What’s New in the Graitec PowerPack for Advance Steel 2020

The Graitec Powerpack 2020 for Advance Steel has been released today, the Powerpack is Graitec’s extension to Advance Steel which gives users more modelling tools, connections, templates, sections and data and this blog will run through what’s new in the 2020 release.

Connection Vault – The Powerpack gives users 29 additional connections, for the 2020 release there is now a connection vault which organises all the connections, making it easier for users to navigate between the connections.

Export model to PDF 3D – Not all clients have access to software which allows them to orbit and explore a 3D Model, the Graitec Powerpack allows Advance Steel users to create a 3D PDF of their model for their clients to view alongside the typical plan and elevation drawings.

Special Parts Manager – Based on the users input the Special Part Manager allows users to add non-standard special parts which can then be linked to the connections in the Powerpack, for the 2020 release the special parts used in the Threaded rod connection can be controlled via the special part manager.

Asymmetric Pattern – To compliment the Staggered connection a new connection has been added; Asymmetric Pattern, this allows the user to create non-uniformly spaced patterns of bolts, anchors, holes and shear studs.

Check SP & MP drawings – It can be difficult to keep track of what elements have been detailed and what elements haven’t, Graitec have added 2 new tools into the 2020 Powerpack which will search the model for Single Parts and Main Parts that don’t have a corresponding detail drawing and then mark them in the model.

Not only have we added these new tools in the 2020 Powerpack we have improved on some of the existing features of the Powerpack, below is a breakdown of the improvements.

Platform cover & Floor cover – These are already very powerful macros allowing users to cover a platform based on the beam selection, for the 2020 release the following enhancements have been made.

1. Bolts – These two macros now have the ability to create bolts allowing users to bolt the flooring to the selected beams, the properties can be controlled individually per edge or the same parameters can be applied for all edges and covers.
   
2. New creation criteria – In previous Powerpacks you needed to have a closed platform, for the 2020 version more flexibility has been added to the macros allowing users to create floor covers based on 2 beams even if the shape is not closed.
   
3. Split cover by points – The platform covers can now be split by point selection in addition to the beam selection input.

Plate multiple bracings – back to back profiles – The “Plate multiple bracing” connection can now apply to both compound beams and bracing members modelled as independent back to back profiles.

Export model to ACIS Grids – With one click the Powerpack allows users to export an entire model to ACIS or DWG format, the 2020 version now includes the option to explode Gridlines.

Setting DWG / DXF explode format – The “Explode drawings” command allows users to explode drawings and move the details to paperspace mode, convert dimensions to AutoCAD dimensions (not applicable to dimensions which are clipped) the user can now specify which AutoCAD version the drawings are exploded to, this option also applies when exploding a model to DWG format.

Structure Designer – The structure designer allows you to model complete buildings with one dialogue box, in the 2020 version of the Powerpack users are now able to customise the profile selections. This means you can model any building with any section, we can now model entire timber structures if required or model with any User Section.

Watch the video below for a more in-depth overview into each feature: