Upload a Steel Drawing
How to drop a PDF into FrameAI and watch GPT-4o extract beams, columns, and connections from your drawings.
Upload a Steel Drawing
This guide walks you through uploading your first PDF and reviewing the extraction results.
Before you start
Make sure your PDF meets these requirements:
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| File format | PDF 1.4 or higher |
| Maximum file size | 50 MB |
| Minimum resolution | 150 DPI recommended |
| Page size | A4 through A0 |
| Orientation | Portrait or landscape — both work |
Step 1: Open the pipeline
frameai-structural.polsia.app and click
**Open Pipeline**.If you don't have an account yet, click
**Try free** on the homepage — no credit card required.Step 2: Drop your PDF
Drag your PDF file onto the upload zone, or click
**Browse files** to select it from your file system.You can also drop multiple PDFs at once — they'll be processed as a batch.
Step 3: Configure the job
Before processing, set three options:
National Annex
Select the country whose National Annex to apply:- 🇳🇱
Load cases (optional)
If your PDF doesn't include a member schedule, FrameAI can infer loads from structural geometry. For more accurate results, paste or upload a load case table with:- Load case name (e.g., G, Q, W)
- Characteristic values (kN, kNm)
- Combination factors (ψ0, ψ1, ψ2)
Connection design
Enable automatic EN 1993-1-8 connection design. When enabled, FrameAI will:- Identify beam-to-column and beam-to-beam joints
- Size end plates, bolts, and welds
- Produce a connection calc report PDF
Step 4: Submit for processing
Click
**Process**. Your PDF is sent to FrameAI's extraction engine. Processing typically takes 30–90 seconds depending on page count.Step 5: Review extraction results
When processing completes, the job dashboard shows:
Review each extracted element:
| Confidence | What it means |
|---|---|
| 🟢 High (>85%) | Element extracted correctly — review briefly |
| 🟡 Medium (60–85%) | Cross-check the profile and dimensions |
| 🔴 Low (<60%) | Manual review required — check the original PDF |
Step 6: Run Eurocode checks
Once you're satisfied with the extraction, click
**Run calculations**.FrameAI will:
1. Classify each cross-section (Class 1–4)
2. Apply member imperfection factors
3. Calculate buckling ratios (λ̅)
4. Check utilisation ratios (ξ = σEd / σRd)
Results are colour-coded: green = OK, yellow = at limit, red = overstressed.
Troubleshooting
**No members detected**- Check that the PDF uses standard profile designations (HEA, HEB, IPE, RHS, SHS, CHS)
- Non-standard or hand-drawn profiles may not be recognised
- Click the member → edit profile manually
- FrameAI will remember your correction for future jobs
- Maximum file size is 50 MB
- Password-protected PDFs are not supported — remove the password first
Next steps
Run Eurocode Calculations — understand what the results mean
Export to Fabrication — download shop drawings and DSTV NC1