MiTek's software development resources are unrivaled in the industry, and Aegis will leverage these to further advance our own software offerings, including out next-generation software initiatives. [full press release]Those "next-generation" plans will have a large impact on the way we do business.
In the next few weeks, Gene Toombs, the chairman and CEO of MiTek, will be visiting our facilities and meeting with our management. Our ideas for their "next-gen" software will be one of things discussed during those meetings.
Obviously, this is an excellent opportunity for SSC to have a large influence on the software we will be using in the years ahead, and we CANNOT let this pass. We need start working on a list of ideas! Here are some to start:
- An inventory tracking system for production, that will create cutting bills and batch paperwork based on up-to-the-minute inventory available. Bar-code scanners could even be used for inventory control.
- Create Special Product Lists in Summary or a similar program--things like truss-to-bearing clips, bracing, stabilizers, etc.
- Snow and Wind Loading based on a truss's location on the building--including roof plane lengths, bearing heights, etc.
- Eliminating the Layout program in favor of an AutoCAD plug-in.
Posts
Here are some ideas from Ernie:
ReplyDeleteHaving the ability to open layouts by double-clicking the *.lay files and truss designs by double clicking *.trz files would be nice. Currently when you try it with the *.lay file it says it can’t find the layout.def file or that it’s in use.
When the layout program has a file open it locks the file in a way that prevents the file from being copied while it’s open. What may be happening is it’s setting it as being written to at that time which is good to do during a save procedure but is annoying otherwise.
A tool to help create dome shapes in layout would be nice. I’ve heard that the layout program is changing over to a CAD base and if that happens that’ll probably make it easy.
The ability to export 3d models of what is shown in F11 mode would help greatly. That would also be resolved by a move to CAD most likely.
It would be nice to be able to adjust the quantities of trusses in design based on the quantities in layout without resetting the truss designs. For example, adjustments have been made to a job and truss quantities are changing. The ability to make an automated change to the quantities in design to match without messing up your designs would be great.
Thanks!
Capture all truss uplifts, allow for easy grouping by uplift range, and then automatically generate details according to the groups. Maybe do this inside Summary or something similar? Or tag joints in Design? Or integrate with the existing callout tool?
ReplyDeleteFrom Greg Hansen:
ReplyDelete1 Pick from OUR inventory list correctly as they design the job
2 Subtract from the inventory as used in a job
3 Wall panel sheathing cut sheet and correct count on # of sheets to order for project.
4 Automatically have the program look for the best route to minimize screw counts and cost difference if it jumps gauges
5 Use standard connection details when possible. This will help the shop to understand and learn by being repetitive.
6 Work on panel design program to use HDS studs wherever possible and cut labor cost.
From Ric Drumm:
ReplyDeleteWhen you have designed a truss, it usually contains several different sizes and gauges of material. But when you go back to it, it reverts back to the truss/job basic material. You then have to analyze it again to get it to show the material it’s actually designed with.
Ed suggested a tool in Design to compare two different (but similar) truss designs and display the differences. This could be useful for repairs.
ReplyDeleteI also think this is a tool we could create ourselves, possibly even inside Excel.
From Chris Flory:
ReplyDeleteBeing able to snap a dimension like in AutoCAD where we can pick different snaps. I know a few times that I’ve gotten to the CAD layout stage and found out my walls were off a bit. It looked accurate on the layout and without adding other walls or trimming work lines, it would be difficult to know if I was precise.
Also if we can work on getting the wall to wall trim fixed where it doesn’t skew walls, overhangs, and cantilevers when we trim.
Finally scissors… I am unable to cut my ceiling plane off of a wall and have my scissors come in correctly. I can not cut the ceiling planes in completely at all for that matter.
From Chris Flory:
ReplyDeleteAnother thing we might want to consider to save time is the stub command. The stub command is great for bidding but we can not use it for final design. The truss is stubbed but in versitruss the profile shows the un-stubbed profile. If this goes thru cutting and if anyone does a versitruss command it will come in as the un-stubbed profile and the lasers in the shop show the un-stubbed profile also. If we find a way to have the profiles reflect the stub it will be beneficial in saving time and money. Also have a stub from the top as to do hip sets with similar webbing as the common truss.
If we can have the gravity and uplifts on the layout at truss bearings and have the ability to switch it on and off.
ReplyDeleteIf we can have hot keys also instead of just pull down menus and icons that saves a ton of time.
I would like to put in rafters as rafters with only the top chord needing to be defined. This would help in an overhang situation.
ReplyDeleteI would like the truss and wall panel bound into one program. The wall part would read the truss location and its reaction. If the wall needs a critical stud it would automatically enter it and if multi floor send the critical stud all the way down to foundation level.
From Ernie:
ReplyDelete- The ability to add concentrated and lb/sqft loads to areas in layout
- Automatic license renewal for computers connected to the internet
- Smart sizing that increases depth before gauge for bending failure
- The ability to do stud/USWD chords and have it work decently well in the program
- A refined method of doing compression ring design
- The ability to copy/paste special loads
- Automated storage and organization of past versions of a truss
- The ability to add attic spaces and such in layout
- More included tools to stiffen up trusses carrying very heavy loads.
- A bracing design tool that accounts for the loads that need to be carried and gauges/sizes the material
- Tool(s) to create simpler and more economical mansard framing
- Methods to create lighter (and thus cheaper) trusses for very low load applications
And for a couple long-shot ideas:
- The ability to have cyclic loading situations that are iteratively solved (this could also allow trusses to inherit girder deflections which currently seems to be an engineering loophole)
- Programmatic access the functions of the design program (through COM for example)
- A tool that creates detailed pictures of exactly what the truss looks like in 3d
- A tool that will play around with truss designs and try to find ways to make them cheaper just by trial an error (you could run it overnight, for example)
A tool to match web patterns from truss to truss, maybe from left-to-right up to a certain dimensions.
ReplyDeleteMore from Chris:
ReplyDeleteThe ability to see the truss in 3D with the engineered truss configurations including webbing.
The ability to cut and pan thru the building in 3D with the trusses configured and capture the image for sectional purposes we can use on our CADD layouts.
In 3D have the truss top chord highlighted so show the top chord touches the plane. We can see when the truss pokes thru the plane but can not see if the truss is lower then the plane.
More from Chris:
ReplyDeleteIf we can’t get the layout to show truss reactions. When we print the summary of the reactions, can we have the joint label printed with the reactions also.
(I would also suggest tweaking the reaction summary to display ALL the reactions, not just the first few.)
More from Chris:
ReplyDeleteIt would save a bit of time if we could stay in the command, ex bottom chord edit, without having to reclick the plane we want cut after we drag across trusses. If the command can be kept until the user hits the escape button. As with other commands also.
In engineering when we mirror panel points. It would be great if they weren’t locked in nodes. Maybe mirror it with floating panel points that way when you have to come in and change a panel point you don’t have to unlock all the panel points on the opposite side and mirror again or reset your nodes.
More from Chris:
ReplyDeleteIt would be great if we can design scissor trusses without so many issues. Maybe we can work that out with the next Aegis Mitek merge.
Thanks for all your ideas Chris!
From Chris:
ReplyDeleteTo automatically be able to transfer valley loads or piggybacks to base trusses in layout.