Remember the old way of designing a lightning protection system (LPS)? Coffee-stained grid paper, a well-worn NFPA 780 manual, a calculator, and about 45 minutes of trigonometry to figure out the rolling sphere radius.
Imagine blowing up a giant beach ball (usually 60 to 150 feet in radius, depending on the Protection Level). You roll it all over the building. Anywhere the ball touches the structure is where lightning could strike. The software automates this, placing air terminals (Franklin rods) exactly where the ball doesn't touch. lightning protection system design software
Do you use dedicated LPS software, or are you still using the manual method? Let us know in the comments below. Remember the old way of designing a lightning
Enter . It’s not just a convenience; it’s becoming the standard of care for risk mitigation. You roll it all over the building
The tools exist. The standards require them. And the storms aren't getting any weaker.
For decades, that was the standard. But as building geometries become more complex (hello, parametric facades and irregular roof lines), relying on "hand calcs" or 2D CAD sketches is a liability. One misplaced air terminal could mean a million-dollar insurance claim.
Here is what modern engineers need to know about the software redefining how we protect buildings from Mother Nature’s fury. Before we talk about software, we have to talk about the math. Most high-end LPS software is built around the Rolling Sphere Method (IEC 62305 and NFPA 780).