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PanelsPlus - Software Modification History
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Software modifications since 27/09/2006 30/10/2008 - Imperial Units included. 20/11/2007 - More options added to
output list in the Template Editor. Additions include: ·
Brace type
– This is a default label that can be set for each brace. The label can
be changed at any time for individual panels. ·
Brace length
–Total length of the brace from the panel to the ground. ·
Brace to
Deadman – This is the horizontal distance from the base of the panel to
the point where the brace is in contact with the ground. ·
Center of lift
from bottom of panel – Distance from the base of the panel to the
lifting centroid. ·
Sling length
– Total length of the sling (More than 1 value is expected for some
arrangements, e.g 4x2 face lift etc). ·
Crane load at
lift-off – Total load at the point when the panel breaks suction. ·
Project number
- Label ·
Designed by -
Label 05/07/2007 - 64-bit installation file
of Panels Plus is available for Windows Vista – 64 bit 22/06/2007 - Recess depth check. ·
If a negative
value or 0 (zero) is entered as the depth of a recess, the software will prompt
the user to correct the input value. - All detailed Dimensions
can be automatically positioned outside the panel. ·
A checkbox has
been introduced under [Settings > Default Settings > Dimensions tab]
labeled as “Detailed Dimensions Outside Panel”. When this box is
checked, all dimensions (except for the overall diagonal) will be positioned
outside the panel automatically. - Users can now choose the
position of Dimension Labels. ·
A series of
dropdown lists labeled “Left D”, “Top D”,
“Right D” and “Bottom D” are under the [Settings >
Default Settings > Dimensions tab]. These options can be set so the
dimension labels are positioned clockwise or anti-clockwise around each panel
when the dimensions are generated. 17/01/2007 - Detailed steel design
report can now be extracted at any node within a panel. ·
A switch has
been introduced under [Settings > Default Settings > Design Parameters
tab ] labeled as ‘Show Steel Design Calculations’. When this
check box is ON, and the reinforcement results are displayed on screen, the
user can click on any node to generate a detailed report of the steel design.
This report will provide intermediate calculations and will also indicate the
governing criteria of the final reinforcement that was designed by the
software. 13/11/2006 - Background colour of the
Working Area can now be either white or black. ·
The switch to
change between black and white is under [ Settings > System ] on the Main
Menu. - Under [Tools] on the
Main Menu there is a tool ‘Get Angle’ that allows the user to
obtain an angle between two points. ·
This is
particularly useful when importing elevations that are not parallel to either
the global X or Y axis on the screen. The user can obtain the exact angle
from the imported DWG file (no rounding off) and enter this number into the
‘arbitrary angle’ input box when importing the elevation. This
procedure will eliminate the introduction of any errors due to rounding off. -
Cast in Plates can now be imported from the DWG file. ·
This feature
works similar to the Groove import where PanelsPlus reads information from
the DWG file and includes this information into the Project. The dimensions
are automatically generated, while the name/type of cast in plate is
specified at import. ·
To import cast
in plates, there must be at least one elevation in the Project, and following
a similar procedure to the grooves and recess areas (View must be either
‘Elevation’ or ‘Panel’ level) a layer containing the
cast in plate geometry is selected followed by selecting one type (same size)
cast in plates. A name/label needs to be entered such as “CP1”
and this label will be displayed for each cast in plate of that type. ·
This change
with the importing window for that now allows the user to specify what they
are importing, allowing much more flexibility. -
Voids, Recess areas and Grooves within panels can be now represented either
as closed polylines, a number of single line elements or a mixture of both.
