Beyond Standard Framing: How SteelSmart® Supports Complex Light Steel Framing Solutions
Modern construction demands more than off-the-shelf components. Taller buildings, tighter tolerances, rising code requirements, and increasingly complex architectural designs require structural solutions that go well beyond generic framing details.
SteelSmart® System is built for exactly these conditions — giving structural engineers the software tools to design, analyze, and specify the full range of light steel framing systems that today’s commercial and multi-family projects require, including the engineered connector and framing systems manufactured by The Steel Network (TSN).
Engineering-Driven Design, From Software to Field
TSN develops each of its systems to solve a specific structural problem commonly encountered in construction. Rather than forcing a project to conform to a generic detail, their products are engineered to accommodate building movement, transfer loads efficiently, reduce field labor and rework, and improve consistency across projects.
SteelSmart® System reflects that same philosophy. The software is purpose-built for light steel framing design, giving engineers a structured workflow that matches the complexity of real-world projects — not just simple span calculations.
A Full Range of Systems, Designed to Work Together
TSN’s product portfolio spans far more than individual connectors, and SteelSmart® System is designed to support that breadth. Key capability areas include:
Movement & Deflection Management
Systems such as VertiClip®, VertiTrack®, and DriftTrak® manage vertical and lateral movement without compromising structural integrity or finish performance. SteelSmart® System’s Curtain Wall module supports the design and specification of these connectors, accounting for deflection limits and connection loads within a complete framing layout.
Rigid & Load-Transfer Connections
Products like StiffClip® provide reliable load paths where rigid connections are required, with options for slab bypass, head-of-wall, and specialty conditions. SteelSmart® System supports the design of these connection conditions across multiple framing modules.
Thermal & Building
Envelope Performance
TSN’s ThermaFast® system addresses thermal bridging and continuous insulation challenges while maintaining structural performance — a critical consideration in energy-efficient building design. SteelSmart® System allows engineers to integrate these framing strategies into their overall wall designs.
Advanced Framing & Structural Systems
Beyond connectors, TSN offers framing solutions including SigmaStud®, SigmaTrak®, JamStud®, PrimeJoist®, and Curtain Wall Studs. SteelSmart® System is built around this product library, enabling engineers to move seamlessly from member sizing to connection detailing within a single design environment.
Designed for the Jobsite — and for the Design Office
One of TSN’s core strengths is developing systems that perform not only on paper, but in the field — with simplified installation sequences, reduced fastener counts, clear detailing, and compatibility with common framing practices.
SteelSmart® System supports this by generating the documentation engineers and contractors need: design reports, connection details, DXF layouts, and material outputs that reduce coordination errors and support accurate field execution.
Supporting Collaboration Across the Project Team
TSN solutions are most effective when considered early in the design process, and SteelSmart® System makes early-stage design practical. By giving engineers the tools to model and analyze framing systems from the start, teams can resolve detailing challenges sooner, reduce RFIs and change orders, improve constructability, and deliver more predictable project outcomes.
A Software Platform Built for Structural Solutions
As building designs continue to evolve, having the right software to design and specify engineered framing systems is no longer optional — it’s essential. SteelSmart® System gives structural engineers the analytical power and TSN product integration needed to tackle complex light steel framing conditions with confidence.
