The 4 medals winner software for Contractors

developed
under AutoCAD

Innovation Contest

Safety Category

Software Category

Innovation Awards

Silver Medal

International Construction
Awards

Madrid 2006
www.methocad.com
MéthoCAD i s a software developed under AutoCAD o n a PC p latform. It is destinated to contractors
for the preparation and p lanning of projects of construction sites in safe conditions while optimizing
the equipment use. T hanks t o its user-friendly interface, i t can b e taken i n hands quickly and doesn’t
require any prerequisite knowledge i n computers. MéthoCAD is developed f or now 1 5 years and
distributed successfully worldwide.

For safety purposes, t he user can checks t he c rane capacity a t

any location on the site by inserting the crane load curves and the
minimum clearance between c ranes. A ny c lashing s ituation is
detected by the software.

The m ajor t ower-cranes from the market have

been s tored in a M icrosoft Access database,
which can b e consulted under W indows with a
dialog box. It is possible to update the database
with any new type of crane The user selects its
crane, m odel, chassis type, l oad, jib l ength,
height under hook and checks t he l oads. T he
crane parameters are then exported
automatically under A utoCAD. M éthoCAD i s
supplied with a library o f hundreds o f AutoCAD
blocks : chassis, m asts and jibs which are
assembled by t he software to get t he t op and
front v iews d rawings. A ll t ypes o f modifications
(height under hook, jiblength…) of t he d rawing
are immediate and interactive.

MethoCAD i ncludes a library o f hundreds o f

AutoCAD b locks accessible by i cons m enu:
loaders, trucks, semi-trailers, vehicles, e lectrical
cupboards, batching p lants, s ite accomodations,
vegetation. Any user existing symbol can be easily
integrated i n the software. T he user checks t he
turning radius of a semi-trailer accessing the site or
the arm rotation o f an excavator i n exiguous
spaces. T he u tilities networks and f ences a re
drawn with specific linetypes, t hey can b e also
customized w ith the fence m anufacturer o r
company name. O nce t he d rawing i s completed,
different summaries a re extracted : number o f
accomodations, e lectrical cupboards, a reas o f
storage, utilities networks and fences lengths.
Starting from the AutoCAD outlines, t he user schedules t he concreting cycles, t he t otal l ength of t he poured w alls a re
displayed on the screen allowing a control of the poured length per phase. The concrete walls, beams, colums, masonry walls,
precast elements and slabs are inserted with the help of dialog boxes. The formworks of the main manufacturers have been
integrated in the software. The developers work in a tight collaboration with the manufacturers in order to provide the users
with a liable source of updated informations.

The AutoCAD walls are exported to the Forms Manager which looks like an Excel sheet.
Using the graphic interface, the user presets the form gangs from the forms stock. The
software shifts automatically t he f orms f rom phase t o phase i n order t o optimize their
reuse. No hermetic solution is imposed by the software, the user drives the software and
not the opposite, he can intervene at any time. All the modifications are possible, addition
or removal of forms, pouring phase changes to catch up a delay on the site. It is also
possible to work with 2 or more formworks types coming from different manufacturers
simultaneously. D ifferent summaries a re obtained, w alls l engths and volumes, f orms
stocks, box outs, stop ends...

Phase 1

Phase 2
MethoCAD i ncludes a lso a module for civil works like
sewage, t unnels, b ridges… A ny t ype o f wall can be
shuttered interactively with t he help of d ialog boxes.
The tie bars position can be checked compared to the
walls openings. The front, top and 3 D views can be
displayed. A detailed summary o f the panels is t hen
extracted from the drawing.

With the Mills Tour module, the

user p resets the towers
configuration and the software
draws automatically t he t op
and front views. In case of any
slope, t he j acks a re adjusted.
Detailed summaries a re t hen
extracted from the drawing.

The 3 d imensions m odeling of t he s ite is a

communication tool between t he a rchitect and t he
customer. The s ite progressing can b e simulated.
Using the solid modelling features of the software, the
user c reates t he building in 3 D (walls, slabs…) and
generates automatically t he t ower c ranes i n 3D. A
library o f 3D objects (vehicles, batching p lants…) is
shipped with the software. Virtual reality is an aid today
for the designer for multiple reasons : companies who
wish t o present t he p roject unfolding t o the customer,
realization of s imulations o f equipment use w ithin the
framework of a project to prove to the customer that the
equipment i s adequate to t he construction site.
Motivation can also be safety reasons to simulate the
site i n order t o anticipate risky s ituations and f ind
solutions. This simulation can b e statics with s imple
realistic image, or dynamic, the user moves inside the
project, visualize it with the help of cameras positioned
inside t he p roject. After the processing, t he A VI file
obtained can be displayed under Windows Media player. The brand new module introduced in the last version is a real time
animation, as in video games, the user walks inside in the project and the graphics is calculated in real time. He can also
play with the different objects inside the model like moving the jib or the trolley crane to check for instance the visibility
towards the batching plant or accessibility to a formworks storage.

Progistik 19 rue Jean Lolive 93170 Bagnolet France

Phone: +33 1 55 86 29 60 ; Fax: +33 1 55 86 29 05 Email: info@methocad.com
www.methocad.com