As the name suggests, the new "Manual Boltings" functions can be used to manually place bolts or even entire bolt assemblies (i.e. bolts, washers and nuts). In other words, whenever no fasteners are placed automatically by SolidSteel parametric for Autodesk Inventor.
To place fasteners, all you have to do is select a hole feature. Both normal holes and slotted holes are supported. After selecting the placement location, all you have to do is select the appropriate set in the usual bolt manager and SolidSteel parametric places the fasteners according to the specifications. The placed screws are treated as normal connections – they automatically change their position if necessary when parametric changes are made, appear as correct positions in the parts list and can also be removed again if required using the SolidSteel parametric functions.
Custom connections are an important use case for the manual boltings. The manually placed fasteners can be used to create custom connections of almost any complexity, even if the bolts were not created by a SolidSteel parametric function such as the end plate.

The most important new feature of the Custom Connections is the support for linear cuts. Features are supported both at part level and at assembly level.
With this extension, cut features can be taught in when custom connections are created and these are recreated in the same position when the connection is rebuilt. This can be used for processing the profiles involved or for processing the sheets.
For example, weld seam preparations, manual or tool openings, decorative cut-outs and all other processes that would otherwise have to be laboriously created manually can be realized in this way.

In addition to the cutting features, the new version 1.1.0b of SolidSteel parametric for Autodesk Inventor now also allows 180° connections in the Custom Connections - i.e. connections where two profiles meet collinearly. This makes it possible to create individual butt joints with or without liner plates, welded transitions with complex seam preparations or stiffeners, or even butt plate joints.

Why should you do the same tasks over and over again when the computer can do it for you? We asked ourselves the same question and came to the conclusion: There's a better way! The result: AI Connections
During the placement of custom connections, an intelligent algorithm optionally searches the entire assembly for geometrically identical installation situations, allowing the same connections to be placed in any number of places in the assembly at once.
With the AI Connection function of SolidSteel parametric for Autodesk Inventor, you not only get a function that saves you a lot of time – you also get a function that enables you to find identical installation situations that you may not even have had in mind. This means you don't create any unnecessary, dissimilar parts. The same installation situation = the same typical steel design connection and therefore the same parts.
Are you worried that artificial intelligence is becoming more and more prevalent in more areas of our lives? And what could be worse than a system that wants to be intelligent but isn't?
With the AI Connection feature of SolidSteel parametric for Autodesk Inventor, you always have control over all placements and don't have to worry – the software makes suggestions, but you decide. Always!

Typical steel design connections in the Inventor Frame Generator

Would you like to easily place typical steel design connections such as end plates, gusset plates, ribs or entire frame corners in your Inventor Frame Generator models? With SolidSteel parametric for Autodesk Inventor, you can do this with just a few clicks.
Watch the video to see how quickly the SolidSteel parametric Beam Converter converts the frame generator model into a SolidSteel parametric model and uses basic functions to place all the necessary connections typical of steel design in just a few minutes.

Steel detailing of your Revit models

The saying "pictures say more than 1000 words" is particularly true here. Watch the video to see how quickly a steel frame designed with Revit can be fully detailed - including all typical steel design connections such as end plates, frame corners, angle connections and much more.
The process chain is continuous and extremely simple:

1. Import the Revit model into Autodesk Inventor

2. Convert the model into intelligent parts using the Beam Converter

3. Use all SolidSteel parametric functions for detailing - including AI Connections, of course.