Plan event and stage truss layouts in SketchUp from real manufacturer data. Build runs piece by piece with Place Along Path, or generate a complete layout from a closed path that marks its outer boundary with Full Layout — with catalogue load data and a full BOM across 6 manufacturers and 27 series.
$129/year
Founder price: $89/year
Founder launch price, available during the Founder launch period. Prices exclude applicable VAT and taxes.
Draw a path in SketchUp, select your truss series, and place the truss. Place Full Layout fits an exact combination of catalogue piece lengths to every side of the layout and adds the connectors.
▶ Watch on YouTube — Dseconds Truss Designer workflow overview
Dseconds Truss Designer — Place Along Path and Full Layout workflow
541.2 kg total — generated in seconds from simple path geometry.
4-point rig with legs and connectors, modelled from the manufacturer's dimensions.
Truss Designer has two placement workflows. They read the path you draw differently, so pick the one that matches how you want to plan the truss.
▶ Place Along Path: the path is the truss centreline (FREE + PRO). Place Full Layout: the path is the outer boundary (PRO).
You decide exactly which pieces make up each run — useful for straight runs and for building from the stock you actually have. The truss is centred on the line you draw. Connectors are not added automatically.
FREE: up to 2 truss runs per SketchUp file. Undo (Edit › Undo) gives the slot back, and a new file starts with 2 again. PRO: no limit.
The path is treated as the outer edge of the truss, not its centreline. Each side is moved inward by half the truss section width, so the physical footprint of the truss sits inside the outline you drew — when the sides fit exactly, a 6 × 4 m outline gives a rig whose outside dimensions are 6 × 4 m. If the catalogue lengths can't fill a side exactly, the plugin tells you which sides to redraw, or lets you place at the nearest buildable size, either inside the path or slightly larger than it.
Best for: complete or complex layouts (closed perimeters and rigs with corners) where building every run by hand would be slow. It doesn't do structural calculations — check loads and rigging with a qualified engineer.
In short: FREE gives you the core truss design workflow, Place Along Path. PRO removes the FREE project limits and adds Full Layout for complete and complex layouts.
Select a line, choose a truss piece, and the plugin repeats it end to end along the line, centred on it. Full manual control over which pieces are used.
Builds the complete layout from a multi-segment path with corners and junctions, and places the connectors. For a closed layout the path is the outer boundary, and the truss footprint sits inside it. Ignores the piece selected for Place Along Path.
Place Full Layout looks for an exact combination of the series' standard piece lengths for every side. If none exists, it suggests buildable side lengths, or places at the nearest buildable size inside or slightly outside the path — your choice.
Reads load figures from published manufacturer catalogue data and interpolates between the available catalogue spans. Design-aid tool — always verify with a structural engineer.
Total truss weight, all piece types with quantities and product codes, on screen in Free and PRO. HTML & CSV report export, with your client logo, is PRO.
Litec, Eurotruss, Prolyte, Tomcat, Alutruss and Global Truss. 27 series, 132 connectors. Data from manufacturer documentation.
Auto-detects SketchUp model units. Toggle mm ↔ inches at any time. UDL shows kg/m or lbs/ft accordingly.
Working with specific stock? Split the guide line into segments and assign the correct truss piece to each — full control over the bill of materials.
FREE lets you design real truss layouts with the core Place Along Path workflow, using 3 truss series from 3 brands: Global Truss F23, Litec QX30SA and Tomcat Medium Duty 20.5×20.5 Plated. PRO removes the FREE project limits and adds Full Layout for complete and complex layouts.
| Feature | FREE | PRO |
|---|---|---|
| Place Along Path — build a run from the piece you choose | ✓ | ✓ |
| Truss runs per SketchUp file | Up to 2 (Undo frees a slot) | Unlimited |
| Place Full Layout — complete layout, path = outer boundary, automatic piece-length fit and connectors | ✗ | ✓ |
| Truss catalogue | 3 series, 3 brands | 27 series, 6 brands |
| UDL Calculator — load/UDL data across the full catalogue | ✗ | ✓ |
| BOM display on screen | ✓ | ✓ |
| HTML & CSV report export | ✗ | ✓ |
| Client logo in reports | ✗ | ✓ |
| Metric / Imperial toggle | ✓ | ✓ |
Keep your Founder rate while your subscription remains active.
Founder pricing is available during the Founder launch period.
Get Truss Designer PRO — $89/yrThe Founder launch price is available only during the Founder launch period. Prices shown exclude applicable VAT and taxes. Final taxes are calculated at checkout based on your billing location.
One download. The free version is the complete plugin running in Free mode, with Place Along Path and 3 truss series from 3 different brands. A PRO licence key unlocks Full Layout and the full catalogue in the same installation, with no reinstall.
Install via SketchUp → Extensions → Extension Manager → Install Extension
