The enhancements included in Bentley's RAM Connection V8i (release 5.5) are now available in STAAD.Pro. Additionally, the connection assignment and design process has been streamlined within STAAD.Pro. Now, joints and connections can be automatically assigned for a set of selected members and connection designs can be grouped together. Additionally, when a connection is edited using the RAM Connection pad, those changes will be saved in the STAAD.Pro model design.

Connections are designed in the newly updated RAM Connection Mode by creating "Joints," from the geometry, section properties and forces resulting from the analysis and assigning a design brief made up of connection templates. A suitable connection design, if one is available, will be reported once you have selected the appropriate connection templates.

In previous releases of STAAD.Pro, you were able to only select and assign a connection to individual joints. Now, any number of joints may be selected and designed. Further, connection design is performed automatically for you once appropriate templates have been selected for the selected joints. These enhancements greatly reduce the time required for connection design in models of all sizes.