Advance Steel Tips & Tricks
Advance Steel Global Datum Level: Showing Real Elevations on Drawings
Set the global datum level in Advance Steel with the Level Symbol tool so drawings show real elevations, like 407'-0" instead of 0'-0".
Steel detailing · Advance Steel · BIM
Steel detailing tutorials from a working Chicago detailer
Step-by-step Advance Steel, Revit and Inventor guides, CNC plasma workflows and practical tips taken from real structural and miscellaneous steel projects.
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- Advance Steel 74
- Revit 9
- Inventor 13
- CNC & Plasma 2
- Textures 1
Tutorial topics
Advance Steel
Modeling, connections, stairs and rails, drawings, BOMs and NC/DXF output in Autodesk Advance Steel.74 tutorialsRevit
Revit for structural work: grids, footings, columns, framing, families and materials.9 tutorialsInventor
Autodesk Inventor lessons: sketches, parts, work planes, constraints and assemblies.13 tutorialsCNC & Plasma
From detailing model to cut part: DXF and NC export for CNC plasma tables.2 tutorialsTextures
Free seamless textures, PBR maps and material workflows for renders.1 tutorial
Latest tutorials
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Plasma Steel Cutting
My First CNC Plasma Table Job: 3 Lessons for Beginners
Three lessons from my first paid CNC plasma table job: check your settings before you hit Play, square the sheet, and leave enough space between plates.
General Info
Types of Loads on Buildings: A Steel Detailer’s Guide to Design Loads
The main types of loads on buildings (dead, live, snow, wind, seismic), where ASCE 7 and the IBC set them, risk categories, and tributary area.
Plasma Steel Cutting
How to Use a CNC Plasma Table: Cutting Plate on an STV Table with Optimum CNC
How to use a CNC plasma table: load a stock shape, CAD drawing or DXF in Optimum CNC, nest it, zero the torch, simulate and cut on an STV table.
Advance Steel Tips & Tricks
How to Export DXF Files from Advance Steel for a CNC Plasma Table
Set Advance Steel to export one-sided plate DXF files, run the DSTV NC/DXF export, find the files and load them into your CNC plasma table software.
General Info
Toolbox Talk Topics for the Steel Industry
Toolbox talk topics for steel contractors grouped by hazard, how to run a weekly safety meeting that works, and a book with 52 ready-made meetings.
Advance Steel Tips & Tricks
What Is Advance Steel? A Steel Detailer’s Explanation
Advance Steel is Autodesk's steel detailing software. What it does, who uses it, how it works with Revit, what it costs, and how to learn it.
3D Software
Parabuild vs Advance Steel: Which Should You Choose?
Parabuild vs Advance Steel compared: platform, modeling, connections, drawings, CNC output, Revit link and cost, plus how to pick with a trial job.
Advance Steel Tips & Tricks
Advance Steel vs AutoCAD: What’s the Difference?
Advance Steel is AutoCAD plus steel detailing tools, no separate AutoCAD license needed. What it adds, what carries over, and when AutoCAD is enough.