Technical documentation

Project overview, machines and object library

Planning review reports missing fields and consistency checks from the saved lift-plan record. It is not engineering approval. Missing duty charts, masses and ground assessments are never established by catalogue selection.

1. Use Project overview to open or save the current project, review its reference and site, and navigate to machines, objects, rigging or the lift-plan record. Recorded load mass excludes loads without a valid entered mass; those are counted separately.
2. Use Machine selection categories to open prepared cranes, manufacturer parts, CAD blocks or the mobile and crawler anatomy builders. Search within a category by model, component or source description; use the page arrows to reach the entire catalogue.
3. An unavailable catalogue or failed source import displays a persistent message. Retry the catalogue after checking the connection or local asset installation. A preparation source is not a verified operational crane.
4. Use Object library for loads, tackle, structures, pipework, vehicles and uploaded assets. Plant & structures opens the complete parametric equipment catalogue, with source references and mass qualifications.
5. Select an existing item under In this project to return to the scene. Hidden objects and their parent layers are revealed; locks are retained. Save the project after changing visibility or inserting geometry.

Desktop activation

Explicit administrator grants remain supported. Keep the computer clock correct and the licence file private. Contact support@liftplannerpro.co.uk if activation fails.

1. Choose a published installer for your operating system on Downloads. A download does not activate the application.
2. Create an LPP account and choose the applicable paid Desktop 2026 or Full Workflow plan. Check Downloads and the current pricing page for available packages and prices. No free trial is available.
3. After payment is verified, open My Desktop 2026 licence and download your personal .lpplic file.
4. Open the installed application and import the licence. Local modelling then works offline. A purchased licence covers the 2026 version; future major versions are separate. Cloud services require their own applicable account entitlement.

Start and preserve a project

1. Open the working space and choose the required workplane. Set a project name and save before importing large models.
2. Save your editable CAD project regularly. Use a separate copy for each review revision. Include the source models and technical PDFs in your controlled project folder.
3. The saved project can include scene objects, block definitions, simulation data and the technical lift plan. A PDF report is an issued snapshot and is not an editable replacement for the project.
4. After importing a project, check that all external geometry and textures load. Files linked by path or URL need to remain available; a project is not automatically a self-contained archive of every source asset.

Coordinate and unit conventions

Build a dimensioned profile

1. Choose MODEL and set Top XZ, Front XY or Right YZ. Draw a line, polyline, rectangle, circle, arc or spline as appropriate.
2. Use object snaps and orthogonal input where needed. Enter precise coordinates and lengths in the command bar or tool dialog.
3. Open Constraints to inspect sketch vertices and assign supported driving constraints. Resolve contradictory dimensions and verify the resulting profile before making a solid.
4. Use Join for connected sketch segments and Close for a closed boundary. Check the result for gaps, duplicate edges and self-intersections.
5. Use Extrude, Revolve, Sweep or Loft according to the selected geometry. Keep a copy of the original sketch when you need a design reference.

Fabrication components

Trace a PDF or image

Calibrate from a dimensioned orthographic view. Perspective photographs, scanned distortion and low resolution can introduce errors; a two-point calibration cannot remove these effects.

1. Open MODEL → Trace. Choose a local image or PDF; select the correct PDF page.
2. Choose two calibration points on a known straight dimension and enter the known length in millimetres. The first point becomes the trace origin and the second establishes the positive horizontal direction.
3. Set the workplane and origin. Click the required profile points in order. Use Undo point or Clear to correct the trace.
4. Choose an open or closed profile, then create the editable sketch. Compare a second independent dimension against the reference.
5. Use the resulting sketch as input to compatible modelling tools. Keep the source title, page and revision with your engineering records.

Blocks, groups and Explode

Explode separates existing geometry; it does not infer manufacturing features or produce a complete parametric history. Large meshes are subject to limits to protect the workspace.

1. Use Blocks to create reusable definitions and place instances. Name definitions by component and revision so they remain distinguishable.
2. Use groups and layers to organise the assembly. Lock reference geometry and hide only objects you intentionally want excluded from the current review.
3. Use MODEL → Explode to separate a block, group or imported model into editable components. A rigged model is captured in its current pose when converted into static meshes.
4. Inspect materials, geometry and component count after exploding. Use Undo immediately if you need to retain the original rig. Save a new revision before extensively modifying exploded geometry.

