By Vamsi Posemsetty, EVP – Global Strategy & Operations, Moldtek Technologies
Steel detailers primarily use Tekla Structures, SDS2, and Autodesk Advance Steel for 3D modeling and shop drawing production. Bentley ProSteel is a third option used by firms already working within the Bentley infrastructure ecosystem. The right choice depends on project complexity, connection engineering requirements, and the fabricator’s existing workflow, but those three dominate the US market.
Here is how each one actually works in practice.
Tekla Structures
Tekla Structures, developed by Trimble, is the closest thing the industry has to a universal standard for complex structural steel detailing work. A detailer builds a full 3D model of the structure every member, connection, bolt, and weld and the software generates shop drawings, erection drawings, bills of material, and CNC/DSTV files directly from that model.
The reason Tekla dominates on large projects is model integrity. A change to a connection updates every drawing that references it, automatically. There is no hunting through a drawing set to find what broke. On a project with hundreds of unique connections and thousands of pieces, that consistency matters more than any individual feature. For engineering firms delivering structural steel detailing services, Tekla enables the creation of coordinated fabrication models that reduce revisions and improve collaboration between engineers, fabricators, and contractors, translating directly into fewer RFIs and faster approvals on site.
Tekla also handles clash detection, which catches a brace running through a duct or a column base conflicting with an anchor bolt pattern before anyone is in the field. The model’s CNC output goes directly to shop saws, drills, and coping lines without manual re-entry of dimensions between the drawing desk and the fabrication floor.
Where Tekla asks something in return: it has a steep learning curve and a higher licensing cost. A detailer new to the software needs meaningful time before they are producing at full capacity. For firms that commit to it, the return is real. For occasional or smaller projects, the overhead can feel disproportionate.
SDS2
SDS2 occupies a specific and important lane: it is the most intelligent software for connection design automation. While Tekla lets a detailer model and specify connections manually, SDS2 can automatically design and detail connections based on design code requirements and load inputs from the engineer of record.
That is a meaningful difference on projects where connection engineering is a significant portion of the work. SDS2 produces a model that is “fabrication-aware,” meaning it reflects realistic constructability from the start, not as a review step at the end. The result is erection and shop drawings that a fabricator can work from with fewer questions and fewer RFIs back to the design team.
SDS2 has a strong following among US steel fabricators, particularly on commercial and industrial projects where standard connection types repeat across the job, and the speed of connection design approval is a real schedule driver. If a fabricator already uses SDS2, a detailing team that can work natively in it removes a translation step that would otherwise slow the project down. Experienced detailing teams combine SDS2’s connection automation with rigorous engineering review to ensure constructability and compliance with project specifications. The software accelerates the process, but the expertise determines the outcome.
Autodesk Advance Steel
Advance Steel is Autodesk’s steel detailing tool, built on top of AutoCAD. For teams that grew up in AutoCAD, the interface is familiar enough that the transition to 3D structural modeling is shorter than starting with Tekla or SDS2 from scratch.
It produces shop drawings, bills of material, and NC files for fabrication, and it integrates cleanly with the rest of the Autodesk ecosystem: Revit for architectural and MEP coordination, Navisworks for clash review, and Plant 3D for industrial projects. For firms that are already running Autodesk subscriptions across multiple disciplines, Advance Steel fits into that environment without requiring a separate technology stack.
The trade-off is depth. On highly complex projects with custom connections, irregular geometry, or very large member counts, Advance Steel’s automation and modeling capabilities fall short of what Tekla or SDS2 can do. It performs well on mid-complexity commercial and light industrial work where the structure is relatively standard. For straightforward projects, it is often the most efficient path from model to drawing to shop.
Bentley ProSteel
ProSteel is Bentley Systems’ structural steel detailing platform and is most common in firms that are already using Bentley’s broader infrastructure suite, Project-wise for document management, OpenRoads or OpenBridge for civil work, or RAM/STAAD for structural analysis.
ProSteel offers parametric connections, automated drawing generation from the 3D model, and CNC output for fabrication. Its interoperability with Bentley’s analysis software means the structural model and the detailing model can stay in closer alignment than they might with a mixed-vendor workflow. For infrastructure-heavy work, such as bridges, industrial platforms, and transmission towers, integration with Bentley’s analysis environment is the main reason a firm chooses ProSteel over the alternatives.
ProSteel is also a natural fit for infrastructure and utility projects: transmission structures, industrial platforms, and substations, where interoperability with Bentley’s engineering analysis tools supports the full project lifecycle from design through fabrication.
Outside of the Bentley ecosystem, it is less common in the US market than the three platforms above.
