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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Indoor - Mobile Mapping System for Laser Scanning

The latest technology in laser scanning is MOBILE MAPPING. With this technology one can scan while moving. This feature of the system saves lots of time on scanning and maintains accuracy during the geospatial data collection. MOBILE MAPPING SYSTEMS (MMS) has made a revolution in the indoor scanning market. Mobile Mapping System contains LiDAR-based SLAM technologies that remove the penetration problems particularly with interiors of buildings.

Indoor Mobile Mapping System known as I-MMS contains integrated 3D laser scanning & digital Imagery and facilitates the user to scan, map, and accumulate a entire 3D pointcloud.



Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Interoperability Issue

AEC firms are adopting high-tech technology to augment their productivity. The construction and engineering sector extensively apply technologies like high-resolution aerial photogrammetry, oblique imagery, radar-derived digital terrain models and laser scanning to gather reality information.
Building Information Modelling (BIM) motivates various professional disciplines for creating effective communication and collaboration among themselves. As for instance, construction companies connects a BIM model to project management software facilitating 4D and 5D views of projects so that the risk associated with budget overruns may be reduced and  the scheduling of material deliveries and work crews become more apparent. 4D model integrates the dimension of time applied to visualize and control construction programmes/schedules.  5D BIM model utilizes cost data, computerizes quantity takeoffs for cost estimating, and if combined with 4D may result in cash flow study.  Additional dimensions like 6D and 7D are included in the model to provide ‘health & safety’ or ‘sustainability’.



Friday, May 25, 2012

IMAGINiT Technologies introduce IMAGINiT Clarity and IMAGINiT Clarity LT on Revit platform to enhance BIM collaboration to a great extent

IMAGINiT technology just launches IMAGINiT Clarity and IMAGINiT Clarity LT on Autodesk Revit Server platform.
With IMAGINiT Clarity, Revit users can experience an improved collaboration for revit projects and manage their Revit Server setup as well as automate cyclical tasks, and offer important data to non-Revit users.
This web based solution is compatible with Autodesk Revit 2013 and 2012.
IMAGINiT Clarity provides good project level security, task automation and reports facilitating architectural, MEP and structural engineers to work together with owners and construction firms. Now AEC firms from different locations will be able to distribute a centrally located Revit 2012 or 2013 BIM model safely.



Autodesk launch Revit Structure 2013 to make more improved structural design and analysis


Revit® Structure software offers purpose-made BIM solution for structural design and analysis useful for structural engineering firm to design and create well-organized building structures.
In order to create effective structural analysis, the software incorporates a multi material physical model and an autonomously modifiable logical model at the time of generating bidirectional links to other accepted structural analysis software.



With Revit® Structure the structural engineers can visualize a structure precisely prior to commencement of the actual construction and undertake informed decisions in the design phase beforehand. Revit Structure applies BIM solution to facilitate multidiscipline synchronization of structural design documentation and improve collaboration among project stakeholders by reducing inaccuracies.
Revit Structure 2013
Now Revit structure 2013 has emerged in the market with the following advanced features and functionalities.
Revit users can keep more control for dealing with central revit models with the developments of Revit Server. Local accelerators will be able to link to various hosts facilitating users to generate a distributed Revit Server network.
Revit structure 2013 contains improvements to dimensioning capabilities.  A new diameter dimension tool allows an individual segment in a multi-segment dimension chain for selection and removal. Besides, dimension instances will show the segment values, equality text, or the equality formula string.
 Revit 2013 can provide support for construction modeling by facilitating additional customization in parts. Parts will be merged, eliminated, and reinstated. Two or more parts can be combined into a single part, excludes will removes parts from the project, and finally, one can reinstate parts that was formerly excluded at any time.
Revit structure 2013 will empower the revit users  to import and export drawings to and from Bentley Microstation V7 and V8 file format. Export to DWF™ and DWG™ formats has been also enhanced.
The revit users will be benefitted with global industry standards as well as GSA standards because International Industry Foundation Class (IFC) version 2x3 is now certified for Revit. Open source Revit IFC exporter is developed to cope up with emerging standards. The revit users can distribute information successfully with third-party applications towards supporting design workflows as they can recommend changes to the IFC export.
Inclusion of Revit Exchange App Store. It is a web platform facilitating the revit users to get smooth access to add-ins and other content in the Revit platform.
Autodesk Subscription users will be able to avail the incorporated Autodesk 360 features, along with rendering and energy study. The users can deliver their designs to the cloud for quicker, superior quality rendering and analysis.
The users can experience better design elasticity with advancements to the analytical model for direct manipulation of floor and foundation slabs. A new Analytical Link Element is adjoined to speed us the structural analysis by relating offset columns or beams.
The Revit – STAAD link is now accessible for Revit Structure 2013 from Structural Integrators.


