FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT

Dear SDS/2 Users, I want to thank all of you for a great year! 2007 was Design Data's best year ever. To celebrate our success, we've decided to give back to our customers, who are responsible for making Design Data and SDS/2 so successful.

To say "thank you," every existing Design Data customer who is current on software support can buy one additional SDS/2 workstation for $10,000 from now until May 31, 2008. Because of this low price, Steel Bucks cannot be used to purchase this license and are not earned with this purchase.

If you have been considering adding another station, there is no better time to do it! Please Design Data will be offering a week long basic training course at the ADDA Technical Educational Training Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. This course will be held April 14-18, 2008 at the Holiday Inn Select, Downtown Convention Center. For more information regarding this course, please contact ADDA at 731-627-0802. contact your Design Data sales representative to take advantage of our customer appreciation promotion. Thank you for being a member of the Design Data family of customers!

Sincerely,

Jim Dager

EAD/2 RELEASED FOR BETA

Design Data has just released the beta version of our Engineering Analysis and Design Module - EAD/2. EAD/2 is truly unique in the industry in that it incorporates fully integrated connection design. The geometry of a structure can sometimes limit the ability to develop adequate connections. Quite often these issues are not discovered until after the design is completed. One of the major bottlenecks in the design process is a need to communicate connection difficulties back to the engineer so an appropriate alternative can be developed.

EAD/2, with its fully integrated connection design capabilities, eliminates many of those problems and delays by providing the design engineer with the same set of automated connections contained in SDS/2. Once the structure is analyzed and designed, the engineer can see what connections work, and where there are problems - all within EAD/2. There is no translation required and you don't have to go back and forth between other programs. Members are generated in 3D solids, with all connection material, including angles, stiffeners, gussets, doublers, bolts and welds shown.

There is simply no other analysis and design program that can do this.

This is your opportunity to get in on the ground floor with EAD/2. Stop by booth 601 at NASCC in Nashville to take advantage of this very attractive opportunity to become an EAD/2 beta site.

SDS/2 VERSION 7.1 HONORS SEVERAL LONGSTANDING REQUESTED CHANGES TO CNC

In version 7.1 you will see many changes and enhancements to CNC, both in functionality and output. This is due in no small part to customer requests, but we wouldn't have been able to accomplish this without the teamwork of our programming team with those same customers. Those customers who help us by sharing their input and testing new enhancements are making this software better for all SDS/2 users. Read more to find out about the new enhancements and features added to SDS/2's CNC interface.

The downloading process for CNC files has completely changed. CNC now automatically generates the tools needed for the pieces downloaded - no more tedious tool definitions! CNC downloads can also be run directly from modeling, by simply clicking the robot icon on your toolbar and selecting the materials for download.

There is also an option to batch downloaded files into folders based on the required tooling for each piece. Each tool set gets its own directory with a text file containing the tool definitions and a file for each piece to be run with this tool set. SDS/2 now supports several new materials as well. DSTV download now supports square tubes, wide flange tees and welded plate sections. DXF and DSTV will both now unroll and download bent or rolled plates, placing a mark at the bend points. Punch lists for Cold-Formed Z and C shapes are also now available.

Finally, Design Data has added some new operations to our CNC capabilities. DSTV has three new options: scribing, torch angles and holes in radii. Scribing can be used to write around an entire piece of submaterial, add piecemarks, or just mark small segments at each corner. Torch angle information, if turned on in DSTV options, is included for any sort of a non-square corner on your material-from weld-preps to bevels, chamfers and cut flange flush. The option to include holes in the radius of copes has now been expanded to allow holes in any radius (cut layout, for example) in DSTV. Not to be left behind, DXF plates can now be exported in and of the DXF format supported by SDS/2 (R9 through R14).

Improvements will continue to be made to the CNC interfaces. We're in the process of adding new machine types. If you have a machine that SDS/2 doesn't support, let us know! We'll do our best to support that machine soon.

CUSTOMER FOCUS: INNOVATIVE STEEL DETAILING

Innovative is part of their namesake, and just as it implies, Innovative Steel Detailing remains committed to incorporate innovation into their steel detailing offices -with SDS/2. Ever since the Louisiana-based company's inception in 1987, owner Lloyd Jones, has applied SDS/2 to the company's innovative plans for its customers and its growth. Through Mr. Jones' foresight, ISD has been able to grow to service an expanding clientele through the ownership of 43 SDS/2 detailing and review stations.

In the 20 years that ISD has been using SDS/2, they have seen many changes in the software. They worked on SDS/2 prior to 3D modeling, saw the addition of horizontal bracing, ladders, handrail and other member types, and can remember when it took overnight to process a job. With all the improvements to hardware and the changes and enhancements in SDS/2 over the years, ISD has taken advantage of the software's increased productivity and used it as an opportunity to grow their business.

ISD utilizes parametrics to boost their productivity and meet their customers' needs. From miscellaneous steel, like angle or pipe guardrails/stair rails and ladders, to simple, yet formerly time-consuming things like stiffener plates and column splices, adding material has become so much faster and easier, not to mention more accurate, through the use of parametrics.

Due to their extensive experience with the software, ISD has taken advantage of the automation and capabilities that SDS/2 provides. By utilizing Report Writer, model import and export modules (DesignLINK & ModelLINK), Fabtrol export and CNC interfaces, ISD not only provides their customers with an accurate model and details, but the supporting information that can make a job go more smoothly and more quickly. ISD has even created a customized database that allows them to track job and document status, in turn automating the transmittal process. ISD has grown their customer base and their company to its current state because of what they are able to do with SDS/2. Though their experience and innovation with SDS/2, ISD has earned a reputation for quality work in the steel detailing industry.

ISD's Troy Gibbins said, "We haven't been limited by SDS/2 for a long time. No matter what kind of project is thrown at us, we've been able to do everything in SDS/2. It's hard to see a presentation at the Users Group and hear a comment 'SDS/2 couldn't do this - I had to do it manually' while at the same time I'm looking at the screen and seeing it in SDS/2. It is not realistic for us to expect SDS/2 to generate every possible connection we need automatically, but it's been a long time since I've run across something we couldn't do in SDS/2. We have exactly one copy of AutoCAD (lite) and have only used it for plotting drawings."

As the newest addition to Design Data's Advisory Board, Troy Gibbins of ISD mentioned he has gained a greater understanding of the vast range of projects that are modeled through the use of SDS2. "Everything from small warehouse structures to grocery stores, from airport terminals to nuclear power plant facilities are being detailed using SDS/2. It is critical for us as a user base to share our knowledge to improve the tools of our trade and help to advance and facilitate the use of steel in construction. The amount of passionate effort I have seen applied by the board to problem resolution is outstanding -- it is very exciting to see the software growing and with it our own capabilities. To see this sort of teamwork among competing companies provides a huge motivation to do our part as a company to assist with growth and development."

"Taking on Alpha releases has provided a few headaches for us but the benefits have proven to justify the cost. We have been able to assist in clarification of how the software changes are positive or negative to the spectrum of users in our area of the market and provide advice on possible future improvements. Over the last couple of years we have seen the software become much more user friendly and reduce the learning curve for new employees. With the efforts put forth by Design Data and the Advisory Board I expect the trend will continue and am excited to be a part of it."

Design Data is pleased to recognize Innovative Steel Detailing for its longstanding relationship and innovative leadership in the steel industry. With customers like ISD, SDS/2 will continue to flourish far into the future.