Truss Calculators

[Medeek]

[Medeek]

Version 1.8.3 - 02.12.2017
- Enabled metal plate connectors, materials and custom layers for Fan trusses.
- Added energy/raised heels for Fan truss (3 variants: wedge, slider and vertical w/ strut).
- Roof slope can be toggled between Pitch or Degrees (input) for common trusses in the global settings.



Currently the metric template forces the roof slope to degrees however in the imperial templates (inches, feet) the user can select between Pitch or Angle for common truss types.  I will need to update all of the truss types with this global setting option.

[Don_P]

The truss types in post #550 appear to be less and less efficient with materials. It looks like the top chords would have comparable load carrying ability in all of these if all else is equal, the bottom chord appears to be much stronger in the bottom truss compared to the top one.  , what are your thoughts on those?

[Medeek]

Version 1.8.4 - 02.14.2017
- Enabled roof cladding for gable and hip rafter roofs.
- Roof slope can be toggled between Pitch or Degrees (input) for gable and hip rafter roofs in the global settings.

[Medeek]

To create this roof was not an entirely automated process but I'm slowly getting there.  The trim tool comes in really handy for creating valley and jack rafters but ultimately it would be nice to auto create L-Shaped, T-Shaped and U-Shaped roofs.



View model here:

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=28c0e0f9-a245-4ff9-a923-f8c268bc9828

[Medeek]

Version 1.8.5 - 02.18.2017
- Enabled roof cladding for dutch gable and TJI rafter roofs.
- Added TJI rafter roofs with dual glulam beams.
- Added Soffit Cut within Advanced Options for TJI Roof w/ GLB.



View model here:

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=82a033b2-acc6-4216-a04c-f3707c68a49e

First new roof type in added in quite a while.  Lately I have been focusing most of my effort on cleaning things up and making sure all the options are working correctly for each roof type and configuration.

Soffit cuts with TJI (I-Joist) rafters gets a bit interesting but I've finally implemented it:

[Medeek]

https://youtu.be/jcN4HmDz34o

TJI Roof with dual glulam beams.

[Don_P]

Very nice 
I like the way you can present a "raising script" with this kind of animation.

[Medeek]

Same house, just a lookout between the beams:

https://youtu.be/uHqasbDoGvo

View model here:

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=d9963853-7596-433d-8855-7f5a8641e089

[Medeek]

Trying out the Rayelectron Rendering plugin, I'm fairly impressed.

[Medeek]

Version 1.8.5b - 02.23.2017
- Addressed minor bug with "Front Only" gable end scissor trusses.
- Addressed minor bug with soffit cuts and TJI rafter roofs with dual glulam beams.

[Medeek]

I've been looking into the Weyerhaeuser Forte API or Open File Exchange.  There might be a way to integrate the plugin with Forte so that it automatically loads the geometry into Forte, any thoughts on that?

[Don_P]

It's been too long since I've had Forte on the computer to say anything specific but I think any crosses you can make like that reasonably will only make it more user friendly. Is there any problem as they update/change though.

[Medeek]

Version 1.8.6 - 02.25.2017
- Added 2x sawn lumber and LSL headers for Gable Dormers.
- Enabled interior wall sheathing (Gypsum Wall Board) for Gable Dormers.
- Enabled ceiling sheathing (Gypsum Wall Board) and ceiling battens for common trusses.

[Medeek]

An example dormer created with the dormer tool and the gable roof created with the common truss tool.  Note that I have enabled all of the cladding, sheathing and GWB in the global settings.



View model here:

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=2ff7c406-7fe4-44af-b6ed-c4c817122285

When you select "YES" for the gypsum ceiling in the advanced options of common trusses and additional dialog is presented which then allows for manually adjusting the GWB thickness, ext. wall inset, and ceiling battens (size, spacing).

You will notice that in the global settings within the "Sheathing" tab a couple of new items have been added for Gypsum Sheathing.

Now I just need to enable ceiling sheathing for vaulted truss and rafter roofs, yet another large task added to the todo list.

Attic and Gambrel attic trusses will require not only ceiling GWB but also the attic GWB on walls and flat and sloping ceilings.

With the addition of all the interior and exterior cladding, the plugin can now generate the majority of the structural features of a roof.

[Medeek]

This probably pertains more directly to the Wall Plugin I have been working on but I could also test out the concept with the dormer module.

