Virtual Steel

Tutorial

Introduction to Virtual Steel

Based on an Example
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Table of Contents
General Informations......................................................................................................................................3
Modelling with Virtual Steel...........................................................................................................................4
Setting up the Workplane and Snap Points...................................................................................................4
Selecting a Steel Profile HE-300A / Defining a Frame..................................................................................7
Mounting the Crossbar HE-160B.................................................................................................................11
Inserting Purlins IPE-140.............................................................................................................................12
Create the Platform Structure......................................................................................................................21
Constructing Windbracings.........................................................................................................................28
Create Connections......................................................................................................................................30
Insert Connections......................................................................................................................................30
Foundations and Column Base Connections..............................................................................................36
Create Bill of Material and Numbering........................................................................................................40
Export Shop Drawings / General Plan .......................................................................................................45
Settings for Export as DXF/DWG................................................................................................................45
Export Shop Drawing..................................................................................................................................45
Post-Processing with the CAD Software.....................................................................................................46
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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General Informations
This tutorial provides a brief introduction to the program using a simple [Link] intensively through
this exercise, you will learn the most important features of Virtual Steel , and will then be able to create your
own constructions with Virtual Steel .

Tip!
In these first steps, a hall with stage structure is modeled (see attached drawings) and
will be provided with connections. The BOM is created and then the workshop drawings
with profiles and connections will get passed to another CAD-System. A number of tips
will be explainded, to make the design process easier.

Direct Access to Functions and Shortcuts

As within most software systems, functions for selection, zoom and additional routines are carried out using
the mouse and keyboard. There are effective shortcut keys, or keys / mouse shortcuts to heavily used to
trigger actions. This is discussed shortly here at the beginning.
In addition the note: In this document, we use as symbols for the left mouse button, the middle mouse button
and the right mouse button.

Zooming
You can zoom with the scroll wheel ( ) in and out of the construction or by clicking on the icon
(shown at left) in the top taskbar window. In 2D there is the possibility, to drag a rectangle to
enlarge the drawing entites. For more zoom functions read the manual please.

Selecting / Deselecting
With you can select every single profile, just one at a time.
• Click with on a profile to select it.
With and the ctrl-key pressed, you add another single profile to the current selection.
• Keep the ctrl-key pressed and click with on a profile.
With you can alse select multiple profiles at a time.
• Drag a window from left nach right while crossing several profiles, keeping the pressed. Only
profiles, which are complete inside the window area are getting selected.
• With the pressed while dragging a window from right no left, all profiles which are placed or are
just touched by the window border, are getting selected.

To deselect a selected profile, just click on the free area Alternatively, you can start the same
behind the construction. Select Remove Selection in the menu to action in the Selection menu. Here you
deselect all selected elements. can also pick the item Remove
Selection.

Rotating / Moving the 3D-View

With pressed, the complete construction in the modelling area is getting rotated..
• Keep pressed and move the mouse to the right or left, to thr top or bottom of the window.
With pressed, the complete structure ist getting moved.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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• Keep pressed and move the mouse to the left, right, tot the top or bottom of the window. The
construction ist getting moved.
As usual in european steel constructions, all measurements are in millimeters.

Modelling with Virtual Steel

The following example is based on the architectural plan in Appendix 1 of this tutorial.

Setting up the Workplane and Snap Points

Starting the program, you will see a grid. That is your working plane.
Depending on how big your construction is going to be, you can define a general working area with a grid
and a certain grid spacing.
All entries of the example refer to the appended drawings.
For our example, we assume a total floor space of X= 25000 mm and
Y= 25000 mm. The grid spacing in both directions is 1000 mm.

Step 1 Setting up the Working Grid and Snaps

Choose the tab extension on the side dialogs for the building grid.

Keep the origin of the working grid

at
X;Y;Z = 0;0;0.

keep the grid spacing

X;Y = 1000; 1000.

Enter the max- Limits

X-max = 25000 and
Y-max = 25000

Press the Enter-key to confirm

your changes or click on the
button Plain X-Y
Die Arbeitsebene passt sich den
Angaben entsprechend an
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Step 2 Define a Building Grid

You can define your own building grid that may be different from the predefined grid and it's spacing. In the
tab working level click on the Building Grid button.

A dialog appears, in which the distances and labels

can be defined. Each distance has to be separated
with a comma or a space character.

