Anatomic Iron Blog

Anatomic Iron Steel Detailing values service at our core. We are more than a steel detailer. Our team believes that when we work together, we can make a difference in the lives of those in need.

In keeping with this vision, we have established the Anatomic Iron Cares Foundation, a non-profit that exists to help the hurting around the world. As a registered U.S. charity, our donors can make tax-deductible donations to fund projects that allow us to make an impact with our skills and our resources.

Our current focus is supporting the over 2 million Ukrainian refugees who have fled to Poland to find safety from invading Russian forces. Anatomic Iron is partnering with the Proszowice Recreation Center, a sports facility in the suburbs of Krakow. This center provided an ideal location to establish a Ukrainian Refugee Housing Center. The facility contains residential units, traditionally used for summer campers, which have been converted to temporary housing for refugee families. Currently, 85 families are staying in the Housing Center. Each family stays about one month, until they find jobs and permanent accommodations. So far 250 refugees have been assisted in their transition to Poland or other European countries.

How will Anatomic Iron Cares Foundation help?

• We will build a full kitchen. The Center spends a great deal of money each day on catered food for the families, so a full-service kitchen for meal preparation would alleviate daily expenses.
• We will build a dining area. There is currently no large room for residents to gather for meals, so they are eating outside in a public café area or in their small rooms.
• We will build and equip a proper laundry room for residents to use.
• We will provide basic furniture, appliances, and necessities for ongoing site activities.

Anatomic Iron Cares Foundation believes providing these improvements to the Housing Center will improve the lives of refugees and allow more individuals and families to be helped over the long-term. This is a practical way we can make an immediate positive impact and provide help and hope to those who are suffering.

Want to learn more about how you can help? Visit the Anatomic Cares website to learn how you can support the Ukrainian Refugee Housing Center and our other projects. This foundation is managed by Clifford Young and Anatomic Iron Staff and we assure all supporters that 100% of their donations will go towards the project, without any management fees or other deductions.  Help us make the world a better place!

As the steel industry constantly evolves and grows, changes are inevitable. In the daily reality of production and fabrication timelines, even a small shift in a standard process can pause manufacturing, impact the budget, and put a project on hold. Anatomic Iron Steel Detailing wants to be a facilitator of progress and enable fabricators to choose best practices, so we developed a practical tool to help fabricators with software changes.

With the recent announcement of the retirement of Fabtrol, a standard integrated steel fabrication management software, fabricators find themselves in the inconvenient position of having to choose a replacement from an overwhelming sea of options. Fabtrol was developed as a material resource and planning (MRP) system in 1984 and has been a staple in fabrication shops for decades. AVEVA acquired the software in 2015 and has announced its retirement in 2022. So how can a fabricator make an informed decision about their next MRP and minimize impact on their project timelines and budgets?

Anatomic Iron Steel Detailing has done the research for you! Our team has developed a free comprehensive report comparing suitable Fabtrol alternatives. We researched 10 software programs that can meet steel fabricators’ MRP needs: Strumis, Graitec Advanced, Romac, Smaac Steel, Tekla PowerFab, Steel Projects, Construsteel, Syspro, Jobscope, and RealSteel.

Our report addresses the services offered by each software package, including the subtasks and functions they offer in the areas of estimates, materials, drawings, fabrication, shipping, and accounting. We address the training costs to setup and implement each program. We include a general assessment of the various costs of each package, including the cost of perpetual licensing and an average annual cost estimate. We provide a full overview of each package and list any special abilities or advantages as well as the necessary contact information for each provider. This is all laid out in an easy-to-read spreadsheet format with incorporated text, which gives you what you need to know at a glance and simplifies the decision-making process so you can get back to producing the high-quality steelwork that defines your company.

Your fabrication shop is unique and has specific needs and goals, so you need the optimal MRP system to suit your individualized estimating, inventory, and production processes. Anatomic Iron’s comprehensive report will enable you to make a timely and informed decision based on what is best for your company’s needs, allowing you to stay on track with current projects and move confidently into the future.

Are you ready to see what MRP is best for you? Get your free comprehensive MRP systems report from Anatomic Iron Steel Detailing here.

When we start coming down with a runny nose or a scratchy throat, we know those symptoms indicate an overall health issue.

The same is true when examining structures for damage and wear. As bridges age, deficiencies are inevitable, and the smallest signs of deterioration can indicate greater problems. How do engineers know when to intervene and what steps to take to either renovate, restore, or rebuild a bridge entirely?

