SmartSTRUC + STRUCsync: structural design that drops schedules straight into Chief (Canadian codes, IRC version coming)

[BradAtHarmony]

Hi all,

I'm Brad Moore, a BCIN residential designer in Ontario (Harmony Design) and a long-time Chief user. For years my structural workflow was the same as a lot of yours: size members in one tool, then retype the results into Chief by hand. Beam and header schedules, ICF lintel reinforcement, wall notes. It was slow, and it's where mistakes crept in.

So I built SmartSTRUC (smartstruc.ca), a structural design platform for Canadian residential work, and STRUCsync, which carries the results into Chief.

What SmartSTRUC does

• Part 9 prescriptive and Part 4 engineered design under OBC, BCBC and NBC, with CSA O86 for wood
• Joists, beams, headers, posts and columns, wood walls (including tall walls), ICF/ICFMA lintels, decks and footings
• Load paths from the roof all the way down to the footings, not just to the main floor
• Works with any manufacturer's product, not just one supplier's EWP
• Calculation reports ready for a permit submission

What STRUCsync does

You export your project from SmartSTRUC and run the STRUCsync macro in Chief. It builds gridded schedule tables on your plan: framing sizes and spans, ICF lintel reinforcement, wood walls, wall openings, hold-downs and reactions. If you change a design, you re-export and the tables rebuild. Nothing gets retyped. You can also export the same data to Excel.

Part 4 stamping for Ontario users

Does your project have a Part 4 element (a long-span beam, a tall wall, a point load that no Part 9 table covers)? I hold the BCIN Building Structural designation, so I can review and seal Part 4 designs done in SmartSTRUC. You lay out the load paths, SmartSTRUC produces the design and the calculations, and I stamp it. The fee is kept low and depends on the scope of work. For many small jobs, that means you don't need to bring in an engineer.

IRC version in development

For the US folks: an IRC version is underway. We have a working first version that sizes floor joists from the IRC span tables, and more members will follow. If you design in the States and want early access, reply here or send me a message. Your replies will help me decide what to build next.

Try it

The fastest way to see it is a 20-minute screen share, where I run one of your own plans through SmartSTRUC and into Chief. [DEMO / BOOKING LINK]

I'm happy to answer questions here, including the structural ones.

Brad