Import and export

Plan the assembly structure

Build from scratch

1. Open Crane Builder and choose a new build. Define the carrier dimensions, then add chassis, axles and wheels. Check axle spacing, wheel count and alignment from top and side views.
2. Add the slew assembly and boom heel. Position counterweight supports, machinery and cab relative to the intended slew centre.
3. Create the boom sections and head. Keep each telescope stage as a separate part and record its source position and axis.
4. Add supports, hook, drum, sheaves and cylinders as required. Use the part parameters for supported geometry; imported mesh parts retain their authored shape unless edited separately.
5. Name parts in clear English anatomy groups. Save a source assembly before assigning motion. Send to Rig or open the anatomy and rope setup for the build.

Use the LTM source collection

The supplied catalogue contains 1,137 component entries across 11 source assemblies, including different LTM1030 poses. These are preparation sources, not 1,137 completed crane rigs or a fully verified fleet. German source names are retained alongside English grouping for traceability.

The included LTM1030 fully retracted source has a specific anatomy preset covering its 81 parts. Use this preset only with the matching source assembly; another pose or LTM model needs its own calibration. The source supports are fixed unless separately configured.

1. Choose the exact model and source pose from Crane Builder. Confirm that every part loads and that component dimensions agree with the source.
2. Apply an anatomy preset only when its source matches. Check the carrier, slew deck, heel, telescope direction and hook independently.
3. Add exact manufacturer model and revision information under Technical data. Attach the matching source PDF; a similar model name does not make another crane’s chart valid.
4. Complete the movement and technical review checks before marking the asset prepared for simulation. Save changes to the rigging library.

Prepared crane library

Prepared cranes are filtered separately from unfinished source models. Preparation checks record the reviewer and the current geometry / rig configuration. Changes to the rig can invalidate that review. The status means the model has been reviewed for simulation; it is not manufacturer approval or a certified lifting capacity.

Repeat the preparation process for each crane variant, boom or jib configuration, and material change to the rig. Missing load-chart information must stay missing until an exact source is supplied.

Rigging editor: sling legs and load points

1. Open Rigging editor. In Individual sling legs, use Sling leg configuration to choose 2, 3 or 4 legs, then select Leg 1, Leg 2 and the other active legs to configure them. Single-leg slings remain available; beam lower-leg options depend on the beam arrangement.
2. For each leg choose its load attachment, material, supplied length, diameter, WLL, lower shackle and shackle rotation. Existing leg settings are retained when switching the leg count. Every active leg needs an appropriate existing load point.
3. Select LP1, LP2 or another lift point on the model or in Load points & centre of gravity. Drag its arrows or enter local coordinates in metres. Seat selected point on load surface places it back on supported geometry. Locked or stale load edits must be resolved first.
4. Select CoG to edit the local centre of gravity. A coordinate change invalidates previous CoG evidence. Review the complete lifted configuration and record current evidence before using a supported calculation mode.
5. Save the arrangement to the scene and save the project. Connected fittings follow load movement, rotation and geometry changes. Review any reported connection error; Disconnect stops a fitting following its source.

Process equipment lugs and hitches

1. In the rigging editor, open Equipment lifting lugs and choose Add 2, 3 or 4 lugs. Custom process catalogue models start with four proposed lugs. Existing and imported equipment is not altered until you add them.
2. Enter bore diameter, plate thickness, stem depth, yaw and attachment drawing references. Move the bore centres with the LP controls. These are planning fittings; verify the fabricated attachment, welds and WLL and include lug mass in the complete lifted mass. Scene geometry includes the lugs; standalone BIM component and IFC exports retain the source assembly scope.
3. For a catalogue shackle, choose the load and its Lug connection datum in Manufacturer lifting equipment, then Save & seat pin in eye / lug. Pin and jaw clearance are checked. Connected fittings follow the saved lug, and invalid or resized connections require review.
4. Where no suitable lifting attachment exists, choose Use a basket hitch instead, or select basket, choker or double-wrap under Hitch and connections. Enter each wrap station along local X. Wrap stations are saved with the rigging and do not create attachment points on the load. Review the actual contact envelope, edge protection and slip restraint; hitch capacity is not solved by the direct-leg calculation.

Individual geometry and calculation scope

Individual-leg mode compares supplied length with the straight geometric span; it does not solve unequal-leg force distribution. Forces and utilisation remain NOT SOLVED, including in engineering drawings. The separate documented level-lift mode has its own inputs and scope.

Structure-to-crane transfer planning currently uses shared rigging settings. Individual-leg transfer geometry is not supported. Review the transfer setup after returning to shared settings. A manufacturer dimensional model or catalogue WLL does not approve the connection or lifting operation.

