Cuts can also be removed at any time via a convenient user interface with excellent visual feedback.

End plates are a very basic connection element in steel design and are used in a wide variety of installation situations. SolidSteel parametric for Autodesk Inventor provides the ability to place end plates with just a few clicks. It creates the end plate (or two in the case of a double end plate), automatically cuts the profile, creates the holes in the connecting part, inserts the bolt sets, and optionally creates welded assemblies.

In addition to standard settings such as material thickness, sheet size, etc., you can also select the screws, define the hole pattern, or rotate the plates.

For special shapes, such as end plates with flow openings or rounded corners, it is possible to save individual templates.

The European DAST catalog is already saved as a preset and generates the end plates including the HV screw set.

Ribs or stiffeners in open profiles such as I and U profiles are also standard in almost all steel structures. SolidSteel parametric for Autodesk Inventor provides a wide range of options for placing or designing ribs.

Basically, ribs can be placed in two ways:

Gusset plates are particularly challenging to design because, in addition to an already complex shape, they must change not only in position but also in geometry when a parametric modification is made.
SolidSteel parametric for Autodesk Inventor does the work for you. After selecting the bolted face and the welded face, a preview of the gusset appears immediately. After just a few settings or selecting a preset, the gusset plate is automatically created and optionally sorted into the appropriate welded assembly.

The entire geometry of the gusset plate can be modified in an easy-to-use dialog. Positioning of bolts, spacings, profile cuts, chamfers, and much more. There are three basic types of gussets, representing the most common shapes.

If you use a bracing in your design where drill holes are already present, the gusset plate can optionally adopt them automatically, so that the hole patterns fit perfectly on top of each other.

With SolidSteel parametric for Autodesk Inventor, you can create clip angle connections in seconds.
By selecting two faces, the angles are placed and can be individually aligned with optional offsets. The legs of the angle can be either welded or bolted. If welded, welded assemblies can be created automatically. For bolted angles, the hole patterns can be defined individually. As with all connections, the software supports this with a visual preview of the installation situation directly in the 3D model.

Optionally, double clip angles can be created directly. The first angle is mirrored on the second surface. Of course, the software analyzes the component and immediately creates the correct offset to avoid penetration.

The European DAST catalog is already stored as a preset and creates the angle connections according to the selection, including the HV screw set.

With over 50 years of experience in steel construction, we know that in most cases there is a combination of several standard connections:

• A cope cut, a double clip angle and a rib.

• One end plate, 2 pairs of ribs

• etc.

There are also connections that require special parts, such as lower chord haunches, crane eyes or very special types of connections.

For all these types of applications there is the so-called Custom Connections.

This feature allows you to create individual, user-defined connections and use them over and over again. All profiles that meet in the joint are selected and then all joint parts are selected. These parts do not have to be SolidSteel parametric components, but can be parts designed manually in Autodesk Inventor.

The dependencies of the parts, as well as their position within the connection, are stored in an intelligent database, and you can use the connection over and over again. Not just in the first assembly, but in all projects.

In addition to saving an immense amount of time in the normal design process, SolidSteel parametric's Custom Connections for Autodesk Inventor also allows you to create almost any complex structural steel connection with dozens of components, such as frame corners, columns, and much more.

The railing feature complements the stair module, but can also be used for balcony railings and other fall protection.

The railings are template-based and can be customized to fit your needs.

With the railing function, it is possible to create functional industrial railings, but also to design railings with glass panels, for example, which are more likely to be used in residential or office buildings.

SolidSteel parametric provides a bidirectional SDNF interface for structural analyses.

SDNF stands for Steel Detailing Neutral File and is a text-based exchange format between structural engineers and designers.
File sizes remain small even for large designs and can be easily sent via email.

The SDNF file contains all the information about the structure required for the structural analysis. After the calculation and dimensioning, any necessary changes can be saved in the SDNF file.
When re-importing into SolidSteel parametric, you have various options for entries in the ToDo-Manager – so you always have an overview and can adapt your structure to the structural requirements in the shortest possible time.

It is also possible to use existing SDNF files to automatically place all the profiles of the structure described in the SDNF file into a blank assembly in a matter of seconds, and then detail the structure as usual using the SolidSteel parametric features.

Shop drawings are a key interface between design and manufacturing.

Creating the drawings is usually a time-consuming task, and keeping all drawings up to date, even when design changes are made, is not only time consuming, but also annoying.

The automatic shop drawing feature save you a lot of work and give you a clear management interface so you always know how up-to-date your drawings are.
Drawings that are affected by changes are highlighted in the drawing overview, allowing you to make targeted updates.

You are in full control, of sheet sizes or the type of dimensioning (chain or ordinate dimensioning), for example. If required, drawings can be provided with component-related BOMs, which, like the drawings themselves, are updated at the push of a button when changes are made.

The ToDo Manager is the central and well-arranged place to organize notes for yourself and colleagues you work with on a project, or automatically generated entries, e.g. from an SDNF import (see above) or an update.

ToDos are linked to assemblies and can be viewed by anyone working on those assemblies. They can be subsequently modified or deleted after the tasks have been completed.

The entries in the ToDo Manager can be sorted by topic. For "intelligent" ToDos, such as the SDNF import (see SDNF video above), functions such as changing profile types can be called directly from the ToDo Manager.

The Diagnostics tab allows for quick analysis of the design, and all components, connections, stairs, sections, etc. are listed in a tree structure.

Usually you should only see green check marks in the list. If there is something wrong, you will be able to see it at a glance by the red X, and in most cases you will be able to fix the problem directly from the Diagnostics feature.