If the user enables the exterior wall cladding I could also enable a further option which will draw the corner and window trim as shown.  This option would only become active if the cladding option is selected.  I would create a new tab in the global settings for the all of the trim options (size, material etc...)

I'm also considering a rudimentary door and window module that can auto-fill the window and door holes in the Wall Plugin, however I don't know if architects and designers would find any use for it since they may be inclined to use more sophisticated 3rd party window and door plugins. 

The reason I am considering this is that it would further automate the creation process and I have yet to find a window and door plugin that I am 100% satisfied with.

[Medeek]

Raised heel fink truss roof with 1.5"x1.5" ceiling battens and 5/8" GWB at a 5.5" wall inset.

[Medeek]

I've been giving some though to the soffit and fascia and I realized that in many cases the design may call for a closed soffit:





I've seen soffits constructed with plywood and also metal (aluminum, vented).

Also the fascia I am creating currently should be more properly labeled the sub-fascia since in many cases the true fascia board is a thinner 5/4 or 1x material.  If metal is used then the sub-fascia is covered over with a fascia cover:





Then of course we get into the whole boxed soffit at the corners:



I would like to get some input in what you would like to see with closed soffits and fascia.  I am thinking it might be useful to have a completely separate section in the global settings that deals specifically with closed soffits, fascia and corner treatment (ie. boxed corners vs. non-boxed)

[Medeek]

Medeek Truss vs. MS Physics:



Pretty clear the house didn't have a chance.

I'm actually very impressed with the collision detection of MS Physics, an amazing extension. 

https://youtu.be/L-TZpTw2q2g

[Don_P]

Asteroid? What was that supposed to be?
For eave soffit framing I usually run lookouts alongside the tails from subfascia to the house ledger to provide soffit nailing. I generally use T&G for soffits, strip vent centered or slightly outboard.
I prefer detail 1 to #3 especially with steeper pitches, that pork chop gets pretty fugly on a 12/12

[Medeek]

This is what happens when you magically remove all the nails and fasteners from your house.

I could spend hours messing around with the MS Physics Extension.  Watching trusses domino each other would actually be quite educational for any installer to emphasize the importance of bracing.

[Medeek]

I've been reviewing my Todo list lately and it really hasn't shrunk much, if anything it has grown a bit as I've added some new features in the last month and more catching up needs to be done with various truss types. 

I only work on this project part time and on the weekends as much as possible, so my progress since September of 2016 has been quite slow (took a new job with the City of Ocean Shores).

Currently the Truss Plugin has seen the most development but I am also spread between the other separate plugins as well:

Medeek Wall Plugin
Medeek Structural Plugin
Medeek Foundation Plugin
Medeek Deck Plugin

The structural and wall plugins will be just as complex and involved as the Truss Plugin and will require a couple years of my full time attention to get where they need to go.

When I step back and look at everything I want to accomplish there is just no way, given my current situation, that I can achieve it.  It would be nice to also be able to hire some help in knocking out some of the coding, realistically there is only so many hours in a day and only so much one person can do.

I would really like to work full time on all of this as I see it has some serious potential and I'm also very excited about it but my previous attempt at using KickStarter to raise some working capital did not amount to much.

I was watching Shark Tank last night and I was thinking would this type of business even have a chance in that setting?  Anyhow, I am open to any ideas you might have in how to really blow this thing up and get it going.

[Don_P]

 One thought. Ultimately the person successfully using the truss plugin ends up at the local truss shop buying their products and if you did your job well, their workload just decreased in the face of greater sales. Alpine, Mitek, etc. I've bugged AWC that they should have freeware calcs for dimensional lumber far beyond what they have. Again, easier access to design software increases sales, it is in their self interest to help develop and market it. Concrete, etc. They get to banner the pages with rotating industry links.

[Medeek]

Version 1.8.7 - 03.26.2017
- Added energy/raised heels for double howe truss (3 variant: wedge, slider and vertical w/ strut).
- Metal plate connectors now enabled for double howe trusses.



Back to updating all the truss types with metal plates, raised heels and all other advanced options.

[Medeek]

Recently I've had a couple requests for bobtail/stub end trusses.



When specifying how to truncate the truss, what lengths are typically used to control the location of the stub end(s)?

1.)  Stub or heel height.
2.)  Nominal span minus stub length