Where Revit fits in
Revit is not a steel detailing tool in the fabrication sense; it does not produce the level of shop drawing detail or CNC output that Tekla, SDS2, or Advance Steel do. But it sits upstream in a lot of US commercial building workflows, where architects and MEP engineers are building the coordination model in Revit.
A common workflow: the structural engineer models the steel framing in Revit for multidisciplinary coordination and design documentation. The detailer then takes that model, typically via IFC export, and rebuilds or refines it in Tekla or SDS2 to produce the fabrication deliverables. The two platforms are not competing for the same step; they handle different phases of the same project.
Fabrication management: one more layer
Beyond the detailing software itself, larger fabricators also run shop management platforms like StruMIS or Fabtrol alongside their detailing model. These tools track material procurement, shop scheduling, and piece mark status through fabrication and delivery. The detailing model feeds them; they do not replace it. For a GC or owner, these systems are what allow a fabricator to report accurately on delivery status against the project schedule.
How to choose
The honest answer is that most experienced US detailing teams are competent in at least Tekla and SDS2, and the right choice for a given project is usually driven by what the fabricator prefers. Fabricators have shop workflows built around specific software outputs their CNC machines expect particular file formats, their estimating teams know how to read certain drawing formats, and switching mid-project creates friction. The detailing team that can meet the fabricator where they already are is the one that shortens the schedule.
For owners and GCs who are not deep in the software weeds, the right question to ask a detailing firm is not “what software do you use” but “can you work in what our fabricator needs?” A team that is locked into one platform is a constraint. A team that covers the major platforms removes that constraint entirely.
The software itself is only part of the equation. Successful projects depend on experienced detailing teams that understand fabrication standards, constructability, BIM coordination, and the preferred workflows of each fabricator. Firms offering structural steel detailing services across all three major platforms: Moldtek Technologies is one example support US commercial and industrial projects while allowing clients to adopt the software that best fits their fabrication process rather than being constrained by a single technology stack.
Software enables the process engineering expertise to deliver the outcome
Choosing the right detailing platform matters, but it is only half the picture. Producing fabrication-ready models requires interpreting design intent that drawings do not always spell out, coordinating with architects and MEP teams, resolving constructability issues before they reach the field, and ensuring compliance with standards such as AISC 360. Modern BIM platforms accelerate each of those tasks; they do not replace the judgment that makes them reliable. The firms that consistently deliver clean, coordinated steel are the ones where experienced detailers are guiding the software, not the other way around.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most widely used steel detailing software in the US?
Tekla Structures and SDS2 are the two most common platforms in the US market. Tekla is the default for complex multi-story commercial and heavy industrial work; SDS2 is particularly strong where automated connection design and fabricator integration are priorities. Advance Steel is used broadly for mid-complexity work by firms in the Autodesk ecosystem.
Is Revit used for steel detailing?
Revit is used for structural coordination and design documentation but is not a fabrication-level detailing tool. Projects that begin in Revit typically transition to Tekla or SDS2 for shop drawing production and CNC output. The two tools exchange data via IFC and serve different phases of a project.
What files does steel detailing software produce?
The primary outputs are shop drawings (the piece-by-piece fabrication instructions), erection drawings (how the steel assembles on site), bills of material, and CNC/DSTV files that drive automated shop equipment. All major detailing platforms produce these from the 3D model.
What is DSTV in steel detailing?
DSTV (Deutscher Stahlbau-Verband) is the file format that CNC fabrication machines saws, drills, cope lines, and punch machines read directly. A detailing model that produces clean DSTV output allows fabrication to start without a manual re-entry step, which is where many shop errors historically occurred.
Can steel detailing software catch design errors?
Yes. Clash detection in platforms like Tekla identifies conflicts between structural members and other building systems before anything is fabricated. Connection verification checks that proposed connections meet code requirements under the specified loads. These checks do not replace engineering judgment, but they catch a large class of errors that would otherwise show up as field problems or RFIs.
About the author
Vamsi Posemsetty is EVP, Global Strategy & Operations at Moldtek Technologies, where he directs delivery across structural steel detailing, BIM coordination, and mechanical engineering for clients in the US and worldwide. He has more than 20 years of global leadership experience, including roles at Microsoft, GE, Tata Motors, and Mahindra & Mahindra, and studied Business Analytics in the founding cohort at ISB Hyderabad. He writes on technology and operations in engineering and is the author of the forthcoming book AIM: Unlocking the AI Mindset. Connect on LinkedIn, or learn more about the team’s work at moldtekengineering.com.