Enter for x:
2000, 5000, 5000, 5000, 5000
and for y::
2000, 5333, 5333, 5333, 5333
It is also allowed and will lead to the same results, to
enter 2000 4*5333 . If a distance is going to be
repeated, put a factor in front of this distance.
Use the button Accept to show the settings in the
modelling area, or click OK to close the dialog.
If you need a displacement of the Origin, you can
enter it – but in our case we leave it to 0,0

The labeling procedure is similar. The labels must be separated by spaces. Enter for example, for the X-
direction the uppercase letters A B C D E (or A-E) and for the Y-direction the digit characters 1 2 3 4 5 6 (or
1-6).
Click on Accept to show the changes or use the OK-button

Now we go to the tab with the viewing options and switch the selection for the grids, so that only
the building grid is active.
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Hint!
If the distances of the axes in one direction are the same, you can alternatively
enter: 4*5000 (instead of 5000 5000 5000 5000).
You can change the grid any time by clicking on Building Grid again. Then the current
entries can be changed.
The building grid is activated during the constructing process and can be disabled
in the tab 3D-Viewing-Properties by activating or deactivting the checkboxes.
The tab can be accessed via the icon shown on the left. In the dialog of this tab
also the input grid can be turned off.
The building grid ist saved with the project.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Selecting a Steel Profile HE-300A / Defining a Frame

Step 1 Selecting a Profile

Activate the tab Structural Creation
There will be an icon with an I-Profile at the top
Click on the black arrow next to the edit field and scroll down until you find
the Profile HEA-300 . Click on the text to select it.

Step 2 Enter the Details of the Frame

The following actions are all done in the tab dialog Structural Creation.
For our example activate the Insert Mode continue at the bottom of the
dialog. This allows continued inserts of profiles wiht less clicks, as the
ending point will then be the startinmg point of the next beam. See also TIP
below.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Enter -90 [°] in the edit control of the Rotations .

Select as a starting point point the (snap) - point of the axes A-2 on the
building grid to define a starting point of the colums.
The Button Endpoint is getting activated and stays active, as we chose the
continueing insert mode. All further entries are referred to this ending point.
Enter 8000 in the edit window of Z for Endpoint and then click on insert:
The first colums is inserted.
Etner into the editbox of Rotation [°] 0 , and in the edit Z of the ending
point 700. Then click on the little button with the lock symbol. The lock will
be closed and dsiplayed in red.

Now click ont the node of axis A-4 and then again on insert. The first girder
is now inserted in our model.
Now click on the gray button with the label Starting Point, which will then
switch to green. This means that the next click here is getting the
coordinates of the model. With another click on the red lock symbol next to
the z , this lock will be open again and receive the next coordinates.

Then click twice on the point in the axis A-6, put a 90 in the rotation field
and enter 8000 for Z. Then click on insert. The next column is inserted.

Enter 0 [°] in the rotation field.

Now click on the end point of the beam which defines the first point alread
and click insert.

Notice!
Aligning the hall at a 90° angle to the current state, the rotation of the supports is not
necessary. For all portal frames it is recommended, to place the colums with the dark
side inward. The dark side always defines the bottom flange.

Hint!
If insert mode continue is enabled,
the starting point of the
subsequent beam is the end point of
the input beam. In this way, you do
not have to define the next
starting point. .
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Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Step 3 Copy / Duplicate the frame

Before you copy or duplicate the first frame, you should first insert a connection at one corner of the frame,
edit the details and copy those to another corner of the frame. Similarly, you can insert the connection at the
roof ridge and edit the details. You can then copy the whole frame together with the final connections ifour
times in one step. See "Creating Connections with" from chapter 2.0, pages 16-19. Then you can
return and continue here .

For training reasons we continue the exercise here and show the conventional way.

Please activate the tab Structural -Editor.

Drag a window with the left mouse button (from bottom left to top right)
to select all items. The beams will be selected and are shown hilighted.

Hint!
Einzelselektierung Single selection is possible by holding the Ctrl key while left-clicking
on a single item.
If a window with the left mouse button is drawn from right to left, all elements, which
are touched by the windowframe or are inside the window rect, are going to be
selected. Dragging a window from left to right, only items, which are complete inside
that rect, are selected.

Notice!
Keep in mind, that elements, which are already selected, will be deselected by the next
dragging selection. Congruent elements are selected al by a window rect, but only one
by one with a left click of the mouse.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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We want to copy the frame multipe times. To

stay on our building grid starting with 2000
mm and then continued with 4 x 5000 mm,
we copy the first frame alone and then the
following in one step.
If it is not already running, then please
activate the copy-radiobutton and change the
selection of Coordinates to absolute. Then
carry on with two , one on the base of the
existing columns (A-2), then on the point in
the input grid axis C-2. Then click the button
copy.
Click in the top menue selection on the
menuitem remove, and select afterwards
within a window the newly inserted frame
In the gourpbox Coordinates check the
radiobutton relative and change the number
in the editfield of -fold into a 4 ein.

In the box for offset dist enter in field X 5000. There will appear some lines to show, where the copy will be
placed..
After that, click on the buton copy. The frame will get created three times.

Now deselect the frame which was is the source of the new frames. The
easiest way is to rightclick in the free background. In the popup-menu choose
Remove Selection.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Mounting the Crossbar HE-160B

Step 1 Select and Paste the Beam

Activate the tab Structural Creation again and choose like explained in Chapter 2 a profile section, in this
case a HE-160B ( HEB160). Activate the Insert Mode continue again. Check, whether in the edit of
Rotation the value 0[°] is entered and that all padlocks are open.
As Starting Point now choose the first
node at the edge of the frame and as
Endpoint thee next corner node. Then click
on insert to insert the new beam.
The Endpoint of the previous beam ist now
the starting point of the next
Continue with clicking on the endpoints of
the colums to create every beam one by
one, until all beams are inserted.

