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Advance Steel is specifically designed for steel professionals who require an easy-to-use 3D structural steel detailing software for automating drawing production. Advance Steel is affordable, user-friendly steel detailing software that automates the entire structural CAD process (fabrication, erection drawings, various reports) and creates NC fabrication data.

100% Dedication to Steel Construction

Historically based on the AutoCAD platform, Advance Steel 2013 allows users to use their software with or without AutoCAD®. In fact, the product includes its own graphics engine, and the user can select the desired CAD platform. Regardless of the selected platform, all the essential functionality of the software is retained, as well as DWG® compatibility.

Advance Steel is a modelling package that accelerates the creation of general arrangement drawings, fabrication drawings, lists of
materials and NC files: using a complete library of structural elements, parametric and customisable connections, wizards for miscellaneous steel (stairs, railings, etc), materials library.

From the model Advance Steel can create all fabrication drawings and offers a large selection of tools for automated detail creation, dimensions, annotations, symbols and drag and drop printing layouts.


Structural Modelling                                                                                                                         

		All the tools are provided for fast and efficient modeling. Creating a precise model is important since Advance Steel will subsequently create all project documents (drawings, lists, NC files) from this model. In the first step, Advance Steel provides the user with a large library of structural elements and design functions such as: Common Industry Frames, Bracings, etc. Common Profiles Common Roofs Steelwork (stairs, railings, ladders, etc., including joints) Complex folded plates (e.g., conical or twisted) Welded, tapered and curved beams Plates management tools
Model courtesy from PKD (Czech Republic)				Model courtesy from DANTU Drafting (South Africa)
Model courtesy from STRUBAT Ingénierie (France)				Model courtesy from Ets J-C FASSLER (France)

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 CAD concepts and functions (snap points, grip points, copy, etc.).

In the second step, Advance Steel has libraries of customizable automatic joints (more than 300 joints), which increase the speed and efficiency of modeling connections. 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 centerline, polygonal, on the UCS, with an angle) Placement of bolts, holes and shear studs Welded connections

Advance Steel provides all the necessary tools to create, save and reusefrom simple to complex custom connections. The saved custom connections can be previewed and used from the Connection template explorer, they can be then modified or copied using its blue cuboid.

The new Connection Vault has the following features: All connections in one place See connection previews with various possibilities Choose a connection and use it directly from the connection vault! Advance Steel assigns automatic part marks. Through dialog boxes, the user can define the numbering prefix, method, starting number and increment. Advance Steel will then proceed to final checking: element collisions, tool access (buildability), and consistency of element marks (fabrication, delivery and assembly).

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).

New Joint Design Engine Advance Steel can now automatically design common joints within the user interface. To create a joint the user specifies the efforts (kip) and Advance Steel quickly designs the joint. The correct type and quantity of bolts, plate thickness, etc., are automatically inserted in the model and a full design report is created! Click above for a streaming video on Advance Steel

Learn more about connection design according to Eurocodes 3 in Advance Steel...

Advance Steel 2012: CAD platform freedom                                                                                  

The new stand alone version of Advance Steel has also allowed GRAITEC to simplify the user interface by focusing on and organising the industry specific functionality of the software and the BIM integration.

Version 2012 also has many other improvements and innovations requested by customers all around the world, for example, the option to group similar connections to manage and change them in a single operation. Advance Steel 2012 also provides an overall improvement in drawing quality. It increases user productivity and protects the production and management of documentation of their steel construction projects.

Sheet and plate metal work

Model courtesy from PlanungsburoHeuer (Germany)Model courtesy from Solespam (France)		Model courtesy from Solespam (France)
Advance Steel is the only CAD software for steel structures that easily models sheet metal work. It only takes two clicks to create an element, for example, a conical shape from two CAD entities (circle, square, etc.) or between two profiles with different diameters. The drawings for these shapes are automatically obtained along with their unfolded representation.

Multi-user collaboration

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)

The multi-user functionality is part of the Advance Steel Premium package.

Automated drawing creation                                                                                                             

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. The drawing layout may be customized with specific requirements using the Drawing Style Manager.

Model courtesy from DANTU Drafting (South Africa)

General Arrangement drawings Automated creation of an isometric view from the project, with many different label possibilities. 2D drawings, such as elevation, anchor or roof plans are automatically labeled and dimensioned. Function for automated view creation on the drawing for special situations such as a complex detail or a base point with the foundation. Flexibility in the choice of the presentation rules for the details.

Fabrication drawings Creation of individual fabrication drawings for single and assembly parts Automated drawing creation by processes All parts automatically dimensioned and labeled with the required information Dimension lines can be presented as Relative, Running or Ordinate Function for part unfolding and tube templates Required cuts from the main view will be created automatically

Model courtesy from Konstruktoriu cechas (Lithuania) Model courtesy from Marshall Stairs (UK)

The Final Touch Automated creation of a view when adding a cut line or other detail Ability to change scale, clipping and presentation within the drawing Additional dimension lines (e.g. Arc, Angle….) can be created and modified Quick additional label insertion by selecting the information directly from the model Automatic unfold of a spiral stairs tread Model courtesy from Heurtey Petrochem (Romania)

Document management

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, customisable sorting, etc. Advance Steel Document Manager is a user-friendly centralised 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.

BIM technology : GRAITEC software interoperability and ntegration

All Graitec programs can now easily communicate with the new BIM format that allows the exchange of models between applications and also the model's synchronisation, with no data loss and no need to re-input data!

Discover how Advance Steel is compatible with Autodesk Revit Structure.

Advance Steel Video's and Webinars

For construction engineers and detailers seeking to improve their productivity and optimise their designs. GRAITEC offers a complete integrated CAD / Design solution for all reinforced concrete and steel construction projects.

Take a look to the following videos and webinars to see how Advance Steel can benefit your business...contact a member of the GRAITEC UK Team on 0844 543 8888 for further information.




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