At BuildSoft, we understand how important it is to make optimal steel connections - fast. If the software you are using is not intuitive, powerful, and complete, you will have problems calculating steel connections efficiently. The idea behind PowerConnect is simple: a dedicated steel connection design software that meets your evolving design analysis requirements. In this article, you can discover the benefits of PowerConnect and how they can make your life easier as a structural engineer.
1. Fast & easy-to-use steel connection design software
How can a steel connection design software prove its speed and efficiency? By delivering results in the shortest time frame. For example, with PowerConnect, it takes only one minute to do a beam to column with a flexible end plate. You set dimensions and orientation of column, add loads, calculate, and visualize the results. See the demonstration here.
Our steel connection analysis software can instantly evaluate the impact of design changes, such as bolt positions, additional stiffeners, or both resistance and stiffness. Moreover, its intuitive and user-friendly environment can help you define single-sided or double-sided connections for a wide range of practical designs quickly and efficiently.
2. Moment connections
When it comes to moment connections, PowerConnect offers a wide array of possibilities. You can choose from bolted beam to beam, bolted beam to column with end plate, welded beam to column, column flange to beam, beam to beam with an I or H profile, and so on.
You can also choose various joint and stiffening components, end plate, haunches, backing plates, web plates, etc. Afterward, the steel connection analysis will be done quickly by PowerConnect.
3. Shear connections
Similarly, you can count on our steel connection design software to give you plenty of choices for hinge connections as well: beam to column to beam, column to beam, beam to beam, and beam to beam to beam with an I, H, rectangular or square tubular profile as bearing element.
The most critical design parameters handled by PowerConnect are the shear force and the normal force resistance. Moreover, it allows users to design and analyze each component in the connection, thus resulting in lighter joints and, implicitly, a less expensive final product.
4. Column base connections
It takes only a few clicks to set up and analyze column base connections. Our PowerConnect software allows users to do column bases with I or H sections, rectangular and square tubular profiles. You choose the right kind of anchor (straight or bent), and select stiffeners or cramps.
The process ends with a calculation of moment resistance and normal force, the shear capacity, and actual rotational stiffness. By taking into consideration the various elements chosen, the resulting stiffness diagram represents the real rotation capacity.
5. Tubular connections
What is steel connection design without the ability to choose from a wide array of connections? It would be harder to be productive and finish a project without multiple choices regarding connections. That is why our PowerConnect software supports all kinds of tubular connection configurations: T, Y, DY, X, K, N, KT & DK . Welded tubular joints give you the power to put together up to 5 connected elements.
At the same time, for the cross-sections, you can go for square, rectangular, round tubular profiles or even H and I sections. After setting up everything, our software will calculate the normal force resistance and in-plane and out-of-plane bending moment resistance.
6. Interoperability thanks to BIM Expert
Have you heard of our BIM Exchanging software? Meet BIM Expert – our software for fluent exchange of building information models, which comes with a PowerConnect plug-in. For example, you can start building a steel model in Tekla Structures, add components and send it to PowerConnect for the connection verification and back to Tekla Structures with BIM Expert’s help.
Check a short video on our YouTube channel to see first-hand this interoperability at work. Exchanging BIM models has never been easier. You can read more about BIM Expert in this blog article we have written recently.
Short time frame and optimal solutions with PowerConnect
We understand the evolving needs of steel contractors and structural engineers. No matter the requirements of your projects, delivering optimal solutions in a short time frame is the most significant advantage of using our steel connection design software.
PowerConnect offers you a complete steel connection design & analysis solution with loads modeling capabilities, Eurocode & AISC analysis, limit state design verification, and drawing & reporting capabilities.
The portal Construction Review Online has analyzed the benefits of using PowerConnect and has summarized them at this link.
Our resellers from Construsoft and CSPFEA Engineering Solutions also provide insights into the benefits of using our steel connection design software. If you need more information or want to try the software first-hand, here are the ways you can do that:
- Visit the product page
- Choose the free trial option and start from there
You can always contact us if you have questions or need an offer. We would be happy to help you.
Calculating steel connections with PowerConnect is an engineer’s top choice.