Pole Loading Analysis in Katapult Pro: A Setup and Readiness Guide

Understanding the two paths the platform offers, and what you need to have ready before you start.

Pole loading analysis is one of those corners of OSP engineering where tools, terminology, and expectations get tangled fast. If you're opening Katapult Pro for the first time with pole loading on your project scope, there's a reasonable chance you're not entirely sure what the platform is going to do for you, what information you need from the pole owner, and what falls to you to sort out.

That confusion shows up in onboarding conversations regularly. Sometimes the expectation is that we're providing pole loading data as a service. Sometimes a team arrives without a client file and assumes one will materialize. Sometimes a consultant is being asked to deliver pole loading analysis to a utility that hasn't shared the specs they want applied. All of those are solvable problems. They just shouldn't surprise you two weeks into a project that's due tomorrow.

This guide has two jobs.

The first half clarifies the two paths Katapult Pro offers for pole loading, so you know what the platform provides and what you're responsible for bringing. The second half is a practical readiness checklist: the things that need to be in place before you start loading poles, so that when you do start, the software works the way it should.

If you're already running pole loading in Katapult Pro and hitting friction, this is also a useful reset. Most of the friction tracks back to one of the gaps covered here.

New to pole loading itself? If concepts like pole class, ruling span, slack span tension, and NESC loading districts are unfamiliar territory, start with our Pole Loading 101 guide for the underlying mechanics. This piece picks up where that one leaves off.

Talk to our team about pole loading setup

Part 1: The Two Paths

What pole loading actually means inside Katapult Pro

Inside Katapult Pro, "pole loading" is not one thing. It's two closely related things that solve different problems.

The first is Integrated Pole Loading: a real-time loading engine built directly into the Katapult Pro interface. You collect field data, call your make ready, and see a loading percentage on the pole as you work.

The second is Parallel Exports: the ability to take the same field and engineering data and export it into a third-party PLA platform (SPIDAcalc, O-Calc Pro, PoleForeman, or DDS) for analysis there.

The word "parallel" matters. These are not competing options where you pick one. Many of our customers use both on the same project: integrated loading for decision-making inside the workflow, external PLA for the final utility deliverable. That's where the name comes from.

Integrated Pole Loading: what we provide, what you bring

With Integrated Pole Loading, we provide:

• A built-in loading engine that calculates in real time as you work

• An optional Default Loading Catalog that covers some standard builds

• The tools to set up poles, wires, anchors, and equipment for analysis

• Real-time loading percentages displayed on each pole height photo

• Downloadable PLA reports (PDFs) for project documentation

• A bulk loading tool for running hundreds of poles at once

• A 3D view for validating how the model is rendering

You bring:

• A decision about whose specs the analysis should use (your utility client's, your own, or our defaults)

• Complete field data: traced 3rd party attachments, heights, pole specs, hardware bearings, anchor details

• Load cases (NESC construction grade, plus any custom cases your utility requires)

• Any utility-specific constraints that need to be built into the model

If you have a current SPIDAcalc client file or O-Calc Pro catalog, from your utility, we can import it and use those specs directly in the integrated engine. If you don't, you can still use our defaults. Just understand that our defaults and your utility's standards are not the same thing.

Katapult Engineering pro tip: Submitting a conservative loading report with our default catalog is a really great gesture that can get the ball rolling for a utility to provide their actual standards. It's hard to stonewall an attacher or vendor who is going the extra mile to do good engineering design.

Parallel Exports: what we provide, what you bring

This is the one that creates the most confusion in onboarding, so it's worth being direct: parallel exports are not a data product we hand to you. They're a translation layer.

We provide:

• Clean exports from your Katapult Pro job to SPIDAcalc (JSON), O-Calc Pro (PPLX), DDS—limited data sharing available with Ike PoleForeman

• A workflow that structures your field data, attachment traces, and make ready moves into the format each PLA platform expects

• Documentation on exactly how each field translates on export, so you can verify the model after import

• Tools to prep the job before export (Com Wire Spec, Hardware Details, Calc Bearings, Insert Anchor Spec, Fix Map Errors) so the resulting files are clean

You bring:

• A licensed seat of the external PLA platform you're exporting to

• The client file or catalog that matches the utility standards you're modeling against

• A P.E. or qualified designer to review the analysis results inside the external platform

• Knowledge of your utility's specific load cases and any deliverable requirements they've specified

The shift in expectation that matters: we're not providing pole loading data to you. We're structuring your field and engineering data so it flows cleanly into whichever PLA tool your utility mandates. The quality of the final analysis still depends on the specs you're loading against, and those specs come from the utility (or from your own engineering judgment if they haven't supplied them).

Which path to take, and when to use both

Most teams land on one of two patterns:

Integrated only. You're using Katapult Pro for make ready engineering on a project where the utility accepts the Katapult Pro loading engine and reports. Integrated loading gives you real-time feedback, fast iteration, and a defensible PDF report per pole. If you need a copy of our engine whitepaper for utility review, contact support!

