe above or below the truss within the auto-connect radius, or when you use the insert connection tool to connect the pipe to the truss (and in 2023 you can define the type of truss cross in the tool preferences, otherwise you need to do this after insertion, in the OIP).
If you are using 2023 you can take this a step further and edit one of the default rigid truss cross symbols from the library to replace the default geometry with 2 clamp symbols correctly spaced for the type of truss you are using. Make sure to save any custom truss cross symbols like this into your user or workgroup folder for future projects

 

14 hours ago, Wood said:

What should that point load represent? The load of the pipe and light? Or is that handled via the lighting position tool?

If you draw the the pipe with the light attached and have the truss cross defined as rigid you shouldn't need to do any further steps or add a point load. Braceworks will correctly calculate the truss with the out rigged load.
You will get the FEM warning message but this is not a critical error or fail, it is a warning that your structure has an unbalanced rotational force acting on it, in this case the out rigged pipe plus light, and that the truss will not hang exactly as in the Spotlight CAD plan. In effect it is telling you that the system is structurally safe but that you will likely have to make some onsite adjustments to the truss pick ups and/or the other lights hanging on that truss to get it to hang in the correct alignment/position.

 

14 hours ago, Wood said:

How does the lighting pipe interact with this point load?

A lighting pipe is treated the same as a truss object by Braceworks, both have the required structural behavior data included and will behave accordingly. The pipe will deflect based on where it is hung or supported from and where any loads like lights or point loads are connected to it. Just like a truss any possible connection will display the red auto-connect highlight, so the point load would be inserted in the same way as a light and the highlight will display when you have a valid connection.

 

14 hours ago, Wood said:

Does the fixture placed on the lighting pipe automagically incorporate itself into the overall load calculation?

Yes, any Braceworks enabled objects will do so automatically, if it isn't connected to a truss or pipe Braceworks will display an error message that the object is not correctly supported. Typically all objects that have a dedicated Spotlight insertion tool are automatically Braceworks enabled (lights, soft-goods, pipes, truss, cables etc...)
The insert load tool is designed for when you need to calculate a system that includes 2D/3D symbols or objects that are not Braceworks enabled, such as hanging a piece of custom modeled scenery.

[Wood]

Thanks for the thorough explanation Jesse!

 

[TomWhiteLight]

Thanks Jesse! Sorry I missed this.