To place a beam in Advance Steel, make the right level active, pick the Rolled I Section tool, click the start and end points (grid intersections are best), then choose the section, like W6x20, in the beam dialog and set its Positioning, such as Top Middle. The same tool places angles, channels and other rolled sections.
This is Part 03 of my Advance Steel tutorial series for beginners. We have the grid and the levels for the CTA maintenance platform, so now the steel finally starts going in. In this part I place the main W6x20 beams, the W5x19 beams underneath them, and the angles that frame the top of the platform.
Video version:
To follow along, download the levels project file from the last part for free.
How do I place a beam in Advance Steel?
First come three W6x20 beams.
- Make Level 1 active. It sits exactly one W6x20 depth (6 3/16″) above Level 0.
- Pick the Rolled I Section tool.
- Click the intersection of grid 1 and grid A, then the intersection of grid A and grid 3, where the beam ends.
- In the beam dialog, choose W6x20. Under Positioning, choose Top Middle. That’s the point of the beam that attaches to the grid line.
Check it in a 3D view. The top of the beam should be at Level 1 and the bottom right on Level 0.
Back in the Top view, place the second beam on grid B with the Rolled I Section tool. It’s the same beam, so just press Enter to accept the settings. Do the same on grid C.
How do I place a beam on a lower level?
The W5x19s go one level down.
- Pick Level 0 in Model Views.
- Draw a beam on grid 1 from grid A to grid F.
- Choose W5x19 from the list and close the dialog.
In 3D you’ll see it sitting under the W6x20 beams. Place the same beam on grids 2 and 3. Turn on the level above and you’ll see the whole beam framing.
How do I place angles and fix their orientation?
Next are the L5x3 ½x½ angles, with their tops flush with the W6x20s.
- Pick Level 1 in Model Views.
- Use the rolled section tool again and draw the angles on their grid lines.
- In the dialog choose Angle, then Not Identical, then L5x3 1/2×1/2. Close the dialog.
In 3D you’ll notice the angles come in upside down. Double-click an angle, go to Positioning, and fix the offset and rotation. The second angle is a mirror of the first. On mine, I moved it 1 5/8″ along the Z axis. Do the same for the other two.
Then there are four more angles, also with tops flush with the W6x20s:
- Keep Level 1 active.
- Place another member with the rolled section tool and choose Angle, Identical, L3x3x1/2.
- Fix the positioning and move the angle to about where it goes.
- Copy it, then mirror the copy.
- Select both angles and copy them to the other side.
What does beam positioning mean?
The line you click (the system line) runs along the beam, and Positioning sets which point of the section sits on that line. Top Middle puts the middle of the top flange on the line, which is what you usually want when the level is top of steel. Center puts the middle of the section on it. With the wrong positioning, the beam is the right size in the right place but sits half a beam too high or too low.
How do I change a beam’s section after placing it?
Double-click the beam to open its dialog and pick a different section. The beam keeps its system line and positioning. To find the section you need, see where to find AISC sections in Advance Steel.
What to do when a beam ends up in the wrong place
The beam is too high or too low. Check which level was active when you placed it, and check Positioning.
The angle is upside down or facing the wrong way. Fix the rotation and offset on the Positioning tab, like above. Mirror the next one instead of rotating it again.
The beam isn’t on the grid. Use object snaps on the grid intersections when you click the start and end points.
The beam is too long or too short. That’s normal at this stage. Ends get fixed with connections and cuts later. See how to extend a beam in Advance Steel and Part 06 on shortening beams.
Tips for placing beams faster
- After the first beam, press Enter to reuse the same settings for the next one.
- Place one member, set it up completely, then copy or mirror it.
- Check in 3D after every few members. It’s easier to fix one mistake than ten.
All the beams and angles are in. Next: 04: Create columns.
The whole mini tutorial series
- 00: Set up the project information
- 01: Create the grid
- 02: Create levels
- 03: Place beams
- 04: Create columns
- 05: Welded connections
- 06: Shorten beams
- 07: Custom clip angle connection
- 08: Adding bolts to the clip angle connection
- 09: Adding T-braces
- 10: Slanted beams
- 11: Clipping the beams
If you’d like to see the hardware and software I use every day, it’s all on my toolbox page.