Manufacturer equipment and plant

All lifting equipment opens manufacturer chain blocks, lever hoists, lifting beams, clamps, shackles and eyebolts. Review the article dimensions, source documents, equipment record and connection points. Steelwork, clamps & chain blocks and Configure chain blocks & cross haul provide the supported arrangement workflows.

Use Object library → Plant Equipment for parametric vessels, exchangers, tanks, skids and other loads. Process structure designer provides frames, equipment layouts, stairs, rails, steel schedules and sheets. Record documented mass, CoG and application evidence for the actual equipment; illustrative geometry is not that evidence.

Import your own model

1. Open Rigging Editor / Rigging Manager and choose the model upload workflow. Select GLB, glTF, OBJ, FBX or STL as supported by the importer.
2. Provide companion resources where needed and check the converted preview. Confirm units, orientation and overall dimensions.
3. Identify separate moving parts. A single combined mesh may need to be separated in the modelling workspace before it can be rigged correctly.
4. Save the asset to the local rigging library and assign movement roles. Keep a copy of the original source model.

Assign movement in dependency order

1. Start at the carrier. Confirm its rest position and heading before configuring any articulated movement.
2. Set the shared slew centre and axis. Assign parts that rotate with the upper carriage; leave carrier parts in the fixed group.
3. Set the boom heel pivot and luff axis. Pick a point on the model or enter coordinates, then inspect it from at least two views.
4. Assign the base boom and each telescope stage. Set a consistent telescope direction and each stage’s cumulative share of extension.
5. Assign the boom head to the final moving stage and define the hook reference point. Confirm that the hook falls vertically in the scene.
6. Set cylinder base and moving pins. Assign barrel and ram parts and test the mechanism through its intended visual range.
7. Use the preview controls separately, then together. Save only after the test returns to a known reference pose.

Rig diagnostic table

Hoist rope and reeving

The path starts at the hoist drum, may pass through a guide, alternates through the head and hook-block sheaves, and ends at a defined becket / termination. Each anchor must follow its actual supporting part. Do not infer a manufacturer-approved reeving arrangement solely from the number of falls.

1. Define the drum centre, drum axis and radius. Assign the drum mesh to the hoist mechanism where required.
2. Define any guide sheave and identify the head and hook sheave banks. Enter each bank’s centre, axis, spacing, count and groove radius.
3. Set rope diameter, number of falls and the active groove indices. Define the termination explicitly on the head or hook assembly according to the exact reeving drawing.
4. Inspect the complete path at the rest pose. Check drum exit, guide contact, alternating head / hook runs and the final termination.
5. Vary boom angle, extension and hoist fall. The rope must continue to follow the moving banks without changing attachment roles.
6. Compare the path, line pull, hook-block rating and parts of line with the manufacturer documents before using it in an engineering plan.

What rigging preview does not calculate

The movement and rope preview is geometric. It does not prove rope tension, friction losses, dynamic amplification, structural strength, stability or rated crane duty. Enter and verify those engineering values from appropriate manufacturer data and calculations.

Create a motion sequence

1. Open SIMULATION and show the timeline. Select the crane you want to animate. Set a suitable duration and cursor time.
2. Enter travel X, Y height, Z and carrier heading as required. Set slew, luff angle, telescope extension and hoist distance.
3. Choose Capture pose to record the selected crane at the cursor. Move the cursor before creating the next distinct pose.
4. Use Capture all cranes to record a coordinated state. Enable Auto-key at cursor if you want edits recorded at the current time.
5. Use Record live to sample changing controls while recording. Stop recording, review the resulting keyframes and correct unintended movement.
6. Replay, pause and scrub the full sequence. Check transitions as well as the captured positions. Save the project or export motion data for reuse.

Plan a tandem lift sequence

A shared-load animation does not solve crane reactions or changing dynamic load share. The engineering calculation and supervision plan for a tandem operation must be supplied and reviewed separately.

1. Place and prepare both cranes. Add the load model and check its orientation, dimensions and centre-of-gravity information.
2. Open Tandem lift and identify the participating cranes, load pick points and intended allocation. Use a justified load-share basis.
3. Set a coordinated starting pose and Capture all cranes. Move to successive shared time positions and capture both cranes at each important stage.
4. Review pick-up, trial lift, travel or slew, approach, landing and release. Look for unintended load tilt, excessive relative crane motion or changes in assumed pick-point geometry.
5. Record the coordination method, communications, stop conditions and allocation basis in the technical lift plan.

