Custom steel construction software
Appfront builds custom software for steel construction and structural engineering companies: from costing by tonnage and steel sections, through CAD/CAM with Tekla Structures and NC/DSTV, to production preparation, production and erection planning, and management of drawings and revisions. One project file in which weights, positions and changes from the 3D model flow through to costing, procurement and planning, with the NEN-EN 1090 documentation within reach for the CE marking of load-bearing steel structures.
What is steel structure software?
Steel structure software supports the full process of a steel construction company: costing by tonnage and steel sections, the quote, production preparation and procurement, fabrication in the workshop, transport and erection on site, and management of drawings and revisions. It ties those steps to one project file, so weights, positions and changes from the 3D model flow through to costing, procurement and planning instead of everyone starting again in their own file.
Structural steel is all about load-bearing structures: columns, beams, trusses and connections fabricated in the workshop and erected on site into a hall, building or installation. A small detail changed during engineering immediately affects steel procurement, the saw and drill list for the machine, and the order in which elements must reach the site. Software that keeps this connected prevents margin and time from leaking between estimate and execution.
This page covers software for structural steel fabrication and construction of load-bearing steelwork. If your focus is mainly CNC machining, machine shop operations and machine capacity planning per piece or batch, see our metalworking software page. For a broader view of our approach, see custom software development and software for construction companies.
From costing to erection in one chain
Costing, production preparation, fabrication and erection share the same project file. A change in engineering flows through to procurement, planning and post-calculation, without retyping between separate systems or spreadsheets.
The BIM model as the single source of truth
Bills of materials, weights and profiles come straight out of Tekla Structures or an IFC model. NC/DSTV files drive the machines. Quantities and positions update automatically, so the model and the administration never drift apart.
NEN-EN 1090 compliance, demonstrably assured
Material certificates, welding qualifications, inspections and the correct drawing revision per element stay linked to the project. This keeps your file complete for the execution class agreed with the client.
Products covered by a harmonised specification require a declaration of performance with every delivery. You can read how to manage these per product and per version on our declaration of performance software page.
How we build your structural steel software
We work step by step and involve your estimators, production planners and site erection managers early on. From a thorough review of your estimating standards, execution classes and supply chain partners through to go-live and ongoing management, every step is aimed at software your team understands, trusts and can use every day in the workshop and on site.
We map out your process: costing by tonnage, production planning, the integration with Tekla or an IFC model, workshop production and erection on site. Together we determine which steps create the most bottlenecks and where an integration saves the most time.
We design the data model around project, element and revision, along with the architecture and integrations with CAD/CAM, ERP and accounting. The principle is that the 3D model remains the single source of truth and changes are recorded in a traceable way.
We build in short iterations with automated testing and monitoring. You see working versions along the way and help set priorities, so the software fits the day-to-day practice of the workshop and erection team.
Controlled go-live with data migration and a safety net, followed by ongoing management, monitoring and further development as your way of working, your machinery or the standards evolve.
What structural steel software actually does
We tailor every application specifically to your estimating standards, machinery and supply chain partners. Below are the functions we most often deliver for companies that estimate, produce and erect load-bearing structural steelwork.
Tonnage and profile-based estimating
Calculate by weight per profile, such as HEA, IPE and box sections, plus sheet metal, weld metres, bolted connections and the surface area to be protected by blasting, galvanising or coating. The software derives quantities from the bill of materials or the 3D model and links them to your own standards for labour, materials and subcontracting.
CAD/CAM and Tekla integration
From a 3D model in Tekla Structures you extract bills of materials and generate NC/DSTV files that drive CNC saw, drilling and punching machines. An IFC import following openBIM lets you work with models from architects and structural engineers without double data entry, keeping quantities and administration aligned.
Production preparation and procurement
Translate the project into saw and drill lists, material requisitions, nesting and the procurement of steel and fixings. Link stock and orders to the element, so the shop floor knows what is in place, what has been ordered and what must be ready for the next production step.
Workshop production planning
Plan the workshop operations: sawing, drilling, welding, blasting and coating. Using barcode or QR scanning, staff report progress per element, so you can see which elements are ready for transport and where work is getting held up.
