EnerCalc
EnerCalc
(OP)
We are thinking of purchasing Enercalc as it seems to have quite the list of modules for the wide variety of projects we work on. Any opinions?
"Structural engineering is the art of modelling materials we do not wholly understand into shapes we cannot..."...ah...screw it, we don't know what the heck we are doing.






RE: EnerCalc
RE: EnerCalc
I would prefer CSC's Tedds. It has a bunch of built in modules and also has "Tedds for Word" which is similar to a 'dumbed down' mathcad. That is if you are looking for a "hand calc" type program. I don't have experience with too many other systems though so my opinion is slightly skewed.
RISA is good for whole building FE type analysis and I'm not sure if they offer any "hand calc" type modules.
EIT
www.HowToEngineer.com
RE: EnerCalc
"Structural engineering is the art of modelling materials we do not wholly understand into shapes we cannot..."...ah...screw it, we don't know what the heck we are doing.
RE: EnerCalc
There are a number of assumptions built into the program that vary from module to module and are sometimes counterintuitive.
For example - when designing a one span steel beam, you can define a steel section and it includes the dead weight. When designing a multi span steel beam, you can define a steel section but it does not include the dead weight.
Also - I had issues with their calcs for retaining wall sliding. Even after several calls with their tech support, I couldn't get anywhere near the sliding capacity that the program claimed to have.
At this point - I don't use it for design - just for order of magnitude/approximate checks on things I've already designed.
RE: EnerCalc
RE: EnerCalc
"Structural engineering is the art of modelling materials we do not wholly understand into shapes we cannot..."...ah...screw it, we don't know what the heck we are doing.
RE: EnerCalc
This has been discussed before. Count me as not a fan. I don't like the output, the input or much else. It's hard to get support or any questions answered. We're looking into TEDDS as a replacement.
RE: EnerCalc
Also, for some reason it gives me a horizontal component in bolt ledger design even when I don't have a horizontal load applied to the ledger.
RE: EnerCalc
"Structural engineering is the art of modelling materials we do not wholly understand into shapes we cannot..."...ah...screw it, we don't know what the heck we are doing.
RE: EnerCalc
"Structural engineering is the art of modelling materials we do not wholly understand into shapes we cannot..."...ah...screw it, we don't know what the heck we are doing.
RE: EnerCalc
RE: EnerCalc
We are in the relatively same situation, i.e. many diverse small projects.
"Structural engineering is the art of modelling materials we do not wholly understand into shapes we cannot..."...ah...screw it, we don't know what the heck we are doing.
RE: EnerCalc
RE: EnerCalc
The Word program is limited but there are alot of 'work arounds' and if you need to prepare calculation reports I have found it quite helpful. Also if you develop your own calcs it is 'easier' for others follow your calculations. As VTPE said it is a line by line process and can be limiting but for most calcs it works pretty well.
Also just as an FYI - most responses I've heard from people tend to be please or satisfied with TEDDS but this is only a handful of people. My biggest complaints are that it can be buggy at times and I wish the word program was more 'powerful' or that it could atleast create matrices.
I don't know whats out there so I don't want to come off as I'm promoting it but just relying my experiences with it.
VTPE - Have you used TEDDS?
EIT
www.HowToEngineer.com
RE: EnerCalc
I don't think it was from moments because it was always on the capacity side where this anomaly would show up and the load it was comparing the answers to had no horizontal component.
It does do beams well, though.
RE: EnerCalc
On a seperate note, when V6 of enercalc we bought in again (instead of letting our license expire) specifically for advertised modules for "masonry shear walls with opening". That module has never been included in V6 and they do not even advertise it as a future feature anymore.
@ ash060 - The beam design module seems pretty good, but watch out for cantilevered and continuous beams. There is not way to specify whether brace points (or continuous bracing) are top or bottom flange. Enercalc specifically notes bracing as compression-flange bracing. This can lead to an easy to make and (possibly) dangerous mistake.
RE: EnerCalc
Tedds output is exactly the opposite of a black box. Every line is printed in the output and you can verify whether you concur with the methodology.
RE: EnerCalc
#1) file is project based. All my calcs are in a single file and at the ready to access. I can print all calcs in a batch. TEDDS you can use the word interface but it is not as EASY (IMO). Using regular TEDDS has each calc in separate file.
#2) Very intuitive. Don't know if if is because I have been using if for 10 years but it just does the job and is easy. Sure there are things I might want to know more or tweak but that is what MathCAD is for:). TEDDS input is very unintuitive and hidden at times or you have to step through the process. Enercalc is more like a checkbox fill in the blank style. Left Brained thinking here!
#3) Reasonable support. TEDDS wins here as they have an army. but usually the answer I get back is "we are working on it" anyway.
#4) Updates. There was a while there when Enercalc wasn't getting updates. Now - I think the company has grown and updates/fixes are regular 1-2 months. Regular new modules are coming online too now. Same with TEDDS.
#5) Cost. Enercalc is Best value out there IMO. I have tried many other similar like Strucalc etc and I always come back to Enercalc.
In tedds for example they have a load calculator for dead loads. You can have any color you want as long as it is black. Great. Why did I spend all the money? Don't know. I guess it gives me a nice printout. The point is not that it isn't nice to have this but I requires heavy customization anyway and I can do that with Excel, Mathcad, or good old pencil. Just becuase it has 100 modules doesn't mean you will use them. On the flip side, Enercalc doesn't even have a dead load module... so anyway.
Before each demand a demo. Enercalc has a free 30 day demo and you can get a temporary license (3-6 mo). TeDDS I couldn't get a demo outside the eyes/screen of a sales person. If you are getting enough seats then they maybe different. There are a few modules that I use TEDDS for but I am thinking of letting my subscription lapse the next time around.
P.S. if you don't' like black box programs then nothing will really satisfy except MathCAD or some such. Tedds gives the output like Mathcad for SOME (most) items and can be easily checked but there are still some things that happen behind the scenes. You can't have everything with a program that does the work for you.
MAP
RE: EnerCalc
Thanks for the heads-up. I typically only use it for concrete beams, but I will keep in mind what you wrote about the steel module.
RE: EnerCalc
"Structural engineering is the art of modelling materials we do not wholly understand into shapes we cannot..."...ah...screw it, we don't know what the heck we are doing.
RE: EnerCalc
Most common use for me is residential wood framed construction. Enercalc for other gravity elements beyond I-joists and I am well on my way. Easy to enter loading information and quickly change from a wood option to a steel option if I can't get something to work within the job's limitations. It also allows me to copy a calculation within a project, keeping all my loading consistent and just tweaking some dimensions for different conditions.
The one limitation that kicks me over to RISA fairly often is the lack of an option to put a moment about the longitudinal axis of a beam.
RE: EnerCalc
I will add that if you have 'niche' type projects where the calcs are relatively the same and don't have mathcad there is a larger benefit to TEDDS as you can customize your calcs and reuse.
For speed and module use only then enercalc wins.
EIT
www.HowToEngineer.com