CONNECT - Steel utility?

You could also consider building your own library the Bentley steel library was okay but didn't use detailing dimensions which was a pain to work with not to mention all the extra fillets and slopes.  Given parametric utilities we built our own AISC catalog from https://www.aisc.org/globalassets/aisc/manual/v15.0-shapes-database/aisc-shapes-database-v15.0.xlsx didn't take very long you can import/export the data from the tables directly.  Bonus was we could attach other data to the shapes in the form of item types and customize it to our own needs/wants.

We extrude these shapes for 3D primarily but use them in 2D as well.

-Grant

No wonder I'm confused on this subject. The Steel utility I used to use, when I was structure detailing, was written by Bill Steinbach (sp?) at the Corps of Engineers. Never heard of "Bentley steel library", so now I wonder what Marco was referring to.

Hi Bob,

I presume you're talking about Bill Steinbock and he works for Bentley. Not sure when he produced the Steel utility but this has been an extra tool available from Bentley for a long while now. This is the tool that Marco is talking about the Bentley are going to be updating for use in the CONNECT version. What Grant has performed here sounds quite promising as it is moving towards to use of parametric capabilities which is the direction we would hope all users would be taking advantage of in these new versions.

Andrew Bell said:

Bill Steinbock works for Bentley. Not sure when he produced the Steel utility

Bill Steinbock was a pioneer of MicroStation application development using MDL.  He started around the time MDL was released, nearly three decades ago (see the History of MicroStation).  I believe he was with the US Army Corps of Engineers at that time.  

Bill published one of the first books that dealt with MDL development.  It was invaluable for beginners like me.  He wrote dozens of utilities for MicroStation, many of which were freeware.  I don't know the exact timing, but a few years later he started working for Bentley Systems.  I know that he contributed to Element Templates, and I'm sure lots of other useful stuff in addition.

Andrew Bell said:

as it is moving towards to use of parametric capabilities which is the direction we would hope all users would be taking advantage of in these new versions

Isn't that assuming that users are using 3D models. I for one don't use MicroStation for 3D models. For that I use Revit!

stuartw said:

I use Revit

And what does Revit provide that helps you with steel detailing (which is what this thread is about)?

stuartw said:

Isn't that assuming that users are using 3D models

Assumptions are bad!  Parametrics' parent is Dimension Driven Design (DDD), which was first available in MicroStation V5 (see the History of MicroStation).  It's used to define, amongst other things, 2D profiles. 

Actually no we use the 2D profile as a parametric shape because it's easier to work with if we extrude it to solid at the model level.  That being said we're pushing towards more 2D parametric cells and less 3D due to the lack of support for 3D cells with variations with element attribute changes.  I've used the 2D parametric cells frequently they don't always need to become 3D.

-Grant

Actually no we use the 2D profile as a parametric shape because it's easier to work with if we extrude it to solid at the model level.  That being said we're pushing towards more 2D parametric cells and less 3D due to the lack of support for 3D cells with variations with element attribute changes.  I've used the 2D parametric cells frequently they don't always need to become 3D.

-Grant