Who We Are

A Connection Engineering Team That Understands What Happens After The Drawing Is Done

Structural Steel Design is a connection engineering firm based in Apple Valley, MN. We work with contractors and fabricators who need connection designs that hold up on the shop floor and the jobsite, not just on a code review checklist. Every calculation we stamp reflects an engineer’s professional judgment, not just a load table.

We Scale With The Project, Not Against It

A 400-ton industrial package and a 2-ton tenant improvement get the same level of attention, just different resourcing.

  • Right-Sized Engineering Teams
  • Fast Turnaround On Small Scopes
  • Depth For Large, Multi-Phase Work

We Read Structural And Architectural Steel The Same Way A Fabricator Does

A connection that looks fine on a model can still be a headache in the field. We check both the engineering and the practical side before it goes out the door.

  • Structural Member Review
  • Architectural Interface Checks
  • Constructability Sanity Checks

Modeling Software Is A Tool, Not The Deliverable

We use Tekla, SDS/2, and Revit to keep connection data accurate and easy to coordinate, but the engineering judgment behind it is what actually matters.

  • Model-Based Connection Data
  • Revision Tracking That Doesn’t Get Lost
  • Clean Handoffs Between Teams

How We Got Here

Built By Engineers Who Take Connection Design Seriously

A lot of connection engineering gets treated as a formality: run the numbers, stamp the page, move on. That approach causes problems later, usually after fabrication has already started. SSD was built around doing this differently. Our engineers and estimators work through the actual project conditions, not just the design loads on paper, before a connection package goes out.
We’re based in Apple Valley, MN, and work directly with Minnesota contractors and fabricators on connection design, delegated engineering, and PE-stamped calculations, tailored to the specific demands of each project.

Why Contractors Call Us Back

Three Things Clients Tell Us Actually Matter To Them

We Answer The Phone

A connection question mid-fabrication can't wait a week for a callback. Our engineers are reachable during active projects, not just during the sales process.

  • Direct Engineer Access
  • Fast RFI Turnaround
  • No Runaround On Revisions

One Team Handles Engineering And Estimating Together

Estimating and connection engineering are usually handled by different people who don't talk to each other. Ours do, which means fewer surprises between a quote and a stamped package.

  • Estimating And Engineering Coordination
  • Consistent Point Of Contact
  • Fewer Scope Gaps

We Stand Behind What We Stamp

A PE stamp is a professional judgment, not a rubber stamp. We treat it that way, and we're available if a question comes up afterward.

  • PE-Stamped Calculations
  • Post-Release Support
  • Accountability On Every Package
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Connection Design Engineering | PE-Stamped Calculations | Delegated Engineering | Structural Steel Estimating | Tekla And SDS/2 Modeling

What We're Actually Trying To Do

Fewer Surprises Between The Stamp And The Steel

Our goal isn’t just to produce a calculation package that passes review. It’s to produce one that still makes sense once the steel is actually being fabricated and erected. That means engineers who understand fabrication and erection, not just structural theory, and estimators who catch scope gaps before they become change orders.

Have A Project In Mind?

Tell Us What You're Working On

Whether it’s one tricky connection or a full package, call (952) 800-3413 and talk to an engineer directly.

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