Structural Steel detailing Projects and Lesson learned

When traveling overseas, especially India, I often hear the following: “Where are you? “I’m almost there” “When will you arrive?” “Five minutes!” They always say: "five minutes". Once, I remember waiting, for at least 45 minutes. Not sure if this is a cultural thing. I’ve heard Indians say: “Oh, that’s IST - Indian Standard Timing”. Friends - Indian Standard Timing might work very well for your own personal arrangements, but it will not work well in the USA / UK / Europe / Australia / NZ, on construction projects, where tight deadlines are involved, and where “Liquidated Damages” are at stake. Why are ETAs important? Because clients need to order material, organise labour, and equipment. It will not do to organise a crane, and hire labour, only for them to sit idle for a couple of weeks because you were overly optimistic with your delivery times. Cranes alone might cost $5000 - $15,000 per day. What about site crews? If you give the wrong ETA, then it could cost your client a...

Full check list and MTO special notes template is available here. Please supply checklist and special notes with every take off report you complete. What is the purpose of an MTO? - The purpose is to enable our client to quote on a job. These structural steel jobs are expensive, ranging between $2m - 30m dollars. They employ us to do a "take off" i.e. to count the steel elements to enable them to quote, accurate. - If you make a mistake, then you could potentially cost our client millions of dollars. It is especially important that you DO NOT miss anything which should be in your take off. - Clients typically price their job based on tonnage of steel. i.e. $x / tonnge. if there are 100 tonnes, then they would quote: $x * 100. However, pricing on steel tonnage is not always accurate. Some jobs may require a lot of site welding. This requires a higher price. It is cheaper to do work in a factory than on a construction site. - Some items SHOULD NOT be quoted on a tonnage rate. F...

Full check list is available here. Please supply checklist with every take off report you complete. What is the purpose of an MTO? - The purpose is to enable our client to quote on a job. These structural steel jobs are expensive, ranging between $2m - 30m dollars. They employ us to do a "take off" i.e. to count the steel elements to enable them to quote, accurate. - If you make a mistake, then you could potentially cost our client millions of dollars. It is especially important that you DO NOT miss anything which should be in your take off. - Clients typically price their job based on tonnage of steel. i.e. $x / tonnge. if there are 100 tonnes, then they would quote: $x * 100. However, pricing on steel tonnage is not always accurate. Some jobs may require a lot of site welding. This requires a higher price. It is cheaper to do work in a factory than on a construction site. - Some items SHOULD NOT be quoted on a tonnage rate. For example: balustrades and stairs. Why? Because ...

Full check list is available here. Please supply checklist with every take off report you complete. What is the purpose of an MTO? - The purpose is to enable our client to quote on a job. These structural steel jobs are expensive, ranging between $2m - 30m dollars. They employ us to do a "take off" i.e. to count the steel elements to enable them to quote, accurate. - If you make a mistake, then you could potentially cost our client millions of dollars. It is especially important that you DO NOT miss anything which should be in your take off. - Clients typically price their job based on tonnage of steel. i.e. $x / tonnge. if there are 100 tonnes, then they would quote: $x * 100. However, pricing on steel tonnage is not always accurate. Some jobs may require a lot of site welding. This requires a higher price. It is cheaper to do work in a factory than on a construction site. - Some items SHOULD NOT be quoted on a tonnage rate. For example: balustrades and stairs. Why? Because ...

Full check list is available here. Please supply checklist with every take off report you complete. What is the purpose of an MTO? - The purpose is to enable our client to quote on a job. These structural steel jobs are expensive, ranging between $2m - 30m dollars. They employ us to do a "take off" i.e. to count the steel elements to enable them to quote, accurate. - If you make a mistake, then you could potentially cost our client millions of dollars. It is especially important that you DO NOT miss anything which should be in your take off. - Clients typically price their job based on tonnage of steel. i.e. $x / tonnge. if there are 100 tonnes, then they would quote: $x * 100. However, pricing on steel tonnage is not always accurate. Some jobs may require a lot of site welding. This requires a higher price. It is cheaper to do work in a factory than on a construction site. - Some items SHOULD NOT be quoted on a tonnage rate. For example: balustrades and stairs. Why? Because ...

