I’ve just run the trial version of Scaffplan for SketchUp and it’s impressed the socks off me. Full disclosure- As of today I have commercial interests in this topic- Don’t take my word for it. They do a 7 day trial with tutorials. Check it out for yourself if you’re curious.
Scaffplan has inspired me even to the point of taking up work as a scaffolding labourer on site, as the architecture/ SU training business is that slow. I’ve only done a few days, and it’s tough work, but I’m actually quite enjoying it. There aren’t many architects/ SketchUp trainers who work as scaffolders- Or maybe there are, and I haven’t heard about it.
Anyway, I did the basic Scaffplan training which showed me how to put this together:
To repeat this process would probably take me 10 or 15 minutes from scratch- keeping in mind I’m fast at SketchUp. However, insofar as it goes, any determined scaffolder who doesn’t mind sitting at a PC could probably get his head around this in about a week- Less if you have guidance from an experienced trainer- Like me, for example.
This solution is really powerful for small scaffolding companies (the kind of ones that I root for), who need to compete with the big guys. That said, I know that big corporations are also taking this solution on board. It’s a serious piece of kit with serious benefits.
If anyone has thoughts or insights on this topic, please share. Any examples of work you’ve done with it, etc.
I am by no means an architect nor SketchUp trainer but I have been working as a stage builder for 18 years, exclusively with Layher Allround..
It was a nice time but cost me my back..
In my new job (project manager, commercial finishes company in central united states), I am being tasked with designing the scaffolding, generating a parts list (biggest end goal of this task) and making some shop drawings when the specs require it. We have A LOT of scaffolding and I am in serious contact with ScaffPlan to see about what it can do for us. Right now, our hesitation is that it doesn’t have the type of scaffold we actually use. I had the same issue with PlusSpec in my previous occupation, which is why we decided on Meeek BIM and never went back.
It seems like they would possibly add it if we subscribed, but one of the first things we want to do with the trial period is design a layout and export a parts list on two project we’ve already built scaffold on and compare what was originally requested vs what we would have requested if I had designed it and sent the list.
It looks extremely fast and robust, I don’t think I’ll have a lick of trouble learning to use it, but there’s not really another serious option, and yet not being able to design with the parts we use is going to be a serious problem. If we don’t use this, I’ll be designing some pretty serious dynamic components I guess, otherwise this whole workflow will be too slow to make it viable at scale. I found ScaffPlan through this post, so thanks!
I have not yet, and it seems like Universal doesn’t have any 2D drawings available.
ill have to think about what we would need. there’s a lot of parts, and what we need the most is an accurate parts list so we can make POs for getting the scaffold packs delivered on site.
I scouted around a bit on their website and it looks like you’re interested in the System, Rosette and Cup Lock system? Is it really called, “System”? There isn’t that much info there, at least that I found. It does look like I have something similar to their Frame, Master Line. Or some Big Box store version of it. Anyway, sparse details as to actual dimensions of parts or built structures. Is the scaffold erection doc. enough to build from in your experience? I suppose you don’t need an exact model to calculate the parts list, but a model ‘visual calculator’ would make life easier.
Unfortunately my progress with Scaffplan has come to a halt. I was in the process of forming an agreement with them and then the trail went dead. Now I can’t get my contact to pick up the phone so that I can find out what’s going on.
Very strange. Seems they’re not interested in having resellers.
It does look like very nice software. Beautiful models. I can see why you would want to rep their product.
Their SketchUp demo was behind an info-gathering-wall so I didn’t watch it. Also, they have big cookie popup window that blocks the view of their webpage.
From what I could see they do have some sort of scaffold that utilizes rosettes. Must be a different manufacturer.
It’s so long since I used the demo I can’t remember which system it used but I think it was Layher. It was a very nice piece of software. Would be great to use and sell it but that’s the way it goes. I can’t afford to rent a license for the sake of selling services- Too big of a risk. Caught between a rock and a hard place.
Ah. The pinch. We’ve all had our thumb in the door at one time or another. Hopefully you’ve been able to ferret out or make other interesting opportunities.
Always looking for opportunities. The “pinch” is a permanent state of existence. It gets slower and slower in Communist-Fascist Europe- Small businesses and entrepreneurship being crushed by the multinationals. It’s the same everywhere but it’s particularly crazy in Ireland.
Hopefully the ‘fighting’ Irish’ entrepreneurs will eek by. I don’t wish to speak ill of anyone or anyplace, so I’ll wish you the best of Irish luck in your endeavors. I’m off to try to get a scaffolding extension off the ground.
There isn’t that much info there, at least that I found. It does look like I have something similar to their Frame, Master Line. Or some Big Box store version of it. Anyway, sparse details as to actual dimensions of parts or built structures. Is the scaffold erection doc. enough to build from in your experience? I suppose you don’t need an exact model to calculate the parts list, but a model ‘visual calculator’ would make life easier.
