Steel framing gets a lower-cost entry point as FRAMECAD launches new machine
Las Vegas - FRAMECAD has launched the Steelform Core, a lower-cost steel framing machine built to give builders and fabricators an entry point into cold-formed steel construction, without the scale of upfront investment previously required to get started.
The launch responds to a broader shift in construction - builders are under mounting pressure to deliver projects quicker, reduce material waste and rely less on scarce on-site labor. FRAMECAD says its answer to that pressure starts with speed - it's prefabricated steel framing process delivers build times up to 50 percent faster than traditional timber framing, and generates about 2 percent material waste, all of which is recycled.
Offsite manufacturing is also becoming a larger part of that shift, but for many businesses the move into steel framing has required investment at a scale that did not match their current production needs. The Steelform Core is designed to remove that barrier. It uses the same end-to-end approach as FRAMECAD’s higher-volume machines, in a format aimed at businesses entering steel framing or expanding their offsite capability in stages.
Aaron Wright, CEO of FRAMECAD, said the launch is about helping more of the market move into steel framing with a practical starting point.
“Builders are looking for ways to build with more certainty, less waste and less dependence on site-based labor,” Wright said. “The Steelform Core gives them access to quality steel framing equipment that fits their business today, with the same connected workflow that can scale as they grow. Start with Steelform Core, and scale with FRAMECAD as you grow."
Available now, the Steelform Core produces cold-formed steel trusses, wall frames and floor joists for structures up to three levels, including housing, schools, commercial and institutional buildings.
Every Steelform Core comes with FRAMECAD Nexa, the company's own software for scheduling and tracking production on the factory floor. It also connects directly to Steelwise, FRAMECAD's design and engineering software. Because FRAMECAD develops both machines and software together, builders get one connected workflow from design through manufacture to build, rather than piecing together tools from different vendors.
Rather than competing on headline line speed, the Steelform Core is engineered for finished frames per minute of uptime. Machine learning continuously optimizes hydraulic performance, delivering best-in-class production output among comparable roll-formers. The machine is around 50 percent more energy efficient, is wifi-ready for over-the-air updates.
Mario Tschopp, Product Manager, FRAMECAD, said the machine was built around how customers measure productivity.
“When people compare steel framing machines they tend to read line speed alone, but real productivity is finished frames and trusses per day,” he said.
“We optimized the Steelform Core across punching and assembly, so customers get more finished frames from every minute of uptime. Because the whole FRAMECAD range runs the same Ecosystem, their designs, data and operator skills carry across as their volume grows.”
That precision-first approach carries through to the company's wider philosophy. FRAMECAD’s broader model is built around Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA), which shifts more work into a controlled factory environment to improve precision and reduce delays.
The launch also reflects broader momentum behind steel framing in key construction markets. FRAMECAD technology is already used in about 1 in 10 new homes built in Australia, and the Steelform Core is intended to support wider uptake across residential and commercial construction in markets including the United States, Brazil and India.
About FRAMECAD
FRAMECAD is a New Zealand-founded technology business and global leader in steel framing innovation. Founded in 1987, the company provides an end-to-end ecosystem of products and services for residential and commercial construction. The company’s Ecosystem is used by customers across more than 100 countries to design, manufacture, and build steel-framed structures with greater precision and less waste. For more information, visit framecad.com.
