Autodesk Steel
Mette Florida
Share, refine, and sync design data with Revit, AutoCAD, Navisworks, Robot Structural Analysis, and Autodesk Docs. Connect steel detailing and design data to BIM and CAD workflows for efficient project delivery.
Autodesk Advance Steel is a 3D modeling software for steel detailing, fabrication, and construction. Use Advance Steel to connect design and fabrication when working in BIM to improve communication between steel engineers, designers, and detailers.
The software helps advance projects effectively from design to fabrication, with clearer design intent and less rework. Use Advance Steel with the AEC Collection to run structural analyses, automate design processes, create and solve for complex geometry, and detect and mitigate clashes in preconstruction.
Structural engineers, steel detailers, and fabricators use Advance Steel to design, detail, fabricate, and install steel structural systems. AEC professionals choose Advance Steel to automatically generate fabrication shop drawings and bills of material with ready-to-use templates, and to produce numerical control files to direct and automate CNC machines for fabrication.
Autodesk Advance Steel is a 3D modeling software for steel detailing, fabrication, and construction. Use Advance Steel to connect design and fabrication when working in BIM to improve communication between steel engineers, designers, and detailers.\n
\nThe software helps advance projects effectively from design to fabrication, with clearer design intent and less rework. Use Advance Steel with the AEC Collection to run structural analyses, automate design processes, create and solve for complex geometry, and detect and mitigate clashes in preconstruction.\n"}]},"@type":"Question","name":"Who uses Advance Steel?","acceptedAnswer":["@type":"Answer","text":"Structural engineers, steel detailers, and fabricators use Advance Steel to design, detail, fabricate, and install steel structural systems. AEC professionals choose Advance Steel to automatically generate fabrication shop drawings and bills of material with ready-to-use templates, and to produce numerical control files to direct and automate CNC machines for fabrication.\n"],"@type":"Question","name":"Which versions of Advance Steel can I use if I subscribe to the current version?","acceptedAnswer":["@type":"Answer","text":"Your Advance Steel subscription gives you access to install and use the 3 previous versions. Available downloads are listed in your Autodesk Account after subscribing. See also\u202fprevious releases available for subscribers.\n"],"@type":"Question","name":"Can I install Advance Steel on multiple computers?","acceptedAnswer":["@type":"Answer","text":"With a subscription to Advance Steel software, you can install it on up to 3 computers or other devices. However, only the named user can sign in and use that software on a single computer at any given time. Please refer to the\u202f Software License Agreement for more information.\n"],"@type":"Question","name":"How do I convert my Advance Steel free trial to a paid subscription?","acceptedAnswer":["@type":"Answer","text":"Launch your trial software and click Subscribe Now on the trial screen or buy Advance Steel here. When buying your subscription, enter the same email address and password combination you used to sign in to your trial. Learn more about\u202fconverting a trial to a paid subscription.\n"],"@type":"Question","name":"How much does an Advance Steel subscription cost?","acceptedAnswer":["@type":"Answer","text":"The price of an annual Advance Steel subscription is\u202f, and the price of a 3-year Advance Steel subscription is\u202f. If you have infrequent users and are interested in a pay-as-you-go option, please visit www.autodesk.com/flex to learn more.\n"]],"@type":"FAQPage","@context":" "} Experience Advance Steel with the AEC Collection Better together for seamless integration
In my job as a draughtsman i do a lot of steel frame buildings (GA's/elevations and sometimes connection details, though we do not do fabrication drawings) and we are looking for modernise from AutoCAD to a 3D program. Our current options are Revit and AS and my exposure to both is minimal at the moment.
My question is for these type of drawings which program would be more efficient. I know that Revit has a steel connection add in so what could AS give me that Revit doesnt? From what i have read AS is very good at fabrication drawings but as i said we dont do these, is it overkill? The chances are i am going to have to learn Revit anyway for other drawings, so would it be a waste to learn AS?
Advance steel can do both GA's and detail/fabrication drawings. The advantage here is that the drawings are generated automatically according to preset (customizable) templates. Another big advantage is that the learning curve for Advance Steel will be very shallow as you already know AutoCAD. The disadvantage is that it includes only limited concrete functionality. So if you include more than basic concrete structures in your designs, you might want to look toward Revit.
Revit is very easy to customize as it is not as database driven as Advance Steel. You have more flexibility as to what type of structures you can design (concrete and steel). If you work together with Architects and MEP designers, Revit is a must, especially if they also use it.
A suggested workflow if this is the case, would be to get the Revit models from these disciplines, and then if steel detailed drawings are required, take your model to Advance steel. There you can add the connections, and do the details, but keep the rest of the model in Revit to do the GA's
Steel frames used in building houses are using the same framing techniques by that of wood-framed buildings. Many people are now opting to use steel frames for their building. This move is fueled by the increase of costs for lumber and the need to conserve the resources for timber products.
Things to consider is what level of automation do you want from the CAD application.
Some users like to dimension/annotate their drawings in a specific manner, Revit will allow you to do this from the start as you'll be putting the drawing together.
Advance Steel on the other hand will dimension and annotate (to a certain extent) the drawings (which are DWG) and linked to the 3D model, these drawings can be converted to pure AutoCAD but you would loose the link to the model, meaning any changes would be a manual process.
Hope this along with the other comments help.
So AutoDesk officially put Advance Steel in maintenance mode. There will be no new features added to this software. I assume that the Ideas forum is basically a graveyard now. Thanks for nothing AutoDesk. I gotta say I'm pretty pissed about this.
Companies just don't work that way. It's more valuable to AD to hold on to that software instead of selling it at losing customers. Companies have been doing this for a long time. There are so many IPs that are just sitting in vaults doing nothing.
Just imagine AS built into Rhino3D. Rhino cost me a one time fee of $1000. No maint. fee for updates and when a new version comes out existing users can get it for half price. It has so, so much potential for an addon package like AS.
If there is something on the horizon for the future of AS (revit or whatever) it had better be a close horizon. As for myself, and I'm sure I'm not alone in this, I'll only wait for so long before I move on. Why keep using a platform that will no longer be advancing while other established platforms keep updating and new up and comers catch up and pass. It will be like using Win95 in a world of Windows 11, it will get you by (just barely) but you'll never have the advancements and features available.
This just proves my opinion that Autodesk do not have any real understanding of the steel detailing industry. They obviously don't appreciate it's role in the construction work flow. I strongly believe Autodesk are shooting themselves in the foot in a massive way, unless they have a new product to replace AS. I doubt that very much and I can't see how Revit could ever fill the huge gap that will be left by the demise of AS.
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the situation also needs to take the attitude of your customers and manufacturers. Can you please talk to them to support us also in their interest and send a diplomatic note to Autodesk regarding Advance Steel? How will our / customer data be used further? In the near / far future?
I saw AS some six years ago, and a programmer saw that it had about 5 yrs of development needed, and I wasn't going to convince my boss to invest in it. In fact when asked if I wanted it, I said it wasn't ready. After several trials, development betas, and several years of watching the dismal updates, it was still a programe of workarounds. I gave up on it, and decided I'd not be having any of it, as AD exhibited a typical 'not interested' attitude. I regularly posted my thoughts on the AS forums. I now fully expect AS to hit the AD graveyard, sometime in the not too distant future.
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