Step 2 Copy / Duplicate the Beam

As shown in Chapter 2, step 3, we can copy all bottom ledgers from one side of the hall to the other one.
Change to the tab Structural Editor.

Keeping the Ctrl-key pressed, we click

on every bottom ledger one by one to
select them. Then they are all highlited.
In the edit window of -fold, enter a 1 , as
we want to copy all those ledgers just
once to the other side.
In the groupbox Im Menüfeld
Coordinatees akticate the Radiobutton
absolute.
Beams con now be copied from one of
their ending points everywhere in the
construction.
If the headline from is not activaded,
please cliclk on this text. The background
should change to green. The next click
on of the points will choose this point as
origin for the copy action. The headline
of to will get highlighted in green
automaticalle and receive the
coordiantes of the next node clicked.

Click on the button copy and all beams

Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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are copied to the other side.

Inserting Purlins IPE-140

To insert these purlins correctly, we have to define help points on the girders. These help points are placed
on the definition line of the beam. Altogether there are three purlins to get inserted.

Step 1 Creating Auxiliary Points on the Girder

First four auxiliary points are added to the girder of the first frame. Two auxiliary points are each to be
inserted at a distance of 250mm from the starting resp. end node, the others evenly spaced between these
two points

Open the context menu of the girder, using a . In the menu then click on Auxiliary Points

In the tab of the dialog area on the right, the dialog Input Assistance is
showing up.
In the group box Node related to enter 250 for Distance
At first, leave the radiobutton Profile Start activated.
Then click on Insert

After that activate the radiobutton Profile Ending and …

again click on Insert.

Open the tab auxiliary lines and nodes.

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Activate the upper greyed coordinate fields by clicking on the Origin

Coordinates.

Then click on one of the new inserted auxiliary points.

Next, click on the Targed Coordinates and then on the other new
auxiliary point.
A line is shown, which ha a changing color from green to red between the
two points.
In the dialog beneath the coordinate input fields, there is a group box
Segment Division. Enter 3 in the edit box and click on execute.
In the middle of the profile, two further points are generated.
The auxiliary points remain until the next Redraw action is triggered.

Add as specified above, the other auxiliary points

corresponding to the first girder of the other side
of the hall. Use the edge node of the frame as
reference point.

HINT!
You can also insert an auxiliary point at a relative distance to the clicked start or end
node (check relative point) on a beam. The beam must be selected before. The distance
refers to the input axis of the beam and not, as above reference points on the axes of
the work plane. If more beams are selected, then they all receive the auxiliary points
simultaneously.
Other ways to create auxiliary points such as over a section distance between two
auxiliary points, please refer to the manual.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Step 2 Insert purlins

The most effective approach to insert purlins, is to insert one purlin and edit it to fit in the roof plane (roof
pitch and vertical displacement). Then copy this purlin multiple times.
Click on the tab Structural Creation and select a profile IPE-140..

Click on the first auxiliary point and then lock y

and z in the area of Endpoint. And choose
continue as Insert Mode.
Since the y- and z-coordinate of the end point
are locked (red padlock), you can click on the
ridge point to place the purlins in succession
from field to field. You could also take the
basepoint of each axis B, C, D etc. for a click
and get the same results.
This is shown here just for understanding, as
we like to place a purlin in the roof plane and
change the vertical offset, so it will be placed on
top of the girder. We have to rotate the purlin
into the roof plane.
Then we copy the purlin, because when
copying, all internal properties are getting
copied too.

Re-enable the mode continue.

Click on the first inserted auxiliary point
(250 mm) from the start node of the first
girder in order to define it as the starting
point of the purlin.
Lock the Y and Z coordinates, by
clicking on the padlock icons. Thus,
only entries in the X direction will
appear when clicking on a node in the
graphic.
Click the nodes of the edges of the
third frame in order to define it as the
end node for the first purlin.
Then click Insert to create this purlin.
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Due to the activation of the continue

mode, the end node of the first purlin is
now the starting node of the next purlin.
Lock the Y and Z coordinates, by
clicking on the padlock icons. Thus,
only X values are taken into account
when the left mouse button is used to
click on points on the graphic area.
Click the corner nodes of the last frame
in order to define it as the end node for
the second purlin.
Then click on insert.

