Software
RAM Connection
Steel connection design and reporting to AISC, Eurocode and more.
Quick answer
Structural Engineering Services supports RAM Connection projects worldwide with steel connection design, structural engineering services, commercial building steel design, steel erection drawings — delivered by senior engineers on licensed software to international codes.
- Publisher
- Bentley Systems
- Discipline
- Steel connection design & calculations
- Licensing
- Commercial seats, in-house only
Capability at a glance
Our RAM Connection bench strength
Every figure below is what we run in production — licensed seats, supported versions and the scale we deliver at, so you can size us against your package before you enquire.
6
Licensed seats
RAM Connection CONNECT Edition with ISM
5 codes
Code coverage
AISC 360/341, EN 1993-1-8, IS 800, CSA S16, AS 4100
2,000+
Connections per month
Designed, checked and scheduled across live projects
Every state
Limit states reported
Bolt, weld, plate, block shear, web and flange checks shown
3–7 days
Typical package
Connection matrix, calculations and typical details
Deliverables
What we produce in RAM Connection
Connections are where steel projects lose money. We design them as a family set the fabricator can repeat, and back every one with a limit-state calculation a checker can sign.
Scope your deliverablesConnection design calculations
Shear tabs, end plates, double angles, seated and moment connections, each with every limit state listed and the governing ratio shown.
Bracing & gusset design
Concentric and eccentric bracing gussets by the uniform force method, including HSS, slotted-tube and heavy chevron configurations.
Base plates & anchorage
Base plate, shear lug and anchor-rod design to AISC Design Guide 1 and ACI 318 Chapter 17, with breakout and pryout checks.
Splices & moment connections
Column and beam splices, directly welded and bolted flange-plate moment connections, with panel-zone and doubler or stiffener checks.
Connection schedule
A matrix of standard connections by member size and reaction band, so the detailer applies types rather than designing one-offs.
Typical detail sheets
Dimensioned typical details with bolt grade, weld size and plate thickness, issued as the detailing reference pack.
Interoperability
RAM Connection file formats we work with
Forces come from the analysis model; geometry goes to the detailing model. The ISM link keeps both ends live instead of re-keyed.
| Format | Direction | How we use it |
|---|---|---|
| ISM repository | Both ways | Member sizes and end forces in from STAAD.Pro or RAM Structural System; designed connections back out to the detailer. |
| STAAD.Pro (.std) | We import | Direct link to pull member geometry and factored end-force envelopes per load combination. |
| Excel / CSV force tables | We import | Reaction and force schedules from any analysis package, mapped onto the connection matrix. |
| Tekla Structures model | We deliver | Designed connection geometry passed to the detailing model, so what is checked is what is fabricated. |
| PDF / Word calculation set | We deliver | Indexed, signed limit-state calculations for approval, certification or engineer-of-record review. |
| DXF detail sketches | We deliver | Dimensioned connection sketches for the typical-detail sheets and for shop queries. |
Working in a format that is not listed? Send a sample file with your enquiry — we confirm every exchange route before kick-off rather than discovering it at issue.
How we work
Our RAM Connection workflow
Our process is built around catching problems before they reach your reviewer, so the checking stages are fixed, not optional.
- 1
Force & geometry intake
Member sizes, end reactions, axial and moment envelopes, the connection philosophy and any seismic designation are confirmed first.
- 2
Connection matrix
Members grouped by size and reaction band so a controlled family of connection types covers the job instead of hundreds of unique designs.
- 3
Fabricator preferences
Bolt grade and diameter, plate thickness range, weld process, hole type and coping preferences agreed with the shop before design.
- 4
Design & code check
Each type checked to AISC 360, EN 1993-1-8, IS 800, CSA S16 or AS 4100 across every limit state, with seismic provisions where AISC 341/358 applies.
- 5
Economy review
Quality gateBolt counts, plate grades and weld volumes reviewed against shop cost — the lightest connection is rarely the cheapest to fabricate.
- 6
Detailing hand-off & clash
Connections pushed to the Tekla model, then checked for bolt access, erection clearance and clash with adjacent members.
- 7
Calculation pack issue
Indexed calculations, connection schedule and typical details issued as one submission, with the comment register tracked to closure.
One stage is a formal quality gate — work does not move forward until a senior engineer signs it off, which is why revisions after issue stay rare.
Choosing a platform
When RAM Connection is the right choice
The right software is the one that produces your deliverable with the least rework downstream. This is the call we would make on your scope.
Choose RAM Connection when
- A fabricator or engineer of record needs signed, limit-state connection calculations rather than rule-of-thumb standard details.
- The job has many repeated members and would benefit from a rationalised connection family and schedule.
- Design forces come straight from a STAAD.Pro or RAM model and you want the link kept live through revisions.
- Base plates, anchorage or braced-frame gussets need breakout and anchorage checks to ACI 318 Chapter 17.
We would use something else when
Still unsure? Send the drawings and the deliverable you need — we will tell you which platform we would run it on, and why, before quoting.
Relevant services
Our RAM Connection services
Steel Connection Design
Designing shear, moment, bracing and base-plate connections with full calculation sheets.
Explore
Structural Engineering Services
Delivering end-to-end structural analysis, design and detailing for steel and industrial structures.
Explore
Commercial Building Steel Design
Designing and detailing steel frames for offices, malls, hospitals and high-rise commercial buildings.
ExploreSteel Erection Drawings
Creating erection and anchor-bolt plans that show site crews exactly where and in what sequence each member goes.
ExploreDirectory
RAM Connection work by market
Pick the market your project is built in. Every page sets out the governing codes, units and delivery window we work to there.
8 markets
Most requested markets
8
Start your project
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Free, no-obligation proposal from a senior engineer.