Surroundings and collision review

Hidden objects, ground and helper geometry are excluded. Unsupported or very large meshes may use bounding-volume checks. This is sampled review of the visible model, not a continuous-path safety guarantee. Finding history is session data; include it in the report before clearing it or reloading the workspace.

1. Add relevant site objects and obstructions with reliable scale and position. Make the objects visible during the review.
2. Open Surroundings & radius in the timeline. Enable checks, choose the clearance margin and enable Pause on collision if useful.
3. Play and scrub the route. Click a finding to select the involved objects. Check both the current findings and the recorded history.
4. Display working radius and, when needed, the maximum radius observed since the history was cleared. Review the radius reference point for the crane.
5. Repeat the review after moving site objects or changing crane geometry. Export findings with the technical report while the history is still available.

Create the document

1. Select REPORT in the main workspace. Enter the document title, plan number, revision, status, project, site, client and planned lift details.
2. For every crane, enter the exact manufacturer, model, serial or fleet ID and configuration. Record boom and jib, counterweight, support setting, radius, reeving and chart reference.
3. Attach the matching technical PDF. Select specific pages or page ranges where required, and record the source revision. Upload additional technical PDFs from your own records.
4. Complete load descriptions, weights, dimensions, centre of gravity and lifting points. Record lifting accessories, quantities, ratings, inspection references and connection assumptions.
5. Import relevant scene loads and motion stages, then add the written method, hold points, risk controls, ground information, weather limits, communications and contingencies.
6. Complete the approval and team briefing tables. Capture plan, front and side drawings from the current model state. Add clear captions.
7. Choose the paper size and Landscape or Portrait orientation in the drawing sheet editor, include the selected technical PDF pages and export. Read every issued page and confirm the revision and status before distribution.

Required engineering inputs

Preparation, checking and sign-off

Identify the competent lift planner / appointed person, an appropriate checker and the authorising lifting organisation. Add ground or temporary works review and site coordination where relevant. Record permits and external consents in the plan when they apply to the site and operation. There is no single universal external body that signs every lifting plan.

The briefing register records the crane supervisor, operator, slinger / signaller and other required team members. Signature cells are provided for the responsible people to sign. Typing a name into a field is not a verified electronic signature.

For UK use, consult current HSE guidance and the project’s applicable procedures. The application records responsibilities and evidence; it does not appoint competent people or approve the lift.

Review the exported PDF

1. Confirm plan number, revision, status, date and page numbering. Verify every crane and configuration is included.
2. Check all rows for NOT PROVIDED and resolve missing inputs before issuing an approved plan. Missing duty data must not be replaced by a generic crane chart.
3. Review motion tables for travel, carrier rotation and crane joint positions. Check tandem allocations against the engineering basis.
4. Verify the drawing pose, title, caption and orientation. Drawings capture the current scene, not every timeline position automatically.
5. Confirm attached source pages are readable, match the specified revision and belong to the exact model. Attachment errors stop export; correct the source and retry.
6. Obtain the required reviews and signatures, brief the team and keep the issued PDF with the matching saved project revision. Reassess and reissue after material changes.

Primary guidance

HSE: Planning and organising lifting operations — https://www.hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/planning-organising-lifting-operations.htm

HSE: Lifting operations in construction — https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/lifting-operations.htm

HSE: LOLER overview — https://www.hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/loler-overview.htm

Problem and next check

Contact support

Email support@liftplannerpro.co.uk. Include the desktop build or browser version, steps to reproduce the problem, the affected workflow and a screenshot. Send a sanitised example project if needed; remove personal, customer and sensitive site information first. Never send passwords, payment card data or private licence-signing keys.

Preview and create an extrusion

1. Import a DXF using its source units. DWG requires the desktop ODA / AutoCAD converter or a configured web converter. For PDF and image drawings, use MODEL → Trace and calibrate against a known dimension.
2. Join connected segments and close the outline. Use Constraints to inspect its vertices. The profile must be planar and must not cross or touch itself.
3. Open MODEL → 2D → 3D. Select the profile, confirm its drawing scale factor and enter extrusion depth in millimetres. Use negative depth to reverse, or centre the thickness on the sketch.
4. Inspect the 3D preview. Create 3D component adds a solid and retains the source drawing. Optionally hide the source. Undo returns to the previous document.
5. Use Revolve for wheels and drums, Sweep for tubes and rope paths, and Loft for changing boom sections. Supply the additional profiles, axis or path required by the operation.
6. Save completed parts as a block, assign anatomy and pivots in Rigging Manager, and review the manufacturer dimensions before simulating.