Hint!
Activating the padlocks with the red icon the current values in the edit boxes are
not changed, when the mousebutton is clicked int the graphic. See also the entry of the
last frame support in Chapter 1, Step. 2
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Step 3 Purlins placed onto the Girders in the Roof Plane

Now we need to move the purlins on the girder so that the bottom flange of the purlin is in plane contact with
the top flange of the girder.
Planned Procedure:
We want to align two purlins in the left half of the
hall and then in the right half. We do this with the
outer placed purlins in the first two fields, as
these two fields have different widths. (see Fig.
left)
Then we can copy the purlins in one step, as
they have the same distance between each
other (Copy x-fold)

Move the cursor on the first grider and click . In the

context menu select the menuitem Main Profile. The
girder will be highlighted in red.
Move the cursor to the first purlin and click . In the
context menu click on Connection Profile.
The beam will be highlighted in red too and the tab
Connections will open automatically, showing all
connections, that will suit for this case.
Notice:
In this case, however, we do not need a
connection, but we use these two girders,
to adapt the displacement to each other.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Click on the button relative Displacement in the tab located below the list
of the connection' list, current tab Connections.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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We can choose one four options, for a relative displacment. For our case,
we take the third from the top, which will result in a purlin, which is placed
plane on top of the supporting girder.

Click on the button execute and watch, how the purlin is moved on top of
the girder.
Follow the same procedure using these steps to set the second purlin into
the roof plane. Chhose the girder of the last frame as Main Profile.

HINT!
You can use this method to place a beam onto another,
regardless of the inclination of the beams to each other.
The only requirement is that the axes of the two beams
intersect.
If you like to know which inclination or properties are set
for a certain beam, just move the cursor to that beam,
press and select the Properties menu item. On the right
side you can see the profile properties as well as the
inclination to the horizontal and vertical.

Schritt 4 Copy Purlin

Now we can copy the correctly placed purlins, using the previously inserted auxiliary points previously
defined. This time, we will use a simpler copy function, which can be used for a single profile only.

At first on the purlin to open the the context menu Then on the target point to open the context menu
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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and click on the menuitem copy of this point and click on Insert Profiles.

In this way, we copy the purlins in a line on the side of the roof plane each from the beginning and the end
node of the purlin. Then the four purlins are copied alltogether in one step.

Now open the tab Structural-Editor

Select the four purlins, and copy, as in

Chapter 1, step 2, the purlins to the
predefined target points.

Activate the option for copying with

absolute coordinates, enter 3-fold for the
number of copies, click the ending point of
the first purlin at first and then the
auxiliary point of the new position.
If you've implemented auxiliary points on
the first girder of the other side of the hall,
you can also copy the purlins to this
destination node.
Since the carriers are inclined to the first
plate plane, you can adjust the copied
purlins with the function of relative
Displacement, as described in Step 3, to
the slope of the other plate plane.

On the other side of the hall, we proceed similarly. We can copy the outermost row of purlins, but must then
align these using their relative position. Then with a multiple-copy action these purlins can be copied in the
roof plane as well.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Create the Platform Structure

Step 1 Insert Auxiliary Points at Column

Open the tab Input Assistence.

Select the first column of the first frame with and the second with , holding
down the Ctrl key at the same time.
In the groupbox Node related to check the radiobutton Profile Start.
Enter 4000 into the field for [Link] click on Insert. The auxiliary point is
inserted 4000 mm away from base point of the column.
This auxiliary point will in the level of the top flanges of the platform, as the
platform beams are getting inserted with Sys-OK. This means, that the definition
line of each beam is on top if the top flange. (check Sys-OK in step 2).

Notice!
Den To distinguish easily, which is the starting point and which the ending point of a beam, the
blue arrows attached to the definition line of each beam can bei enlarged. If they are sqitched
off, then activate them in the tab of 3d viewing options – headline Representation. The arrow
always points to the end node of a beam.

Setp 2 Insert Main Beam HEA-400

Open the tab Structural Creation
Activate the inserting mode single.
Choose a profile HEA-400 like its is described in Chapter 1, Step 1

Before we choose the inserted auxiliary point as a starting point, we activate Sys
OK. As result, the beam is inserted automatically with the surface of the upper
flange in the plane of the platform structure. (check. Notice). This option should
be used always to create platforms. Otherwise every beam must be locally
moved vertically half of his height.
Click on the inserted auxiliary point to define it as a starting point.
Lock the padlocks of the X- and Z-Coordinates. Thus, clicks in the grafic accects
the Y direction only.
Click the corner or base node the opposite frame colums to define the end point
of the beam, and then click Insert ..
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Open the tab Structural Editor.

Activate copy in the Action group and
absolute in the Coordinates group.
Select the main platform beam, click
on the base point of the first Column
and afterwardson the basepoint of the
nect column.
Now click on the button copy.
Repeat these steps with the added
profile to create another supporting
beam.

Hint!
Activating Sys-OK helps to
create platform planes.

Step 3 Insert Secondary Beams IPE-300

Open tab Structural Creation again.
Activate as Insert Mode continue. Choose like in Chapter 1, Step 1 profile IPE-300.

Make sure, that Sys-OK is enabled.

Select as Starting Point the first end node of the first main beam and the
Endpoint of the next main beam.
Then click Insert to insert this beam..
As a next Endpoint click on the end node of the third main beam.
Using the Insert button, the second beam will be created at the desired
position.

Open the tab for Structural Creation again.

