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Steel Structure Design structural and detail drawings
We develop structural (KM) and detail (KMD) drawings of steel structures for civil and industrial sites. Most of our engineers have more than ten years of experience.
What we design
KMD are detail drawings of steel structures from which they are manufactured and erected.
Tall engineering structures
KMD of power line poles, cellular towers, floodlight masts and antenna poles.
Process structures
Racks, galleries, pipelines and flue ducts.
Industrial buildings
Steel structures of industrial buildings, hangars, warehouses and workshops.
Civil and engineering sites
Steel structures of civil buildings and structures, water towers and tanks.
Why order from us
Experienced engineers
Most engineers have more than ten years of experience.
Modern software
Powerful hardware and specialised software: fewer errors and optimal lead times.
From KM to KMD
We develop both stages: structural design (KM) and detail drawings (KMD).
Own production
We design with our own production technology in mind, so the drawings are easy to manufacture.
From poles to workshops
Drawings for power line poles, cellular towers, masts, racks, galleries, pipelines, flue ducts, hangars, warehouses, workshops and civil buildings.
Together with fabrication
You can order the drawings together with fabrication: we design and make the structures at our own plant.
Source data and work stages
What the designer needs to know before starting, and how the design proceeds. Leave blank whatever you do not know and we will clarify.
What to send, by type of structure
| Structure | Source data |
|---|---|
| Power line poles | voltage class, number of circuits, number and type of wires, wind and ice regions, pole type (suspension, tension, angle), soils |
| Substation gantries | layout drawing, voltage class, loads from busbars and wires, wind and ice regions, soils |
| Telecom towers and antenna masts | height, list of antennas (number, size, weight, mounting height), site, results of geotechnical surveys |
| Floodlight masts | height, number and mass of floodlights, their wind area, wind region, soils |
| Racks, galleries, flue ducts | dimensions and spacing of supports, loads from pipelines or ducts, process drawings, thermal effects |
| Hangars, warehouses, workshops | span and frame spacing, height, snow and wind loads, cranes, coating requirements |
| Water towers and tanks | volume and height, density of the product, support scheme, construction region |
Design stages
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Technical specification | we draw up and agree the design brief; the customer’s design assignment is the basis |
| Sketch | if needed we prepare a sketch with a 3D visualisation, so the customer sees the structure before the drawings are made |
| Calculation | loads, forces in the members, section selection and joint design in specialised software |
| KM drawings | general data, layout schemes, joints, rolled steel specification |
| KMD drawings | erection schemes, shipping marks, parts, lists and specifications |
| Fabrication | if you wish, we make the structures at our own plant; erection is done by a licensed construction partner company |
Steel structure design (structural and detail drawings): technical specifications
What KM and KMD mean
KM is the design stage of steel structures: layouts, calculations and sections. KMD are detail drawings used to fabricate the structures in the factory: every part with its dimensions, steel grades and connection details.
What is needed to start
- a technical specification or KM-stage drawings (if available)
- architectural and process drawings of the facility
- loads and climatic conditions
- requirements for material and coating
- deadlines
What determines the price of design work
The price depends on the volume and complexity of the structures, whether the KM stage exists, the number of drawings and the deadlines. Send the technical specification or drawings and we will assess the scope and lead time.
How to order KM and KMD drawings
- Send the technical specification, KM drawings (if any), loads and material requirements.
- We assess the scope of work and the lead time.
- We prepare the drawings and, if you wish, manufacture the structures at our own plant.
What you receive
The KM set includes the general data, the loads on the structures and foundations, the layout schemes of the members, the connection details and the rolled steel specification.
The KMD set adds erection schemes, drawings of every shipping element and of individual parts, a list of shipping marks, a steel specification for the project and the surface area in square metres for each mark: coating and galvanising are priced from it.
Sheet parts are given at 1:1, and templates or cutting maps are made from them. For bent parts the drawing shows the flat pattern, the radius and the bending direction, and for CNC machines we pass on data from which programs are built. More on the contents of the sets: KM drawings and KMD drawings.
