Philippe Videau
We’re excited to announce the latest release of Autodesk’s structural steel detailing software, Advance Steel 2020.
Here is an overview of some of the new and enhanced features available in this version.
1 – Propagation of steel connections
In Advance Steel 2020, you can automate steel connection creation by propagating connections already in place. Just select the joint box from one connection and select the Propagate Joint option available in the contextual menu. The steel connection will then be automatically inserted in other locations where the framing conditions are similar. Since all these connections are now part of the same group of connections, modifying this connection will automatically update similar connections accordingly.
2 – Align labels on drawings
Once you have created a view on the drawing, you can rearrange the labels to improve the look of your drawing. With Advance Steel 2020, you can move a label to a different location and apply this modification to other labels by using the new option Arrange labels, you can also align labels to a reference object or to an AutoCAD line. In this case, choose the Align Labels to Reference option in the contextual menu.
3 – More control on hole labels on drawings
When moving a hole label, the arrow of the label leader line automatically jumps to the closest labelled hole, creating a shorter leader line and making the drawing more readable. You can disable this new behavior by unselecting a new option available in the properties dialog box. In addition, the arrow of the label leader line now remains outside the hole which brings more clarity to the drawing.
4 – Cut view symbols alignment on drawings
In Advance Steel 2020, you can automatically align cut view symbols to improve the look of your drawings. The Align Cut View Symbols to a reference symbol command (available in the ribbon) aligns all the cut symbols from one side by using a reference symbol. This simplifies the cut symbol arrangement and ensures that the cut symbols will not move during a drawing update.
5 – Cut view symbols customization
Advance Steel 2020 offers additional possibilities for customizing cut view symbols. The cut symbol template (defined in a DWG file) has several new features to help with customization, including new tokens, support for user text, text formatting using the template text style, and text color control from the template file. In addition, new defaults available in the Management Tools help you define which cut view symbol DWG file you want to use for upper and lower cut symbols.
6 – Cut view title customization
You can now customize the cut view title with two new tokens. The Scale Token shows the current cut view scale, while the View Number (A) shows the cut view number using a single letter. You can configure the two tokens using the cut view configuration page in the Drawing Style Manager, or when editing the cut view title properties on existing sheets.
7 – High DPI display support
Advance Steel 2020 now supports high-resolution monitors. Enhancements have been made to the user interface, including ribbon icons which correctly size high DPI scaling and text and buttons which automatically scale in dialog boxes to improve the display.
8 – Dialog boxes display enhancement
Advance Steel 2020 comes with dynamically adjustable sidebars size, with the sidebar width automatically adjusted based on the longest text to display. This is valid for all dialog boxes with a sidebar, which gives a better user experience when reading long texts in the side bar.
9 – Installation in Czech language
Advance Steel 2020 can be installed in different languages, including in Czech. Once installed, you have access to ready-to-use dedicated localized templates such as drawing styles, drawing processes, and bill-of-material templates. This enables Czech end-users to use Advance Steel in their native language.
10 – Local content for US English
With the installation of Advance Steel 2020 in US English, users receive access to a more localized version for the US market. This includes files like a new cut symbol added for general arrangement drawings or new process suites to speed up shop drawings creation.
View the full What’s new in Advance Steel 2020 playlist which includes brief video clips that demonstrate the new and enhanced features in Advance Steel 2020.