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Select while holding the Ctrl-Key

down when clicking the second
beam, both IPE-300.
Enter 8 into the fileld for multiple-
copying, as we like to copy those
beams eight time in each field of
the platfom.
Check the radiobutton relative in
the groubox Coordinates.
Enter 2000 for Y in the edit
beneath offset dist.
Then click the button copy.
The new beams will be copied to
the desired positions.

We leave the last field a bit wider, but we insert more columns like the two IPE-300 into our model.

Step 4 Insert Auxiliary Points for the Diagonal Bars IPE 200
The tab of Structural Creation should still be visible. Activate in this tab in the group box Action the
radiobutton delete.
Select with the left mouse button on the member in the center in the first first field of the platform – next to
axis 3, and then click delete. The middle beam is getting removed.

Select both cross beam IPE-300,

which lare part of this opening.
Open the tab Input Assistance
In Node related to select Profile
Start.
In the field of Distance enter 1500,
and then click Insert.

Now select Profile Ending in

Node related to.
Click on Insert again. The auxiliary
points are added accordingly.
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Move to the intersection of the IPE

with the HEA (in the graphic marked
by a red arrow, step 1), then on
the intersection point, which will
open the context menu. It is
important that you click on the node,
and not on the profile, because the
context menus are different. Click on
the menu item Place Auxiliary
Point..
Click – step 2 – on the next node of
this field and enter 1500 in the field
of d cYou could also hav entered the
coordinates for Y, leaving the others
at zero.
Once the place of the node is
correct, click the set Node and
process on the opposite sides in the
same way.

Hint!
The green Title bar is indicating, which coordinate fields will receive the coordinates of
the next mous click. When you click on another point with the coordinates and angles
are listed at the target point information. So as a result you get the angle and may
enter distances using d and angles.

Taking into account the previous hint, activate in the right dialog box, the gray title of Origin Coordinates,
which will then turn into green. The distance information is retained. Changing the h-angle to 270, we can
add another auxiliary point.
Similarly, we proceed on the other beam until all eight points are defined.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Step 5 Insert Diagonal Bars IPE 200

Activate the tab Structural Creation.
Make sure that Insert Mode single is activated.
Select analogous to Chapter 1, step 1, the profile IPE-200.

Make sure, Sys-OK is activated.

Note!
If Sys-OK was not atcive, when a beam was created, it can be easily
changed later in the properties
Click the Starting Point and Endpoint of the corresponding diagonal nodes,
and then click Insert to create all diagonal bars.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Step 6 Insert Columns HEB-140

In the still active tab Structural Creation, select analogous to Chapter 1, step 1, the profile HEB-140. Make
sure that vertical displacement is set 0 in the field, and deactivate the checkmark of Sys-OK. Insert Mode
should be activated single.

For Rotation [°] fill in 90.

Click on the start node of the edge
support to to define it as the next starting
point.
Lock the X and Y coordinates, by clicking
on the green padlock icons in the area of
endpoint coordinates.
Thus, only entries in the Z-direction will be
accepted by mouse clicks.
Click with on a grid point at the working
plane / basement plane in order to define it
as the end point.
Repeat the same procedure of the above
informations, and add a column to the
beginning node of the other edge support.
You can also lock the Z coordinate, so that
you only need a single click to define and
insert the second column.

Note!
In general, we recommend that you define columns from bottom to top. But you can easily then
reverse the direction of orientation in the Properties dialog (Change Direction).

The other columns are created like those

before. However, you can also copy the
front two columns. With the knowledge that
you have gained so far, this should be
easily accomplished.
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Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Constructing Windbracings
In the last field of the frames we create the windbracing.

Step 1 Insert Auxiliary Points at the Columns

Select the tab Input Assistance

Select the columns of the last two frames.

In the groupbox Node related to, check the radiobutton Profile Start.
In the Distance field enter 250, and then click Insert. Activate Profile
Ending and select the end of the beam and click again on Insert again. The
auxiliary points are added accordingly.

Schritt 2 Insert Windbracings

Select the tab Structural Creation.
Make sure, that no beam, that nothing is selected

Click on the icon of the current profile section to

show the fly out menu. There you select the icon for
L-shaped profile.
Select the pull down list the profile of L-70x50x6.

Hint!
If you have accidentally opened the fly-out for profile selection, you can close it by
hitting the ESC key. To choose the same profile series with a left click, however, will
do the same so the current profile section is not changed.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Click on the inserted auxiliary point at

the second last column to choose the
new Starting Point. As an Endpoint
choose the auxiliary point inserted at
the top of the last column. Then click
Insert to create the first L-Profile.
Enter Rotation [°] 180 in the edit field.
Now do ist the opposite way:
Click as Starting Point the inserted
auxiliary point at the top of the column
as Endpoint the aux point at the base
of the columns Then click Insert.
Repeat the same procedure as shown
above , and add on the other side of
the hall in the longitudinal direction of
a wind bracing one. Make sure that
the Rotation is 0°, the second at 180°

In the plane of the frame girders add auxiliary points similar to the requirements in Chapter 4, Step 1, 250
mm from the beginning and end of the penultimate girder. These auxiliary points are located at the
intersection of the girder and the first and last purlin on each side of the hall.
Repeat the same procedure to the specifications before in the longitudinal direction and add the wind bracing
in each plane. The insertion points are, as indicated above, the crossing points of the girders, and the first
and last purlin of the hall side.
Make sure this time that the rotation is 90° first and the second at the second 270° . We want the longer
arms of the angular section sticking together.

