Metal structure engineering
Structural design done in-house, modeled in 3D and detailed for the shop floor. The people who calculate talk to the people who fabricate and the people who erect.
In-house engineering
Design and shop floor speak the same language
When the design comes from one firm and the fabrication from another company, every adjustment turns into an email exchange, and every drawing error shows up on site. Here, engineering sits next to the shop floor and the erection crew.
That changes the outcome: the design is already built around how each piece will be cut, welded, transported and lifted.
What we do
From idea to executive design
Preliminary study
Feasibility, structural system and investment range, before any bigger commitment.
Structural design
Sizing of columns, beams, trusses, connections and bracing.
3D modeling (BIM)
The whole structure modeled in 3D before it reaches the shop floor, with clashes caught on screen instead of on site.
Detailing
Drawings for every piece, with dimensions, holes and welds, ready for fabrication.
Coordination
The structure checked against architecture, foundations and building systems.
Design calculation report and ART
The record of loads, standards and checks, with the ART when applicable.
Design standards
The standards that guide the design
Every project has its own set. These are the ones that go into the calculation of our structures:
ABNT NBR 8800
Design of steel structures and steel-concrete composite structures.
ABNT NBR 14762
Design of cold-formed steel structures.
ABNT NBR 6120
Loads for the design of building structures.
ABNT NBR 6123
Wind loads on buildings.
ABNT NBR 8681
Loads and safety in structures.
ABNT NBR 6118
Design of concrete structures, for bases and foundations.
Why 3D matters
Fewer surprises on site
In the 3D model, the structure is built on screen before it exists. A beam that clashes with a duct, a hole out of place, or a connection that's hard to erect all show up there, when fixing it costs little.
The fabrication drawings and the parts list come from that same model. What the shop cuts is what engineering designed.
How it works
How your project moves forward
One person follows every stage. You know what's happening and when.
- 01
Briefing
We understand the operation, the site and the schedule.
- 02
Preliminary study
Feasibility, structural system and investment range.
- 03
Engineering
Structural design, detailing and coordination.
- 04
Fabrication
Cutting, welding and painting at our own plant, with inspection.
- 05
Logistics
Numbered pieces ship out in the order they'll be erected.
- 06
Erection
Our own crew, with a lifting and safety plan.
- 07
Handover
Project reviewed with you and complete documentation.
FAQ
Questions about engineering
Do I need to have a finished design?
No. We work with you from the initial idea through to the executive design.
What is the 3D model for?
To see the whole structure before fabrication: clashes, connections and erection sequence. What would be a problem on site becomes an adjustment on screen.
What is coordination?
It's checking the structure against the other project designs, such as architecture, foundations and building systems, so nothing clashes during erection.
Which standards apply to my project?
It depends on the type of structure, its use and its location. The preliminary study defines the applicable standards, and they are recorded in the design calculation report.
Do I receive the ART for the design?
Yes, when it applies to the contracted scope. That's written into the proposal.
See also
From engineering to the job site
Next step
Have a project to get off the ground? Our engineering team will assess it.
Send us the project details and the drawings. You'll get feasibility, scope and what's missing to move forward.