Geometry limits

A drawing does not contain an unknown depth automatically: enter that dimension from technical data. Separate outlines are separate parts; use subtract / Hole for openings. Profiles may contain up to 2,000 vertices. Rotated planar profiles and concave outlines are supported. Imported curved polylines retain their tessellation.

Positions and primitive dimensions in the properties panel are metres; command dimensions and extrusion depth are millimetres. Rotation fields marked rad use radians. Review the units beside each field.

Author a block

1. Open MODEL → Blocks. Create from a selection or add members to a new definition. Enter a clear model / component name and revision.
2. Add parameter IDs, units, defaults and permitted minimum / maximum values. Bind each member property to an arithmetic expression. Scene lengths are metres, so a width parameter in mm drives size.2 using width / 1000. Rotation bindings use radians.
3. For axles, wheel pairs and counterweight slabs, add repeated members. Set the count expression and X,Y,Z spacing in metres. Counts are limited to 1–64 per member; use whole count parameters.
4. Enter manufacturer, exact model, document revision, page and dimensional assumptions. Attach a PDF up to 20 MB to embed it in the block file. Geometry size does not establish a crane rating or capacity.
5. Save the definition to update all linked instances. Each instance retains its own parameter values. Select an instance, edit its values and Apply to selected instance to rebuild it at its saved transform.
6. Save to My dynamic blocks for the local device library; export .lppblock for backup and transfer. Import the file in the block editor on another device. External models / textures in the dependency register must remain available.
7. Use examples/parametric-crane-carrier.lppblock to learn chassis dimensions, 2–12 axles and two wheels per axle. It is an illustrative template, without a rated duty chart or verified movement rig.

Manufacturer scale and revisions

Prepare a separate, traceable definition for each actual crane model and configuration. A small carrier and a large carrier may share authoring tools, but boom geometry, counterweights, reeving, axle arrangement and movement limits must come from their own technical data. Validate geometry, rig and operating limits together.

JavaScript modelling

Open TOOLS → Scripts. The Examples menu includes a crane carrier and a 2D outline extruded into a 25 mm plate. Save scripts to the library or export them for backup.

Creation commands: createBox(name, size, position), createCylinder(name, radius, height, position), createSphere(name, radius, position), createPolyline(name, points, closed), extrude(id, depthMm, centred), and makeBlock(name, ids, origin). Creation lengths are metres except extrude depth, which is millimetres.

Use setPosition / move for travel, setRotation in radians for carrier heading, and labelled crane commands for joint movement. capturePose(id, timeSeconds, label) records travel, heading and crane controls into the crane timeline.

Scripts are trusted JavaScript executed in the application, not AutoLISP or an isolated sandbox. Stop works cooperatively during await wait() / animate(); a synchronous infinite loop can freeze the editor. Save before running third-party scripts. Syntax errors appear in the console and release the Run button.

Format capabilities

DWG configuration and limits

Install ODA File Converter on the desktop or configure LPP_ODA_FILE_CONVERTER on the web server. The web converter accepts input up to 50 MB and output up to 100 MB, with a 60-second timeout. Large detailed crane DWGs can exceed these limits after conversion; use the desktop converter and a supported 3D representation. No proprietary CAD file is converted merely by changing its filename.

Prepare the source crawler

Source calibration and configuration limits must not be replaced by guessed scale factors. A visual crane configuration is not a verified duty chart.

1. Select the LR 1300 source crawler in Crane anatomy. Check the model name and document revision before applying a preset. The prepared assembly retains 119 separately identified components.
2. Use the supported source-model boom configurations: 23 to 83 m in 6 m increments. A separate parametric 3 m insert does not enable an unsupported source-model configuration.
3. Inspect chassis, crawler tracks, upperworks, boom, hook and pendants individually. Set the required pose and verify the hook and rope path across the intended movement.
4. Save a new project revision. Reopen it and verify component selection, textures and the same configuration before reusing it in a lift plan.

• Source crawler guide

Create reusable engineering parts

The 3 m, 6 m and 12 m reference inserts and ground plate use published LR 1300.2 SX unplugged transport data. Reference insert masses include pendants not necessarily represented by generated geometry; do not use them as an automatically calculated lifting mass.

Tube diameters, lattice bays, pin centres, eyes, internal plate details and symmetric overhang are modelling assumptions unless independently documented. These presets are not fabrication drawings or rated assembly instructions.