Note!
The selection order of the points determines the direction and thus the position and
rotation of the profile. Subsequent mirrorring transformations are not possible. The
internal properties, such as e.g. the rotation angle used above, may bey changed
without problems.
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Create Connections
The details of the connection properties are shown in Appendix 2 . This chapter discusses the creation of
connections

Insert Connections
As the structural modeling of the hall is completed, we will start now with connecting the beams, the girders
with the columns and the windbracings. For the details we refer to the attached sample drawing ( Appendix
2)

Step 1 Insert Connection between Column and Girder, First Frame

Move the cursor to the first column and
press In the conext menu, select
the item Main Profile. The color of the
object will turn into red
Now move the cursor to the girder,
which is to be connected, press ,
and select this beam as the
Connection Profile.
This beam is also highlighted in red
and the tab for connections is
displayed on the right. A list of
connection, that may fit for these two
beams, is shown with their icons and a
short desciption text.
Select the connection with a haunch
and endplate, and then click on the
button create Connection to create it.

Step 2 Edit the Connection

Select the connected girder with . The girder will be highlighted.

Click on the tab of the horizontal

tabcontrol with the name
2D-Shop Drawing.

The shop draing window is shown and the selected beam is displayed with all dimensions and numbering.
On the right in the dialog with the title Shop Drawings is a list. Here all currently selected profiles are listed
with their name and number.

Hint!
With the wheel of your mouse you can zoom the drawing and pressing down the wheel
while moving the mouse starts panning the drawing.
Texts that are superposed can be moved and repositioned by selecting them with the
left mose button and using the dialog.
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Additional texts, e.g. cor the bolts, can be inserted, using the properties dialog of the
object. See also the manual section. 8, page 8-1.

Zoom in to view the endplate and click on one of the bolts

The properties dialog of the bolts will appear, where the
following data should be changed:
Bolts: 8 bolts, M20 4.6
Pattern: w1=170,
e0=70, e1=150, e2=200, e3=150.
Submit all entries with OK Button.

Notice!
The terms w1, w2 are the distances of the bolt
columns, e1 - e5 the distances of the rows. On the
right side of the dialogs these spacing and the
dimensions are described.
The distance e0 usually relates to the top of the
upper flange of the beam.
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Now click on an edge of the headplate in the view.

In the mask of the headplate attachment change the

details of the plate to:.
hp = 690, bp = 280, dp =35, weldings a=6.
Submit all changes with clicking OK.
Now select the tab Perspective to switch to the 3D
modeler. The modifications of the plate and hole
pattern are shown in 3D.

Return to the shop drawing, and then

click on an edge of the haunch.
The dialog with all haunch properties
show up. Change the size of the
plate, which represents the bottom
flange.
Length = 800, Flange: b = 290
Submit these changes with OK.
Again switch to the tab Perspektive,
and check out what happened in 3D.

Now select the column to which we have added the

connection.
Switch to Shop drawings by clicking on the tab
2D-Shop Drawings
Click on one edge of the top plate in the detail section
drawing.
The sizes of the plate are:
hp = 290, bp = 300, dp =20

We let the dimensions unchanged and go back to the

modeler on the tab Perspective.

Step 3 Copy Connections

Now that we have altered the details of the connections of the frame corner and do not want to change
anything else for this connections, we can copy it to any of the other three frame corners.
Move the cursor to the column to which the connection is inserted, press ,
and select the item Main Profile from the conect menu. The beam is marked
in red.
As above, select the grider with and then Connection Profile in the
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context menu. This girder is also highlighted in red, and the tab for
connections, listing all possible conections on the right, is showing up.
Just beneath the list click on the button Copy. The list will change into a small
window and is now displaying the connection icon of the used connection.
Now move the cursor to the column on the opposite side, press , and
select the Main Profile. The column is highlighted in red.
As above, select the girder at the opposite corner of the frame with and
then in the conect menu the item Connection Profile. This beam is then also
highlighted in red.
Just below the icon window click on the button Start Copying to execute
this copy procedure. The connection is copied to the other corner of the frame.
Repeat these steps (selecting Main Profile and Connection Profile, then
Start Copying) for each corner of the hall, to create all four connections.
Finally, click on the button Library to exit copy mode.
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Hint!
To work more effectively, there are keyboard shortcuts, which are combined with
mouseclicks. A left mousce click while Shift key pressed, will select the touched beam
as Main Profile, and when a main profile ist selected already, as Connection Profile. A
click on the mouse wheel while Shift key is pressed, will remove all selection.
Again:
[shift] + deletes the current selection (selection, main beam,, connection beam)
[shift] + selects at first the main profile, while subsequent clicks always the
connection beam.
Using three mouse clicks would be the most effective action to copy a connection from
source to target.
See also the manual section. 9, 9.1 mouse control, recommended to print this page and
keep it next to the keyboard.
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Step 4 Insert Connection at the Ridge Point, Edit and Copy it

