Steel Detailing & Fabrication Software
ISD Group has spent over 45 years building CAD technology specifically for the steel and metal construction industry, and HiCAD is the result of that focus. It’s a 2D/3D platform that carries a project from initial concept through detailing, documentation, and shop-ready output, all inside one connected model rather than a chain of disconnected files.
Not a General CAD Tool with Steel Bolted On
Most drafting software is built for broad, cross-industry use and then stretched to fit steel work. HiCAD took the opposite path – it was engineered around structural steel from the start, with connections, profiles, and bolt groups modeled using real construction logic rather than generic geometry. That’s a meaningful distinction for firms evaluating steel detailing software, since tools designed around the industry tend to hold up better under complex, code-driven projects than tools adapted to it.
Who ends up relying on it day to day:
- Steel fabricators translating engineering designs into fabrication-ready drawings
- Designers incorporating structural steel into broader building plans
- Contractors and project managers coordinating on-site installation
- Industrial manufacturers producing machinery and infrastructure components
From Concept Straight Through to the Shop Floor
HiCAD supports every stage of a steel project, from first concept to final detailing, and the output stays fabrication-ready throughout – bridges, stairs, support structures, and complex façade steel all included. This is the piece that qualifies it as genuine structural steel detailing software rather than a modeling tool that stops short of production: bills of materials, cutting lists, and NC data for laser and CNC output all generate directly from the model instead of being rebuilt separately.
Keeping Engineering and the Shop on the Same Page
A recurring problem in steel projects is version drift – engineering makes a change, and fabrication is still working from an older file. HiCAD PDM, ISD Group’s product data management solution, works alongside HiCAD to prevent exactly that, handling revisions, access control and drawing management so every department is working from the same current data.
Where teams notice the difference most:
- Centralized management of articles, documents, and BOM evaluations
- Cross-department access to sawn beam and profile lists
- Fewer planning errors when several people work the same project at once
- A workflow customers have described as finally allowing multiple contributors without confusion
Manufacturing Information
A KISS file (which stands for “Keep It Simple, Steel”) is a standardized, comma-delimited ASCII text file format (.KSS) used in structural steel fabrication to transfer bill of materials and manufacturing information between detailing software and shop management or estimating tools.
Built for the Full Journey, Not Just the Drawing
What separates HiCAD from a typical drafting package is that engineers, detailers, and fabricators all work from a single intelligent model. For firms handling structural steel alongside sheet metal or façade elements, this makes HiCAD function as genuine metal fabrication CAD software, with enough modeling depth for custom joints, curved panels, and non-standard assemblies without needing a second platform.
For site capture, HiCAD also integrates with FARO scanning technology, letting teams pull accurate point-cloud measurements directly into the model instead of relying on manual site measurements that are easy to get wrong.
Where Design Intent Actually Survives the Handoff
A lot of software claims to connect design and production; fewer actually manage it without re-entering data at every stage. As CAD software for steel detailing, HiCAD keeps the model intact from the architect’s original intent through to a workable production drawing – a translation that, according to firms already using it, is difficult to achieve with generic CAD tools.
Because HiCAD supports BIM workflows through IFC, STEP, DWG, and DXF formats, it also fits into project pipelines where multiple disciplines and software platforms need to exchange data without losing accuracy along the way.
One Path From Approved Design to Cut Steel
For firms that need the full range – modeling, detailing, documentation, and shop output – under a single system, HiCAD operates as complete design to fabrication software, with automation carrying design data through to production rather than treating fabrication as a separate downstream step.
And for fabricators specifically producing structural or industrial steel components, this is where HiCAD earns its reputation as dependable steel fabrication software: precise, compliant, and fabrication-ready output at every stage of the process.
Common Questions
Does HiCAD work for both structural steel and façade projects?
Yes – HiCAD supports structural steel, industrial façades, and glass or metal façade systems within the same platform.
Is HiCAD compatible with existing BIM pipelines?
Yes. It supports KISS, IFC, STEP, DWG, and DXF formats, so it integrates with BIM workflows already in use on a project.
Can a team try HiCAD before committing to it?
Yes. ISD Group offers a free consultation appointment and a test version of HiCAD for firms evaluating the software.
