Cold-Formed Steel Framing Design
Design 1-4 story residential CFS buildings — and trust the math.
OmniCFS is the structural engineering platform for cold-formed steel framing. It now combines the Building Designer, cited AISI/ASCE/ACI calculations, jurisdiction-aware permit posture, submission packages, and release-gated DXF/IFC/CNC fabrication exports so every saved revision is traceable from setup to handoff.
Invite-only pilot access. Bring real 1-4 story residential, townhome, fourplex, or barndominium projects for shadow-mode QA.
Traceable engineering engine
Framing, lateral systems, foundations, drift, and CFS roof trusses are reported with inputs, demand/capacity checks, citations, and next actions.
Issue-aware release gates
Production exports stay blocked when a design is stale, structurally unresolved, missing required review, or missing coordinated geometry.
Submission-ready handoff
Package manifests, calc reports, shop drawings, BOMs, assumptions, warnings, exclusions, and handoff history are generated from one saved design.
15+ templates covering the CFS residential market
Pre-configured geometry, openings, and load paths for the actual typology distribution builders ship. Start from a template, adjust dimensions, run the design.
Shed / Workshop
1 story · Storage, tools, hobby
Accessory Dwelling Unit
1 story · Backyard rental, in-law unit
Barndominium
1–2 stories · Rural home + workshop
Duplex
1–2 stories · Two-unit residential
Townhome
2–4 stories · Stacked row housing
Fourplex
2–4 stories · Multifamily residential
Plus walk-up flats, garages, tiny homes, and mid-rise residential — 15 templates total, more every sprint.
Visual evidence
Every number traces to an AISI section
When the calc report shows φPn = 18.7 kips, a reviewer can read the selected section, the gross properties, the effective width reduction, the buckling stress, and the exact AISI S100-16 clause that produced it.
- →Selected section, gauge, yield strength, inputs
- →Demand (Pu, Mu, Vu) by governing load combination
- →Capacity with intermediate buckling + DSM values
- →Utilization, pass/fail, and the exact code clause
| Category | SSMA / ID | Qty | Length | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Wall Studs (Story 1) §C5 + §F2.1 | Util 56% | 600S162-54 | 128 | 10' | $2483 |
Wall Track (Story 1) Matched top + bottom | 600T125-54 | 18 | 10' | $229 |
Floor Joists §F3 DSM | Util 71% | 1200S200-68 | 42 | 20' | $4368 |
Box Header (Entry) 2× B2B §D1.1 | 600S162-97 | 2 | 8' | $77 |
Shear Wall Sheathing 6" boundary, blocked | 7/16" Structural 1 OSB | 24 | 4x8 | $408 |
Hold-Downs 5,645 lb rated | Simpson STHD14 | 8 | — | $312 |
| Subtotal (partial — 6 of 47 line items) | $7877 | |||
Orderable output
BOM a builder can actually order
Every line item is SSMA-designated, length-rounded to CFS stock sizes (8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 20, 24 ft), and tied to the structural check that produced it. No "≈", no round-numbers, no manual take-off.
- →CFS studs, tracks, joists, headers, posts, stiffeners
- →Shear wall sheathing + fasteners + CFS-rated hold-downs
- →Anchor bolts (ground floor only — no double-count)
- →Clip angles, LSC straps, bridging, bearing stiffeners
- →Export to Excel, CSV, PDF, or direct to Pro Desk
Built for real project handoff, not just one-off calcs
OmniCFS keeps engineering status, permit posture, fabrication readiness, and package traceability separate so a user knows what is designed, what needs review, and what can be exported.
1-4 story residential envelope
Single-family, townhome, duplex, fourplex, ADU, garage/workshop, and barndominium templates with realistic openings, interior bearing walls, load paths, and regional wind/snow/seismic inputs.
AWCI contractor package
Material identity, mil/gauge/color-code notes, connection schedules, installer checklists, inspection hold points, panel tags, shipping labels, and AWCI metadata in export files.
Permit + release workflow
Jurisdiction-aware permit posture, package checklist, handoff history, saved-revision release status, and clear owner-builder/AHJ/PE-review language without pretending every state works the same.
