SolidSteel parametric is a parametric CAD solution for structural steel design and is perfect and optimized for the fast and simple design of structural steel designs of any kind.
Even complex steel designs can be changed almost in arbitrary ways afterwards. It doesn't matter if profiles are changed, length and offsets are changes or complete components are repositioned. All the component will be adjusted to the new situation automatically, even if there are complex changes like miter cuts at profiles, other end plate dimensions or changed angles caused by other shaped gusset plates or frame corners.
SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS will be delivered with a comprehensive profile library. This library contains a huge number of European profile types as well as American profile types in accordance with ASTM. Of cause the library can be extended by own profiles and profile rows.
The position of all profiles dann be changed independent of the system line. Profiles can be rotated along their longitudinal axis, moved parallel to their system line and offsets can be set independent of each other at the start points as well as at the end points of the profiles. Start and endpoints of the profiles can be reversed.
Apart from the typical steel connections, there are different possibilities to cut profiles or to place miter cuts in SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS after placing the profiles. In every trim functions, a gap can be set. Copes or notches are typical manufacturing processes in steelwork and you can find them in many different situations. From now on, even this complex cut type is possible with SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS. The tolerance, the length and the height of the cope can be set manually.
Forgot a system line on the sketch? Or you just have a complex steel design? No problem at all. With the intelligent functions of SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS you can easily place profiles from one sketch point to another.
There are the same functions available to place the profiles from point to point than for placing them on sketch lines. Of cause all the typical steel connections and trimming functions are available, too.
Using the comfortable functions of SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS simple as well as complex trim cuts can be done with just a few clicks. No matter if it is a miter cut, a cope cut or an complex contour cut. After selecting the profiles, the cut will be added automatically. In all cutting functions a gap between the surfaces can be added. So tolerances can be changed or there is just a gap for welding.
In all cuts there are no external references or links between the parts. Nevertheless all the edits are done at the parts and not as an assembly feature.
For the best efficiency and short selections lists, SolidSteel parametric offers just the end plate types, which are fitting to the selected profiles following to the standards. In combination with the clear preview mode, the correct end plate connection can be placed very fast.
The delivered end plate library contains bend-proofed end plates for I beams in accordance with the German standard reference "typisierte Anschlüsse im Stahlhochbau". Multiple users can work with a shared library, if its stored in a network drive. Of cause all the parameters like the size of the end plates, the hole pattern and much more can be set individually in comfortable menus. These user defined end plates can be created, stored and reused.
During the creation of the end plates, the bolts and complete bolt sets can be selected. Therefor we have our comfortable bolt assistant which is part of every SolidSteel parametric installation.
Gusset plates can be design with just a few clicks in SolidSteel parametric. In this process, the profiles will be adjusted, the gusset plate will be placed and the hole pattern will be transferred to the profile.
Some changes of the structural steel design may force a change of the angle of the bracings. So a complete new shape of the gusset plates is necessary. Even in those cases, SolidSteel parametric is going to change the shape of the gusset plates automatically.
Stiffeners can be placed very comfortable with SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS. They can be placed at specific points in a profile or along existing edges in the construction. There are three different types of corners available for the stiffeners. Also you can select if the stiffener fills the complete profile width or for example just the half. In both cases all of the dimensions can be changed manually.
Depending on the individual user settings, stiffeners will be automatically placed in welded component assemblies. Therefor a beam is always the main part and the welded components like the stiffeners are the side parts.
Staps, fish joints and others are also available in SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS in different shapes. To create this connections you always select between two surfaces or a beam and a surface. All the settings like the hole pattern or the size can be set individually in comfortable menus.
In many cases, profiles are just screwed together. Therefore appropriate boreholes in the profles are necessary. Now this function is available in SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS, too. During the creation of the boreholes, the bolts and complete bolt sets can be selected. Therefor we have our comfortable bolt assistant which is part of every SolidSteel parametric installation.
In the new version of SolidSteel parametric, classic clip angle connections can be placed very easy and fast. The connections made of L beams can be placed between two surfaces in the construction.
A library with standard clip angle connections is in delivery. So you can use the standard connections, you can take a standard connection and edit it or you can create a complete individual clip angle connection. The individual connections can be stored in the database and so a user defined standard library can be build up.
The effort of the design of a frame corner with a great number of single parts will be reduced with SolidSteel parametric to just a few mouse clicks... Selecting some profiles, setting the frame corner parameters - finished!
Additionally all the single functions like end plates, haunch plates and stiffeners can be combined with each other. So any frame corner is very variably and can be designed in any ways. No matter if the dimensions should be changed or the definition for the used parts like the thickness of the sheet metal parts or end plate details. Everything is variable and flexible.
Industrial stairs can be created with a few clicks and within some seconds with SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS. Therefor the start point and the endpoint of the stair can be selected in directly the 3D model. As known from the other functions of SolidSteel parametric, the flight of stairs can be edited individually. Stair landing platforms can be created, offsets for floor heights can be added or the position of the stair can be changed individually. During the creation of the stair up to 6 beams will be created, cut with a miter cut and placed in the welded component assembly automatically. Also the stair steps will be placed, the boreholes will be placed into the stringer and the necessary bolts will be created.
