An independent review from the Steel Tube Institute (STI) proves without a doubt that IDEA StatiCa is the global leader in connection design!
![Steel Tube Institute - HSS Connection Software Comparison](https://ideastatica.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Steel-Tube-Institute-HSS-Connection-Software-Comparison-1.png)
The Steel Tube Institute was formed in 1930 when a group of manufacturers joined forces to promote and market steel tubing. STI is dedicated to advancing the growth and competitiveness of North America’s steel tubular products.
With so many options, which software package is the best for me to use?
The Steel Tube Institute recently dedicated some time to review many of the software options currently available that specifically design HSS connections to help structural engineers make an informed decision based on their specific software needs.
The intention of this review was to provide a brief overview of the HSS connection software packages available today, and a capabilities comparison showing what connection types each software package can assist an engineer with designing, as well as which third-party software programs each can integrate with.
See below these comparison tables:
1. Software Modeling Method Comparison
![Steel Tube Institute -HSS-Connection-Design-Sofware-Table1-600x309](https://ideastatica.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Steel-Tube-Institute-HSS-Connection-Design-Sofware-Table1-600x309-1.png)
2. Software HSS Connection Capabilities Comparison
![Software HSS Connection Capabilities 2021](https://ideastatica.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Software-HSS-Connection-Capabilities-2021.png)
3. Software Calculation Output Comparison
![HSS Connection Design-Software Table](https://ideastatica.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/HSS-Connection-Design-Sofware-Table3_rev-768x304-1.png)