Frequently Asked Questions
Here, you’ll find answers to the most common questions about steel it. If you have any additional queries, please get in touch with us directly.
What is steel it?
steel it is a calculation software designed to quickly, easily, and reliably calculate the prices of individual sheet metal parts and entire assemblies. By using steel it, you can save up to 90% of the time required for preparing quotes.
How is steel it operated?
steel it is a web-based solution that can be used without installation on any internet-enabled device.
Where is steel it hosted?
By default, steel it is hosted in the cloud by figure it. For customers in Switzerland, the solution is hosted with Amazon Web Services in Zurich. For customers in the EU, it is hosted with Amazon Web Services in Frankfurt.
Additionally, companies have the option to host the solution on their own servers.
What are the system requirements for steel it?
There are generally no system requirements.
However, if a company wishes to host steel it on its own servers, there are IT infrastructure requirements, which we will discuss together as part of the project.
Does steel it work on mobile devices?
Yes, the interface of steel it is responsive.
What can be calculated with steel it?
steel it is a software designed for quick and easy price calculation of sheet metal parts. With steel it, both individual parts and entire assemblies can be calculated.
Is an interface required?
An interface is recommended but not absolutely necessary to use steel it. In order to gain the greatest possible benefit from steel it, an interface to the existing ERP makes sense. Customer, supplier and material master data as well as work processes, work centers and purchasing parts can be transferred from the ERP to steel it via the interface. After the calculation, articles, prices, processing times, individual operations or the entire operation plan, parts lists, production documents, quotations and DXF files for processing can be transferred back into the ERP.
How often are updates released?
Small updates with bug fixes are carried out regularly and outside of business hours. You will be informed separately about larger updates with new features.
Can I export my data from steel it?
Yes, please refer to “Is an interface required?”. It is also possible to export data from steel it without using an interface.
Can I calculate tiered pricing?
Yes, you can record, calculate, and offer tiered pricing directly to your customers. At a later stage, you can create and offer a quote for the same item with a different tiered structure.
Is there a way to create a post-calculation?
Yes, a post-calculation can be created. The actual values from production must be manually recorded.
Can steel it automatically process STEP files?
Yes, steel it can automatically process and calculate STEP files. This results in the greatest time savings for quote calculation. Whether a STEP file consists of a single sheet metal part or an assembly with several hundred items, the file can be processed automatically. The resulting operations are generated automatically.
Can DXF and DWG files also be processed automatically?
Yes, DXF and DWG files can also be processed automatically, as long as they are files with individual objects (construction plans and technical drawings cannot be processed automatically). However, the files contain less geometry data and therefore do not provide the same benefits in automatic processing as STEP files. The missing information can simply be added manually.
Can I also calculate items manually?
Yes, items can also be entered and calculated manually. This is particularly necessary if only a sketch, a PDF or a file format other than STEP is available as input. Alternatively, the additional module smart create can also be used. See also “Used with steel it AI”.
Can steel it calculate precise prices?
Yes, steel it can be very accurate in its calculations. This is based on the calculation rules specified by the customer. steel it adopts the method of calculation and all associated rules tailored to each customer individually.
Can I purchase steel it and start calculating straight away?
No, steel it must be customized to meet your company’s specific needs and calculations. In a joint workshop, you’ll provide the inputs we need to tailor steel it to your requirements. These inputs include the calculation rules as well as your specific work processes, workplaces, and machine parameters.
Are operation plans generated automatically?
All operations for an offer are either generated automatically (through the automatic processing of STEP files) or entered manually. The resulting operation plan can be exported via an interface and used for production.
Is it possible to operate steel it on your own infrastructure?
Yes, steel it can be hosted and operated on your own servers.
Can I expect time savings by using steel it?
Yes, using steel it can achieve time savings of up to 90% in quotation calculations. The greatest time savings come from the automatic processing of STEP files. Additionally, the export of individual operations or the entire operations plan, bill of materials, and DXF files for processing and nesting also provides significant relief for production planning.
Are there any additional benefits to using steel it?
- Calculation and transcription errors are minimised.
- Different employees arrive at the same price.
- Estimates are replaced by calculation rules wherever possible.
- The know-how of the calculation is stored in steel it, rather than in the minds of individuals, thereby ensuring long-term retention within the company.
- A simple search function makes daily tasks easier for users.
- Only one tool is required for offer calculations.
Can offers be sent directly to customers from steel it?
Yes, offers can be sent directly to customers via email from steel it. However, this is just an option. The calculation can also be transferred to the ERP system via an interface, allowing the offer to be sent to customers from the ERP system instead. This is a strategic decision that each company must make individually.
How is the layout configured when sending offers directly from steel it to customers?
The layout can be customized to match your existing offer layout.
Can offers be exported?
Yes, offers can be exported, for example, via an interface to the ERP system.
How many people can work in steel it simultaneously?
The monthly licence is a company-wide licence, which is not limited by the number of users. This allows an unlimited number of employees to use the software simultaneously, each with their own access.
Can different roles and permissions be assigned?
Yes, steel it includes a comprehensive roles and permissions management system. It is up to you to decide which roles are assigned which permissions, and this can be managed and maintained independently.
What happens if STEP files are of poor quality?
The steel it engine is continually optimised to automatically detect and calculate even construction errors. However, steel it cannot guarantee that all STEP files will be analyzed and processed automatically. If you encounter issues with a STEP file, please send it to us. This will help us improve the engine behind steel it.
