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ICF units take off


ChrisA

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Hi

I am working on a project that is utilizing 2'x8'ICF wall units. I would like to see if VW can generate the take-offs for the project.

My question is, can i get VW to create a template that will generate the number, size, and layout of the units per wall. I can then use this template for multiple projects.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Chris

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Are ICF walls are those styrofoam Lego systems with voids for concrete?

This might be a way to do it.

This is just an example for counting "straight" legos and concrete. No corners or brick ledges, etc. I'm sure there's a way to count those as well.

I'll attach a 2013 and 2010 version. Wall record formats have changed in the past couple versions, so there are some fields in the 2010 worksheet that don't work. But the calculation parts are identical.

There's no need for the wall area column. It's just there to double check the other results. The worksheet checks net wall area, so wall openings will change the results.

There are waste factor fields. Changing those will change the results.

hth

mk

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That's a really good question. I thought that it might be possible with the framing command, but now I think not...

The method I use just gives a rough estimate using the area of a wall.

I've done cut list generating for steel and lumber, but this requires more thought....

Or scripting.

Or someone else with a better idea...

mk

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The worksheet I did above uses a formula based on the area of each wall to calculate the quantity of one size of lego....

But Chris is looking for a cut list of different sized blocks. I don't think there's a way to do that w/o inserting block symbols or scripting something that inserts block symbols.

And w/ corners, brick ledges, intersecting walls, etc., I bet a human hand would have to be involved.

Attached is an example of how I've set up "cut list" files in the past.

Basically, you insert the symbols for the whole pieces. (It helps to do this in a 3D view to make stacking easier.)

Then whenever you need to "cut" a Lego, just Command-K (Control-K on a PC) it - which is the shortcut for "convert to group". Because the symbol is only one object, it isn't actually converted to a group - just to the extrude inside the symbol.

Then pop back into Top/Plan and drag one end of it to the desired length. Or use Subtract Solid to chop it to length. Or the split tool. or......

The worksheet counts the symbols to get the whole legos. And it captures all the geometry that isn't a symbol, but is in the Legos class.

It divides the volume of each of those pieces by the area of the cross section to get the length.

This process fails on pieces that are mitered or beveled or have holes drilled into them. Only 90? cuts are calculated accurately.

Not saying it's a great solution, but if I had to count them, I'd probably do something like this. Someone who is more accomplished than I w/ vector script could probably come up with a more elegant solution.

hth

mk

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Some thoughts

Depending on construction and dimensions the wall could be modeled with a small number of symbols. The end cuts, and possibly even the wall opening cuts, would repeat in alternate courses. So end lego of course 1 and its cut off could be made into new symbols and named descriptively. Instances of these cut items would be counted in the cut list. The modeling would proceed by duplicating whole courses or groups of courses including the cut pieces, instead of lego by lego.

It gets kind of dicey though - Some cuts would be just little nibbles out of whole legos. These would need to be named as symbols or work sheet items, too. A hassle if there are lots of different ones.

In newer versions (all versions? can't remember) several of the tools and commands will cut a symbol without that intermediate step of Convert to Group. The Split Tool in Line mode will cut a symbol or an array or stack of symbols - anything the split line passes through (Hold the Option/Alt key to limit split to selected objects). Result is two new Solid Sections from each original. These cut pieces can be made into new symbols. Section Solids command will also cut multiple objects, but result is a new single object combining all the cut pieces - not so useful for this.

-B

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