Guide to Producing a Professional Structural Engineering Report with VCmaster
It is part of our job as structural engineers to produce engineering reports and documents. Whether it is a design report for the building authorities or an academic paper on structural engineering, we convey information through reports and documents on a daily basis. Writing, as well as implementing structural calculations and drawing engineering plans, is second nature to us.
Unfortunately, many structural engineering reports are not always professional. They can have:
Often times, these errors are produced by the lack of checking and the lack of a system that standardizes these structural engineering reports.
We were given a trial version to test out VCmaster, an engineering software that produces technical documents, calculates algorithms automatically, and integrates all structural engineering information into one single system. Basically, you can think of it as a word processor for structural engineers, but with an engineering twist.
What are the functions of VCmaster that are useful for creating a structural engineering report?
Unfortunately, many structural engineering reports are not always professional. They can have:
- Sloppy images and diagrams
- Unclear presentation of structural analysis software outputs
- Convoluted or inaccurate structural calculations
- Lack of explanations supplementing calculations
- Lack of uniformed format
- Grammatical and spelling errors
Often times, these errors are produced by the lack of checking and the lack of a system that standardizes these structural engineering reports.
We were given a trial version to test out VCmaster, an engineering software that produces technical documents, calculates algorithms automatically, and integrates all structural engineering information into one single system. Basically, you can think of it as a word processor for structural engineers, but with an engineering twist.
What are the functions of VCmaster that are useful for creating a structural engineering report?
Integration of different elements into one single output
- Comprehensive integration
VCmaster seamlessly integrates traditional text processing, calculations, graphics, tables, and structural analysis software information into one centralized organized document, which can be accessed and exchanged digitally within project teams. With text and calculations in one single document, you can explain your calculations and engineering approaches more effectively. Moreover, VCmaster has a function that can export model graphics, text, data, and other information and files from external CAD and structural analysis software into the VCmaster document. This function, called the VCt2w-interface, integrates the external data and makes it consistent with the current format of the document.
Watch how the interface works here!
2. Templates and database
You can have access to their libraries of hundreds of editable calculation templates, which are according to the Eurocode (templates according to the ACI and ASCI are coming soon!). Data, such as material and section properties, are also predefined in their libraries and can be linked to your structural engineering report. You can also edit, customize, and store your own templates in the libraries. With access to various templates, you can save a lot of time quickly accessing through the organized libraries and calling for and reusing calculation work, data, and documents.
You can have access to their libraries of hundreds of editable calculation templates, which are according to the Eurocode (templates according to the ACI and ASCI are coming soon!). Data, such as material and section properties, are also predefined in their libraries and can be linked to your structural engineering report. You can also edit, customize, and store your own templates in the libraries. With access to various templates, you can save a lot of time quickly accessing through the organized libraries and calling for and reusing calculation work, data, and documents.
Templates for the British Standard
3. Automatic calculation
Calculations are automatically recalculated and outputted in the report, every time an input is altered, which helps avoid abortive design works and mistakes. Recalculations due to modifications in the inputs are routine and redundant. The automatic calculation function creates time for us to do actual structural design and scheming work, instead of recalculation. Moreover, the calculation work is presented via mathematical formulae, not in the form of spreadsheets. The readability of the formula format makes following and reviewing calculations more effectively.
Calculations are automatically recalculated and outputted in the report, every time an input is altered, which helps avoid abortive design works and mistakes. Recalculations due to modifications in the inputs are routine and redundant. The automatic calculation function creates time for us to do actual structural design and scheming work, instead of recalculation. Moreover, the calculation work is presented via mathematical formulae, not in the form of spreadsheets. The readability of the formula format makes following and reviewing calculations more effectively.
Automatic Calculation
4. Sketch Editor
Sketches drawn manually in a word processor are often times ambiguous. The Sketch Editor in VCmaster already has a predefined library of standardized structural engineering images, such as element support conditions, load distribution, etc. You can use these images to convey your structural systems in a more organized manner.
Sketches drawn manually in a word processor are often times ambiguous. The Sketch Editor in VCmaster already has a predefined library of standardized structural engineering images, such as element support conditions, load distribution, etc. You can use these images to convey your structural systems in a more organized manner.
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2018 Updates:
Now, you can do a lot more with VCmaster. VCmaster has updated several functions, so that you can present your engineering reports much more easily and professionally. Since the software can link data results intelligently (eg. materials and geometry of your elements), calculation results can be generated automatically in the calculation part of the report and can be emphasized with customizable highlighting options. You can find this reporting feature in the Reports Package here.
VCmaster can also identify and transfer any texts from any document type, including scanned images or handwritten texts, using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology. Therefore, if you have any handwritten calculations, you can easily incorporate them digitally to your reports, making your reports more consistent and presentable.
VCcompare is another tool recently developed by VCmaster that can analyze different PDF files. The function can show you any dissimilarities between two PDF files by highlighting any differences. This helps if you are trying to see what revisions were made from the previous document. Click here for more information.
Try out VCmaster's different package options here!
Now, you can do a lot more with VCmaster. VCmaster has updated several functions, so that you can present your engineering reports much more easily and professionally. Since the software can link data results intelligently (eg. materials and geometry of your elements), calculation results can be generated automatically in the calculation part of the report and can be emphasized with customizable highlighting options. You can find this reporting feature in the Reports Package here.
VCmaster can also identify and transfer any texts from any document type, including scanned images or handwritten texts, using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology. Therefore, if you have any handwritten calculations, you can easily incorporate them digitally to your reports, making your reports more consistent and presentable.
VCcompare is another tool recently developed by VCmaster that can analyze different PDF files. The function can show you any dissimilarities between two PDF files by highlighting any differences. This helps if you are trying to see what revisions were made from the previous document. Click here for more information.
Try out VCmaster's different package options here!
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