Duct Tie Rod Quantities based on duct panel length and width

[greg.mosher]

Because the SMACNA Duct Construction Standards allow certain panel widths to be unreinforced at certain gauges, it becomes necessary to be able to set different long side and short side Tie Rod quantities. For example; on a 56” long TDC/TDF duct at a 3” SP Classification, the 61”-84” long side panel widths require (2) Center Tie Rods and (1) End Tie Rod, and no Tie Rods on the short side up to a 36” panel width, at 20 gauge. This is possible within the parameters of the current program.

A duct with the same long side, but with short sides 37”-60” requires (1) Center Tie Rod and (1) End Tie Rod on the short side. Currently there is no way in the program to change the Center or the End Tie Rod quantities based on the panel width. Once long side only is turned off or set to 0, the quantities are set by the duct length and must be the same for both long and short sides. This means the example duct will get (2) Center Tie Rods and (1) End Tie Rod, on the short side, when it requires only (1) Center Tie Rod and (1) End Tie Rod. There are other examples I could use where the short side requires only (1) End Tie Rod and no Center Tie Rods but would get (2) Center Tie Rods.

I propose adding a column to the Stiffener Breakpoints dialog box that would allow us to set the Tie Rod quantities using both the duct length and the panel width, as shown below.

[Novybec-YD]

Something similar should be done for size of the rods and the external reinforcments too.

 We should be able to have different rod sizes and quantities for End and Mid, and for LS and SS

Different external reinforecment sizes and quantities for End and Mid, and for LS and SS.

 Also have the ability to have rods on one end (C1 or C2) instead of always both ends.

[nathan.chapman]

I agree with both comments above as I'm running into issues now that we are implementing ESTmep and trying to get the stiffeners correct.  In the past we could fake it by having the name call out the correct stiffener.  For example J-CC-J/C.  This would be tie rods at the joints and 2 in the center for LS and 1 at the center for SS.  I think a solution to fix this would be in the below image.  You would have options to set both the LS/SS tie rods and external reinforcement.  There is also an option to set the C1/C2 independently.  The last thing would allow the external reinforcement to have something like 3/4 EMT tie the 2 pieces together or itself.