1. Open the engineering parts library and choose the required manufacturer reference preset. Inspect its nominal length, overall envelope, source page and reference mass.
2. Adjust permitted dimensions. A changed source envelope must be treated as a modified model, not the original manufacturer part.
3. Use the mounting ports to align parts. Lattice modules provide eight pin ports and two assembly ports; aligned ports do not automatically create a rated or animated joint.
4. Name the parts, preserve their local axes and connect them into a reusable assembly. Check clearance, articulation and the saved/reopened result.

• Engineering parts and source dimensions

Scene to issued drawing

1. Save the current scene and select the cranes, load, tackle and site references required for the lift. For a tandem lift, check both crane poses and the intended load-sharing arrangement.
2. Populate the lift-plan sections from verified project information. Review imported values; enter the job description, responsible people, approvals and missing engineering evidence.
3. Open the drawing sheet editor. Select the view, paper size and Landscape or Portrait orientation. Plot and side-elevation defaults are 1:200; tackle defaults to 1:50. Side elevation and tackle use portrait defaults.
4. Position the viewport over the lift area. At a fixed engineering scale a whole refinery cannot fit on a small sheet: crop the required area, add another viewport/sheet or use larger paper. Fit changes scale and is not a substitute for 1:200.
5. Add dimensions, construction lines, text, shapes and tables. Use endpoint, midpoint, centre and intersection snaps where available. A geometric centre is not automatically the centre of gravity.
6. Review plot radius and mat dimensions, side-elevation baseline/boom angle/heights, and tackle geometry/angles. Confirm the load is actually present in each required view.
7. Export and inspect every PDF page at 100% print scale. Confirm scale labels, legibility, line weight, clipping and title-block revision before issuing.

Required engineering evidence

Submit a model

The submission standard documents review requirements. It is not a new automatic engineering certifier or a guarantee that an uploaded model is safe for lifting.

1. Keep normal project backups. Prepare a separate sale package with clearly named parts, correct units, source references and permitted parameter ranges.
2. Include required geometry and texture dependencies with portable paths. Test extraction and reopening outside the authoring folder.
3. Check every articulated movement, attachment point and supported configuration. Provide representative previews and disclose simplifications and unsupported operations.
4. Declare ownership and redistribution rights for geometry, textures and documents. A public manufacturer download is not automatically licensed for resale.
5. Use Creator Studio to prepare the listing and upload the package. Current upload limits are 512 MiB for the package and 12 MiB for a preview.
6. Submit for administrative review. Publication and sale require a completed, approved listing; saving a draft does not publish it.

• Model submission standard
• Creator Studio
• Shop

Where work runs

Usage, limits and availability

Open Account resources for the current release status of Astra, GPU and storage. Use current account and pricing pages for allowances and charges; do not rely on an old screenshot or manual price.

Astra usage belongs to the signed-in LPP account. Where top-ups are offered, credit must be confirmed before use. An instructor or developer account is not a shared allowance for other users.

Customer GPU job submission, GPU top-ups and additional storage purchases remain closed pending verification. Existing project saving is not a newly purchased storage allocation. School shared GPU and storage allowances are not released.

Where spend controls are shown, set a per-job maximum and monthly maximum. A zero cap pauses new jobs. Changing limits does not buy credit; already accepted jobs retain their previously approved maximum. Do not treat a visible control as proof that jobs are available.

• Account resources and availability
• Astra account
• Current plans

Set up delivery

1. Create or open the school organisation with the correct owner account. Confirm the purchased plan, seat allocation and instructor permissions before inviting learners.
2. Create the cohort and enrol eligible learners. Confirm course prerequisites, required prior knowledge and a suitable software licence; course purchase and software access are not interchangeable.
3. Use a recorded software version for practical exercises. Confirm the desktop installer or web release and distribute the same controlled example projects.
4. Open each module and check its actual available resources: manual, worksheet, transcript/captions, software setup, school setup and shortcuts reference where configured.
5. Test each supporting video and download before teaching. A transcript or resource slot does not mean that a video has been recorded or published.
6. Collect practical evidence and required quizzes. Course completion, certificate eligibility and instructor approval follow the course assessment policy, not merely a page visit.

• Training schools
• Courses
• Training information

Certificates and public profiles

Publish only eligible, verified course awards. LPP software-course completion is not an accredited crane-operator qualification, proof of professional competence or approval of a lift. Keep professional qualifications, experience and insurance accurate and separately evidenced.

Review and handover

1. Confirm the recipient or team before sending messages and files. Use clear project names and revision references.
2. For a call, verify microphone and camera permissions. When screen sharing, explicitly select the required application or screen and close private material first.
3. Transfer editable projects with their required dependencies. A chat attachment does not automatically merge changes or resolve a document revision conflict.
4. Record review comments, responsibility and the accepted revision before issue. Retain the previous project and drawing package.

