The much anticipated release of Vectorworks® 2018 in Australia has seen an enthusiastic response from industry. Along with a host of other new features, the new multi-view editing capability makes for easier and faster object creation and editing, by allowing the display of different views at the same time. But there is one new feature that has many in the entertainment industry excited.
Introducing Braceworks
The entire rigging side of the program has been enhanced with to the addition of Braceworks™ – a structural analysis add-on module for Vectorworks Spotlight. Braceworks provides design, production and rigging professionals with an easy way to gauge the performance of temporary structures under load, to ensure safety and compliance with engineering codes and standards. For the first time, entertainment professionals have an integrated platform for modelling, visualisation, analysis and documentation, by adding Braceworks to Spotlight.
Braceworks operates with standard objects in Spotlight, and converts straight trusses, curved trusses, truss symbols and lighting pipes into structural members. The placement of objects like speakers and lighting devices automatically attaches loads to these structural members, with both point and distributed loads being supported. After modeling and loading, a finite element analysis (FEA) calculation can be performed, and the results exported for structural analysis in two different formats.
The first is a comprehensive FEA report in PDF format, and the second is a structural file in DSTV format that the structural engineer can import into their software for checking and signing off. The whole process saves a great deal of time, improves efficiency, decreases over-design and increases safety. This short movie highlights the key features of Braceworks, and there is more information on our web site here. A recent webinar is now available to watch on-demand here.
Eurovision Song Contest 2017
The use of Braceworks set a milestone in technical planning at the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. A complex system consisting of 735 rigging points, 3300 m of trusses, 1816 lighting fixtures, 212 tons of hanging material, 112 CyberHoist chain hoists, and over 30 m of freeform textiles was used for the stage. Read more about this challenging project here.
Vectorworks file for Eurovision Song Contest 2017. Image courtesy of Stephan Schewe.
3D rigging structure for Eurovision Song Contest 2017. Image courtesy of Stephan Schewe.
Special Introductory Offer
For the Vectorworks 2018 version, members of Vectorworks Service Select can add Braceworks to Vectorworks Spotlight or Designer for a special price. Please email or call us on 02 8338 8622 for more information.