How our workshop and galvanising affect the drawings
We design for our own production, so its limits go into the drawings from the start. We bend plate on a 2000 t press up to 12 m long and 25 mm thick (sheet metal bending) and galvanise in our own bath of 13,000 × 1,600 × 3,200 mm (hot-dip galvanising).
That is why shipping elements are split so that they fit the bath and the transport. A tower or mast section is usually no longer than 12 m, and taller structures are built of several sections on flanges or a telescopic joint. Closed profiles and joints get holes for zinc and air to pass; the requirements are in the article Designing structures for hot-dip galvanising.
What most often holds a project up
- an incomplete KM set or no general steel specification;
- ambiguous dimensions, joints that are not worked out, welds that cannot be laid;
- no calculation schemes or loads on the structure;
- changes made to the KM while the KMD is already under way;
- no coating named, although the holes and the dimensions of shipping elements depend on it.
All of this raises the cost and the lead time, so it is better to check the set before sending it.
Lead times and volumes
We give the cost and lead time of KMD a few hours after receiving the complete KM set: roughly 2–3 hours in working time. We do not name a cost without the source documents, nor by phone.
The team can produce KMD for up to 1,000 t of steelwork a month. Drawings can be issued in batches: fabrication starts before the whole set is finished, and construction takes less time. The exact lead time depends on how often parts repeat, how unified the joints are and how quickly changes are approved.
Articles about steel structure design (structural and detail drawings)
KM Drawings: Contents, Stages, Calculations
What KM drawings are, what the set consists of, which stages the work includes and which calculations are made when designing steel structures.
KMD Drawings: Contents, Benefits, Cost
What KMD drawings are, the advantages of our set, what is needed to calculate the cost and how to read KMD drawings correctly.
KM and KMD Stages: Contents of the Sets
The design stages for steel structures, the stage at which KM and KMD appear, and what goes into each set. The drawing rules and the shipping element specification are covered in a separate article.
KM and KMD Drawing Rules: DSTU, Specification, Scales
How working drawings of steel structures are prepared under DSTU 9286:2024: which standard applies, how the shipping element specification is filled in and the mass worked out, and the rules for scales, fonts and dimensions.
Steel Structure Calculation: Methods and Checks
How steel structures are calculated at the design stage, how the calculation of existing structures differs and what a check calculation of load capacity is for.
KM and KMD drawings: frequently asked questions
What does KMD mean?
Detail drawings of steel structures (in Ukrainian and Russian practice: «konstruktsii metalevi detalyuvalni») from which structures are fabricated and erected.
What do you design?
Power line poles, cellular towers, floodlight masts, racks, galleries, pipelines, flue ducts, hangars, warehouses, workshops, civil buildings, water towers and tanks.
What do I need to send for a price calculation?
A technical specification or drawings, a description of the facility, loads, material requirements and deadlines. Leave blank whatever you do not know and we will clarify.
Can I order drawings together with manufacture?
Yes. We design and manufacture structures at our own plant, so you can order the full cycle.
Will you take on KMD if someone else did the KM?
Yes, if the KM set is complete and includes a general steel specification. We give the cost and lead time a few hours after receiving the drawings. If even one sheet is missing, the scope cannot be determined.
Do you take galvanising into account in the drawings?
Yes. We galvanise in our own bath of 13,000 × 1,600 × 3,200 mm, so the dimensions of shipping elements and the holes for zinc to pass are built into the KMD. The requirements for such structures are in the article Designing structures for hot-dip galvanising.
Steel structure design (structural and detail drawings): related solutions
Overhead power line masts
Poles and structures for power lines and substations.
Telecom masts
Towers and antenna masts for telecom.
Substation gantries
Poles and structures for power lines and substations.
Technical inspection
Survey and assessment of the technical condition of structures.
Hot-dip galvanising
Corrosion protection by hot-dip galvanising to DSTU EN ISO 1461:2024.
Custom steel fabrication
Fabrication of steel structures to drawings: cutting, bending, welding.
See also: Greenhouses: design and manufacture
Need KM or KMD drawings?
Send us a technical specification or a description of the facility. We will calculate the price and the lead time.