Version 16.80 Now Available

Spring 2021 Newsletter

In this issue:

  1. Version 16.80 Released!

  2. Classes and Events

  3. Web Site Additions

  4. Current Versions

Version 16.80 Released!

During the long pandemic our growing team has been working hard on two projects: PLS-GRID, a new system for indexing, organizing, viewing and sharing PLS-CADD data and Version 16.80. PLS-GRID consists of server software, a Desktop Client built into PLS-CADD and a Web Client that runs in browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge or Safari.

With PLS-GRID you can:

  • View all your PLS-CADD projects (including Distribution and LITE projects) on a map

  • Open projects by graphically selecting them from the PLS-GRID base map

  • Effortlessly share the latest Construction Staking, Structure Overview and other reports with non-PLS-CADD users such as field crews and project managers

  • Use Access Control Lists to grant access to projects for particular users or groups of users

  • Generate an interactive structure usage Heat Map for your entire grid

  • See PLS-GRID in action in this video

Version 16.80 continues our long tradition of supporting industry standards with an implementation of the 2020 edition of ASCE 74 loading calculations. Since PDF's are the most popular way of sharing results with others, version 16.80 allows you to directly "Save As" Graphic Views and Reports to PDF. In addition to these improvements, some program specific improvements are listed below and even more are detailed in the program change logs.

Some notable features are highlighted below:

  • All Programs

    • Support for the 2020 edition of ASCE 74

    • Save Graphics and Reports directly to PDF on Windows 10 (Watch the video)

    • Improved performance, stability, and reliability

    • Enhanced license management including the ability to unclaim your own license

    • And many other enhancements described in the program change log

  • PLS-CADD

    • PLS-GRID support (Watch the video)

    • Parallelized 3D EMF calculations for a massive speedup

    • Analyze FE models twice as large as those in 16.50 with a faster analysis and improved convergence for Level 4 FE sag-tension

    • Lines/General Data allows you to record a variety of meta-data about your project

    • Updated Spanish language manual

  • PLS-POLE

    • AISC steel angle strength check for angles used as cross arms (Watch the video)

    • Tubular Davit Arm Optimizer (Watch the video)

    • Updated Spanish language manual (coming soon)

  • TOWER

    • Auto Add Dimension Lines

    • Connection Modifiers for European codes

    • Updated Spanish language manual

You can use the Help/Download Upgrade command in the software to upgrade to version 16.80 today if your licenses are within support.

Classes and Events

Covid-19 has forced the postponement of the 2021 PLS-CADD Advanced Training and User Group (ATUG) meeting until the week of June 13th, 2022. Please save the date! To tide you over until then PLS staff will host and post various webinars and videos this summer that review some of the latest features. Be sure and Update your Profile below so that you will be notified of these events.

Due to Covid-19 we have also temporarily postponed all in person courses at our new training facility in Madison, WI. We hope that in a few months we will be able to resume offering these classes. In the interim we have adapted our courses to a streamlined online format that works within a reduced time schedule. Please check out these online course offerings and stay tuned for a future Advanced PLS-CADD course as well as an Advanced TOWER 201 course which are in development.

New classes will be added as demand requires and in person classes will resume when conditions permit. You may subscribe to a mailing list to be notified whenever a new class is scheduled on our training page.

Web Site Additions and Updates

We have recently hired several additional technical support engineers and have used this capacity to expand our technical notes and online videos. We hope that this supplemental information on features makes your use of the software more pleasant and productive. Please let us know if you have a topic that you think would benefit from a technical note or video. Here are our latest efforts:

New or updated technical notes

New videos

More than 20 hours of webinars are available in the latest version of the programs via the Help/Register for Training Classes command which allows you to view past webinars. These are excellent references for new and existing users looking for training. Topics include Material Functions, Drafting, Electrical Functions, Criteria Development, Clearances, Graphical Sagging & FE Cable Adjustments and more.

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Current Versions

The current shipping versions of our software are listed below. These versions support the 64-bit editions of Windows 7, 8 and 10.

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PLS-CADD 16.80 PLS-POLE 16.80 TOWER 16.80 SAPS 16.80 CAISSON 16.80 PLS-DISTRIBUTION 16.80

We strongly encourage you to upgrade to the current release of all the applications you own. To do so please use the Help/Download Upgrade command built into your PLS software. This would also be a good time to use the Help/Check for Updated Manual command to obtain the version 16.80 edition of the manuals. If your licenses have expired, then please email sales@powerlinesystems.com for a renewal quotation.

As always, we welcome your suggestions and comments on our software. Please send them to support@powerlinesystems.com.

PLS has Moved!

PLS has moved to our new office. We are still in Madison, Wisconsin. Our phone numbers and emails all remain the same, but please note our new physical address should you ever need to send us anything by snail mail;

Power Line Systems

5400 King James Way, Suite 300

Madison, WI 53719 USA

Staff of Power Line Systems

© 2021 Power Line Systems All Rights Reserved.
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Jesse Kohler