Both in parallel. You use integrated loading to make real-time make ready decisions during the engineering pass. Then you export to SPIDA or O-Calc to generate the specific deliverable format the utility wants. The integrated engine acts as a fast feedback loop; the export produces the formal deliverable.

If you're not sure which path your project calls for, the first question to ask is: does the utility client have a mandated PLA deliverable format? If yes, you're doing parallel exports at minimum. If no, you have more flexibility.

Want to see both paths in action on your specific project type?

Schedule a working session with our team and we'll walk through your workflow end to end.

Part 2: The Readiness Checklist

Everything below applies regardless of which path you're taking. If any of this is missing or unclear when you start a project, pole loading will be harder than it needs to be.

1. Know your client file situation

This is the single biggest predictor of a smooth pole loading setup.

Best case: Your utility client has provided a current SPIDAcalc client file or O-Calc Pro catalog that reflects their current standards. You import it into your Katapult Pro model and you're ready to model poles that match their requirements.

Common case: You have something, but it's a few years old, it's partial, or it was inherited from a previous project and you're not sure if it's still current. You can still use it. Flag it as a risk and ask the utility to confirm or update.

Harder case: The utility has not supplied anything, and they don't plan to. This happens more than people expect, particularly with smaller cooperatives and municipal utilities. You have two options:

• Use Katapult Pro's default loading catalog, which produces conservative results. Submit with a clear note that utility-specific specs were not applied. In our experience, this is often the fastest path to getting the utility engaged, because they'll frequently respond with their actual standards once they see something concrete.

• Build out a custom catalog from scratch based on field observations and published standards. This is labor-intensive and should be scoped as its own work item with the utility's approval.

What you want to avoid is starting the project on the assumption that a client file is coming, then discovering weeks in that it isn't.

2. Verify the equipment specs on your pole inventory

Once your client file is imported, spot-check a few things before you start trusting the results.

Pole specs. Check that the pole heights, classes, and species you'll encounter on this project are all represented in the model. Wooden poles are straightforward. Steel poles use different terminology in the loading output (moment loading instead of stress loading).

Wire specs. Communication bundles and power conductors need diameter, weight, and tension characteristics. The Com Wire Spec tool inserts wire specs automatically based on the diameters you set on midspan markers, but it only pulls from the specs in your model. There is a different tool to assign conductor specs from deadend to deadend, which you can quickly draw on the map using our polygon tool. Most designers use utility power maps to assign conductor specs, but some experienced individuals can recognize spec just by looking at the conductors.

Anchor specs. Anchors are stored as a combination of rod and anchor type, each with holding strength values. Like with other attributes, if you imported a PLA catalog, you'll get a full list, which is usually more specs than you will actually use. Clean that list up in the Model Editor so your team picks from a sensible set.

Equipment specs. Transformers, capacitors, regulators, streetlights, cutouts, and custom equipment all need dimensional data for wind loading calculations. If a transformer is on the pole but the spec has no dimensions, the loading analysis will either throw a warning or silently leave it out.

Arm specs. Crossarm offsets are not always explicitly defined in imported catalogs and may need to be set manually after import. A five-minute audit here saves a surprise later.

3. Load cases and tensions: the hardest part

Tensions are the number one reason pole loading results don't match expectations. If the concepts of load cases, ruling span, or slack span tension are new to you, our Pole Loading 101 guide covers the underlying mechanics in more depth than we will here.

A load case defines the environmental conditions the pole is being analyzed under. NESC Construction Grade (Grade B, Grade C, Heavy, Medium, Light) is the most common, but your utility may require additional cases for ice loading, hurricane zones, or custom safety factors.

Wire tensions are set on each wire spec and represent the horizontal tension the cable is under at its rated loading condition. Tensions imported from external catalogs are assumed to be fully loaded horizontal tensions unless the catalog specifies otherwise. Individual wires can be flagged as slack or full using the Wire Tension attribute on the midspan marker. Custom tension values can be set per span using the Custom Tension attribute.

Here's the operational reality that catches teams off guard: tensions come from your utility client, not from us. Our default catalog uses conservative values, but if your utility has specific tension tables they want applied, those live in their client file. If they haven't given you one, you're working with our defaults (or whatever you can build) until they do.

Before you start loading, make sure:

• Each pole in the project has a Load Case attribute assigned (the integrated engine will not load a pole without one)

• Your wire specs have tension values that reflect your utility's standards, or a documented fallback to defaults

• Any wires that should be treated as slack have the Wire Tension attribute set accordingly

• Any unusual tension situations (point loads, custom values) are captured on the appropriate markers

4. Model and toolset configuration

This is the setup that happens once per model, not per job. If your model was set up for pole loading at the start, you can skip most of this. If pole loading is being added to an existing model, here's what needs to be true:

• Integrated Pole Loading is enabled. In the Model Editor guided setup, this is the "Include Integrated Pole Loading" checkbox. If you don't see it, reach out to our team.

• Skip Messengers is checked if you're using integrated loading alongside O-Calc or SPIDA exports.