• Dashboard and collaboration

Profile publication

Review your public name, biography, contact preferences, photo and eligible awards before enabling discovery. Publish only qualifications and permissions you actually hold. Avoid including private licence files or project/customer information.

• Professional profile

Update safely

A website release does not automatically replace an installed desktop version. macOS and Linux packages must not be assumed available simply because the shared code can target them.

1. Open Downloads and inspect the available version, operating system, architecture, release channel and access requirements. Only download platforms with an actual published package.
2. Compare the downloaded file SHA-256 with the value shown for that exact installer. A VirusTotal checksum link is a report lookup, not proof of a completed scan or a guarantee that software is safe.
3. Read the signing status. The current development signing certificate is self-signed, not a publicly trusted publisher certificate; operating-system warnings may remain.
4. Back up projects and source dependencies, then close LPP before updating. Keep your personal activation file private.
5. After installation, reopen a copy of a known project. Check components, units, textures, rigging and drawing output before continuing production work.

• Verified downloads
• Desktop licence

Report a reproducible problem

1. Include web/desktop version, operating system, affected tool and the steps leading to the error.
2. Keep persistent error details or a screenshot, plus a small non-confidential reproduction file when possible.
3. Never include passwords, API keys, payment details or your .lpplic activation file in a public report.

• Support

What is available

Configure a mobile crane preset

The LML operator console supports load, radius, geometry and duty-data review where configured. Supply the exact duty chart and configuration before interpreting utilisation; No duty chart is an unresolved state. LPP is a planning model, not a manufacturer LICCON controller or a certified crane safety system.

1. Open the anatomy builder, choose Complete anatomy and select the exact model on Carrier. Check the source edition, selected tyre row, carrier dimensions and any explicitly estimated geometry.
2. Open Anatomy. Choose a listed Ballast total or use Lowest listed ballast / Highest listed ballast. Zero is a removed/setup view; a ballast selection does not load a rated duty chart. Slab geometry and stacking order remain illustrative.
3. Choose the Fly-jib type, Jib length and any listed Boom extension / adapter. Manual offsets use listed angles; hydraulic offsets use the model-specific permitted range. The builder constrains combinations and main-boom lengths to its recorded source information.
4. Choose the main or auxiliary Hoist rope specification. Published total length and diameter are model-specific; total rope includes the reserve that must remain on the fitted drum. The displayed unpaid balance is not an approved maximum hook travel or drum reserve.
5. Open Livery to review the model default, manufacturer lettering and paint. Grove, Liebherr, Tadano, SANY and Zoomlion defaults follow reviewed references where recorded. Sarens and Mammoet are optional fleet schemes. Screen colours are approximations, not OEM paint codes; obscured colours remain labelled estimates.
6. Check slew, boom angle, extension, hook payout and supports in the preview. Apply complete assembly returns the result to the builder; Add to Scene places it in the CAD scene. Save to library or export a project for reuse, then reopen a copy and check the settings.

Current manufacturer and model order

Use a manufacturer PDF block

The PDF-block superstructure and elevation stay in their published transport pose. They do not enable working slew, luff or telescope movement. Curves are sampled from calibrated PDF linework; the extraction tolerance is not a manufacturer geometry accuracy guarantee. Asymmetric supports require the matching manufacturer duty information.

1. Open PDF blocks and choose one of the three listed Liebherr models. Select Support plan or Transport elevation. Read Source and applicability and open the source sheet to confirm the drawing revision and configuration.
2. For a plan, select a Symmetric support span to set all four supports, or adjust Front left, Front right, Rear left and Rear right support reach independently. These are discrete published values in millimetres from the centreline, not arbitrary percentages.
3. Insert in drawing places the definition, members and layers as one undoable operation. Select the placed block and reopen PDF blocks to update its support configuration; the instance transform is retained.
4. In the 3D workspace, 3D reference setup places the plan on XZ and the elevation on XY. Set Elevation datum Y (mm), then Add 3D references. These are aligned drawing references for modelling, not an automatically reconstructed solid crane or verified boom pivot.
5. Save to library for local reuse. Export .lppblock to preserve dynamic parameters and source information. Export DXF for the current pose as a standard millimetre BLOCK plus INSERT; proprietary AutoCAD dynamic actions and the preview’s PDF colour fills are not included.