Repeat the same procedure as used for the frame corner before, and select one girder as a Main Profile
and the other as Connection Profile. If you are still in Copy Mode, exit this mode by clicking on Library.
For the first ridge point connection choose HtH End Plate flushed, then
click on Create Connection.
Select one of the connected girderd with and open the 2D-Shop
Drawing. The girder is displayed with text, numbering and dimensions.

Zoom in to view the endplate at the ridge, and click on the one
screw hole. In the dialog you change the data for this hole
pattern.
Pattern: w1=170, e0=70, e1=150
Submit the changes with OK.

Now click on an edge of the top plate in the section

view.
In the dialog, which is titled Endplate – Additional
Part change the details of plate sizes.
dp =20
Submit these changes with OK.
Click on tab Perspektive, to switch to the 3D
modeller. Checking your new rigde point, you will
see, that all changes are visoble.
Analogous to step 3 Copy Connections (frame
corners) copy the revised ridge point connection to
all other points of the roof.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Step 5 Create, Edit and Copy the Remaining Connections

Now that you have created, edited and copied some connections, you can use this knowledge for all other
connections, for the beams HEB-140 at the columns, the connections at the platform, connecting the purlins
and girders. Concerning the wind associations you must check, whether the bars are rotated in the plane of
wind bracing. However, the program will give advices for corrections..
Hint!
It is recommended to insert all connections, at least one of each type occurring in the
project, edit each and as a last step copy these revised connections to where they are
needed.
In the case, that a node has to be provided with two connections, then they have to be
copied to both sides individually.

Foundations and Column Base Connections

To create a base plate including anchor bolts under the columns, you have to insert foundations. The
foundations are treated like Main Profile, but called Basement Support in the context menu, while the
columns are still selected as Connection Profile.

Step 1 Insert Strip Foundations beneath Columns

Open the tab Basements (tooltip text: create and insert basements)

Enter a following to set the size of the first basement:

dl = 1250; t = 1250, h = 1000
Click as Starting Point the node at the bottom of the columns of the first
frame and Endpoint the node of the last frame. Then click the Insert to
create the strip foundation under the first row of columns.

Repeat these steps, start- and end points in the second row of columns.
Click Insert again to create this basement

Now we add the foundation under the columns of the platform. We use the
same values for the size as those of the strip foundations.

Click for Starting Point on the bottom of a column under the platform and
then click Insert. If no node for the Endpoint is selected, start and end
points are the same and define a single foundation.

Follow this description for each column.

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Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Schritt 2 Connection Columns and Foundations

Move the cursor to a strip foundation

on which you want to insert a anchor
plate and bolts, click and then click
on the item Basement Support.
Move the cursor to a frame support,
press and select Connection
Profile in the context menu. The
column is shown in red and the tab for
connections appears on the right. A list
of possible connection should be
visible.
Select the icon with the text Columns-
Foundation 1SR straight and then
click Create Connection.

Step 3 Edit Connection

Click with on one of the columns, which are now provided with am anchor plate, to select it.
Click on the tab 2D-Shop Drawingd to open the shop drawing of this column.

Zoom in to view the footplate in the area of the column base, and
click on an anchor with on a bolt hole.
In the dialog displaeyed change the properties as follows:

Anchor Bolts: Length = 600

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All other properties we leave unchanged.

Submit these changes with OK

Now click on an edge of the base plate in the view.

In the dialog Baseplate Additional Part change the thickness
of the plate:
dp = 25
All other entries stay unchanged. Submit and leave this dialog
with OK.

Step 4 Copy Connection

We proceed exactly as in steps of the frame corner in Chapter 2.0, step 3.

Move the cursor to the foundation. After pressing Basement Support in the context menu, the foundation
is highlighted in red.
As above, select with the support as Connection Profile. The column is highlighted in red, and the
connection dialog on the right is showing up.
Click on the button Copy, which is at the bottom of the dialog. The icon of the used connection is shown in
the window.
In this case the basement is selected already. All we have to do, is to select the next column to attach it on
the strip foundation.
Now we move the cursor to the next column, press , and select Connection Profile in the context menu.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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The beam is marked in red. Then click on the button Start Copying, and the connection is getting copied.
Repeat this steps until all Columns are provided with anchor plates and anchor bolts.
Leave the copy mode by clicking on Library.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Create Bill of Material and Numbering

Now that we have completed the conctruction provided all interssecting nodes with revised connections, we
can deal with the numbering of the construction and the BOM. The parts list with the positions is updated
automatically during the modelling process. New elements are always placed at the end of the BOM. Thus,
the elements appear in the same order as they were inserted into the model. With renumbering, the order of
the BOM will change. There are different options for ordering the profiles, which are to be selected in the
settings dlialog. Open it in the menu, item File - Configure - BOM, Within this tutorial, we are primarily using
and showing the possibility of manual processing of the positions.