• Pass Tensions Through to Export is checked for O-Calc Pro exports. We recommend leaving this on.

• Client file is imported. Your SPIDAcalc client file or O-Calc Pro catalog lives in the model.

• Required tools are imported into a toolset. At minimum: Com Wire Spec, Hardware Details, Calc Bearings, Insert Anchor Spec, Insert Pole Spec, Fix Map Errors, and, if running multiple poles at once, the Bulk Pole Loading tool.

• Load Case attribute is available on the pole node.

If any of this is missing when you go to load a pole, you'll get a red exclamation mark on the pole or a warning in the pole loading details. Neither is a disaster, but fixing it mid-project is slower than fixing it before you start. The external PLA setup guide covers model configuration for parallel exports in more detail.

5. Per-pole data hygiene before you hit Load

Once your model is configured, each pole still needs a baseline of data filled in for loading to work.

At the per-pole level, before you run integrated loading or export:

• All 3rd party attachments are traced (both existing and proposed)

• Heights are captured and the height photo is calibrated

• Pole spec is filled (height, class, species)

• Hardware bearings are set on arms, insulators, and equipment via Hardware Details or Calc Bearings

• Anchor specs are inserted (the Insert Anchor Spec tool handles this in bulk)

• Any down guys are linked to anchor nodes with proper connections

• Crossovers, push braces, and sidewalk braces are configured with the right node types if present

• Custom equipment (anything not in the catalog) has its bearing, dimensions, weight, and shape factor filled in

• The pole has a Load Case attribute assigned

Bearings are an easy thing to underweight, especially when teams are moving fast. They drive the directional force calculations on every pole, and inaccurate bearings can swing a loading result more than people expect. Our Pole Loading 101 guide covers why in more detail.

The Bulk Pole Loading tool will surface any pole that's missing required data, so running it early (even just to see the quality control window) is a reasonable way to audit readiness across a whole job.

The Readiness Checklist at a Glance

Before you load your first pole in Katapult Pro, confirm:

Client file

• Current client file, catalog, or database from your utility, or a documented decision to use defaults

• File imported into your Model Editor

Specs

• Pole specs cover all heights, classes, and species in scope

• Wire specs cover all cable types you'll encounter

• Anchor specs cleaned up to the rod and anchor combinations you actually use

• Equipment specs include dimensions for wind area calculations

• Arm specs have correct offsets

Load cases and tensions

• NESC construction grade and any utility-specific cases defined

• Wire tensions reflect utility standards or documented defaults

• Each pole will have a Load Case attribute assigned before loading

Model configuration

• Integrated Pole Loading enabled in the model

• Required tools imported into your toolset

• Skip Messengers and Pass Tensions Through set correctly for your export path

Per-pole data

• Attachments traced, heights captured, photo calibrated

• Pole spec, hardware bearings, and anchor specs filled

• Down guys linked to anchor nodes

• Custom equipment has complete dimensional data

Scope

• Concrete poles, multi-pole structures, or other limitations flagged and routed to external PLA if needed

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between integrated pole loading and parallel exports in Katapult Pro?

Integrated pole loading is a real-time analysis engine built into Katapult Pro that calculates loading percentages directly in the interface. Parallel exports are the ability to export your Katapult Pro job data cleanly into third-party PLA platforms like SPIDAcalc, O-Calc Pro, or DDS. Many customers use both: integrated loading for real-time make ready decisions, parallel exports to generate utility-mandated deliverable formats.

Do I need a SPIDAcalc or O-Calc Pro license to use pole loading in Katapult Pro?

Not for integrated pole loading. The integrated engine runs inside Katapult Pro and requires no external license. You would only need a SPIDAcalc or O-Calc Pro license if you're using parallel exports to generate deliverables in those platforms' native formats.

Can I do pole loading in Katapult Pro without a client file from my utility?

Yes. Katapult Pro includes a default loading catalog that produces conservative results you can submit with confidence. Be transparent with your utility client that utility-specific specs were not applied. In our experience, this often prompts them to share their actual standards, which gives you a better basis for the next project.

You Brought the Data. We Built the Tools.

Pole loading inside Katapult Pro works best when the split is clear: you bring the project specifics (utility standards, field data, engineering judgment), and we bring the engine, the interface, and the exports.

Pole loading software calculates exactly what you tell it to calculate, regardless of which platform you use. The readiness work above exists to make sure what you're telling Katapult Pro is accurate, complete, and reflects the standards your utility client expects.

We built this platform because we lived the problem. Katapult Engineering has been a practicing OSP engineering firm since the 1990s, and the friction you feel setting up pole loading is friction we felt first. The readiness checklist above exists because we've run these projects ourselves, hit these snags ourselves, and worked out what needs to be in place for the work to flow.

If you're still sorting out which path to take, whether a utility-supplied client file will cover your scope, or how to handle tensions when your client has not given you any, that's a 30-minute conversation worth having with our team. Onboarding is much easier when the expectations are set before the first pole.

Schedule a pole loading setup review