Advance Steel

3D Structural Modelling,
Detailing and Manufacturing
for AutoCAD

2D 3D Steelwork Composite

Portals Multi- Storey Commercial Residential

Your Solution
Your System Industrial Bridges
Advance Steel

‘UFO Zoetermeer’ Sports Hall - CSM

100% Dedicated to
Steel Construction
Advance Steel is a powerful 3D modelling, detailing and material listing system for
all structural and secondary steelwork. Recruitment of steelwork detailers and their
training is made easy as Advance Steel runs in AutoCAD, the construction industry
standard platform. Additional user friendly features include a wide range of drag
and drop intelligent objects (profiles, joints, etc.), parametric macros, single click
functions and visual management tools to help automate the entire process.

Features
• Fully integrated with AutoCAD
• International section and bolt libraries
• Comprehensive support for cold rolled products
• Automated connection detailing
• Sophisticated clash detection
• Automatic production of drawings & lists
• Production of CNC (DSTV and DXF) files
• Secondary steelwork (including ladders, stairs)
 Detailing
Quickly create a structure’s geometry,
member properties, connection types
and materials.

Stairs and Ladders

Automated Connection Detailing

Model

Royal Naval Submarine Museum

- Hawk Structures

Cold Rolled Sections

Create Your Structure

Advance Steel’s object oriented functionality provides you with powerful tools to quickly create a structure’s geometry, member
properties, connection types and materials. You can use real sections to dictate the necessary detailing requirements and solve
practical problems whilst generating the model. All elements within the building model - beams, columns, plates, bolts, etc. are
intelligent objects which retain their individual set of parameters for easy editing. Grid tools will assist with the initial layout of the
main members, whilst easy-to-use frame generators speed up the creation of most typical frame types. Advance Steel identifies
and allocates identical part numbers automatically at any stage of modelling. Work with multiple models and drawings using
standard AutoCAD functionality.

Automate Connection Detailing Detail Stairs and Ladders

Model commonly used joint types with the Use macros, tools and other facilities to detail
help of powerful parametric macros. secondary steelwork. Detail stairs, handrails,
Assemble individual components interactively spiral stairs, ladders, cladding, etc. Itemise
to detail unusual joint types. Enter values in separately, if required.
moveable tabbed dialog boxes for connection
macros and save joint settings for future re- Check with Powerful Clash Detection
use. See the model update with every input. Clash check using powerful internal clash
detection engine. Use a single mouse click
Exploit Comprehensive Hot Rolled to check entire model. Detect all collisions
Section Libraries between members, plates, bolts and even
Utilise international hot rolled section profiles the root radii of hot rolled sections. It is even
and create compound, welded, tapered and possible to clash check against standard
custom sections as required. Add user- AutoCAD objects in the model.
defined profiles of any shape. Model and
detail curved members of any profile and
create plates in any shape and thickness.
Add and customise Bolt Libraries to suit
company and project requirements, or define
your own bolt and weld symbols for automatic
use later in drawings and details.
“We now feel that our
in-house team can offer
more than rival companies,
Utilise Cold Rolled Products
as our software is better.”
Enjoy full support for a comprehensive range
of cold rolled sections and components. John Bennett,
Click on manufacturer icons to easily access Hawk Structures,
their supported products. All main cold rolled Advance Steel CAD Manager
connections are ‘generic’, meaning a change
in manufacturer will update all connections
automatically.
Produce drawings at any stage
of the modelling process.

Document Manager

Drawing Style Manager

Create and Output Your Drawings

Produce drawings at any stage of the modelling process. Advance Steel can automatically create all the drawings you need for
fabrication and construction from an easy to use menu while utilising best-fit scaling and automatic drawing sheet sizing. These
include general arrangement drawings, fabrication drawings, part details and developed template drawings for tubes, folded
profiles and complex folded plates such as boxes, cones etc. To aid the understanding of complex structures and to assist with
the resolution of problems, Advance Steel can also produce 3D stick or solid drawings of the model. These realistic 3D images
assist clients and architects in visualising the structure.

Document Manager Output CNC and Other File Formats

Monitor drawing revisions with a built-in drawing
management system and automatically update
them to reflect subsequent model changes. All
superseded drawings are automatically backed
up for future reference when evaluating contract
variations etc. Preview drawings, lists and NC
data from this single access point and batch plot
multiple drawings to a printer or as electronic files.
Create CNC files for direct input to fabrication
machinery. Communicate to a fabrication
machine console via a local area network,
or across the Internet. Interface to all leading
fabrication machines via the common DSTV
and DXF NC file formats. Transfer models to
and from other design and CAD systems via
SDNF, CIS/2, STAAD, PSS and DXF file formats.

Create Reports and Lists
You can also create all material lists and other
reports directly from the model. Advance Steel
includes many predefined report formats (material
lists, bolt lists etc.) and supports custom templates:
content definition, customisable sorting, logos and
pictures. Control the content of material lists, plate
lists, saw lists, assembly lists, bolt lists and even
lists for ‘Special Parts’ (AutoCAD objects). These
lists can then be printed or exported in various file
formats such as PDF, XLS and many others.
Via the powerful AutoCAD platform, 2D and
even 3D DWF files can be created for easy
sharing of model and drawing information by
email, or across the internet using Autodesk’s
FREE DWF viewer. Export of models to other
3rd party software such as NavisWorks ® is
also possible if installed.

