Win more work with integrated 2D + 3D quantification
Autodesk Takeoff is changing the way estimators win more work by combining 2D and 3D takeoff capabilities in a single, online solution. Produce quality estimates for faster, more accurate bidding.
Keep Teams Connected in Real-Time
Align estimators with construction teams with cloud-based data management that ensures everyone is working from a single source of truth. Eliminate oversight by giving the entire team access to the most up-to-date information.
Save Time With Automation
Save time creating competitive bids by performing more accurate 2D takeoffs and generating automated quantities from 3D models. Ensure that the most detailed quantities are captured to ensure the best project scope.
Reduce Risks with Insights
Avoid rework by visualizing project scope in 3D, allowing estimators to better understand design intent and constructability issues. Leverage a single inventory of 2D and 3D quantities throughout the construction process.
Collaborate across your estimating team, projects and business
Centralize document management
Organize, distribute, and share files on a cloud-based, single document management platform, ensuring all team members have access to the same information and latest document set.
Avoid repetitive processes
Perform linear, count or area takeoff with multiple quantities output and use custom formulas to generate complex quantities. Easily move existing takeoff to newer versions of the drawings.
Connect your data
Aggregated 2D+3D quantities can be rolled up by classification, type, and material. Easily export quantities to Excel and connect to your estimating solutions.
Simplify user management
Safeguard your projects with robust user-based permissions. Ensure the right people have access to the right data and tools.
Takeoff with speed and accuracy
Get access to quantities from the model for tremendous time savings and improved project scope visualization.
Improve Collaboration
Autodesk Takeoff breaks down data silos, allowing multiple estimators to collaborate on the same project.
Autodesk launched Bridge, a new collaboration capability that empowers construction teams to share only relevant data with project stakeholders, regardless of whether they are on the same team or building projects within Autodesk Construction Cloud. Bridge gives teams control over their respective project data sets by enabling them to share select sheets, folders, and files with collaborators without having to share all project information. The new collaboration capabilities delivered by Bridge lessen the need for manual data transfer and management and provide confidence that everyone is working from the same information, minimizing rework and saving teams time and money that directly impacts their bottom lines.
“Communicating relevant information with each stakeholder in a timely manner can be a manual and time-consuming process that often leads to data loss and miscommunication, putting us at risk of rework, increased costs, and extended timelines,” said Luis Angel Garcia, BIM specialist, SSOE Group.
“On the other hand, sharing entire projects with team members can compromise privacy and requires tedious permission setting. Autodesk Construction Cloud’s Bridge gives us the flexibility to automatically share relevant information with stakeholders, while still maintaining control over our project data. Bridge radically simplifies our collaboration across teams and projects so we can deliver work on time and within budget.”
“Every construction project is different and our customers need flexibility to collaborate according to the needs of each project,” said Sameer Merchant, vice president of product development, Autodesk Construction Solutions. “Additionally, different stakeholders need to maintain agency of the data pertinent to their work on a project. Bridge introduces a transformational new collaboration capability that gives teams the autonomy and flexibility to manage their own data. Project stakeholders can maintain their own project instances and save on the time, cost, and confusion that often results from having to manage external collaborator permissions and manual ‘send and receive’ workflows.”
Using Bridge to share closed RFIs offers enhanced collaboration by enabling seamless sharing between different Autodesk Build accounts. This capability allows teams to efficiently manage and track Requests for Information (RFIs) even after they are closed, improving project transparency and communication. The closed RFIs can be shared across multiple projects within Autodesk Construction Cloud, streamlining workflows and ensuring all stakeholders remain informed. This can be done by using the Close and distribute function in the RFIs tool.
Bridge connects project data for internal and external teams
Bridge empowers project members with the flexibility they need to share relevant information with different teams and projects using Autodesk Construction Cloud, facilitating smoother collaboration to complete projects on time and within budget.
General Contractors have a simple solution to coordinate work between their trades and provide visibility to owners while ensuring owned project information is documented and saved in a centralized location. Whether they are working on a large project and want to split each component into its own sub-project or want to break out projects for trades to meet privacy mandates set by owners, general contractors can now use Bridge to share data with different teams and projects from one main, easy-to-manage instance.
Specialty trades can share necessary information such as project install progress with general contractors while maintaining their respective data within their own project instances. If they have multiple ongoing projects, trade teams can also aggregate their data into one main, easy-to-manage internal location for an aggregate view that strengthens analytics and future decision making.
Owners have clear visibility into project performance and construction documentation when they link data using Bridge. Information is not lost in manual “send and receive” workflows and the data needed to make timely project decisions becomes easier to find.
Designers can communicate the latest design documents with owners and contractors and keep a pulse on how design intent is being upheld during construction. Bridge enables designers to protect intellectual property and share only necessary sheets and files while also reducing time spent on manual “send and receive” workflows.
Share sheets and files.
With the right permissions, easily select any Sheets or Files to share with another project within the same account, or to a project within a different account.
Set up automations.
Ensure all teams have the most up-to-date versions by setting up and managing automated sheet sharing.
Create direct project linking.
Take information sharing to the next level by connecting stakeholders across accounts, providing contact details for collaborators, and making disconnecting and removing automation at the end of a project a one-click process.