Bridge inspection is at the center of safety and maintenance. The three main parts of a bridge should be examined carefully and regularly. The decking should be inspected from underneath to look for any visible reinforcing steel. The superstructure should be examined for corrosion-related deterioration. And the substructure that holds up the bridge contains the expansion joint, which must be inspected carefully as it is a prime spot for potential instability.

Bridge fatigue is a common issue that contributes to bridge deterioration. Tiny cracks in the steel structure of a bridge form over time, and as the steel accumulates stress from the weight of constant traffic, the tiny cracks grow and spread into fatigue fractures.

These realities make it all the more necessary to maintain a consistent schedule of bridge inspections. Dealing with repairs and issues in a proactive rather than reactive way saves money in the long-term and often results in less disruption to those who use and rely on the bridge. Using bridge models in the planning stages can also be a key practice in constructing new bridges that can more effectively deal with the transport and environmental issues of today.

Anatomic Iron Steel Detailing’s bridge detailing service has expanded and is ready to assist with your next bridge project. Contact us for more information about how the Anatomic team can partner with you.

Anatomic Iron Steel Detailing does more than detail steel…we can create construction drawings for your precast concrete projects too!

In contrast to cast-in-place concrete, precast concrete is cast in a reusable form, cured in a controlled environment, transported to the construction site, and lifted into place. There are many advantages to choosing precast concrete instead of traditional cast-in-place concrete. First of all, it provides an alternative to steel which has shown dramatic price pressure over the past year. In additional, precast concrete is strong and good at withstanding everyday use, providing a long service time and maximizing your investment. Precast concrete is weatherproof, fireproof, and resists rust and mildew. It supports heavy loads and requires minimal maintenance. Precast concrete can be cast in a variety of thicknesses, weights, and colors according to client specifications. It can easily be painted or stained as well. It goes up quickly on-site and reduces job-site impact because it is ready for placement immediately upon delivery. Finally, precast concrete is environmentally safe and is made partly with recycled sources.

Anatomic Iron provides comprehensive services in the precast concrete detailing process, ensuring that your design, modeling, and estimating needs are met in order to achieve a successful project. Our skill and experience in detailing means there will be fewer changes needed in the field, ultimately saving you both time and money.

Anatomic Iron is experienced in detailing precast panels for large-panel systems, frame systems, slab-column systems with shear walls, mixed systems, cross-wall systems, longitudinal wall systems, two-way systems, and more. 

For your precast concrete project, Anatomic Iron can deliver:  

• erection drawings,
• precast shop drawings,
• marking plans,
• wall-panel detailing,
• associated beam and column detailing
• Full coordination between all precast and steel elements

Using precast concrete provides a high level of precision for any construction project, and Anatomic Iron has openings in our production schedule to implement your project today. Contact us to meet your precast concrete detailing needs: https://www.anatomiciron.com/contact_us.html

SpeedCore is a revolutionary development in the world of structural steel framing. Developed in 2019 by Magnussen Klemencic Associates, SpeedCore is a nonproprietary, innovative system that uses a concrete-filled composite steel plate shear wall (CF-CSPSW) core instead of the traditional cast-in-place reinforced concrete core. The prefabricated panels are made of two ½-inch thick structural steel plates held in place with 1-inch-diameter cross-connecting tie rods which support the panels until the concrete is poured after erection. 

Why is the industry exploring  this new model? Industry professionals are discussing many reasons to choose SpeedCore over a traditional concrete core: 

1. Shorter construction schedule and reduced costs.

With a traditional concrete core, erection takes place at a pace of one floor every 3-5 days. With the hybrid SpeedCore structure, there is no waiting for concrete to cure, no rebar, no framework, and no demobilization for outrigger placement. SpeedCore can support up to 4 floors of decking by itself, so 4 floors can be erected in one week. And with SpeedCore, steel connection plates can be welded directly to the wall panel, so this eliminates construction tolerance issues that can occur when using an embedded plate to combine concrete and steel construction. 

• Strength.

After erection, the prefabricated steel panels are filled with concrete, making a sandwich-like structure that creates strength and stability. Because the concrete is wrapped with the steel that is typically cast inside the wall, the connections are direct steel-to-steel. 

• Versatility.

Because there are no hidden reinforcing bars, SpeedCore lends itself to adaptive reuse projects. It is perfect for high-rise construction but has also been used extensively for nuclear power facilities because of its impressive impact- and blast-resistance.

