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Point load calculation


thomnj

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Does anyone know an add-on program that can provide point load calculation for truss through Vectorworks?  It would seem to me as long as I can input weight info for motors, fixtures, projectors, etc, that there should be a program to help provide loads at each rigging point, no?

 

 

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As Scott said this is precisely the functionality the Braceworks module provides.    It’s a great tool to be sure, and has been much improved since it’s initial release, but it is still relatively in its infancy.     And as such it can’t handle all rigging situations you might encounter in the real world, but for those it does,  it does well.

Edited by Wesley Burrows
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For the true calculation on available data, Braceworks is needed.  The calculation for point loads on a truss hanging on 2 points is relatively easy, straight linear algebra, and with creative input of data even loads like cable can be taken into account.  I wrote a script tool for AutoPlot that did this, but you hardly ever find just a 2 point hang.  Add more points and the calculations go nuts.  Before Braceworks, I did a pole of riggers on the stagecraft list 90% of the responses were that they use Donovan's formulas for evenly spaced points supporting an evenly distributed load which never happens in the real world.  They then throw a hefty design factor, at least 5 times the calculated load, usually more.  This is probably still what is done by those without Braceworks who don't send there stuff to a structural engineer.  The first caveat here is that Braceworks is very expensive, insanely expensive if you don't have VW Service Select.  The second caveat is "garbage in, garbage out".  The data on the drawing is often woefully incomplete and no tool can make up for that.

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