Building Custom Trusses with ARCHICAD's Trussmaker!

[@parix85]

This is the best archicad channel! Hands down!!

[@CONTRABIM]

Thanks Patrick! Much appreciate the comment

[@DubyaD40]

Hi John...thank you for this wonderful video...I've never used the Trussmaker tool before and I was able to easily create multiple trusses from scratch on a project the other day thanks to your clear explanation of how it worked.!

[@CONTRABIM]

That's awesome! Super appreciate the comment and so happy this video helped you out. That's why I do them!

[@MaxamArchitecture]

Seems like there is no way to plumb cut the ends of wood top chord overhangs for a vertical fascia board, which pretty much makes this tool useless for normal residential work. I'd expect this in dumb cheap cad package, but something as sophisticated as archicad really needs to step up its game on these details. Been using since 4.5 and still constantly frustrated at the non-use friendly it can be. Does graphisoft not have any architects on staff anymore?

[@CONTRABIM]

Yes I don't think the trussmaker has been adjusted or updated in a long time. It seems to work the same way it always has, which is ok for some purposes but obviously not a tool Graphisoft has spent a lot of time with. It does work for some purposes though. Plumb cut tails would be easier with a beam, or rafter object through roof wizard...

[@laurencebrill2020]

YEP, this was my question too❗️ I STOPPED using it virtually before ever starting because of this fundamental reason 🙄 🤨 The ONLY way to fix this is for us as Users of the software to submit these Improves as WISHES, although I totally agree that this setting should have been on the first release‼️ Perhaps we should both submit this and it will come up on their radar before WWIII gets too big 💣💥 😢 Getting time to get those Tribulation Veggie Patches 🥦🌶🥬🥕🫑🍓 happening 😎

[@m.mellouk]

very good work bro, keep going like that

[@RomanBuha]

Hi John. Thank you for your tutorial! My question is: I just need to simply rotate vertically the library object "Parallel chord" (steel joist) to make a slope of 1/4 inch per foot. Is this possible?

[@CONTRABIM]

Hi Roman. Great question. If you're building trusses using the trussmaker, you could simply add the 1/4 slope per foot into the linework first. This would probably be the easiest method. If it's drawn flat, to add a rotation parameter you'd have to go into the GDL script and add that which isn't too difficult. But you'd have to do this each time, so it'd be probably easier to just add it into the linework. Thanks for the question!

[@RomanBuha]

@@CONTRABIM thank you very much for your quick response! I appreciate it. Is there any link/source on how to edit GDL script for this parallel chord object? I want to give it a try. It is strange that this can't be done simply inside object properties like in Revit. Thank you again for your answer!

[@reabetswe1265]

Hi, where can I download the add on app for that truss maker

[@CONTRABIM]

The Trussmaker is built in under Design>Design Extras>Trussmaker! No extra app needed!

[@reabetswe1265]

@@CONTRABIM thank you

[@sofianemetidji]

very good tuto...thanx

[@lucasguedes7862]

Very nice video thanks!!! I have a question though: For the upper and bottom bars i like to use a C shape steel beam, rotated in order to proper make the truss. But in the truss maker definitions, i didn't found a way to rotate the C shapes in order to get the results i wanted. Is there a way to rotate the shapes in the truss definition? can i choose only between the ones that are already there?

[@laurencebrill2020]

Hi Lucas ✏️ When something is not in a Library Part that you would like, you NEED to send that as a WISH to your Head Office so they can forward it to the ArchiCAD Developers. HO Techs often look at WISHES and may also add some thoughts to it before sending it. I do this on a VERY regular basis and ALSO for far too many bugs 🐞 I find 🙄 Anyway, this is how things get improved for all of us in each release as the Developers are not aware of all the real world construction 🔨 options out there 😎

[@erikleypoldt8275]

Shame you cant add a rounded edge to the hollow section profile. Some steel trusses have this like an SHS or RHS, not a square edge. You could use profile manager, not sure how the lower corners will turn out.

[@CONTRABIM]

Yes the hollow section is a little more limited. Could always build it from scratch with complex profiles and modeling in section, but just depends how much time you're willing to put into it to get that radius corner. You could also convert to morph and fillet the edges.

[@zaerasyid]

where do i get the library stuffs? there is no metal joints/truss in my current/default library

[@CONTRABIM]

Hi Rasyid! Sorry for the delayed reply here. Which Archicad version and library are you using? In this vid I'm referencing the USA. Perhaps you could download and use the Truss objects from the USA or INT libraries? I'm surprised your language version wouldn't have any??

[@zaerasyid]

@@CONTRABIM if i remember correctly, i'm using archicad 23 education version. The truss objects from the USA or INT libraries are downloadable through other version?

[@mariansdraila]

I usually get my structural elements in IFC format from the structural engineer and I import the IFC in a separate file, which I then import into the main pln as a hotlink. The problem is that a lot of the times i need to put a lot of work in to that model to make it look right on my section drawings because the cut lines are not the right color or thickness and the fills are all blank. Trusses are usually a problem because they are composed of multiple elements like beams and columns, and when a beam and a column meet, Archicad is trying to make a connection or some sort of priority based intersection and that rarely ends up looking good in this case. What I'm trying to say is that I wish there was a better way of doing this kind of things in Archicad.

[@CONTRABIM]

Hi Marian. Quick tip, before importing the IFC model of your trusses from your engineer, if you go into your object settings and change your pens first and make that the active setting for objects, it will likely convert those trusses per the settings you've established. One problem with Structural Engineering Models is they often don't reflect the right truss layouts, more generic. It's better to get from the fabricator if possible. If you're building them from scratch with the new columns and beams, your should be able to miter as needed to get a clean junction... Or set to 0 layer priority and that can clean up your intersections as well... just a few thoughts...

[@mariansdraila]

@@CONTRABIM I usually get a pretty complex model from the structural engineer, like the entire structure of a building which might have concrete columns and multiple tipes of steel trusses, and it actually takes less time editing the IFC then model it myself. The problem is I have to start all over again whenever I get an updated version. One thing that I think might help is sitting down with the structural engineer and go over the process of getting the file from one software to another and maybe figure outer what can be done to solve at least some of the problems. I just didn't get to that yet.

[@parix85]

Awesome Thanks