• IMPROVED: Significant improvements in calculation speed and CPU/memory management when working with large models and large numbers of load combinations.
• NEW: Open *.deflection files directly from the Files app (recommended).
• NEW: Multitasking window support.  Open separate windows to work on multiple files at a time.
• FIXED: You can now open our files from certain 3rd party file sharing apps.
• NEW: Canadian load combinations.
• FIXED: Transient calculation glitch caused by deleting nodes in the 2d editor.
• FIXED: Error in deflection curves under certain situations when Timoshenko was enabled.
• FIXED: App crash due to very large models, particularly in smaller devices.
• FIXED: Error in EU load combinations triggered when multiple live loads with a load factor of 1 were present.

Designing members for combined forces and torsion has never been easier!  This major release ties together analysis and design of different load types through interaction equations and comprehensive cross section stress analysis.  From billet to beam, this update was reheated, rerolled, and refined to exacting tolerances.

• NEW: Interaction equations for symmetric members under combined flexure and axial and HSS members under combined torsion and other loads.  The equations are conservative and based on AISC Chapter H.  If combined flexure is present, a chart showing the interaction value along the entire beam will be displayed under the Flexure charts.  If combined torsion is present (for HSS), a corresponding chart will be displayed under the Torsion charts.

• NEW: Combined stress analysis and design.  A new results section for Combined Stresses is available to handle complex torsional analysis and design of non-HSS shapes per AISC Chapter H.  When torsion is present, safety factors are applied as required in the specification.  When torsion is absent, these charts become supplementary, so their safety factors are disabled to prevent this conservative analysis from governing over strengths calculated for separate load types.  The header will change to "Nominal Stress Analysis" when safety factors are not included.

• NEW: Force loads (both point and distributed) can now specify an eccentricity value to capture common torsional use cases.  The eccentricity amount can be specified in the last input box after the angle components within the load list view.

• NEW: Distributed torsional loads.  With the new load eccentricity feature, distributed torsional loads can now be specified and analyzed, making it possible to now handle new use cases.

• NEW/CHANGE: In the beam editor, fixed supports now impose a fixed torsional warping constraint.  In other words, they are "torsionally fixed".  This leads to higher warping stresses but a smaller torsional rotation.  In other words, "fixed" supports now mean "flexurally and torsionally fixed", whereas "pinned" supports continue to mean "flexurally and torsionally pinned".

• NEW: Design example files for combined forces and torsion.  Torsional examples now leverage the new eccentricity value instead of needing to specify a separate force and moment.

• NEW: The beam editor layout for large screens was simplified and redesigned to make better use of screen space and bring results closer into view.  If the screen is wide enough, two separate scrollable panels are now displayed side-by-side.  The first panel focuses on inputs and the second panel focuses on results (with some inputs sprinkled in).

• FIXED: The horizontal deflection curve was wrong in some cases, and it is now fixed.

• IMPROVED: As usual, many other minor improvements and fixes throughout the app were made.

Thank you for your continued support and feedback!  Reach us at contact@ketchep.com with any questions or comments.

Introducing seamless, easy-to-use 2nd order elastic non-linear effects, frame and building benchmark examples, and polish throughout the app!

• NEW: Second-order analysis for P-Δ and P-δ effects.  Click the settings button to open Document Options and then find the Analysis Options section.  The "2nd order analysis" checkbox enables an iterative predictor-corrector solver that produces P-Δ node displacements.  The "Subdivide elements" checkbox subdivides each beam-column into four finite elements, which is required to capture P-δ displacements when second-order analysis is enabled.

• NEW: Design example files for frames and second-order analysis.

• NEW: The new eyedropper button in the frame editor allows you to copy the material and cross-section from one beam to another.  To use it, select a beam, press the eyedropper button, and then select another beam to copy from.

• FIXED: Positive and negative bending flexure limits for angles were not correctly applied in some cases, such as in Flexure design examples F.11A and F.11B.

• IMPROVED: Numerous performance, stability, layout, and interaction enhancements in the 2D editor, especially when working with large models.

Thank you for your continued support and feedback!  Reach us at contact@ketchep.com with any questions or comments.

• FIXED: Minor issues.

This release is a big milestone that delivers powerful torsional and out-of-plane analysis and lays down the groundwork we need to continue building out the software.  It took an extraordinary amount of effort, and we are excited for you to try it out!

• NEW: Torsional analysis based on AISC Design Guide 9, Torsional Analysis of Structural Steel Members.  To get started, simply apply a torsional load and a fixed or pinned support (or select an example from the new gallery).  Both types of supports currently assume a torsionally pinned connection, but this may change in the future.  Relevant torsional and warping constants are computed for any custom or standard shape, and diagrams for torsional angle, torsional shear, torsional warping shear, and torsional normal shear are generated in the analysis.  Cross sectional stress profile diagrams show the distribution of these stresses as well as their interaction with bending stresses.

• NEW: Apply out-of-plane loads.  The direction of each load is now based on spherical coordinates centered around the beam's axis, so forces, moments, and distributed loads now have 2 inputs for their directional angles.  For example, a moment can now apply bending on either principal axis as well as torsion along the beam.