Libraries
For the creation of the stair stringers the comprehensive profile library of SolidSteel parametric is available. Additionally for the stairs there is a library with stair steps available. The library contains more than 100 different standard stair steps. Of cause this library can be extended by user defined steps. There are no limits.
Changes
If user defined limit values are crossed, SolidSteel parametric sends a warning to the user, that the stair might be not correct during the creation of the stair or an parametric change of the design. So the user always has the control, that the stair fits into the requirements of the current project.
With SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS, railings of almost all kinds can be placed. The software uses templates for this, which can be set up either with SolidSteel parametric, with SOLIDWORKS or a combination of both programs. There are no limits to your creativity. Whether a railing made of stainless steel with glass elements, a railing with wooden handrail, a harp railing or a classic industrial railing made of steel.
If a railing is placed, only the position has to be defined in the 3D model and SolidSteel parametric creates an independent copy of the template file and adapts it to the new installation situation. Of course, the number of posts, the railing height and many other parameters can then be changed fully parametrically. You as the user determine the number of changeable parameters. SolidSteel parametric gives you maximum freedom.
Bills of Material can be exported to Excel. Therefor new individual templates can be used. Those templates control the the look as well as the content of the bill of material.
Extract of the possible contents: position number, assembly, name, weight, commercial weight, coat area, cutting information, amout and many more.
Position numbers can be assigned automatically as well as manually. Many user defined settings like the allocation of special number ranges for different parts or the selection of individual separators complements this process.
The used templates are build up in a clear XML scheme and can be built up by the end user or by the sales partner depending on the personal XML knowledge.
A usual excel sheet can be used as an individual header. This header may contain a logo, the address, order number and many other general information.
The award process of position numbers is an important aspect of the creation of bills of material. In SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS the position numbers are awarded by an powerful algorithm. At the same time the geometrical detection for similar parts is running and checks if there are similar parts in the design. If yes, of cause they get the same position number.
If you change the design after the award of the position numbers, SolidSteel parametric checks if that has an effect on the position numbers of the parts. A possible conflict can be that there are different parts with a similar position number. Because of the intelligent management of the parts, the user will get an warning and is able to solve the conflict. So you can be sure to have always correct bills of material.
If you don't want an Excel Export for your bills of material or if you want to have the bill of material on you SOLIDWORKS drawing, you can do that by using the standard SOLIDWORKS functions. All the necessary data are written into the user specific part properties.
By using the SolidSteel parametric position numbers, you can also use the geometrical detection for similar parts. This is even possible for welded component assemblies, not only for single parts.
Often the real work begins only after the design process is finished. When all the beams and sheets are finished into details, shop drawings need to be done for all the single parts. Here SolidSteel parametric supports with its special functions for the automated creation of shop drawings for beams as well as for sheets.
The software is using intelligent and powerful algorithms and finds all the things at the parts which needs to be dimensioned. Miter cuts, cope cuts, single boreholes or complex hole pattern will be taken into account. If the beam is to long, break lines will be placed automatically.
For the individual design of the drawings you can use all the well known SOLIDWORKS functions. SolidSteel parametric is placing the shop drawings of the beams or sheets on a usual SOLIDWORKS drawing template which can be edited individually.
Using modern nesting programs dozens of sheet metal parts can be cut off a huge sheet nearly automatically. Most of those software solutions can use DXF drawings to place the sheet metal parts in an perfect way without using to much material.
In SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS there is a special DXF Export available. The software exports the sheet metal parts automatically in DXF format to an user defined storage place. So all data files are available for an perfect subsequent processing.
With the SDNF interface of SolidSteel parametric for SOLIDWORKS it is very easy to cooperate with external software solutions for structural analysis.
SDNF is a general interface for the data exchange of steelwork constructions. Complete steelwork constructions can be imported and exported in the SDNF format only with a few clicks.
For creating a structural analysis with an external solution the SolidSteel parametric steelwork construction can be exported in the SDNF format and imported into the solution for structural analysis. Now it is possible to add missing data like supports, degrees of freedom, loads and complete the structural analysis.
In many cases the analysis causes changes which must be transferred into the SOLIDWORKS steelwork construction. For this purpose the construction must be exported from the static program and imported into SOLIDWORKS.
Now the intelligent algorithms of the SolidSteel parametric import function compare the new imported construction with the existing model. If the importer detects changes (e.g. profile sizes, rotations, deleted/added beams) these changes will be listed in the To-Do list of SolidSteel parametric. Now the user can process this To-Do list step by step and it is ensured that no item can be forgotten.
An important following process of a steel construction is the export of the NC data. This data can be send directly to the manufacturing machines.
Using the additional to SolidSteel parametric available DSTV Assistant, NC data can be exported in DSTV format. Sawing angles, cope cuts or boreholes. All these necessary information for manufacturing are stored in the NC data files.
go to DSTV Assistant