SketchDeck.ai Launches 3.0 to Accelerate Steel Bidding Amid Material Availability Crisis

Posted on October 15th, 2026 | Filed under Press Releases

The steel preconstruction software goes beyond steel takeoffs to help fabricators and erectors manage more of their workflows in one place

ATLANTA, Oct. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SketchDeck.ai, the most accurate steel estimating tool built on the largest and most complete structural steel dataset, today announced the launch of SketchDeck 3.0. The rebuilt platform helps structural steel fabricators and erectors prepare accurate bids faster and manage more of their estimating work in one place.

Big infrastructure projects, including data centers, have driven up demand for steel. Tariffs have added to rising prices, while fabricators and erectors face longer lead times and the same tight project schedules. For estimating teams, that means less time to get a bid out before material prices change. Drawing revisions can slow things down even further. SketchDeck 3.0 was rebuilt to take more of that work off estimators’ plates, from the initial takeoff through revisions and material quantities, while leaving the final decisions in their hands.

“When we started SketchDeck, one of the biggest challenges for steel fabricators and erectors was how long it took to prepare an estimate. We’ve helped change that, but the industry is facing a different set of pressures today,” said Daniel Kamau, P.Eng, MBA, M.Eng., founder and chief executive officer at SketchDeck.ai. “Getting an accurate bid out quickly matters more than ever, but our customers’ challenges don’t stop at the takeoff. We designed SketchDeck 3.0 around what they’re telling us they need next.”

SketchDeck 3.0 introduces an updated interface and expanded takeoff capabilities, including tools to account for connection materials like plates and clips. New drawing markup tools help estimators identify and annotate additional materials, while section-cut linking makes it easier to navigate complex drawings.

Bid management dashboards give teams greater visibility into their work, with roles and permissions to control access. The rebuilt platform is also designed to support more frequent product updates, allowing SketchDeck to introduce new capabilities as customer needs evolve.

SketchDeck’s proprietary AI model is trained on the world’s largest structural steel drawing dataset, making it the industry’s most accurate AI model for structural steel estimating. The platform helps estimators identify materials and produce precise quantities more quickly while keeping them in control of the final estimate. SketchDeck 3.0 also introduces beta capabilities for 3D modeling, column takeoff, and page stitching. The 3D modeling feature allows teams to review material quantities visually and gives detailers a starting point for downstream work. More than 500 estimators use SketchDeck on projects ranging from hospitals and stadiums to data centers.

“Forty years in the business and we’re still finding new ways to work smarter,” said Jordan Engelking, estimating manager at Steelworks of the Carolinas. “Since bringing SketchDeck.ai into our takeoff process, we’ve more than tripled our throughput. What used to take us days now takes a fraction of the time, which allows our team to do more without losing the attention to detail this industry demands.”

The new platform also adds automation for tasks like matching revised drawings, extracting schedules from tables, and identifying drawing scales. That gives estimating teams more time to review bids and prepare for the next stages of a project.

SketchDeck.ai will present its new capabilities at FABTECH 2026, Oct. 21–23, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, booth C7044; the CISC Canadian Steel Conference, Nov. 3–4, in Vancouver; and Trimble Dimensions, Nov. 9–11, in Las Vegas.

To learn more about SketchDeck 3.0 or book a personalized demonstration using your own project drawings, visit sketchdeck.ai/demo.

About SketchDeck.ai
Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, SketchDeck.ai develops AI-powered software that helps structural steel fabricators and erectors across North America streamline steel estimating workflows. Its SketchDeck platform automates repetitive tasks involved in preparing steel takeoffs, helping estimating teams save time, reduce errors and increase their bidding capacity. Trusted by more than 500 estimators, SketchDeck supports teams working on projects ranging from hospitals and stadiums to data centers. Learn more at sketchdeck.ai.

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