Product Changelog

A history of feature releases, engine updates, and improvements to the AutoCalcs platform.

AISC 360-22 steel member design engine added for member strength checks, including classification, tension, compression, flexure, shear, closed-HSS torsion, and combined actions
Improved performance across model result rendering for smoother interaction on larger structures

Plate analysis: create quadrilateral and triangular plate meshes with surface loads, edge supports, beam coupling, plate contours, and plate verification examples
Generate Arc: convert a straight beam member into a segmented circular arc from the context menu, with radius/deviation inputs, plane and side controls, inherited member properties, and load redistribution onto the generated segments
Member stress contours: view member stress results from solved forces and section geometry, including combined, axial, bending, shear, torsion, principal, von Mises, Tresca, and Rankine stresses
Rigid diaphragm constraints: tie selected floor or wall nodes to a master node so they move as one rigid body, with in-plane or full-rigid options, centroid-based phantom masters, auto floor detection, and 3D visualization

Member end eccentricities: rigid offsets between the joint node you draw and the real structural endpoint of a member, defined in local or global axes, producing true M = N·e moments from axial force; the offset member line drives the 3D view, result diagrams, deflected shape, and every design-check length
Member thermal loads: uniform temperature change plus independent through-depth and through-width gradients, using the material thermal expansion coefficient or a per-load α override; restrained members develop axial force and gradient curvature, with full P-Delta and buckling interaction
Support settlement (prescribed displacement) at any restrained node DOF: translations and rotations applied globally across all combos, with canvas glyphs and unit-aware inputs

Modal (eigenvalue) analysis for natural frequencies, mode shapes, and per-direction mass participation factors with cumulative ΣX/ΣY/ΣZ tracking against a 90% threshold
Eigenvalue buckling analysis with two solver options: Classic (cubic-Hermite LBA, default, available on every tier) and Wittrick-Williams exact (transcendental sign-count, Pro; member subdivision capped to 20-node models)
Added area load generator for 2D surface loading on frame members
Introduced share model feature for easy collaboration and review via URL

Launch of 4 integrated steel design code engines (AISC 360-16, Eurocode 3, AS4100:2020, CSA S16-19)
Introduced structure wizard for rapid generation of common frame and truss topologies

Launch of comprehensive summary results and member analysis dialogs
Added DXF import ability to quickly build structures from CAD files
PDF and Excel results export ability for documentation and post-processing
Load combination generator to automate factored load cases
Added node spring supports for modeling soil and elastic boundary conditions
Model health check feature to proactively detect modeling errors, geometrical issues, and structural instabilities before solving

Introduced custom section and material features allowing users to define bespoke properties beyond the standard library