Full check list is available here. Please supply checklist with every take off report you complete. What is the purpose of an MTO? - The purpose is to enable our client to quote on a job. These structural steel jobs are expensive, ranging between $2m - 30m dollars. They employ us to do a "take off" i.e. to count the steel elements to enable them to quote, accurate. - If you make a mistake, then you could potentially cost our client millions of dollars. It is especially important that you DO NOT miss anything which should be in your take off. - Clients typically price their job based on tonnage of steel. i.e. $x / tonnge. if there are 100 tonnes, then they would quote: $x * 100. However, pricing on steel tonnage is not always accurate. Some jobs may require a lot of site welding. This requires a higher price. It is cheaper to do work in a factory than on a construction site. - Some items SHOULD NOT be quoted on a tonnage rate. For example: balustrades and stairs. Why? Because ...

Full Checklist Background: - ABC's entirely production line and jigs are optimised for a specific workflow. DO NOT deviate from their requirements. There is a need to be pedantic because otherwise things won't work - beams and steel will be wasted, delays will result, and we will be cursed to the high heavens. Rules: - Do not edit model. - Do not renumber anything. - Do not rotate ANYTHING. - Do not change the names of drawings. Name of the drawing should be the name of the truss. If there are any issues, msg client. Rotation and Flipping - check if rotation / flipping has happened - Check if any rotations happened. How? - (1) Everything with our client works: Left-to-Right. If something is not Left to right - then it may have been rotated. We need to alert our client to this. - (2) We have the PDFs. We must check the drawings against the pdfs and note where they are any discrepancies. If there are discrepancies - alert our client. Because Tekla may be rotating the drawing. - (...

Full Checklist Background: - ABC's entirely production line and jigs are optimised for a specific workflow. DO NOT deviate from their requirements. There is a need to be pedantic because otherwise things won't work - beams and steel will be wasted, delays will result, and we will be cursed to the high heavens. Rules: - Do not edit model. - Do not renumber anything. - Do not rotate ANYTHING. - Do not change the names of drawings. Name of the drawing should be the name of the truss. If there are any issues, msg client. Rotation and Flipping - check if rotation / flipping has happened - Check if any rotations happened. How? - (1) Everything with our client works: Left-to-Right. If something is not Left to right - then it may have been rotated. We need to alert our client to this. - (2) We have the PDFs. We must check the drawings against the pdfs and note where they are any discrepancies. If there are discrepancies - alert our client. Because Tekla may be rotating the drawing. - (...

Input information was an Inventor model and pdf drawings We have extracted the information from inventor, cross checked with pdf drawings, Checked constructurability, Resolved design details so that items can be fabricated at lowest cost. These chutes were submitted for approval, and was approved without any issues. Eventhough these chutes are for grain transfer, mining projects have similar requirements. https://www.tek1.com.au/steel-detailing-projects/chutes/

Full Checklist Background: - ABC's entirely production line and jigs are optimised for a specific workflow. DO NOT deviate from their requirements. There is a need to be pedantic because otherwise things won't work - beams and steel will be wasted, delays will result, and we will be cursed to the high heavens. Rules: - Do not edit model. - Do not renumber anything. - Do not rotate ANYTHING. - Do not change the names of drawings. Name of the drawing should be the name of the truss. If there are any issues, msg client. Rotation and Flipping - check if rotation / flipping has happened - Check if any rotations happened. How? - (1) Everything with our client works: Left-to-Right. If something is not Left to right - then it may have been rotated. We need to alert our client to this. - (2) We have the PDFs. We must check the drawings against the pdfs and note where they are any discrepancies. If there are discrepancies - alert our client. Because Tekla may be rotating the drawing. - (...

Full Checklist Background: - ABC's entirely production line and jigs are optimised for a specific workflow. DO NOT deviate from their requirements. There is a need to be pedantic because otherwise things won't work - beams and steel will be wasted, delays will result, and we will be cursed to the high heavens. Rules: - Do not edit model. - Do not renumber anything. - Do not rotate ANYTHING. - Do not change the names of drawings. Name of the drawing should be the name of the truss. If there are any issues, msg client. Rotation and Flipping - check if rotation / flipping has happened - Check if any rotations happened. How? - (1) Everything with our client works: Left-to-Right. If something is not Left to right - then it may have been rotated. We need to alert our client to this. - (2) We have the PDFs. We must check the drawings against the pdfs and note where they are any discrepancies. If there are discrepancies - alert our client. Because Tekla may be rotating the drawing. - (...