Erection planning on site
Plan transport and erection on site: which elements go to the construction site, in what sequence and at what time, aligned with the crane lifting sequence and the progress of other parties. Erectors see on a tablet what is ready and report erection status, photos and deviations back, including when offline.
Drawing and revision management
Manage workshop and erection drawings with versions and revisions per element, linked to the NEN-EN 1090 file with material certificates, welding qualifications and inspections. This way everyone works from the correct, latest approved revision and it remains demonstrable what has been fabricated.
For whom we build structural steel software
Steel construction is carried out by different companies, each with its own role in the chain and its own type of work. For each of them we build software that suits their costing, their production and their collaboration with clients and chain partners.
Steel and structural engineering firms
Companies that engineer, fabricate and erect load-bearing steel structures, from tonnage-based estimating through to handover. They need a single chain that keeps the 3D model, the workshop and the construction site connected. See also machine building software for related challenges.
Hall and industrial construction
Companies that supply steel frames for industrial halls, sheds and industrial buildings, often in runs of columns and trusses. Repeatable costing, tight procurement and a predictable erection sequence determine the margin and lead time here.
Suppliers and subcontractors
Companies supplying sub-assemblies, staircases, landings or balustrading for a larger construction project. They need clear integrations with the main contractor's model, plus tight revision control so they produce to the correct drawing.
Steel erection firms
Companies that handle assembly on site, sometimes on behalf of several steel fabricators. They need clear assembly scheduling, feedback from the site and documentation of what has been installed where, even when the connection on location is poor.
Test your idea first: a working prototype in 1 day
With OneDayBuild, we turn your idea into something tangible in one day for €1,150, so you can see whether further development is worth the investment. Decide to go ahead with the full build? Then we credit the full cost.
Explore OneDayBuild →Technology and integrations
We build with a modern, maintainable web stack and integrate with the systems that are standard in steel construction. Most relevant are the CAD/CAM chain around Tekla Structures with NC/DSTV for driving CNC machines, IFC import under openBIM for models from architects and structural engineers, and integrations with your ERP, accounts and quoting and configuration system. To control production itself, we can connect to a MES system on the shop floor.
If your racks hold a lot of offcut plate that nobody can find any more, take a look at our app for offcut plate management in sheet metal work.
Why choose Appfront for your structural steel software?
Appfront builds custom software and always begins with a thorough analysis of your process, costing standards and chain partners. Software for steel construction must not only be technically sound, but also suit the way your estimators calculate, your workshop produces and your erectors work on site.
We make the 3D model the single source of truth and ensure weights, profiles and revisions flow from it into costing, purchasing and planning. Where sector packages already work well, we integrate with them rather than reinventing the wheel. Where your process is unique, we build the custom software that an off-the-shelf package won't give you.
We write clear documentation so that your own team or a future supplier can understand and manage the software. No black box, but transparent code and clear agreements on integrations, authorisation, logging and maintenance.
See also our related services: custom software development, software for construction companies, machine building software and, for CNC machining and machine-based processing, metalworking software. Questions? Get in touch.
- Custom software for steel construction and structural engineering
- The 3D model as the single source of truth, from estimating to erection
- Experienced with CAD/CAM, Tekla, NC/DSTV and IFC/openBIM
- Estimating by tonnage, sections, weld lengths and surface area
- Production and erection planning in one chain
- Drawing and revision control linked to the NEN-EN 1090 file
- Integrations with your ERP, accounts and machine park
- Offline working on site with later synchronisation
- Clear documentation your team can read and manage
- Ongoing support and further development as your work evolves
Security and reliability in steel construction software
In steel construction, your data is business-critical: estimates, drawings, models and the NEN-EN 1090 file represent both expertise and liability. That is why we set up access based on role and project, so that a subcontractor or erector only sees what their task requires. Every view of and change to drawings and revisions is logged, so you can always trace who approved or modified a given revision.
We work in line with the GDPR wherever personal data of employees or business contacts is involved, and build to recognised security standards such as those from OWASP, with encryption both in transit and at rest. The integrity of the revision history comes first: the latest approved drawing must always be traceable, so that the workshop and the site never fabricate or erect from an outdated version. Backups and recovery procedures ensure a project is quickly available again after an outage.