Customise Desktop and Drawing Styles

Create your own custom toolbars and pull-down
menus. Use Viewports to split modelling/drawing
area. Customise the layout and style of drawings
to your company, client or project requirements.
Use the ‘Drawing Style Manager’ and ‘Process
Manager’ to control the paper size, dimensioning,
presentation and labelling, etc., for GA drawings
and automated shop details.
 Mezzanine Floors

Advance Steel is the UK’s market leading 3D CAD

software for designing and detailing mezzanine floors.
The mezzanine macro provides a simple and fast way of
creating cold rolled deck beams in handed pairs within
a defined floor area. Comprehensive setting out options,
choice of cold rolled sections and automatic modelling
of tie bars create a floor in seconds. The user’s choice
of hot or cold rolled main beams can be connected to the
columns and deck beams along with bracings, stairs and
handrailing via automatic parametric macros. Drawings
and part lists can be produced automatically, as required,
along with NC files and other electronic deliverables.

The large AutoCAD user base, shorter

learning curve, and smooth file exchange
between project partners (DWG), make
Advance Steel an essential investment.

AutoCAD and Architectural Desktop Support

Working within AutoCAD ensures a
flexible and solid industry standard
software platform that reduces running costs and risks. The
large AutoCAD user base, shorter learning curve, and smooth
file exchange between project partners (DWG), make Advance
Steel an essential investment. Advance Steel objects can also
be created in other AutoCAD solid models for integration with
other disciplines.
Operate your Advance Steel software with
ADT and benefit from combined models,
including brickwork & concrete ADT objects.
ADT brings additional benefits that include
better fit of steelwork to existing structures
and visualisation of the finished job before
it is fabricated.
From a technical point of view, Advance Steel uses the latest
and most powerful 100% AutoCAD compliant development
technology: Object ARX. Experienced AutoCAD users can
incorporate Advance Steel commands into their AutoCAD
lisp routines for even more automation. AutoCAD Grips make
member editing, manipulation and stretching very quick and
easy. AutoCAD Multiple UNDO/REDO - can be used to quickly
examine alternative modelling solutions and correct input
errors. Dynamically view models with AutoCAD ‘Real-time’ Pan,
Zoom and Rotate functions in wire frame, hidden line, shaded
or rendered presentations.
CADS offer a combination of training,
support and a maintenance contract. This
ensures that you can fully exploit all that
Advance Steel has to offer your business.
Detailer Training
Adequate and appropriate detailer training has been shown
to reduce the overall learning time and increase the return on
capital investment. To this end we regularly run 2, 3 and 5 day
Advance Steel courses. These courses are formal and are
supported by a complete set of notes which trainees keep and
can refer to later. All trainees are assessed and their previous
experience, type of work and ability are all taken into account,
and the course may be adapted accordingly.
Advance Steel Support
Advance Steel support is provided by the CADS central
helpdesk via email, fax and telephone.
Software Maintenance
FREE Upgrades are provided under CADScover, our software
maintenance and support contract.

Hardware / Software Requirements

These are MINIMUM requirements. Faster hardware will improve performance for large or complex models accordingly:
• PC with Pentium Processor minimum One of the following installed operating One of the following AutoCAD versions
1.4 GHz (2.4 GHz or more recommended) systems: installed:
• Minimum 512 MB RAM (2GB recommended) • Windows 2000 Professional • AutoCAD 2004, 2005, 2006 or 2007
• AutoCAD compatible graphics-card 32 MB • WindowsXP Professional • Architectural Desktop 2004, 2005,
(128MB or more recommended) 2006 or 2007
• Minimum 1 GB free hard disk space • Installed network-protocol TCP/IP
• Network adapter • Email system for support purposes
• CD-ROM Drive
CADS is a leading international software
company specialising in structural engineering
design and detailing software. CADS
applications are used worldwide by consulting
engineers, civil engineering contractors,
builders, national and local governments, the
structural steel industry and rebar fabricators.
CADS employ over 300 staff across 4 countries
and has been in business for more than 30
years. Nearly 4000 clients, in 70 countries, use
over 48,000 copies of CADS supplied software.

Advance Steel is a GRAITEC solution, but

co-developed by CADS for local market
requirements. Advance Steel is 100%
dedicated to the steel construction industry,
and with the support of CADS has grown into
a powerful, tailored solution for steelwork
modelling, detailing and fabrication.

CADS System
CADS System is a suite of
engineering software that
can be used independently
or in combination to fulfil
your individual project
requirements. Advance Steel
also links to the following
CADS System software:
• SMART Modeller
• Analyse3D
• A3D MAX
• SMART Portal

Computer and Design Services Ltd

Arrowsmith Court, Broadstone, Dorset, BH18 8AX
Tel: +44(0)1202 603031 Fax: +44 (0)1202 658549
Email: sales@cads.co.uk Web: www.cads.co.uk