Vectorlam

[Willallison]

Vectorply have an excellent spreadsheet available for free download called Vectorlam ( www.vectorply.com )
It's simple to use and very well thought out and executed.

If anyone is experienced in its use, I have a couple of questions about its use.

In general, it appears to be set up to help calculate scantlings for hull bottom panels. How do you go about checking topsides, decks superstructure etc panels?
Also, if you go into the materials database, and look up one of the cores the 'description' box suggests that in order to change the core's thickness, you 1st CLONE an existing core, enter the thickness, press UPDATE and then DONE. But for the life of me, I can't find where you do actually "enter the thickness"

Any clues?

[RThompson]

Hi Will,

Did you ever get to the bottom of how to change core thickness?
I e-mailed technical help at Vectorply, but as yet no luck.

Rob

[Willallison]

yep - I don't have the program in front of me at the moment, so I'm doing this by memory... forgive me if it's not exactlt spot-on.
You go into the "edit materials" box, under the vectorlam drop-down menu on your toolbar. Then you "clone" a similar core. At the top of the box which lists the various material properties, there's a drop-down list of units. You change this to mm or inches, then alter the thickness in the table below. Save the new thickness as a new file name.
Incidentally, I too have written a couple of emails asking for information, but haven't heard anything back either. Very frustrating as the program itself is excellent.
I've figured out on my own how to use the 'panel' sheet to calculate laminates for the rest of the boat, but deciding what pressure to apply to the panel(Pp) and its associated acceptable flex still has me stumped. Using other methods gives me a Pp for the bottom panels of around 6 psi, whereas the default in the program is 0.3.... so surely my number can't be correct...

[RThompson]

Thanks Will

... so simple.

I haven't got so far as the panel sheet (simple plate?) yet, so I can't suggest anything there.
Thanks again

Rob

[RThompson]

Just received a reply from Vectorply.

"...click the double arrows next to the oz/yd^2 box in the edit materials page--a list of units should appear. CLICK INCHES. Now enter the thickness in inches of the new core material. Make sure to change the name of the core to reflect the thickness change."

Rob

[Willallison]

yeah - that's what I said... sort of!
Now, If I could only get a reply out of them.....
Where did you send your email to? Phil Steggall, or just the tech department?

[RThompson]

I pointed my question at:
solutions@vectorply.com (the tech department)

Rob

[Willallison]

Ok - thanks - I'll give that a try