• Safety.

Since the timeline of SpeedCore construction aligns with floor framing, much of the construction is under a steel deck cover, providing extra protection for workers from above.

For an example of the value added to a project due to SpeedCore, consider the Rainier Square Tower in Seattle built in 2021. The original construction timeline called for a traditional cast-in-place concrete core that would take 21 months to complete. However, using SpeedCore, construction on the 850-foot high-rise building took just 10 months. The savings in dollars and hours is phenomenal. 

SpeedCore is just getting started. As the industry catches on to its benefits, more research is being conducted to learn how to optimize this method. There are currently four ongoing SpeedCore research projects that will assist builders and fabricators in learning how to best employ and enhance this system.

Anatomic Iron Steel Detailing is excited to see what the future of the steel industry holds with SpeedCore. Advances in our industry mean that we are working collaboratively to make steel construction the best it can be.

Anatomic Iron Steel Detailing has a rich history in the steel industry. The legacy started 50 years ago in New Zealand, when our CEO, Mike Young, launched his first steel fabrication company.  In 1989, he moved to Canada and founded a new steel fabrication company that took on commercial and industrial structural steel projects in the western United States and Canada.  Mike’s sons, Kerry and Cliff Young founded Anatomic Iron Steel Detailing in Vancouver, Canada, in 2003, to meet the needs of their father’s growing steel fabrication company. In 2004, Mike joined his sons as CEO to accelerate Anatomic Iron to become the industry leader it is today.

Both Cliff and Kerry Young have vast experience within the steel industry.  Cliff, our VP, has over 20 years of experience in the industry, both on the shop floor as well as in financial management. Kerry, our COO, has over 2 decades of experience in steel fabrication and steel erection, including multiple certifications in both welding and steel detailing. He is a ticketed all position welder with thousands of hours of shop and site welding and erection experience.

When the Young family started Anatomic Iron, they did so carefully and methodically.  Always process- oriented, they were laser-focused on creating workflows that would consistently produce high quality drawings that flow seamlessly through the zones of any project, no matter how complex.  Along the way, they slowly hit such milestones as creating the Preliminary Engineering Department, opening the Anatomic Iron Institute of Technology, incorporating in-model communication processes, and pioneering their revolutionary design detailing approach. 

Anatomic Iron Steel Detailing is now known for its innovative track record and award- winning projects across North America.  Projects such as the Atlanta Falcons Stadium, Denver International Airport, and Norwegian Cruise Line Terminal in Miami have allowed Anatomic Iron to be recognized as an industry-leading steel detailing firm.  Curious about how we can put our expertise to work for you?  Reach out to us today! 

“Sustainability” has been a major construction industry buzzword over the past several years. As North American contractors, engineers and architects have collectively taken a posture of environmental consciousness, steel has become the go-to building material for sustainability.

So, what makes structural steel a sustainable construction material? Here is a brief breakdown of this material’s eco-friendly attributes:

1. Recyclability. According to the AISC, most of the U.S.’s domestically-produced structural steel is now composed of over 90 percent recycled material. Moreover, an estimated 98 percent of all structural steel is recycled back into high-quality, usable steel at the end of a building’s life cycle.

2. Longevity. Speaking of life cycles, structural steel stands head and shoulders over alternative building materials when considering longevity. Because steel is stronger and more ductile than concrete, for example, steel framing requires significantly less (if any) upkeep—which results in longer-lasting buildings.

3. Adaptability. Structural steel members can easily adapt to changes in load conditions, and steel can be modified or expanded much more seamlessly than other building materials. Additionally, steel beams, columns, and other components can be fabricated into new components without needing complete rolling or melting.

4. Lower carbon footprint. Throughout its life cycle, steel maintains a minimal carbon footprint. Today’s steel manufacturing process is discovering new ways to reduce emissions; in fact, overall structural steel mill carbon emissions are down 36 percent since 1990. Plus, U.S. steel production’s estimated water recycling rate is now around 95 percent.

Structural steel also requires shorter timeframes and less manpower to fabricate, transport, and erect than alternative materials. This results in a significantly lower carbon emission rate throughout the steel construction process.

5. Fabrication and construction efficiency. Structural steel construction’s relatively low carbon emission rate is due in part to the material’s efficient fabrication and construction processes. Since steel is typically fabricated in a centralized location, each project requires less employee travel time.

