Making the engineering easier... New easi-joist® ‘Group Design’ feature
Wolf Systems has recently updated its easi-joist® metal web floor system to make life even easier for floor designers, manufacturers and installers through group design functionality.
According to Karl Foster, Wolf Systems Sales and Marketing Director, the introduction of group design functionality will simplify the design process and joist manufacture whilst also making installation easier for contractors on site.
"Previously easi-joists® with the same geometric profile but with different support and bearing conditions would have been separate designs and referenced differently in the software,” he says. “As a consequence, there would be multiple joists types, potentially resulting in more manufacturing setups in factory production and more joist profiles on site. “But now the grouping of joists not only speed up the design process, it benefits joist production and also makes life a lot easier for the contractor because common joist profiles are used”, says Karl Foster
A basic example of how easi-joist® Group Design works
Without the new feature enabled, even a simple floor can have multiple joist types and designs:

With group design active, only a single profile is produced:
Tried and tested methodology
‘Grouping’ methodology is not new to Wolf Systems; in truss design, the same shape trusses with varying loads and different support conditions are typically grouped together so they are designed with common nail plate and chord sizes for manufacturing and site installation.
“It’s a process our customers are used to for trusses,” says Karl, “and it makes sense to include it for easi-joists®.”
The benefits are far reaching, from design stage up. Manufacturers are producing the same joist design in volume, saving time and costs. Building contractors need only put up one joist design, again, saving time and ensuring build times run to schedule.
As with all software updates, the easi-joist® group design feature was customer-led, conceived by Wolf’s development team in response to user feedback. “Our aim is to make engineering easier for our customers and we hope that this new functionality will be a welcome addition to easi-joist’s® capabilities.”
Make the engineering easier
To find out more, please contact karl.foster@wolftruss.co.uk
See how much time, effort and costs the easi-joist system could save you >