Name: Autodesk Advance Steel
Rating: 4.4 (18 reviews)
Author: GRAITEC

Advance Steel is a Dedicated Steel detailing package, the Software tool is a 3D modelling environment that then translates into a document management system.

The 3D model consists of intelligent structural objects such as Beams, Plates, Bolts and Welds, with these combined together using the Parametric Connection tools that can be propagated within the model via connection copying tools, the model then becomes the hub for the creation of General Arrangements, Shop Assembly and Part drawings to allow for fabrication.

Graitec offers its own PowerPack for Advance Steel, which has several additional section libraries and connections macros, expanding the ability of Advance Steel into specialist area’s such as Stairs and Railings with dedicated tools for these operations, offering Ball post, Key Clamp, glass infill types, Wall Rail along with tools for Steel Frame generation via the Structural Designer macro.

Autodesk Advance Steel can be purchased on a subscription basis as a standalone product or as part of the  Architecture, Engineering & Construction Collection depending on your workflow needs.

With all our software solutions we offer a Graitec Advantage Maintenance Contract. This maintenance contract is the solution to perpetuate your investment with the following benefits:

All product updates and upgrades are available during the term of the agreement. These updates can be minor or major versions.

By phone, e-mail or remote access our dedicated team will assist you for all your questions around our solutions simplifying your daily tasks.

Access to a dedicated customer portal with a personal user account. Tutorials, documentaions, downloads are available in this area.

Advance Steel provides the user with a large library of structural elements and design functions such as:

Generic industry components such as Frames, Bracings, Concrete Footings, etc.
Common Profiles and Sections
Various Roof systems
Miscellaneous Steelwork (stairs, railings, ladders, etc., including joints)
Complex folded plates (e.g., conical or twisted)
Welded, tapered and curved beams
Powerful Plate manipulation tools

Advance Steel works in 2D or 3D depending on the user's preference and the type of structure being modeled. Advance Steel supports all basic and widely adopted CAD concepts and functions (snap points, grip points, copy, etc.) promoting rapid adoption.

Advance Steel comes with a comprehensive library of customizable automatic joints (more than 300 joints), which increase the speed and efficiency of modeling connections.

In addition to the default library, Advance Steel also offers the possibility to create specific custom connections using a wide range of tools:

Polygonal cuts on plate and beam (cope, along centreline, polygonal, on the UCS, with an angle)
Placement of bolts, holes and shear studs
Welded connections

All custom connections, from simple to extremely complex, can be saved, previewed and reused from within the Connection template explorer, and even modified to suit other needs.

The enhanced Connection Vault streamlines workflow with the following features:

All connections in one place
Create and save favourites
Connection previews of possible combinations
Choose a connection and use it directly from the connection vault!

Advance Steel assigns automatic part marks to the entire model which can also be based on user defined numbering prefix method, starting number and increment. The powerful model checking tools is Advance Steel for element collisions, tool access (buildability), and consistency of element marks (fabrication, delivery and assembly) ensure accuracy and quality are maintained.

Knowledge Engineering: Advance Steel integrates a new adaptive technology that automates and significantly accelerates joint creation. When creating a joint, Advance Steel analyses its environment and recognizes if a similar situation has occurred in the past. The software then suggests the optimal joint in the desired category while taking into account its structural integrity. (*Only available for certain types of joints and standards.)

Specific joints and macros are provided in Advance Steel for modeling Cold Rolled. GRAITEC are working with cold rolled suppliers to update the ranges and joint settings in Advance Steel to make the process as efficient as possible.

Joints for purlins

These joints can be applied on supporting beams and plates (eg: cap plate on the top of a column) and offer many options, for example, the creation of stays.

The tools for connecting purlins to rafters are grouped in the Purlins & Cold Rolled category of the Connection Vault in Advance Steel.

Draw the beam manually and simply select the CR supplier from the Section drop down list in the Advance Properties box.

Alternatively, icons are provided to directly draw beams.

With the “Model Share” technology, Advance Steel users can work in a real multi-user mode to accelerate projects.

Advance Steel offers unrivalled, flexible and secure multi-user functionality offering:

Speed improvements to model a big project (multiple users working on the same DWG file)
Display performances (tools to display only selected elements)
Flexibility (joints can be created between elements modeled by different users)
Security (an element being used by one person cannot be modified by another)
Information (real-time information of model changes)

Once the design is completed, Advance Steel offers a wide range of automated functions to create all the fabrication and general arrangement drawings. A large range of formats (e.g. A4 to A0) and different page layout templates are available. Each detailed drawing is created as an individual DWG file. The details are automatically labeled and dimensioned. Templates are available for a wide range of uses and countries and the drawing layout may be customized with user specific requirements using the Drawing Style Manager.

Once the drawings are completed, bills of material (BOM), lists and NC files can be created. The user can select from different predefined or custom formats: content definition, insertion of logos, customizable sorting, etc.

Advance Steel Document Manager is a powerful yet user-friendly centralized time saving tool to check drawings, sort out details and print bills of materials.

Advance Steel automatically creates revision clouds in drawings for modifications compared to the previous status of the drawing. This considerably helps users have better control on changed elements after an automatic update of the drawings with a revision number and removes a high degree of risk.

Advance Steel also offers interoperability with Revit and GRAITEC Advance Design software to support a more connected BIM workflow. These tools allow for Interoperability/collaboration between Revit, Robot Structural Analysis, Plant3D and Graitec Advance Design. Advance Steel also has its own object enabler to allow for viewing of native drawings and models in an Autodesk platform like P3D, AutoCAD and BIM360.
Advance Steel has additional Extension options for Dynamo, MIS solutions supporting formats of KISS, XML, IFC, SFR and Graitec Advance Workshop.