High-Strength Takeoff Tools for Structural Steel Estimating

The average person-hours required to produce a ton of structural steel has decreased from 12 in 1980 to just over 0.6 today. That’s a 180% efficiency gain. Apply that to your workday, and it would be akin to getting 40 hours of work done in just two hours. What if you could capture just a fraction of that efficiency? What would it mean, for example, if you could cut the time it takes to complete a project takeoff by 50%? You can achieve efficiencies like this using electronic takeoff software designed for structural steel takeoffs.

Using a structural steel takeoff software application, like eTakeoff Dimension, you can quickly and accurately calculate the number of beams, plates, accessories, and connectors for the project, the number of labor hours, and any other measurements, pieces, or parts that may be pertinent to the bid. As a result, our clients are realizing time savings of 50% and greater using eTakeoff and capabilities including these:

• Assemblies on-the-fly There are a near-infinite number of beam configurations when you consider type, weight, depth, and length. Our configurable assembly tool allows you to create each unique configuration on the fly rather than scrolling through a list looking for a match. Simply enter the beam dimensions and weight and start your count. The software builds the customized assembly on the fly based on your inputs. This means you can have one beam takeoff object, instead of thousands.
• Auto counts speed the production line Quickly add up multiples of the same item using our patented pattern search. Once you select a symbol, eTakeoff Dimension will search the plans and automatically generate the item count. And Dimension does its counting in the background — even over multiple pages and multiple symbols — so you can keep the work going.
• Make the connections Ensure you count the various connectors and specialty parts required for a project by including these in your assemblies.
• Every inch counts Accurately measure every beam with a single click. That’s right, no dragging the cursor from one end of the line to the other, eTakeoff’s Snap AI feature can identify and measure many line segments with one click of the mouse.
• Get the big picture Gain a complete understanding of the scope of the project with metrics including total tons, total length, and total beam count.
• Estimating integration Extend efficiency gains further by integrating your takeoff with your estimating software application. eTakeoff integrates with leading estimating packages, including Steel Estimation Solutions Steel Bid Wizard, Sage Estimating, and Trimble WinEst.

Ironclad estimates
Faster and more accurate structural steel project estimates begin with accurate takeoffs. And faster and more accurate takeoffs come from using electronic takeoff applications. eTakeoff Dimension uses SnapAI, an Artificial Intelligence feature that can cut takeoff time by 50% — while improving the accuracy of your structural steel estimates. We invite you to start a 15-day free trial to explore how the solution can work for you.