• NEW: Examples gallery in the home screen.  Click on the button with a book icon to open it.  The examples for flexure, shear, tension, and compression are based on the AISC Design Examples companion volume to the Steel Construction Manual.  The examples for torsion are based on the AISC Design Guide 9.

• NEW: Cross section properties screen.  In the cross section area of the design editor, click on the expand button in the top-right to open a separate screen in which the dimensions can be edited, and all standard cross section properties are calculated, including bending and torsional properties.

• FIXED: Cross section stress analysis for angles and zees is now performed along their principal axes rather than geometric axes.

• FIXED: Added missing or improved flexure strength calculations for angles, some custom I beam sections, and tees.

• IMPROVED: Numerous performance, accuracy, usability, and styling improvements across entire app.

Thank you for your continued support and positive feedback!  We can always be reached at contact@ketchep.com for any questions or comments.

This major release is dedicated to Anne, who sat every Saturday under the tree by the coffee shop with a smile behind her mask, an umbrella even if she did not need it (but don't tell her that), and really cute earmuffs.  Anne was a good friend and neighbor who believed in us.  Rest in peace, Anne, and may everyone in Heaven buy you a birthday card.  May everyone on Earth learn to be more kind and respectful towards each other.

• IMPROVED: Increase 2D grid spacing to make it easier to use on iPhone and iPad.

• NEW: Generate common US and EU load combinations using Allowable Stress Design, Load Resistance Factor Design, or Partial Safety Factors.  Use the Document Options panel to select a design method, and then assign each load to a category using the load list view.  Load combinations are automatically generated beneath the beam editor.  All diagrams automatically aggregate and display results for all combinations.  Select a combination card to zoom in the diagrams for that combination.  When ASD is selected, the app uses safety factors (eg, 1.67) for limit states.  When LRDF or Partial Safety Factors is selected, the app uses resistance factors (eg, 0.9) for limit states.

• NEW: Shear, moment, and axial force diagrams can now be displayed for frames and trusses.  Use the buttons at the bottom of the screen to display or hide the diagrams.
• IMPROVED: On iPad, the side panel in the frame editor can now be collapsed to make better use of screen space.
• FIXED: Minor issues.

Deflection check

• NEW: Breakdown of shear, flexure, tension, and compression strengths. This will help tell you what has been considered in computing the available strength (eg, Lateral Torsional Buckling, Yielding, etc). You can see the breakdown by pressing the arrow next to each corresponding diagram.
• NEW: Ability to export frames and trusses as a share link or PDF.
• NEW: Added Mexican cross section data.
• IMPROVED: Performance while dragging loads.
• IMPROVED: Formatting of exported report (via share link).
• FIXED: Minor issues and improvements across the app.

If you forgot your steel construction manual at home, no worries.  This major release introduces beam column checks based on the AISC specification, and it accurately reproduces tabulated values in the manual.

• NEW: Shear, flexure, tension, and compression strength checks for beams and columns based on the AISC specification.  Only allowable stress design (ASD) is currently supported, but the safety factors can be overridden.  Unbraced length for flexure and stiffener spacing for shear can be specified if applicable.  Relevant factors for tension and compression are also captured.
• IMPROVED: Modeling of cross sections now takes flange slopes and fillet and toe radii into account.  Besides producing better looking graphics, we use this to validate and fill in shape data in our database as needed.
• IMPROVED: New screen layout in the beam editor to make better use of large screens and be able to display new inputs and outputs related to the new strength checks.
• IMPROVED: Re-introduced a draggable ruler to read values from the charts under the beam in the main page.
• IMPROVED: The material library is now broken up into sections for steel, wood, and other materials.
• CHANGED: The country database options for the cross section library are now configured from the settings page.

• NEW: Save your designs to external files.
• IMPROVED: Vastly improved translations for all languages.
• IMPROVED: Screen color contrast and addressed minor issues throughout the app.

• NEW: Normal force diagrams for frame and truss beams with horizontal forces.
• NEW: Deflection diagrams and visualization for frame and truss members.
• FIXED: Minor issues across the app.

This exciting major release, which was about 1 year in the works, introduces the new frame and truss editor.  Stay tuned for more features and improvements to come soon!

• NEW: Frame and truss editor.  Tap the new grid template card to start!
• NEW: In the classic beam editor, you can now rotate the beam and the forces applied to it.
• FIXED: Dozens of minor issues across the app.

This milestone is dedicated to our good friends at Juan Pelota, a coffee shop inside a bike shop in the heart of Austin, TX, who for many years made the hundreds of vanilla lattes that have made all of this possible. #MadeInAustin

• IMPROVED: Faster app loading time

• NEW: Add a description and notes to your design file.
• NEW: Pressure units in kg/cm2.

• NEW: Export to PDF button.

• NEW: South Africa steel shapes.  Select the "ZA" database to enable.
• NEW: Cross section templates for lipped angles, lipped channels, and lipped z sections.
• FIXED: For some European steel shapes, the "depth between fillets" was previously being incorrectly labeled as "detailing depth".

• NEW: Added most American wood species and grades, including glulam.  The appropriate bending strength (extreme fiber stress) is calculated using the cross section dimensions and orientation.  Some conservative adjustment factors are applied, but not all.  We will improve upon this base implementation going forward.
• FIXED: Fixed vertical shear stress profile of circular tube shapes.
• FIXED: Minor issues across the app.