Structural steel detailing involves creating accurate drawings for steel fabricators and erectors to use in constructing buildings, bridges, and other structures. Steel detailers produce detailed designs, drawings, and material reports for the fabrication and installation of steel elements like columns, beams, braces, trusses, girders, as well as miscellaneous steel components such as stairways and railings.
The importance of steel detailing
Today’s projects often start with a simple sketch on a napkin and quickly progress to groundbreaking and foundation pours, before the owner’s and architect’s visions have been fully reviewed and coordinated across all trades.
Steel detailing companies like IDRAWPRO play a critical role in bridging that gap. By providing accurate, detailed steel shop drawings and 3D models, they help contractors, architects, and engineers refine the vision and ensure that all the components fit together seamlessly. These companies bring expertise and innovation to the table, helping to translate those quick sketches into precise, actionable plans that reduce the risk of costly errors, miscommunications, or delays.
Efficiency through innovation
With the integration of advanced software and virtual reality (VR) tools, the process of steel detailing has evolved to a whole new level of precision and efficiency.
Here’s how this innovation drives efficiency:
- Accurate Virtual Reality Representation: The use of leading steel detailing software allows for the creation of detailed 3D models that reflect the exact dimensions, sizes, and connections of all steel members, just as they will appear in the completed structure. This means that every piece is modeled accurately from the get-go, eliminating ambiguities that can arise from traditional 2D drawings.
- Collaborative Integration with Other Trades: Once the 3D model is created, it can be easily exported to other software programs used by architects and engineers, such as BIM platforms like Revit. This facilitates better coordination across various trades, including mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP), ensuring that the steel structure fits harmoniously with the rest of the building’s systems.
- Quick Issue Detection: One of the most powerful aspects of using VR in steel detailing is the ability to interact with the model. Experienced detailers can virtually “walk through” the structure and identify potential clashes or design issues long before fabrication starts. Whether it’s an issue with alignment, clearances, or connections, these problems can be addressed early in the process, saving time and reducing costly rework later on.
- Reducing Rework Costs: Early identification of issues not only prevents delays but also significantly reduces the cost of rework, which can be one of the largest expenses in construction projects. By resolving conflicts before fabrication, the risk of having to reorder materials or alter components is minimized, keeping both time and costs in check.
- Increased Productivity: This approach allows steel detailers to work smarter, not harder. By leveraging VR and 3D modeling tools, the need for manual recalculations or re-drawing is reduced, making the entire detailing process faster and more efficient.
What should be included
The full package of quality structural steel shop drawings should include:
- Erection and fabrication drawings,
- Bill of Material,
- 3D model and CNC data for fabricator
- 3D model for the design team
- Reports containing the list of parts with weight for estimating
- Mechanical and Epoxy Anchor Bolt and Fasteners List
Selecting trusted services
Reliable shop drawing services play a key role in reducing or even eliminating fabrication or installation rework by spotting and resolving issues and clashes early in the process. This helps avoid unnecessary labor and material costs.
Examples
View the examples of completed structural steel detailing projects with optional 3D drawings.