Bridge is now available at no additional cost to customers using Autodesk Construction Cloud’s web applications — Build, Collaborate & Takeoff.
Utility poles support increasingly complex networks of electrical and communication lines. To ensure that these poles can safely bear the load of heavy equipment and cables, electrical engineers periodically perform pole loading analyses.
This analysis helps maintain poles’ structural integrity and aids in planning for future attachments, upgrades, and replacements. Understanding pole loading analysis and how to perform it effectively is essential for AEC professionals who work with utility infrastructure.
What Is Pole Loading Analysis?
Pole loading analysis is the process of assessing the structural capacity of utility poles to determine if they can safely support the loads applied to them. This includes the weight and tension of conductors, insulators, transformers, communication attachments, and any other equipment mounted on the pole. The analysis takes various factors into consideration, such as the type of material, the pole’s age, existing conditions, span length, and environmental conditions like wind and ice loading.
Utility poles are essential in supporting electric utilities and telecommunication networks and are often shared by multiple pole owners. A thorough pole loading analysis ensures that these poles meet the standards set by the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) and can withstand extreme weather conditions, preventing outages and ensuring public safety.
How to Perform Pole Loading Analysis
Pole loading analysis involves several steps that require precision and the right tools. First, you’ll need to gather detailed data about the pole and its attachments. Next, you’ll assess the loading conditions, including environmental factors like wind and ice. With this data, you can perform a structural analysis using specialized software, evaluate the results to ensure safety and compliance, and finally, document your findings and any necessary adjustments.
Data Collection: Start by gathering detailed information about the existing pole, including its height, class, species (for wood poles), and condition. It is also essential to collect data on all existing and proposed attachments, such as conductors, insulators, transformers, and communication equipment.
Determine Loading Conditions: Assess the loads applied to the pole, including the weight of each attachment and the forces exerted by wind, ice, and other environmental factors. This step often requires calculating span length and evaluating the tension of conductors.
Perform Structural Analysis: Using pole loading analysis software like Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis Professional, part of the Autodesk AEC Collection, input the collected data to perform a structural breakdown. The software helps calculate the pole’s ability to handle the loads and determines if it meets NESC standards.
Evaluate Results: Analyze the results to determine if the pole can safely support the existing and new attachments. If the pole fails the analysis, consider solutions such as pole reinforcement, pole replacement design, or attachment adjustments.
Make-Ready Engineering: If new attachments (e.g., broadband or new fiber installations) are planned, make-ready design involves ensuring that the pole can accommodate these without compromising safety. This step may include clearance analysis and pole replacement design.
Documentation: Properly document the analysis results and any recommendations for pole replacement, reinforcement, or other adjustments. This documentation is crucial for compliance with regulatory requirements and for future reference.
Benefits of Pole Loading Analysis
For AEC professionals, there are many substantial benefits of performing pole loading analysis that directly impact the safety and reliability of a utility infrastructure. Some of these benefits include:
Enhanced Structural Integrity: Ensuring utility poles can withstand their loads is vital for maintaining structural integrity, especially in areas prone to extreme weather. This reduces the risk of pole failures and outages.
Compliance With Safety Standards: By adhering to the NESC and other regulatory guidelines, pole loading analysis helps avoid legal liabilities and ensures public safety.
Optimized Pole Usage: Efficiently managing pole attachments through proper analysis allows for optimized use of existing poles, reducing the need for unnecessary replacements and minimizing costs.
Accurate Planning For Upgrades: When adding new attachments, such as communication lines or new fiber, pole loading analysis ensures that these additions do not compromise the pole’s stability, facilitating seamless upgrades.
Reduced Maintenance Costs: Identifying potential issues before they lead to failures can save on costly emergency repairs and reduce the frequency of maintenance interventions.
Functionality and Features of Pole Loading Software
Pole loading analysis software is designed to simplify and streamline the analysis process, offering robust functionality that AEC professionals can leverage:
Comprehensive Data Input: Software like PoleForeman, O-Calc Pro, and SPIDACalc allows for the input of detailed pole data, including material type, height, class, and loading district specifics. This level of detail ensures accurate analysis.
Advanced Structural Analysis: These tools perform complex calculations to assess the impact of loads on pole stability, taking into account factors such as span length, conductor tension, and environmental conditions like wind and ice loads.
Integration with GIS: Many pole loading analysis tools integrate with GIS platforms, enabling the use of spatial data for more accurate analysis and planning. This is particularly useful for large-scale projects involving numerous poles across different locations.
3D Visualization: Some software solutions offer 3D visualization of pole data, allowing users to see a detailed representation of the pole and its attachments, aiding in identifying potential issues.
LiDAR Compatibility: Modern pole loading software often supports LiDAR data, which can be used to create precise models of poles and their surroundings, enhancing the accuracy of the analysis.
Clearance Analysis and Make-Ready Design: These features are essential when planning new attachments, ensuring that all equipment is properly spaced and that the pole can safely handle the additional load.
Conclusion
Pole loading analysis is an essential practice for AEC professionals involved in designing, maintaining, and upgrading utility infrastructures. By understanding what it involves and how to perform it effectively, you can ensure your projects’ safety, compliance, and efficiency.
Additionally, Leveraging advanced pole loading software can simplify the entire process by improving the precision and functionality needed to manage complex utility networks.
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