Fabrication geometry discipline
DXF, IFC, CNC, panel ZIPs, boundary members, bearing stiffeners, wall panels, and contractor schedules stay tied to coordinated design geometry instead of hand-drawn export assumptions.
How OmniCFS compares
We built OmniCFS because nothing on the market hit all four corners: CFS-native, residential templates, AISI-cited output, and a real BOM. Here's the honest scorecard.
| Capability | OmniCFS | RAM | RISA | ClearCalcs | Hand calc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CFS-specific (AISI S100/S240/S400) | Hot-rolled focused | Add-on | |||
| AISI section cited on every result | By definition | ||||
| Multi-story residential templates | 15+ | Custom only | Custom only | ||
| State amendments (CA Title 24, FL HVHZ) | |||||
| BOM order sheet (orderable line items) | |||||
| DXF / IFC / CNC export | |||||
| Honest PE referral on out-of-scope | Manual | ||||
| Submission package + revision traceability | Manifest + saved revision | Manual log | |||
| Cost | $39/project | $$$$ | $$$$ | $$ | $0 + your hours |
Trust through transparency
Every claim is checkable. Every check has a citation. Every fail mode is named.
- AISI S100-16 §C5/§D2/§F2/§F3/§G2/§G5/§G7/§H1/§J4 implemented and tested
- Edition-aware φ resolution (IBC 2018 / 2021 / 2024 + S3-22)
- Diaphragm panel shear per AISI S240-20 §B5.4.2 Table B5.4.2.2-1
- Shear walls per AISI S400-20 §E1.3 Table E1.3-1
- Production release checks tied to the exact saved design revision
- Submission package manifest, ZIP inventory, and handoff events generated from coordinated results
- ASCE 7-22 wind pressures with C&C zone-aware GCp and regional wind/snow/seismic inputs
Pilot Interest
Architects are asking to shadow-test real CFS projects against OmniCFS.
Early pilot conversations include permitted commercial and residential designs where teams want to compare OmniCFS outputs against approved drawings before using the platform on new work.
Have a permitted project you want to compare against OmniCFS? omnicfs@gmail.com
Questions a PE actually asks
Honest answers. We'll add more as customers ask them.
Is OmniCFS PE-stamped?+
No. OmniCFS is structural design software, not a licensed engineering service. It produces transparent engineering results, permit/submission packages, assumptions, exclusions, and fabrication-release status so the responsible user, AHJ, or licensed structural engineer / PE / SE can review the right information for the project and jurisdiction.
Who is liable if a design fails?+
The responsible project parties remain responsible for construction documents, local review, field conditions, and any required professional seal. OmniCFS is built to reduce ambiguity: it names structural failures, PE-review buckets, blocked exports, stale revisions, assumptions, and excluded scope instead of turning uncertain items into quiet passes.
Which state amendments are supported?+
OmniCFS tracks IBC 2018, 2021, and 2024 plus jurisdiction research for state and metro permit pathways. The product does not assume every state requires the same PE workflow: small residential, AHJ review, owner-builder, optional reviewer, licensed structural review, windstorm, soil, and fabrication-release needs are separated where data supports it.
Can I export to my CAD package?+
Yes, when the package is ready. OmniCFS can produce DXF, IFC, CNC/CSV, panel ZIPs, BOMs, shop drawings, calc reports, submission manifests, and package ZIPs. Production-facing exports remain blocked when the saved design is stale, structurally unresolved, missing required review, or missing coordinated geometry.
What about my specific CFS manufacturer?+
OmniCFS catalogs are SSMA-compliant, which means they work with any major CFS manufacturer (ClarkDietrich, MarinoWare, Steeler, etc.) using the standard SSMA designations. The Professional catalog has 724 verified entries; the Retail catalog covers stocking lengths at the big-box chains.
What happens to the 5% of buildings outside scope?+
You get a named reason and a blocked or review-required state, not a silent fail. OmniCFS separates scope limits, structural failures, review-required packages, engine passes, and fabrication-ready packages so the next step is clear. Some cases are real scope limits; others may become fabrication-ready after the saved design receives the required review or release.
Pilot OmniCFS on real residential CFS projects.
The current pilot is focused on 1-4 story residential workflows: Building Designer setup, engineering report, permit/submission package, AWCI contractor package, and release-gated fabrication exports.