New vDesign Updates Are Here!

Designing fire protection systems requires tools that are fast, dependable and easy-to-use to keep up with complex projects. That’s why we’re excited to introduce the latest updates to Viking’s design tools suite, bringing expanded global access, powerful new utilities and improved performance to help streamline your workflow.

One of the biggest updates is that vCalc is now available in the European and Middle Eastern markets, allowing even more designers to take advantage of Viking’s advanced hydraulic calculation capabilities.

Alongside this expansion, we’ve introduced several enhancements across vCalc, vList and vDesign to make designing, calculating and listing fire protection systems more efficient than ever.

Expanded Access to vCalc 

For designers working throughout Europe and the Middle East, vCalc is now officially available with added support for Viking EMEA pipe types and fittings.

This expansion allows engineers and designers in these regions to perform accurate hydraulic calculations while working with components that align with regional standards. In addition, the update includes:

• Support for offline licensing
• Improved Darcy–Weisbach calculation stability for critical flow regimes
• Better support for file paths containing special characters (UTF-8)
• Enhanced node persistence through system re-tracing
• New "Stop Element" functionality in Revit to skip specified tracing paths
• Improved support for project files stored on network drives
• Support for company-managed component databases located on network drives
• And more!

Together, these improvements help ensure calculations remain accurate and stable, even when working in collaborative environments or across shared networks.

Powerful New Productivity Tools in vList

The latest release of vList introduces several new utilities designed to save time when managing large projects and complex system layouts. A new Bulk Edit / Wizard function allows users to quickly make large changes across multiple items, eliminating repetitive manual edits. Another added feature automatically splits pipes that exceed maximum pipe lengths, helping maintain compliance with fabrication or installation requirements. Users can now quickly generate typical weld lines, thread lines and hanger placements, simplifying common layout tasks and improving consistency across projects.

Additional enhancements include:

• New pipe diameter and length tags with multiple style options
• Support for different labels for vertical pipes
• Improved loose coupling quantification when using Viking grooved families
• New visual indicators for outlet direction in stocklist reports
• New Undo/Redo functionality
• Ability to copy between weld and thread tabs
• And more!

These improvements make it easier to manage system components, streamline reporting and maintain accurate stocklists throughout the design process.

Improved Performance for Network-Based Projects

Many teams collaborate using shared network drives, which can sometimes create performance challenges. With the latest update, both vCalc and vList now provide improved support and performance for project files stored on network drives.

In addition, both tools now support company-managed parts and component databases on network drives, making it easier for organizations to standardize their libraries and maintain consistency across teams and projects.

Additional Enhancements in vDesign

Updates to vDesign further improve modeling flexibility and usability, including:

• Support for Viking EMEA pipe types and fittings
• Improved mechanical tee Revit families
• New ability to control cuts and coupling directions when splitting pipes
• Legacy pipe types disabled by default (with option to re-enable)
• Various performance improvements and bug fixes

These updates help ensure modeling stays accurate while giving designers greater control during system layout.