Mass timber construction utilises large, solid timber panels, columns and beams for its structural system. cadwork’s powerful 3d modelling capability makes light work of the mass timber components even if they are not as straight forward as in the image. Once the 3d model is complete, generating documentation like shop drawings and accurate bill of materials, including CLT and GLT volumes down to exact numbers of screws and timber plugs required, is done by the push of a button.

Those mass timber components are then often manufactured off-site, ready for assembly onsite. cadwork’s experience in the field of beam and panel machines as well as smart algorithms when it comes to machine file calculation ensure that your CNC machine cuts, mills and drills smoothly. But cadwork does not stop there, it even supports you with work related to site like logistics and total station survey.

Mass timber can complement light-frame and hybrid options and is an environmentally friendly substitute for carbon-intensive materials such as steel and concrete. Mixing different materials and construction methods means often a mix of different contractors and trades, thanks to cadwork’s openBIM approach collaboration via IFC and BCF can be handled inside the 3d module without need of other software.

The following paragraphs will introduce you to a few cadwork features and functions typically used for this specific type of construction.

From the building shell to CLT panels

Either way if you generate the 3d model in house or start from plans or models supplied by architects and engineer in most cases the floors, walls and roofs are not split up into panels suitable for your prefabrication processes. Cadwork does offer various features and tools to support you in this process. The Cut & Divide function allows to split up entire floor slabs or walls into desired panel sizes. Cut options include but are not limited by equal panel width, absolute panel width, options to have first and last panel in same size, solder last panel to previous etc. Various joint options are available with the butt, lap and spline options, the most common ones. Tolerances can be defined in all imaginable directions to achieve desired result once panels are in place.

Nesting CLT panels into billets

Once the individual CLT panels are cut into the desired sizes, they often need to be nested into billets. Reason being that either stock billets are supplied by the CLT supplier, or it makes more sense to manufacture CLT in uniform formats. The nesting module in cadwork is a powerful tool supporting you with all things related to nesting. The nesting manager allows to split big projects into manageable nesting groups as well as takes care of all the presets required for nesting purposes. From the nesting manager to the nesting module are three different pathways available. No optimization brings all the elements into the Nesting module for you to optimize your elements into the nesting volumes manually. Length optimization is done directly in cadwork and as the word describes optimises parts lengthwise. This option is very useful for panels and beams with matching cross sections. The last option is the external nesting, which means the elements are brought into an external nesting software such as OptiPanel for optimisation before brought back to cadwork for visual checks and export to lists, nesting shop drawings and inclusion to machine files

Mass Timber logistics

Due to the pure size and mass of those elements hosting those parts around is a crucial part for a satisfying outcome of your project. Hoisting is required in factory, but as well on site. The cadwork hoisting function supports you with design of lifting point layouts. In all cases the centre of gravity is used for placement of the lifting points. The lifting of CLT panels can be either done horizontal or vertical. Some panels might even receive both lifting options as they get transported flat from factory to site and then stood up for installation. cadwork allows for various lifting point options from simple pilot drills and counterbores for screw and clutch type lifting arrangements to drilling process for installation of lifting devices or slings.

Planning of truck loading is a related topic. Mass timber elements required to be delivered on site in the correct order and just on time. Attributes and assembly numbers can support you with organising logistics, loading lists and drawings are then a visual guide, while loading the trucks. Depending on your need’s solutions are included in our standard package or may require specific logistic tools such as OptiCargo.

That is a portion of cadwork’s solution support you with your next Mass Timber construction. To get a feel for the functions and features you need to work on your projects, please get in touch to organise a customised live demo.

What modules are on offer for Mass Timber Construction?

• ProBuild package
• Beam processor interfaces – Hundegger, Essetre, SCM, Krusi, Uniteam, Technowood, Lignocam…
• Panel processing machine interfaces  – Hundegger, Essetre, SCM, Uniteam, Technowood, Lignocam…
• OptiPanel
• OptiCargo
• Lamella
• Survey