Read more about our security approach: information security policy and vulnerability disclosure policy. Discuss your situation without obligation via our contact form.
Alongside estimating and erection planning, EN 1090 requires a working Factory Production Control system, with weld documentation and traceability per component. We develop that at EN 1090 certification for steel structures.
If you hold a KOMO certificate alongside EN 1090, this adds internal quality monitoring with its own inspections and calibration requirements. See KOMO certification: records and audits.
- Access by role and by project
- Complete logging of access and changes
- Reliable revision history, with the latest approved drawing traceable
- GDPR-compliant wherever personal data is processed
- Built to recognised OWASP security standards
- Encryption in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest
- Data separation between clients and projects
- Backups and recovery procedures for project continuity
Frequently asked questions about steel construction software
Answers to the questions we receive most often about custom software for steel construction.
Steel construction software supports the entire process of a steel fabrication company: estimating by tonnage and steel sections, quoting, production preparation, purchasing steel and fixings, workshop fabrication, scheduling erection on site, and managing drawings and revisions. It links these steps to a single project file, so weights, positions and changes from the 3D model flow through to estimating, purchasing and planning. Custom software lets you set this up around your own working methods and execution classes, rather than forcing your process into an off-the-shelf package.
Structural steel software is about load-bearing steel structures: columns, beams, trusses and connections that are assembled on site into a building or installation. The focus is on tonnage-based costing, CAD/CAM with Tekla, assembly planning and the NEN-EN 1090 file. Metalworking software, by contrast, focuses on machining and machine-based processing in the workshop, such as CNC milling, turning and sheet metal work per piece or in series. If you mainly work with CNC machining and machine park planning, take a look at our metalworking software; if you work with complete steel structures, this page is the right one.
Yes. From a 3D model in Tekla Structures you extract bills of materials, weights and profiles, and generate NC/DSTV files that drive CNC saw, drill and punch machines. We build integrations that use the model as the single source of truth: quantities and positions flow automatically into costing, purchasing and planning, and changes are recorded as revisions. Importing IFC under openBIM is also possible, so you can work with models from architects and structural engineers without double data entry.
A steel estimate is based on weight: kilos and tonnes per profile (for example HEA, IPE and box sections), plus sheet metal, weld metres, bolted connections and the surface area to be protected by blasting, galvanising or coating. The software derives those quantities from the bill of materials or the 3D model and links them to your own standards for labour, materials and subcontracting. This keeps the estimate traceable and lets you compare it with the post-calculation later, so margin doesn't leak away between budget and execution.
Load-bearing steel structures fall under NEN-EN 1090. EN 1090-1 governs CE marking and the Factory Production Control system, while EN 1090-2 covers the technical requirements and the execution class (EXC1 to EXC4). Software does not take over the professional judgement, but it helps keep the file complete and easy to find: material certificates, welding qualifications, inspections and the correct drawing revision for each element. This lets you demonstrate per project that the structure was made to the agreed execution class.
Yes. Alongside workshop planning, the software supports planning for transport and on-site erection: which elements go to the construction site, in what order and at what time, aligned with the lifting sequence and the progress of other parties. Fitters can see on a tablet what is ready, report erection status and record photos or deviations, even when the connection on site is poor and only syncs later.
We build custom software. Steel construction companies vary considerably in how they work: one builds halls and industrial structures, another stairs, railings or complex engineering, each with its own calculation standards, execution classes and supply chain partners. Strong sector packages exist for steel construction, but custom development is the right choice when your process, integrations or project administration don't fit a standard package, or when you want existing systems to work together. After an intake conversation, we decide together what matters most and the order in which we build.
Yes. We regularly integrate with existing CAD/CAM, ERP and accounting systems, and we also take over applications built by another party. We review the architecture, integrations, data model and security, document the setup and propose improvements. From there we can extend the software, build and monitor integrations, or modernise it step by step into a maintainable state without halting your production.
Ready to get your steel structure software built?
Tell us how your steel construction business is set up and where you run into trouble, from tonnage-based calculation and the link with Tekla to production in the workshop and erection on site. We are happy to think along about process, integrations, revision management and the NEN-EN 1090 documentation. In a no-obligation first conversation you'll get a clear picture of the custom software options that suit your business.