
Steel Detailing: Emerging Technology and Benefits
Steel Detailing is a critical process of Structural Engineering and demands accuracy in the dimensions and sizes of each steel part. It is the creation of shop drawings for steel fabricators which are instrumental for assembly and installation of structural elements like beams, braces, joists etc. These drawings also include material specifications, component dimensions as well as details regarding welding and bolting.
Looking at the importance of precision required for Structural Steel Drafting, it comes as no surprise that the manual drafting managed with pencils, pens, protractors and calculators has today been replaced by digital technologies. Below we aim to state the technologies used and the benefits of Steel detailing.
Technologies used in used in Steel Detailing:
1. 3D BIM Technology: BIM Modelling software like Tekla and Advanced Steel has revolutionized the way steel is designed, detailed and fabricated. 3D models are more equipped to handle large scale commercial and industrial projects as compared to 2D drawings. BIM is information rich and allows to extract 2D drawings from it along with a list of raw materials, dispatch list, shop floor drawings for fabrication, etc. It also provides an ease in collaboration, is faster to modify as well as reduces errors.
2. Nesting Software: Nesting Software is to optimally fit many different manufacturing parts into a sheet of raw materials. It takes a series of flat patterns of parts that need to be cut of sheets or rolls of materials and works out best patterns or “nest” to print them. It also provides the best cutting path to get quick results in short time, reduces material waste and also derives NC files used to cut materials in CNC machine.
3. CNC Machines: CNC machine or “Computer and Numerical Controlled Machines”. CNC machining is a manufacturing process in which pre-programed computer software dictates the movements of factory tools and machinery. This process is suitable for a wide range of materials, like metals, plastics, wood, glass, foam, and composites, and is used in a variety of industries.
There are also other software that can be used in steel detailing process like STAAD (by Bently) is used for structural analysis. Metal Building Software or MBS is commonly used for pre-engineered buildings. It gives accurate estimation for designing and detailing.
Benefits of 3D Steel Detailing:
Whenever 2D Drawings are used they can be accurate only to a certain level. Additionally, they need to be interpreted as a physical model, which requires a significant amount of imagination and can ultimately be error prone. If any unnoticed mistake makes it to the actual construction phase it can result in clashes which can be quite costly. The 3D model checks for fit-ups and identifies clashes in real time. Thus, mistakes are mitigated before fabrication and erection reducing labour and cost.
BIM is also information rich and enables the management of a wide range of information like materials, product numbers, weld links, type of wells etc. This aids in easily identifying, tracking and manipulating any element from the model. 4D scheduling also allows material tracking right from ordering to fabrication to transportation and erection. When done in the preplanning phase of the project it yields two big advantage: increased timeline accuracy and getting a precise budget both of which are incredibly important to gain the confidence of stakeholders.
3D Model can help streamline collaboration and reporting. These models are clear and concise enabling everyone in the project to track the progress as well as visualize and updates in quick time. Moreover, if there is a need for changes, BIM model also enables an ease in modifications. It also allows to extract precise construction documentation which ensures that everything goes smoothly on the construction site.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, all the benefits from increased accuracy to easy collaboration to extraction of precise Construction Documentation allows the stakeholders to gain a holistic understanding of how their project will come together. Thus, BIM has enhanced and improved the steel detailing process.