There is also no limit on the number of points a void or recess can be. (used
to be 4 sided closed polylines). - Circular voids and
circular recess areas can now be imported into PanelsPlus from DWG files. ·
The software
will divide circles into 12 points and automatically generate the mesh around
the circumference. ·
The dimensions
of circular voids will display the diameter of the circle. -
Importing Grout tubes from the DWG file. ·
If grout tubes
(or stress ducts) are pre-defined in the DWG file, they can now be imported
into PanelsPlus. The procedure is identical for the ‘Cast in
plates’ (described above), however the user instructs the software that
grout tubes are imported on the ‘Import Recess and Features’
window. The dimensions for the grout tubes are included when the automatic
dimensions are generated for each panel. -
Copy and paste lifting points ·
Users can now
copy and paste a particular lifting arrangement from one panel to any other
panels that have similar geometry within the Project. There is a an option
under [ Settings > Default Settings ] Lifting tab, labeled ‘Copy and
apply lifters Arrangement’ that needs to be checked ON. Once this
switch is ON, two icons are displayed on the Main Task Bar near the lifting
anchor icons. Once lifting anchors on a panel has been finalized, the user
can then click on the ‘Copy’ icon followed by selecting a
different panel within the Project, and then applying the lifting arrangement
by clicking on the ‘Paste’ icon. The software will check the
basic geometry of the panel (check if the lifting arrangement will fit) while
balancing the centroids by adjusting the position of the anchors about the X
axis. -
Introduced a Command Line Editor under [Tools > Command Line Editor ] on
the Main Menu. ·
Users can now
enter the geometry of panels using a command line editor by entering
co-ordinates x and y. The final input comes up as if the data was created in
a DWG file, and the panels can be imported following the same process from
that point on. 31/10/2006 - Added 2x2, 2x3, 2x4 Wind bracing arrangements. 25/10/2006 - Added 2x1 face lifting
arrangement. 24/10/2006 - ‘Cover’ and
‘Max Bar spacing’ for the additional reinforcement requirements
during lifting where added to the design parameters. ·
The user now
selects the cover to the additional bars so the position in respect the steel
mesh (SL72, SL82 etc) is irrelevant. - Equal spacing for 4 edge lifters now working during editing the position of the lifting anchors. 23/10/2006 - Delete all ferrules in
one elevation. ·
This feature
will allow the ferrules to be deleted and then re-imported if ‘Near
face / Far face’ was incorrectly selected, or if the position of the
ferrules change. 20/10/2006 - User can enter the RL
for the lowest edge for each elevation during the importing process. The RL
for the bottom point of the bracing is then calculated, and the final bracing
is displayed in the 3D view. 19/10/2006 - Modification to the
design of additional Steel requirements during the lifting process. ·
A switch is
introduced to ignore or include the steel mesh (SL72, SL82 etc). A panel must
contain 2 layers of steel mesh for this option to be available. One layer
mesh is ignored in the design of additional steel requirements during
lifting. 18/10/2006 - Turn the Auto Groove
dimensions on or off. ·
The check box
labeled ‘Groove Auto Dimension’ located on the Dimension tab
under [Settings > Default Settings] on the main menu controls this option. 17/10/2006 - Show message at DWG /
DXF import that shapes in Layer ‘0’ cannot be used. ·
Layer
‘0’ should not contain any information that is to be imported
into PanelsPlus. This needs to be done prior to bringing the DWG / DXF file
into PanelsPlus. - User defined concrete
tensile strength for design. ·
The last entry
in the list labeled ‘Tensile Strength of Concrete’ contains an
option ‘(user defined)’. This option needs to be selected in
order to enter a specific tensile strength. This value will then be compared
to the stresses calculated in each panel. - Unlock face lifters
along X-X (allow tilting) ·
This option
will allow the lifting anchors to be freely positioned on a panel where moving
one anchor will not result in changes made to other lifting anchors to
‘balance’ the panel during the lifting process. The software will
indicate if there is an offset between the panel centroid (CG) and the
lifting centroid. The user can then adjust the position of each anchor
individually to reduce the offset between the lifters so the panel does not
tilt. Any difference in the length of the slings is not calculated and the
user needs to account for this. -
Auto locate temporary dimensions for lifters with L shape panels (top row) ·
The software
will place lifting anchors at more logical locations when the top of a panel
is greater or less than the bottom edge. The user may need to manually adjust
the position of the lifting anchors to prevent tilting. (see notes: Unlock
face lifters along X-X above) -
Fixed error when performing a ‘flat lift’ (cable length was not
previously considered) 12/10/2006 - Added the option to
introduce 3 dowels along the base of a panel. ·
Now users can
choose between 2,3 or 4 dowels - Added 4x4 face lifting arrangement. ·
This
arrangement is available from the list of options when selecting a face
lifting anchor followed by clicking on the right mouse button. - Added Top Edge Dowels ·
The check box
labeled “Top Edge Dowels” on the Lifting Points tab, under
[Settings>Default Settings] needs to be checked ON. A new icon that will
generate dowels along the top of a panel then be displayed on the Main Task
bar - Introduced the option
for the Auto Dimensions to be automatically labeled ·
The check box
in the Dimension tab labeled ‘Show Dimension Labels’ needs to be
ON -
User can save all changes made in the Default Settings window and set them as
default. - Files generated from
AutoCAD: Architectural Desk Top produce “3D face” elements and
PanelsPlus now imports these elements that are made up of 4 points only 27/09/2006 - Improved analysis time ·
The finite
element mesh for a panel will not be regenerated if the geometry has not been
altered and the panel is reanalysed.
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