Version 17.20 & PLS-GRID Project Manager Released!

Winter 2021 Newsletter

In this issue:

  1. 2022 Advanced Training and User Group (ATUG) June 14-15, 2022

  2. General Release Version 17.20 Released!

  3. PLS-GRID V2; Project Manager Released!

  4. Classes and Events

  5. Web Site Additions

  6. Current Versions

  7. Bentley Systems Enters into Agreement to Acquire Power Line Systems

2022 Advanced Training and User Group (ATUG) June 14-15

The 2021 ATUG has been rescheduled to June 14-15, 2022. This will be at the same venue as the last several ATUGs in Madison, Wisconsin at the Monona Terrace Convention Center.

As always, there is no charge to attend our ATUGs; this is our gift to users who register in advance. We are working on the agenda and are seeking presentations from our users. If you have a unique project or any workflow that involves the use of PLS software, please let us know if you are interested in sharing your knowledge and expertise with our users.

Preregistration for the 2022 ATUG is open at https://www.powerlinesystems.com/atug-2022. Register now so that you will be notified as the agenda is developed.

General Release Version 17.20 Available Now!

Version 17.20 continues our long tradition of meeting our customers' requests for additional features and functionality. 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

    • PLS-GRID Project Manager integration

    • Improved stability and reliability

    • Improved text annotation with bold, italic, and/or underline text, styles as well as the option to fit text within a box.

    • Save and restore of window state for each project.

    • Support for Windows 11

  • PLS-CADD

    • Faster opening and saving of projects with multi-threading of File/Open and File/Save commands

    • Faster L4 FE sag-tension

    • Improve existing project file management using the File/Auto-Organize Project

    • Project Revision Tracking complete - now tracks all changes made to a model

    • More efficient and capable handling of large XYZ files (greater than 2 billion points).

    • Criteria/Weather table now detects any description changes and will auto-update all project references

    • Added Sections/Cable Files/Available Cable List that is analogous to the Available Structure List.

    • Terrain/Edit/Merge Points from External File/Merge Points from Internet now uses High Density 3DEP Data which provides 1/3 arcsecond LiDAR data for much of the U.S. (Watch the video)

  • PLS-POLE

    • Support migration and deduplication of component files for PLS-CADD's File/Auto-Organize Project command.

  • TOWER

    • Support migration and deduplication of component files for PLS-CADD's File/Auto-Organize Project command.

    • Added Draw Center of Gravity Symbols check box to the 3D Controls dialog that draws CoG symbol per section.

PLS-GRID V2; Project Manager Released

Since our last newsletter, our team has been working hard on the release of PLS-GRID V2. PLS-GRID is a new system for indexing, organizing, viewing and sharing PLS-CADD data. 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. PLS-GRID V2 augments the original release by providing project file management and tracking all changes made to a project. For a discussion of all the advantages of the Project Manager in PLS-GRID please see the Project Manager Whitepaper.

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 Map View

  • 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

  • Deconflict project updates with Check in and Check out capabilities

  • Track all revisions made to a project and quickly restore a project to any previous revision

  • Guarantee each project Check In meets standards (Gated Check Ins)

  • Use project templates and the Project Assistant to accelerate projects and ensure standard use

  • Efficiently store all project revisions with automatic Data Deduplication

  • Generate project activity reports: who changed what, when and why?

  • See PLS-GRID V2 Project Manager in action in this video

You can see the PLS-GRID V1 Overview video here.

If you would like to get a quote to purchase PLS-GRID, please send an email to sales@powerlinesystems.com.

Classes and Events

As mentioned above, the 2022 ATUG will be June 14-15, 2022. Preregistration for the 2022 ATUG is open at https://www.powerlinesystems.com/atug-2022. Register now so that you will be notified as the agenda is developed and more details become available.

Due to Covid-19 we were forced to suspend 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.

New online 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.

Additionally, EFLA is an approved 3rd party training agent for PLS. They have these upcoming classes scheduled.

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 feature documentation 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

NEW! Flowcharts

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.

Current Versions

The current shipping versions of our software are listed below. These versions support the 64-bit editions of Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11.

PLS-CADD 17.20 PLS-POLE 17.20 TOWER 17.20 SAPS 17.20 CAISSON 17.20 PLS-DISTRIBUTION 17.20

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.

Bentley Systems Enters into Agreement to Acquire Power Line Systems

A message from Otto J. Lynch, President & CEO of Power Line Systems;

As some of you may have heard by now, Power Line Systems has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Bentley Systems. The pending acquisition will not be completed until the required regulatory approvals are received, likely in the next month.

We at Power Line Systems are enthused to be joining the Grid Integration Group within Bentley Systems. This acquisition will be beneficial to our customers and to the PLS team. Bentley's existing resources will allow PLS to be more efficient in our further development as well as provide additional capabilities and services to our customers. Our existing PLS team will remain completely intact and you will continue to receive the same personalized technical support and attention that you always have. Our entire team is excited for this opportunity for growth.

As Vice President of Bentley Systems, I will be Head of Power Line Systems and it is my goal to make this transition as seamless and transparent as possible to our customers.

We are quite excited about the future of PLS.

 

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Staff of Power Line Systems

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Jesse Kohler