Schritt 1 Numbering
Click on the tab Bill of Material .in
the horizontal tabcontrol just below
the toolbar.
The BOM with all elements will
appear.

Click in the dialog on the right on the button Numbering , and confirm in
the warning dialog, that you are sure to renumber all elements. Thus, all
components are new numbers.
You can position the components with consecutive numbers, by activating
Continuing as option at the top of the dialog. The other option is
Sections, where different elements like beams, plates and cleats are
numbered together in sections. For each section a starting number can
be defined, but the data can get entered only, if the radiobutton Sections
is activated.
If you change into the modeler (tab Perspective), select any beam or any
column and open the 2D-Shop Drawing , you will see that the elementst
and mounting parts received new numbers.
Below the workshop drawing of each beam a BOM with all it's parts is
tabulated.

Note!
The examination and numbering of identical parts is
triggered manually. Since each change of the dimensions or
other data might result in a new number, this process for
finding indentical parts should get applied when the editing
of the project is getting to an end.
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Step 2 Number Elements in BOM manually

In the BOM table, you can edit the item numbers and in the comment column. This way you can define same
beams or plates as equal parts. Be aware when doing that, that only a review of the dimensions and
designations of the material is made and additional parts are not examined. So the user must check and be
sure that the corresponding components are really the same.
As a BOM consists mainly of numbers, it is possible to select the BOM entries and change into the 3D
graphical view. Objects, which are selected in the graphic, are also selected in the list of the BOM.

To do this open the Perspective and click on the toolbar icon BOM table / hide, tooltip:
“Bill of Material fade in / fade out”. The table will now be shown below the perspective.
You can select items in the table and find them hilighted in the graphic or the other way
round.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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In the perspective view select the beams

that you want to summarize. The
position numbers of the selected beams
will be highlighted in blue in the table.
To summarize all the items at once, hold
down the Ctrl key and click the left
mouse button in the cell of one of the
selected items. Enter the position
number and press Enter. The selected
items are combined into the new
position with the same number.
Proceed with the plates analogously. For
the plates you can highlight the rows in
the table and enter the desired position
number of these.
Resullting gaps in the numbers can be
closed by shifting all itemnumbers up.
See the manual section. 6, page 6-3.

Note!
It is not possible in the BOM table, to separate combined elements with equal numbers,
as they are not listed separately. If it is necessary, open the context menu of an
element in the 3D model with the right mouse button and bring up the menu positioning
dialog by clicking on Numbering. Deleting the item number in this dialog will result in a
new number, which is determined automatically. But you can also specify a certain
number. If you choose a number, asure, that it is not taken already by a different
object.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Step 2 Open BOM in MS Excel

In the dialog on the right, click on the button Excel-Export and enter a
filename when you are prompted. The bom will be saved in a file with this
filename, an excel file.
After saving this file, MS Excel will start automatically.
In this created data sheet, your office name and further project information
may be entered.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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Hint!
In the Excel file, other parts, that are not present in the construction supplement can
be added manually. (See Manual Chapter BOM!) If you do not have MS Excel on your
computer, export the BOM as CSV file (Table file with Character Separated Values /
table file with tabs). This type of file can be used with nearly any software, which are
dealing with spreadsheets.
You can insert the BOM (Excel file) as an OLE object in your CAD drawing (plan) if the
function is supported by your CAD program.
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Export Shop Drawings / General Plan

Settings for Export as DXF/DWG

Check your current settings in the settings dialog,

which is to be opened with:
File – Configuration – Layer / Pens CAD ...
Here you can change the colors for the DXF-export
as you like in the colums AutoCAD Colors

Export Shop Drawing

Select in a window all beams, which you like getting exportet to your CAD-System

Click on tab 2D-Shop Drawings

You can see on the right side again all positions with position numbers and profile names. To export a
position individually, select the appropriate position so that the associated workshop drawing is displayed.
Then use the symbol dxf from the toolbar.
Virtual Steel Tutorial Example of an Industrial Steel Hall
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If all selected beams should be exportet in one step, first select these
beams in on of the two 3D-views, change tht view to 2D-Shop Drawing, so
that they are listed in the right dialog.

Click on the button to export DXF / DWG and save the file, which will
contain all shop drawings of the list.

Post-Processing with the CAD Software

The transfer of the drawings is not the end of the plan design. It is stell necessary to create a layout on the
sheet in your CAD System, place and provide inscriptions and other supplements before you can issue the
final plan.

Note:
All additional and placements of parts are in one way be optimized on the plan in a
foreign CAD program. New drawn components in the CAD program, must be added in the
BOM.
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