Maintaining Metadata & Component Performance for Complex Roof Framing

SketchUp Pro
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Hello team,

I have a question about streamlining workflows within our niche of the roof truss detailing industry. We’re currently dealing with extremely large, high-detail models of hundreds of joints, multi-residential floor plans, and dense plate connector matrices.

While SketchUp excels with heavy modeling and layout view generation, we’re regularly experiencing limitations in performance and losing data when attempting to carry those models down the line.

I’d love to get community input on a few technical issues:

Exploding Files & Performance: When working with hundreds of highly detailed, nested components (e.g. A large roof filled with individual trusses with detailed plate connectors), what are the standard techniques for smooth viewport experience? Do you use proxy versions of complex components during modeling, for example, replacing heavy nested geometry with lightweight representations to ensure performance before the final details are applied?

Preserving BIM Metadata: We need to be able to export framing design models to industry standard file formats (IFC/OpenUSD) while maintaining integrity with detailed information (e.g. Exact timber grades, truss numbers and plate dimensions). Is there any recommended extension or native classification in order to prevent the data loss during export?

Dynamic vs. Live Components: Has anyone had any luck building fully parametric, dynamic components for complex roof trusses that can accurately determine dimensions and angles of trusses based on spans without corrupting the geometry?

Any advice is appreciated and will benefit structural & AEC industry professionals as they navigate daily workloads.

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Are you talking about matchstick trusses held together with punched plates?

Can you share a drawing / screen shot or simplified sample model?

I can’t help on the IFC / BIM stuff - I export heavy timber models and hardware to IFC for clients to use in manufacturing software, but I don’t need to have any data come along with it.

Dynamic components - I assume a smart developer could build them for you, but as a plugin (similar to Medeek Roof / Truss) that was custom to your work. I have built a handful of architectural and timber components and would lose my mind trying to create a dynamic component for trusses.

A couple of thoughts without knowing your total workflow:

Can the plates be simplified to only model the extents and thickness? Do you need a high level of detail for these? What is the end use that requires the detail?

If you do need a high level of detail have you considered building simplified components that are embedded with higher detailed components and toggle tags to control visibility?