How long does the automatic processing of a STEP file take?
The processing time varies depending on the size of the file. A single small part is analysed within a few seconds, while a larger assembly may take more time to process.
How do I know that a file has been analyzed?
The overview page for items and analyzes automatically refreshes every 5 seconds, eliminating the need for manual refreshes. Additionally, users receive a notification once an analysis job has been completed.
Can I continue working on another offer while an analysis is still running?
Yes, you can continue working on other calculations without any restrictions. The analyzes run automatically in the background, and you will be notified once the analysis is complete.
Can products be nested with steel it?
Yes, steel it includes nesting capabilities. Nesting can apply to individual products or assemblies within an order, or it can span across products or assemblies from multiple orders.
How are products nested with steel it?
You provide us with your specific rules for nesting. This includes considerations such as whether nesting is allowed in inner contours, if a part can be rotated, or if minimum distances between individual parts need to be observed. The rules can be set as general guidelines or customized individually for each nesting scenario.
Can steel it also consider remaining stock when nesting?
Yes, if remnant sheets with a length and width (as an available rectangle) are maintained in an accessible database, these can also be taken into account during nesting. In addition, steel it can make a suggestion for the sheet format with the least waste if several formats of a particular material have been created in the material master.
Can prices for external processing steps and procurement parts be requested from suppliers directly through steel it?
Yes, steel it includes a supplier price request feature for directly asking suppliers for prices on external processing steps or procurement parts. You simply select the desired suppliers and specify the information they need for quoting. The request is sent via email with a deadline you set, and the supplier receives a link to view the required details and submit their quote. After the quote is received, you get a notification. Additionally, automatic reminders can be sent to the supplier. If you are obtaining quotes from multiple suppliers for a single offer, you ultimately decide which supplier’s quote will be used for your customer’s offer.
Are prices from supplier requests transferred directly into the offer?
Each company decides how to handle the individual prices from supplier requests. Prices can be transferred directly as they are. However, it is also possible to set a fixed margin and add surcharges for transport or other costs for each supplier. If these values are not to be applied universally for each supplier, they can be added individually for each order.
What happens if our prices, hourly rates, or cost rates change?
Authorised users have the ability to independently modify prices, hourly rates, cost rates, as well as customer and supplier data, or work processes and workplaces. If the data is imported via an ERP interface, we automatically update the changes. Each company determines individually how frequently data synchronisation should occur.
Can steel it be integrated into our website and made accessible to our customers?
Yes, it is possible to integrate steel it into your website and make it accessible to your customers. This can be done either openly or with password protection. This allows your customers to create and request quotes for repeat parts entirely on their own or calculate new quotes fully or partially. You decide how much access and functionality you want to provide to your customers with steel it.
Can I independently adjust the calculation rules stored in steel it?
Yes, you can independently adjust the stored factors. If you feel confident, you can also fully modify the calculation formulas. If you prefer not to make changes to the calculations yourself, we are happy to assist you.
Is steel it available in multiple languages?
Yes, steel it is currently available in German, English, and French. Each user can choose their preferred language setting. Additional languages can be made available upon request.
Is steel it secure for uploading sensitive design plans to the cloud?
Yes, we apply the latest industry standards for operating steel it. The security of the software is a core priority for us. Additionally, all our employees are trained to handle confidential information with the utmost discretion and sensitivity.
Can steel it also be used to process PDF files and spreadsheets?
Yes, with the help of the additional module smart create, PDF files and tables in CSV, XLS or XLSX format (e.g. tenders, tables, etc.) can also be partially processed automatically. This makes master data entry much easier. The effort of copying and pasting is eliminated. Information missing from the PDF can be added manually.
Can steel it also be used to process text (e.g. from an email)?
Yes, by using the additional module smart create, texts, e.g. from an e-mail or Excel table, can be inserted into steel it via copy and paste and processed automatically. If you only receive a hand-drawn sketch, you can simply describe in raw text what you see on the sketch and the items are automatically recorded with the described properties and operations.
Does steel it use AI?
Yes, at your express request, you can activate the smart create add-on module. This allows you to automatically process raw text (e.g. from an email or Excel, etc.) or PDF files and tables (CSV, XLS, or XLSX). If you don’t want to use AI, simply omit the addition. The automatic geometry analysis of STEP, DXF and DWG files works without the use of AI.
Can steel it also automatically recognize and calculate chamfers?
Yes, chamfers drawn in STEP files are recognized by our geometry analysis.
Does the automatic calculation also work for laser punching combination machines?
Automatic calculation for a laser-punch combination is possible. In order for us to be able to store the calculation rules, it is important that we receive the corresponding input from your company.
How do I calculate if I do not receive a geometry file as input from the customer?
With the help of the quick create add-on module, it is possible to create many article items including operations in a table (similar to Excel) in a short time and, in the case of assemblies, to create an associated tree structure at the same time. Alternatively, you can also use the smart create add-on module and use AI to create items and associated properties by entering text freely or automatically processing PDF files.
Can the program differentiate between prototype series and actual series and combine both in one quotation?
Yes, this can be implemented in steel it by assigning a specific type to the product or order item. Based on this type, different calculation approaches can be applied. In addition, steel it takes into account program costs (once per model), set-up costs (once per order) and regular processing costs (per piece produced). Higher program costs could be used for the calculation of a prototype, for example.
Is steel it able to select the cheapest workstation?
Yes, steel it can calculate the prices of different operations and then use the cheapest work center for the calculation.