12.3 How to use the Crane Rings Smart Template

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Available for the following Project Roles: Editor, Admin

The Crane Load Rings Smart Template illustrates a crane's maximum lift capacity at different working radii, using color-coded Zones and weight Labels built from the manufacturer's load chart. This article describes how to modify the default Crane Load Rings template to match a user selected crane make and model. Once the Smart Template has been modified for a specific make and model, it can be downloaded for re-use.. 

💡Note: The Smart Templates feature is new and still in its Beta phase. It is considered an experimental feature and before using will first need to be enabled. See How to Activate Smart Templates for instructions.

In this article, we cover:

• Gather the Crane's Load Chart Data
• Add then Modify the Template

Gather the Crane's Load Chart Data

Before modifying the template some preparations are required. Namely selecting and inserting a crane Resource and gathering the relevant information. 

1. Select a crane Resource from the library (1) and place it at a temporary location in the Scenario. 

   

2. From the Resource Sidesheet's Specs tab (1), click Download to download and save a copy of the manufacturer's specification sheet PDF.
   
   
    
3. Open the PDF locally and find the load chart containing the jib radii and associated load limits. Collect the following information which will need to be manually entered in the next steps: 
   • Choose up to 5 radii to visualize (for example, 35 m, 40 m, 45 m, 50 m, and 55 m).
   • Record the maximum rated load at each radius exactly as published in the load chart.
   • Make note the units used (lb or kg) so the Label objects match the crane's documentation.

💡 Note: Use the load chart values for the crane and configuration being planned. The values in this article are an example and should not be assumed to apply to another configuration.

Add then Modify the Template

From the Smart Template library, insert the Crane Load Rings template and modify the default Visual Program as described below to reflect the radii and capacity of the selected make and model. After modifying the Smart Template, consider downloading the template for re-use; as once the template has been run and outputs created, the template cannot be access again for adjustment or download purposes.

1. Click Smart Templates (1) from the Toolbar, then select the Crane Load Rings (2) Smart Template from the Sidesheet. 
   
   
    
2. Decide where the center point of the load rings should be located, and click the location to place the template’s reference origin. The default crane and load rings will appear in 3D. 
3. From the Sidesheet. adjust the Ring Elevation (3) if needed, then click Edit Template (4) to access the inputs.
   
   
    
4. To swap the default crane for the specific make and model added during setup, click Add Object (5) then from the Scenario Tree, or 3D select the crane Resource. It will be added to end of Objects in template list.

5. Next, click Visual Prog. (6) in the Sidesheet Toolbar to open the Visual Programming. Locate the Nodes for both the default crane (Liebherr 100) and the newly added crane Resource. Swap out the default crane Node for the new crane, by re-connect any/all nodes from the new crane Resource Node to the rest of the graph, and then from the Sidesheet, removing the Liebherr 100 via the 3 dots button (7).
    

   

   In the demonstrated template, select the existing connection leads to the default crane and press Delete (1). Connect the Crane Base (2) node’s Position and Rotation outputs to the matching inputs on the new crane Resource Node. Then click the three dots (3) beside the default crane in Objects in template and select Remove (4).

   
    

6. In the Visual Program, locate the Nodes for Ring 1 Radius through Ring 5 Radius. Enter the radius from the manufacturer's load chart in each Node’s length field and press [Enter]. The Zones and 3D lines will update in the 3D.

   💡 Note: for length fields, enter a value and unit. Unit conversions are calculated automatically. 
   
   
    

7. When all modifications to the Smart Template are complete, consider downloading the template (1) for re-use; because once the template has been run and outputs created, the template cannot be accessed again for adjustment or download purposes. By saving a copy, it can be shared or reused in other Scenarios.
8. Click Confirm (2) to complete the process.