Full Checklist Background: - ABC's entirely production line and jigs are optimised for a specific workflow. DO NOT deviate from their requirements. There is a need to be pedantic because otherwise things won't work - beams and steel will be wasted, delays will result, and we will be cursed to the high heavens. Rules: - Do not edit model. - Do not renumber anything. - Do not rotate ANYTHING. - Do not change the names of drawings. Name of the drawing should be the name of the truss. If there are any issues, msg client. Rotation and Flipping - check if rotation / flipping has happened - Check if any rotations happened. How? - (1) Everything with our client works: Left-to-Right. If something is not Left to right - then it may have been rotated. We need to alert our client to this. - (2) We have the PDFs. We must check the drawings against the pdfs and note where they are any discrepancies. If there are discrepancies - alert our client. Because Tekla may be rotating the drawing. - (...

Full check list is available here. Please supply checklist with every take off report you complete. - Please provide two MTO reports: (a) Full Material List - The first: is Koshy's Material List.xls.rpt (Please use the file here saved here. (click on link)) - see instructions on where to save it below. - If using line work from AutoCAD please use this link which allows for user defined attributes. (b) The second: Excel - Material List - which shows all sub-totals. (c) IFC file. (d) db1 file (e) and if applicable, your .dwg line work file. - Where to save the .xls.rpt files? Ssave it to the appropriate file in your Tekla Program directory. In my computer it is here: C:UsersAll UsersTrimbleTekla Structures2023.0EnvironmentsAustralasiaGeneralcommon_reports You'll have to go into the file and add/edit fields if applicable. Please make sure that you do not double count "sub-totals" in the sub-total report otherwise you will get an incorrect tonnage report. - Read the repo...

Full check list is available here. Please supply checklist with every take off report you complete. - Please provide two MTO reports: (a) Full Material List - The first: is Koshy's Material List.xls.rpt (Please use the file here saved here. (click on link)) - see instructions on where to save it below. - If using line work from AutoCAD please use this link which allows for user defined attributes. (b) The second: Excel - Material List - which shows all sub-totals. (c) IFC file. (d) db1 file (e) and if applicable, your .dwg line work file. - Where to save the .xls.rpt files? Ssave it to the appropriate file in your Tekla Program directory. In my computer it is here: C:UsersAll UsersTrimbleTekla Structures2023.0EnvironmentsAustralasiaGeneralcommon_reports You'll have to go into the file and add/edit fields if applicable. Please make sure that you do not double count "sub-totals" in the sub-total report otherwise you will get an incorrect tonnage report. - Read the repo...

Full check list is available here. Please supply checklist with every take off report you complete. - Please provide two MTO reports: (a) Full Material List - The first: is Koshy's Material List.xls.rpt (Please use the file here saved here. (click on link)) - see instructions on where to save it below. - If using line work from AutoCAD please use this link which allows for user defined attributes. (b) The second: Excel - Material List - which shows all sub-totals. (c) IFC file. (d) db1 file (e) and if applicable, your .dwg line work file. - Where to save the .xls.rpt files? Ssave it to the appropriate file in your Tekla Program directory. In my computer it is here: C:UsersAll UsersTrimbleTekla Structures2023.0EnvironmentsAustralasiaGeneralcommon_reports You'll have to go into the file and add/edit fields if applicable. Please make sure that you do not double count "sub-totals" in the sub-total report otherwise you will get an incorrect tonnage report. - Read the repo...

Full check list is available here. Please supply checklist with every take off report you complete. - Please provide two MTO reports: (a) Full Material List - The first: is Koshy's Material List.xls.rpt (Please use the file here saved here. (click on link)) - see instructions on where to save it below. - If using line work from AutoCAD please use this link which allows for user defined attributes. (b) The second: Excel - Material List - which shows all sub-totals. (c) IFC file. (d) db1 file (e) and if applicable, your .dwg line work file. - Where to save the .xls.rpt files? Ssave it to the appropriate file in your Tekla Program directory. In my computer it is here: C:UsersAll UsersTrimbleTekla Structures2023.0EnvironmentsAustralasiaGeneralcommon_reports You'll have to go into the file and add/edit fields if applicable. Please make sure that you do not double count "sub-totals" in the sub-total report otherwise you will get an incorrect tonnage report. - Read the repo...

