FrameAI vs RISA-3D

AISC fabrication workflow in 4 minutes vs. 11 hours of manual drafting — FrameAI ships DSTV NC1 and shop drawings from PDF drawings, no CAD required

Upload a structural steel PDF. FrameAI extracts every member, runs AISC 360-22 member + §J connection design, and exports DSTV NC1 and shop drawing PDFs — no CAD modeling, no manual drafting.

Try the live demo → Calculate your savings
4 min
to DSTV NC1 + shop drawings
11+ hrs
manual drafting for fab output
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Feature comparison

Feature FrameAI RISA-3D
PDF intake (drawing upload) ✓ ✗ Manual model entry
3D model auto-built from drawings ✓ ✗ Manual model required
AISC 360-22 member checks ✓ ✓ Full LRFD/ASD checks
AISC 360-22 §J connection design ✓ ✗ Manual design required
DSTV NC1 export ✓ ✗ Not supported
Shop drawing PDFs ✓ ✗ Manual drafting required
IFC export ✓ ✗ Not supported
Nonlinear / dynamic analysis ✗ ✗ Basic FEA only
Price See /pricing ~$2,070/yr per seat
Time to fabrication drawings 4 min 11+ hrs manual
Free tier ✓ Free tier — see /pricing ✗ No free tier

Workflow comparison

Traditional workflow
RISA-3D
  • Open RISA-3D and create new model
  • Define members, supports, loads manually
  • Run LRFD/ASD analysis
  • Extract member forces for connection design
  • Manually design each connection in spreadsheets
  • Draft fabrication drawings in AutoCAD or Tekla
Total time per project 11+ hours per project for full fabrication package
FrameAI workflow
AI-powered steel design
  • Upload structural PDF drawings
  • AI extracts BIM model and member geometry
  • AISC 360-22 member + §J connection design auto-runs
  • DSTV NC1 and AISC shop drawing PDFs download immediately
Total time per project 4 minutes to fabrication-ready output

When to use RISA-3D

RISA-3D is a capable analysis tool for engineers who already have a modeled structure and need member sizing, load combinations, and code compliance checks. If your workflow is CAD → analysis → RISA → document manually, RISA-3D works fine. FrameAI doesn’t compete in the pure analysis space — it competes in the OUTPUT space: getting from PDF drawings to fabrication-ready files without manual drafting. Use RISA-3D when you have the model built and need rigorous member checks with a tool you’ve been using for years.

Pricing

Traditional
RISA-3D
Contact vendor
Per seat per year.<br>Annual contract required.<br>Implementation + training extra.
FrameAI
Pro
See /pricing
Total price, all inclusive.<br>No seat limit. No training cost.<br>Browser-based, instant access.

Pricing from public sources as of June 2026. Contact competitor for current quotes.

Frequently asked questions

Does FrameAI require CAD modeling experience?
No. FrameAI is built for detailers and engineers who work from PDF drawings. Upload the PDF — FrameAI’s AI extracts the BIM model and produces fabrication-ready output. No CAD, no modeling from scratch.
Can FrameAI do AISC 360-22 connection design for moment frames?
Yes. FrameAI implements AISC 360-22 Section J connection design including shear connections, moment connections, base plates, and column splices. All calcs are code-verified and export as part of the DSTV NC1 delivery.
What AISC steel design codes does FrameAI support?
FrameAI supports AISC 360-22 (ASD and LRFD). Member checks cover tension, compression, bending, shear, and combined loading per the specification. Connection design follows AISC 360-22 Chapter J.
How does FrameAI’s pricing compare to RISA-3D?
FrameAI pricing is at frameai-engineering.com/pricing (free tier available). RISA-3D is $2,070/year per seat with no free tier. For a firm running 8 projects/year at a $120/hr loaded detailer rate, FrameAI saves $1,320 per project vs. a manual drafting workflow — that’s $10,560/year in labor savings.
Can I export DSTV NC1 files from FrameAI?
Yes. Every FrameAI project delivers a DSTV NC1 file ready for NC manufacturing. FrameAI also exports AISC-formatted shop drawing PDFs with member marks, cut lengths, and connection details.
See the Eurocode hand-calc validation report →

Try FrameAI free — no credit card.

No install. No sales call. Upload your first drawing and see the difference.

Try FrameAI free — 3 PDFs/mo →