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LET   $PROFIT$   DRIVE BEAM & COLUMN SELECTION!

WINBEAM

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FINAL DESIGN SHOULD ALWAYS BE PERFORMED BY
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS ACCORDING TO LAW.

WINBEAM

WINBEAM unerringly selects least weight beams
and columns from simplified data entry.

(Click on picture to see full data entry screen.)

Choose realistically sized, least cost beams and columns

• Choice of realistically sized, least cost beams and columns during preliminary planning leads to quicker acceptance of architectural and industrial concepts.
   

• Gaps between wishful thinking and structural facts must be narrowed in order for projects to move forward. Architects and engineers (EOR) must be on the same-page to avoid the waste that results when initial concepts prove impractical or too costly to build or own.

Practical Examples

Under San Diego's height limits, the depth of floor beams impacts the number of revenue producing floors that can be built. To the investors paying the bills meeting ROI goals comes first.

In other industries much steel is selected without benefit of formal structural review. For example, at mine sites miles of channel iron "stringers" are used to support belt conveyors. While public hazard is minimal the economic waste from oversize can be substantial. In one case this amounted to $52,000. With millions of conveyors in place this is not small money. The informal selection methods common to small fabricators, welding shops, trailer builders, agricultural machinery manufacturers etc. should be brought into review.

Most of us consider the authority in these matters to be the AISC Manual of Steel Construction. The selection process therein involves first establishing:

This "wish-list" is matched to a beam or column shape that will fulfill requirements within applicable codes. For the uninitiated the task is formidable, invites computational errors and does not encourage looking at alternatives or fully taking cost into account.

CREATIVE ENGINEERING addresses some of these problems with WINBEAM by adapting code from WINBELT, a program used worldwide for over 20 years for the design of belt conveyors and their supporting trusses.
 

PROGRAM ACHIEVES LEAST COST

The shape data base within WINBEAM includes all W, M, S, HP and C shapes listed in the AISC Manual. The Program automatically finds and displays the least weight shape in each category that will meet requirements.

Should this shape not be available clicking onto "LARGER BEAM" finds the next best alternative. A "SMALLER BEAM" command assists "thumbing" through the data base. At each click the entire computation process is repeated. Co-mingling M within W shapes data base ensures not over-looking other possibilities. 

SELECTING A LEAST COST BEAM

Moment-area theorems are the computation methods used to reduce complexity for the user. An important plus is better portrayal of slopes and deflections across support points.

(Click on picture to see full data entry screen.)

Enter up to 50 separate loads anywhere along a beam which may be either concentrated or uniform. Triangular or parabolic load distributions may be approximated. Two supports may be positioned anywhere along the beam to define a left cantilever, center span and/or right cantilever section. Pure cantilever beams may also be represented. Other input data includes steel yield strength and deflection limit.

Selection is first made from a data base that simulates the AISC MOMENT OF INERTIA SELECTION TABLE. For many this might be all that is needed.

For others a few key strokes and clicks of the mouse WINBEAM finds the least weight/cost member, within a selected depth range that will fulfill requirements, essential to maximizing architectural flexibility.

SELECTING A LEAST COST COLUMN

Data entry for a column selection includes axial force, height and for both X and Y axis, moment and unbraced length. Selection of column size addresses the same data base used for beams. When the combined stress relations are satisfied the least weight column shape is displayed.

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