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Open laptop on a desk displaying CFS software page. CFS software icon is floating on left top corner of image.

CFS Designer™

Version: 6.0.2.0
Category: Cold-Formed Steel
Released: June 17, 2025

Simpson Strong-Tie CFS Designer gives cold-formed steel (CFS) Designers the ability to design CFS beam-column members according to AISI specifications and to analyze complex beam loading and span conditions.

Intuitive design tools automate common CFS systems such as wall studs, and openings, up to ten stories of interior or exterior load-bearing studs, compression posts for shearwalls, eight stories of stack x-brace or shear wall design,floor joists with unbalanced live-load combinations, spandrel framing, and low-wall moment connections. CFS Designer allows the design of multiple systems within the same job file, and supports connection design for specific Simpson Strong-Tie curtain wall and bridging connectors like the SUBH u-channel bridging connector.

Benefits

  • Automates the complicated design provisions of the AISI CFS Specification. Stress checks include; braced and unbraced moment, shear, web-crippling, axial strength, and all code-required combined interactions. The 2016 wS2-20, 2016 w/ S1-18, 2016, 2012, 2010 and 2007 AISI Specifications are covered by the software.
  • Enables the design of single stud and track members, built-up box-sections, back-back sections, nested stud, track sections, and proxheaders. In addition, when CFS members are not a practical solution, the software enables the design of HSS sections according to the AISC 13th Ed.
  • Automates the design of by-pass connectors, slotted track, slip track, base track as well as SUBH and MSUBH bridging connectors, simplifying your curtain wall connector, anchorage and bridging design.
  • Provides an intuitive user interface that enables the engineer to save engineering models in a single file. Output files are generated in Adobe Acrobat format and can be saved as separate files as needed.
  • Export 1– and 2– span openings to autoCAD for quicker shop drawing production.

Features

Wall Framing

  • Wall Stud — up to 3 spans and overhangs each end. Allows for adding complex array of sloped, lateral or gravity point loads and moments. Option to design connections and bracing.
  • 1-Span Opening — single-span opening with an overhang. Design header, sill, jamb and typical stud framing. Option to design connections and bracing.
  • 2-Span Opening — two-span opening with an overhang. Design headers, sills, jamb and typical stud framing. Option to design connections and bracing.
  • Spandrel — designs typical stud, kicked stud, bottom track and kicker. Option to design connections.
  • Stacked Wall — design up to 10-stories of exterior or interior wall stacked framing.
  • Kneewall — design kneewall or low post for wind and seismic with or without a window.

Joist Framing

  • Floor Joist — up to 3 spans and cantilevers design with pattern loading. Option to design connections and bracing.
  • Rafter — design single span rafters with cantilever with varying slope.

General Framing

  • General Interaction — general design allowing bending, axial, buckling and shear input.
  • Beam Input — up to 3 spans and top and bottom cantilevers. Allows for adding complex array of sloped, lateral or gravity point loads and moments. Option to design connections and bracing. (Similar to Wall Stud module but allows vertical or horizontal members)

X-Brace

  • Simple — element and component design for x-brace
  • LFRS — up to 8 story x-braces designs, including the special sesimic provisions of AISI S400 and AISI S240 for non-seismic provisions.

Shearwall

  • Simple — element and component design for shear wall.
  • LFRS  — up to 8 story shearwall designs, including the special sesimic provisions of AISI S400 and AISI S240 for non-seismic provisions.

Wind Module

  • Wind module for design of wall and roof components and cladding loads. Allows for export of wind to wall, opening, spandrel and kneewall programs.

Screenshots and Tutorials

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Screenshots and Tutorials

System Requirements
  • Microsoft Windows® 2012 or newer.
  • Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0 Client Profile
  • Adobe Reader 9.0
  • Display Resolution 1280 x 768
Update / Upgrade Notes

CFS Designer™ software will be updated on average twice per year or as needed based on new features and bug fixes. Updates to the software are free of charge and are available to all users on the current version.

Upgrades will be on a two-year cycle with the next upgrade in January 2027 (V7.X). CFS Designer users will need to buy the software to make sure their upgrade stays current. If you buy the software within five months prior to an upgrade, you will receive a coupon for a free upgrade to the next version. Within 9 months of the upgrade, you will receive a coupon voucher for $100 off the upgrade price.

Users who do not upgrade their software will not receive software updates or software support. Simpson Strong-Tie reserves the right to change the user and site prices at any time.


Pricing Structure

1 user: $349
2 user: $399
3 user: $449

Site license: $499

Support

Our Technical Support Department hours are Monday–Friday from 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. In most cases you will receive a response in two business days or less.

Have questions? Please contact us at engrtechsupport@strongtie.com.

Release Notes

Version 6.0.2.0
June 17, 2025

  • Adjustment of location of text in Wall stud - Interaction summary report
  • Fix error with export of opening to wall stud gravity load not transferring correctly
  • Simple X brace and shear wall error message update
  • General Interactions - Mx/Ma(x) and Interactions corrected when the Load Multiplier for Strength is not set to 1.0.
  • Fixed Spandrel module connector interactions when member settings turned off
  • Fixed wind module and LRFS X-Brace module not opening error
  • Fixed issue on LFRS X-Brace when code changed from IBC2021 to IBC 2018, the summary report is disabled.
  • Fixed simple shearwalls fasteners dropdown blank input in certain situations.
  • Fixed error in simple shearwall (IBC2021 and IBC2024) where 0.027 sheathing had an allowable value of 0.
  • Fixed expected strength data for IBC 2018 in LFRS shearwalls.
  • Fixed LRFD Load combination LC6, factor D in IBC 2018.
  • Fixed ASD Chord stud interaction reporting 0 for IBC 2018.
  • Fixed Simple X-Braces updates when Ta-r(J6) < Max Tension:
  • Fixed uninstall issue
  • Fixed issue with Ma-dist
  • Fixed error warning not showing in wall stud connections.
  • Fixed wall stud image error not showing loads in image when diagram is selected.
  • Fixed error in wall stud where a bearing error is created when deleting a point load.
  • Fixed error in 1-span opening where add uniform axial load was not adding the load to the typical stud.
  • Added better description to warning and errors in wall stud module
  • Fixed issues with deleting loads in wall stud.
  • Fixed issue with enabling and disabling reports for Simple and LFRS Shearwalls.
  • Fixed error with duplicate function sometime duplicating wrong model.
  • Fixed on-screen summary report for web stiffeners
  • Fixed a joist validation error when no validation exist.
  • Added B2 validations for LRFS shearwalls to ensure >=1.0.
  • Fixed error for side attached SSC to look at both uplift and gravity for worst case interaction
  • Fixed issue with windspeed not saving if it is a wind speed that is not in drop down list.
  • Fixed save as pop up not displayed in floor joist module.
  • Fixed a couple sureboard chord validations
  • Fixed a crash in LFRS Shearwalls and generating work space report.
  • Fixed a loading error in 2-span opening with window on top and no window on bottom.
  • Added ability to envelope interactions for all zones for connections.