Hook blocks, ballast references and source PDFs

Use Manufacturer information to inspect the selected model, document revision and indexed Hooks & ballast entries where available. Keep hook-block rating, hook mass, sheave count and source units distinct. A hook-block rating is not the crane capacity at a working radius.

Review the actual PDF page, not just an extracted value. Missing, conflicting or unavailable entries remain unresolved. Confirm the fitted hook, rope diameter, line pull, reeving and chart deductions against the exact crane manual.

Attach the relevant technical pages to the lift-plan report and retain the project revision. A public PDF or displayed drawing does not automatically grant redistribution rights for a model package.

• Crane anatomy and source preparation
• Dynamic block authoring
• Rope and rigging setup

Locate and import an area

Import geometry uses X east, Y up and Z south in the metre-based 3D scene. Source IDs, attribution, bounds, retrieval time and origin are retained with the project. The local projection is not a surveyed national-grid transformation.

1. Save the project, then open HOME → Map reference or the map option in IMPORT. The dialog is Map drawing reference in 2D and 3D map reference in 3D.
2. Enter WGS84 latitude and longitude in decimal degrees, or use Find a site / UK refinery preset. Quick site presets include Saltend / Hull, ICI Wilton and ConocoPhillips / Seal Sands. Preset names and source links are location references, not proof of current plant ownership or operation.
3. Set Width (m) and Height (m), each from 25 to 1,000 m. Site area selects a preset tile. North tile, South tile, East tile and West tile shift the import area; after panning the map, Use map centre moves the selection to the viewed centre. Merely panning does not fetch a different area.
4. Choose Fetch reference data. Review the selected bounds and counts of buildings, plant footprints, roads and waterways. Changing the area clears the fetched selection; fetch again before importing.
5. In 3D, review the height options below before choosing Import reference. In 2D the import provides drawing linework. Cancel or a failed provider request leaves the existing drawing unchanged.
6. Import neighbouring tiles into the same project when needed. They reuse the existing geographic origin; conflicting origins are rejected. Repeated or overlapping imports need review for duplicate reference geometry.

Choose the height evidence

Heights are relative to the local map plane, not sea level. Automatic height modelling is limited to 200 supported footprints per import. Complex, clipped or unclosed profiles can remain linework. Multipolygon relations and courtyard holes are not automatically reconstructed.

Edit buildings, roads and plant

1. After import, use Map environment / buildings and plant. Buildings, Roads and Equipment are separate tabs. Search for an item or use the selected-item filter; use page controls to reach more results.
2. For a building, review Height evidence, Top height (m) and Base (m). Choose colour, plain walls, window bays or industrial cladding, and flat or gable roof where available. Create 3D or Update 3D rebuilds the model while keeping its source footprint.
3. Select the model or its original footprint separately. Unlock the relevant object and layer before editing. Added facades, roof shape and details are user-modelled appearance and do not improve the source accuracy.
4. On Roads, set model width, slab thickness and optional centre markings. Use Update road-name labels to place available names, and review individual label controls. Mapped roads are centrelines; the model width, markings and slab are not surveyed carriageway edges or a heavy-transport approval.
5. Use Replace with plant / refinery building on a mapped item, or Equipment to place a catalogue model. Search by family/model; Manufacturer dimensions only narrows the choices. Review source dimensions, length/height/width, heading, offsets and base before placement.
6. Keep source-dimensioned equipment distinct from generic templates and footprint-fit geometry. Enter Documented tare (kg) and Weight document / reference where known; a shell estimate or map footprint does not establish an operational lifting mass.
7. Save and reopen the project, check alignment against the original footprints and inspect the intended crane views. Review map source/evidence information in the lift-plan report before issuing drawings.

Coverage, provider errors and limits

The importer reads supported public OpenStreetMap ways: building and building-part outlines, selected plant footprints, road centrelines and waterways. It does not import Google Earth photogrammetry, private site CAD, measured terrain, underground services or a complete surveyed refinery.

The selected geographic area is sent to the public map services to request reference data. Project geometry is not sent by this map-reference request. Public coverage, names and tags can be incomplete or outdated.

If data is unavailable, too large or times out, keep the error visible, reduce the area and fetch again later. The importer includes a public OSM fallback, but provider availability is not guaranteed. An empty map does not prove that no buildings, utilities or restrictions exist.

For engineering use, check the map against a current site survey, measured levels, verified equipment dimensions and the applicable crane configuration. Illustrative heights and finishes must not be used for clearance approval.

• Model and drawing imports
• Drawing sheets and engineering evidence
• Support