Moreover, today’s steel fabrication processes implement advanced technology that ensures extreme precision—resulting in waste reduction and improved energy efficiency.

With all of the reasons to love steel, sustainability is at the top of our list. Not only does steel provide a strong, adaptable means to structure the built world, but it continues to evolve into a greener construction solution each year thanks to industry research and innovation.

Looking for ways to make your next steel project more sustainable? Reach out to Anatomic Iron Steel Detailing for more about construction efficiencies today!

Cliff Young – VP 510-984-4425

cliff@anatomiciron.com

Dave Pye – VP Sales & Estimating 604-628-4899

dave@anatomiciron.com

We look forward to adding value to your next project.

Review Their Training Program!

As a steel fabricator, you already know the importance of obtaining timely and accurate drawings—your operations can’t run profitably without them.

But if you don’t have a go-to steel detailer you trust, finding a quality firm that meets all of your criteria can be challenging. However, you can sift through your options much faster by asking one simple question—

What does this detailer’s in-house training program look like?

While some steel detailers don’t have high visibility into their in-house training and continued education programs, reviewing a detailer’s in-house employee training should always be a critical early step in your detailer selection process.

Here’s why this step reveals critical insights about a detailer’s overall quality:

• Looking at a detailer’s training program shows you the team’s specific capabilities, along with the extent of their training in detailing theory, methods, processes, and best practices.
• By reviewing staff training programs, you’ll be able to gauge the extent of hands-on training team members undergo, as the breadth and depth of a detailing team’s experience translates directly to your operations.
• The detailer’s training program reveals the level of investment ownership places in their staff’s detailing competence and career advancement
• This step also helps you determine whether the detailing staff is up-to-date on industry standards and emerging technologies.

Carefully reviewing a detailer’s in-house training program can give you a much better understanding of the team’s specific skill set and experience before you award a contract. No fabricator should ever skip this step.

At Anatomic Iron Steel Detailing, we understand that seamless fabrication begins with top-quality detailing services. We strongly feel that a detailing firm’s quality is measured by its investment in its staff’s professional education.

We have a comprehensive and hands-on in-house detailer training program that exceeds industry standards—the Anatomic Iron Institute of Technology. From Tekla Structures software training to holistic lessons in detail theory, we make sure our new employees are fully-immersed in all facets of modern steel detailing. We even incorporate multiple Virtual Reality (VR) programs that let team members experience steel fabrication, and steel erection so they know how our customers use the drawings they create.

Moreover, our training process is ongoing, following each of our employees every step of the way in their career progression from basic drafter right through to senior checker and project manager. We believe in the value of continued education for all of our staff members as they increase their knowledge and experience. The steel industry doesn’t stop evolving—and neither should we.

If you’re searching for a detailing firm that ensures premium quality services—for every project—contact Anatomic Iron today.

As material, labor, and freight costs are on the rise, steel construction is getting more expensive—which means steel fabricators need to get creative to keep their projects on-budget, and ensure they are getting their best possible bids out to the market.

At Anatomic Iron Steel Detailing, we believe that streamlining steel detailing services concurrently with connection design saves the fabricator both time and money.

Not only do we provide detailing services for fast-track, complex projects, but we also provide connection design services in-house or through our close Engineering Design associates. For our clients, this translates to a shorter, more efficient project timeline, especially on the larger more complex projects where our steel construction and erection experience enables us to provide real, practical connection ideas to the connection designer, especially if this design is done in house by us or our associates, —which means money saved.

Here’s why this two-in-one option helps your project in the long-run:

• Having drawings and connection design performed under one contract speeds up your project.
• It eliminates the potential for miscommunication and duplication between detailers and connection designers.
• Less time and reduced potential for error cut your project costs substantially.
• You can enjoy the ease of having one point of contact for both of these critical steps.
• We provide liaison with your erector team, with your involvement of course, and therefore we are able to ensure all connections are designed with the best efficiency both for your shop processes as well as for the field team.

When it comes to procuring the right subcontractors, there’s no room for compromise—especially when you’re on a tight budget.

Turn to the trusted experts at Anatomic Iron for your steel detailing and connection design needs.

To learn more about these services, contact us today!

Cliff Young – VP    510-984-4425
cliff@anatomiciron.com

Dave Pye – VP Sales & Estimating     604-628-4899
dave@anatomiciron.com

We look forward to adding value to your next project.