In addition to designing beams on an individual basis, the Beam Design module can also perform the design of all beams in the modelxe " Design All"xe "Batch Beam Design". The optimum size and stud configuration for each beam in the model not previously tagged as a User Size is saved to the database.

A batch beam design can be run automatically upon entering the Beam Design module by selecting the Perform "Design All" Automatically After Framing option within the Framing Option dialog box. Within the Beam Design module, a batch beam design is invoked by selecting the Process - Design All command from the main menu. In either case, all un sized beams in the database are designed without requiring any interaction from the User. User assigned sizes will not be overridden. Any user assigned beams not meeting the design criteria are identified in a Design Error list and on the Beam Design Summary Report. Program selected designs can be overridden by selecting the Process - View/Update command. It is not necessary to perform Design All prior to selecting the View/Update command.

Several commands require that all members are sized. If one of these commands is selected, the Beam Design module will automatically size all the beams (if they have not yet been sized) and store the design in the database before executing the selected command. The Reports commands that require all beams to be designed include Summary, Reactions, Deflections, Frequency and Takeoff. The Vibration commands require that the beam and its supporting beams be designed. If sizes are desired on the CAD drawings, Design All is required prior to creating the DXF file with the Post Processing - DXF File - Floor Framing command in the RAM Manager.

In cases where no beam sizes were entered in the RAM Modeler for any lateral frame members, the optimum beam size based on the gravity design will be selected and the beam will be marked as a “User Size”. This can be used to preliminarily size the frame beams, and these sizes can then be used in the frame analysis performed in RAM Frame. Note that this design is based on assumptions as for a Gravity beam and do not account for the effects of continuity or lateral forces; a more accurate design can be obtained by analyzing and checking Frame beams in RAM Frame. Also note that once a Frame beam has been assigned a size, either by the user in the RAM Modeler or automatically by the RAM Steel Beam Design module, it will not be overridden by the program unless the user clears the size. The preliminary sizes thus selected can be cleared using the Process – Clear Sizes – Single command or modified by assigning sizes in the Modeler or in RAM Frame using the Assign Size command.