Best Structural Engineering Software for Mac of 2025

Skanect simplifies the process of capturing vibrant, color-rich 3D models of objects, individuals, or entire rooms, making it both accessible and budget-friendly. By transforming your Structure Sensor or Structure Core depth sensor into an economical 3D scanner, Skanect allows you to generate 3D meshes from real-world environments in mere minutes. Step into the exciting realm of 3D scanning today! Unlike traditional methods, Skanect captures high-density 3D data at a remarkable rate of up to 30 frames per second. Simply navigate around with your Structure Sensor or Structure Core to gather a comprehensive array of viewpoints, and you'll receive a real-time 3D mesh. The platform is designed to facilitate various 3D scanning scenarios through a selection of predefined setups that cater to most applications. Sharing your 3D models online is a breeze, making it unnecessary to possess professional training before diving into the world of 3D scanning! By utilizing consumer-grade 3D cameras like the Structure Sensor and Structure Core, Skanect significantly reduces hardware expenses compared to earlier 3D scanning technologies. This democratization of technology empowers a wider audience to explore and engage with 3D modeling.

VisualSFM is a user-friendly application designed for creating 3D models through a process known as structure from motion (SFM). This reconstruction software combines elements from several earlier projects I have worked on, including SIFT on GPU (SiftGPU), Multicore Bundle Adjustment, and Towards Linear-time Incremental Structure from Motion. By leveraging multicore parallel processing, VisualSFM enhances speed and efficiency in tasks such as feature detection, feature matching, and bundle adjustment. Additionally, for dense reconstruction, it seamlessly incorporates Yasutaka Furukawa's PMVS/CMVS tool chain, allowing for improved results in the final output. This integration of various tools and techniques makes VisualSFM a powerful resource for those engaged in 3D reconstruction projects.

The Braceworks® add-on for Vectorworks Spotlight offers a streamlined solution for design, production, and rigging experts to assess the load-bearing performance of temporary structures. This innovative module not only enhances safety but also ensures adherence to engineering regulations and standards, facilitating a fully integrated process for modeling, analysis, and documentation within a single platform. As regulatory standards, such as the Eurocodes, tighten and demands from venues, municipalities, and property owners increase, companies involved in event design, A/V setups, and rigging are now required to produce detailed load and structural calculations for validation by structural engineers. Users can conduct both static and FEM analyses, with outcomes visually represented on the model for straightforward interpretation. Additionally, it automatically creates comprehensive calculation reports, simplifying the documentation process and enhancing efficiency in project delivery. This powerful tool is essential for professionals aiming to maintain high standards of safety and compliance in their work.

The user interface of our software has been designed for maximum ease of use. Users can create geometry in multiple views using sophisticated modeling tools, or they can input data through spreadsheets, all seamlessly integrated within RISA-3D. This powerful tool offers analysis and design capabilities that facilitate the quick creation of various structures, accommodating a diverse selection of materials. You can design everything from buildings and bridges to tanks and culverts, covering a vast array of engineering needs. Detailed reports can be generated, featuring both graphical and numerical results, which provide comprehensive output and instill confidence in your designs for you and your team. The latest iteration of RISA-3D's user interface has been tailored specifically to the workflow of structural engineers. It employs a straightforward left-to-right, tab-by-tab ribbon system that allows users to easily navigate their models from initial concepts to final design refinement by simply following the sequence of icons. Moreover, the interface offers customization options, enabling users to keep their most frequently used tools readily accessible at all times, enhancing their efficiency even further. Ultimately, this thoughtful design ensures that engineers can focus more on innovation and less on navigating complex software.

Home Designer Software stands out as the leading 3D interior design and home remodeling application, built upon the advanced technology of Chief Architect's professional architectural tools, making it accessible for do-it-yourself enthusiasts. Explore the reasons that make Home Designer the premier choice for visualizing and crafting your next home improvement project. Chief Architect is the go-to software for professionals such as architects, builders, remodelers, and interior designers alike. With its intelligent building features, users can effortlessly produce construction drawings, detailed floor plans, elevations, and stunning 3D renderings, including immersive 360-degree views. This software is specifically designed for residential projects, equipped with tools that automatically generate essential elements like roofs, foundations, and framing dimensions. As you design walls, windows, and doors, the application concurrently constructs a 3D representation, which can be conveniently shared with homeowners, structural engineers, or subcontractors via the 3D Viewer app. Such capabilities enhance collaboration and streamline the design process, ensuring that every detail is communicated effectively.

S-FRAME empowers users to design, analyze, and model a wide array of structures, accommodating varying geometric complexities, material types, loading conditions, nonlinear behaviors, and compliance with diverse design codes. Its automated framework generators enable rapid model creation and support the importation of models through BIM and DXF links, allowing for enhanced productivity with integrated tools for concrete and steel design that facilitate design optimization, adherence to codes, and comprehensive report generation. Users are able to swiftly define structures through modeling automation, which includes the capability to create standard or custom trusses and utilize cloning tools to duplicate any portion of their models. Moreover, the ability to import existing BIM and DXF models significantly reduces the time spent on modeling. S-FRAME also features sophisticated meshing tools that construct the finite element mesh, enabling users to derive detailed analytical results for targeted areas of interest. Furthermore, users can delve deeper into these areas by seamlessly converting members into multi-shell models, enhancing their analytical capabilities. Overall, S-FRAME provides a comprehensive solution for modern structural design and analysis needs.

Framing serves as a versatile design tool tailored for timber frame and floor construction, addressing the evolving demands of the contemporary offsite construction sector. It is widely adopted by timber frame producers, structural engineers, and design firms, facilitating the creation of detailed 3D models for timber frame structures, which in turn generates thorough material schedules and manufacturing drawings suitable for both manual assembly and direct integration with industry-standard automated machinery and saws. The software excels in detailing a variety of timber frame building styles, and although it primarily operates within a 2D context, it efficiently constructs a 3D model based on user specifications, enabling straightforward verification of levels and heights throughout the process. This capability enhances accuracy and streamlines workflow, making Framing an essential resource in modern construction practices.