PowerPack for Advance Steel 2020.1 Update - Export to STEP and IGES Formats

The Advance Steel 2020.1 Powerpack update has now been published. The main update is that the “Export part to ACIS” and “Export model to ACIS” functions have been expanded to allow you to export to IGES and STEP formats.

To watch the video on the tools, please click on the image below.

There have also been improvements and updates to the following joints and data contained within the Powerpack:

• Platform cover
• Intersection connection
• Header beam
• Curved end plate
• Non-continuous purlin connection
• Purlin connection – Weld cleat and Single purlin options
• Purlin connection updates for Ayreshire and Steadmans data
• Kingspan SBS Sigma profile data

The download for the Update is available through your Graitec Advantage account and can be found in the “Download Service Packs” section, there is also What’s new documentation available on the Advantage site.

There are two ways of making the update to 2020:

1. Uninstall 2020 version and install 2020.1 Update (both processes are made using Advance Setup).
2. If you have the 2020 version installed and want to directly make the update, open Advance Setup 2020.1 and choose Manage Products – the setup will automatically identify the installed software (installed software is ticked); all you have to do is press Next for the update to take place. Please be careful as any unchecked software will be uninstalled.

Please also note if you have the 2020 version of the Powerpack and Stairs and Railings BIM Designer installed please update both to the 2020.1 versions, so that you are not mixing and matching versions.

During the development of the export to IGES and STEP a defect has been noted and reported with AutoCAD 2020. The import in AutoCAD 2020 is scaled 10 time smaller and, also, when working with inches, the results are not the expected ones. Our advice would be to use AutoCAD 2019, which passed all our tests when working with STEP and IGES files, set for various units.

When importing it is also worth checking the INSUNITS system variable value (or the drawing units from _UNITS command) for an automatic scaling: files that are created with different units will be converted to the units specified in INSUNITS if your files have been configured correctly.

To deactivate automatic scaling of inserted objects, set INSUNITS to 0 and “juggle” with the following system variables to set the source and target units: INSUNITSDEFSOURCE and INSUNITSDEFTARGET (Options dialog– User Preferences tab).

If you are looking for tips & tricks when using Advance Steel software, then head over to our dedicated blog category for loads of useful tutorials. Alternatively, if you want to be able to utilise the IGES and STEP formats feature but don't have the Advance Steel PowerPack, then click on the button below to request more information.