Full check list is available here. Please supply checklist with every take off report you complete. - Please provide two MTO reports: (a) Full Material List - The first: is Koshy's Material List.xls.rpt (Please use the file here saved here. (click on link)) - see instructions on where to save it below. - If using line work from AutoCAD please use this link which allows for user defined attributes. (b) The second: Excel - Material List - which shows all sub-totals. (c) IFC file. (d) db1 file (e) and if applicable, your .dwg line work file. - Where to save the .xls.rpt files? Ssave it to the appropriate file in your Tekla Program directory. In my computer it is here: C:UsersAll UsersTrimbleTekla Structures2023.0EnvironmentsAustralasiaGeneralcommon_reports You'll have to go into the file and add/edit fields if applicable. Please make sure that you do not double count "sub-totals" in the sub-total report otherwise you will get an incorrect tonnage report. - Read the repo...

Full check list is available here. Please supply checklist with every take off report you complete. - Please provide two MTO reports: (a) Full Material List - The first: is Koshy's Material List.xls.rpt (Please use the file here saved here. (click on link)) - see instructions on where to save it below. - If using line work from AutoCAD please use this link which allows for user defined attributes. (b) The second: Excel - Material List - which shows all sub-totals. (c) IFC file. (d) db1 file (e) and if applicable, your .dwg line work file. - Where to save the .xls.rpt files? Ssave it to the appropriate file in your Tekla Program directory. In my computer it is here: C:UsersAll UsersTrimbleTekla Structures2023.0EnvironmentsAustralasiaGeneralcommon_reports You'll have to go into the file and add/edit fields if applicable. Please make sure that you do not double count "sub-totals" in the sub-total report otherwise you will get an incorrect tonnage report. - Read the repo...

Full check list is available here. Please supply checklist with every take off report you complete. - Please provide two MTO reports: (a) Full Material List - The first: is Koshy's Material List.xls.rpt (Please use the file here saved here. (click on link)) - see instructions on where to save it below. - If using line work from AutoCAD please use this link which allows for user defined attributes. (b) The second: Excel - Material List - which shows all sub-totals. (c) IFC file. (d) db1 file (e) and if applicable, your .dwg line work file. - Where to save the .xls.rpt files? Ssave it to the appropriate file in your Tekla Program directory. In my computer it is here: C:UsersAll UsersTrimbleTekla Structures2023.0EnvironmentsAustralasiaGeneralcommon_reports You'll have to go into the file and add/edit fields if applicable. Please make sure that you do not double count "sub-totals" in the sub-total report otherwise you will get an incorrect tonnage report. - Read the repo...

Full check list is available here. Please supply checklist with every take off report you complete. - Please provide two MTO reports: (a) Full Material List - The first: is Koshy's Material List.xls.rpt (Please use the file here saved here. (click on link)) - see instructions on where to save it below. - If using line work from AutoCAD please use this link which allows for user defined attributes. (b) The second: Excel - Material List - which shows all sub-totals. (c) IFC file. (d) db1 file (e) and if applicable, your .dwg line work file. - Where to save the .xls.rpt files? Ssave it to the appropriate file in your Tekla Program directory. In my computer it is here: C:UsersAll UsersTrimbleTekla Structures2023.0EnvironmentsAustralasiaGeneralcommon_reports You'll have to go into the file and add/edit fields if applicable. Please make sure that you do not double count "sub-totals" in the sub-total report otherwise you will get an incorrect tonnage report. - Read the repo...

Full check list is available here. Please supply checklist with every take off report you complete. - Please provide two MTO reports: (a) Full Material List - The first: is Koshy's Material List.xls.rpt (Please use the file here saved here. (click on link)) - see instructions on where to save it below. - If using line work from AutoCAD please use this link which allows for user defined attributes. (b) The second: Excel - Material List - which shows all sub-totals. (c) IFC file. (d) db1 file (e) and if applicable, your .dwg line work file. - Where to save the .xls.rpt files? Ssave it to the appropriate file in your Tekla Program directory. In my computer it is here: C:UsersAll UsersTrimbleTekla Structures2023.0EnvironmentsAustralasiaGeneralcommon_reports You'll have to go into the file and add/edit fields if applicable. Please make sure that you do not double count "sub-totals" in the sub-total report otherwise you will get an incorrect tonnage report. - Read the repo...