More features


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For all kinds of 3D modeling services, please visit us at www.bimoutsourcing.com and www.sketchup4architect.com

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Lumion launch free revit to Collada (.dae) exporter for real time architectural visualization


Lumion introduces free Collada exporter (a collada file is required for developing 3D models) for revit to create models and materials in Revit and generate quick and easiest realtime scene with Lumion software. Lumion contains 2300+ trees, textures and models to create the wonderful scene.

Revit users now can get the ability to develop superior quality rendering and architectural visualization. Collada exporter for Revit is also compatible with AutoDesk® Revit 2013.



Process :-
Draw the model in Revit. Download the free Revit to Collada exporter. Also download the free version of Lumion software. Export Revit model to Collada through Lumion free Collada exporter.  Include complete content of foliage, objects, materials and textures. Select camera angles, record and start rendering.
Downloadable link (one should register with Lumion homepage to log in and download)
System requirement :-
Minimum system requirements OS: Windows XP, Vista, 7 (32- or 64-bit) and DirectX 9.0c or later System memory: 3GB (for simple scenes) Graphics card: NVidia GeForce 9800 GTX or similar ATI/AMD, with at least 1GB memory.
Recommended system requirements OS: Windows 7 64-bit System memory: At least 6GB Graphics card: NVidia 460GTX / ATI 5850 or faster, with at least 1GB memory.


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For any 3D modeling services with BIM, Revit and Sketchup, please visit our site at www.bimoutsourcing.com and www.sketchup4architect.com

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

MiTek launched SAPPHIRE Viewer, a free 3D software tool useful for architect


MiTek, a key provider of software, products and services to the building components sector, just launched SAPPHIRE Viewer, a flagship product of  MiTek’s SAPPHIRE Structure and the SAPPHIRE Suite.

SAPPHIRE Viewer is a free 3D software tool useful for builders, architects, and engineers facilitating electronic collaboration on house plan design with the help of a shared 3D model by their component manufacturer (roof trusses, floor trusses, and wall pane). Electronic collaboration leads to buildability for the home. The builder can learn that a structure as well as lot-specific ‘structural options’ are built as drawn.

SAPPHIRE Viewer customers can rapidly assess SAPPHIRE models in plan and 3-D views, applying zoom and pan. They will also be able to analyze elevation drawings and segregate items to view in the model, as for example, a specific  level or layer.

SAPPHIRE Viewer customers will be in a position to print layout sheets or print plans in 3-D and elevation views. SAPPHIRE Viewer customers can include and track mark-ups & comments and make sure that all parties are on the same page.


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For any kind of 3D modeling services, please visit us at www.bimoutsourcing.com and www.sketchup4architect.com

How to utilize True BIM and efficient facility management system for successful project delivery


Construction cost estimate and strong project delivery methods play a vital role for well-organized facility design, project delivery, restore, reformation, sustainability, planning function.
True BIM and well-organized facility life-cycle management is complement to each other. In order to maintain True BIM and well-organized facility life-cycle management, the following points should be considered :
Make efficient Collaboration by relating all project stakeholders that range from Owners, AE’s, Contractors, Oversight Groups, Community etc.
Get proper access to cost information, and related comparison with autonomous third-party cost database provided by RSMeans Construction Cost Data.
Accurate allowances in support of local conditions that range from geographic, weather, production of labor, security.
Application of reliable format and jargon with the utilization of a standard set of terms and data architectures like Uniformat, Masterformat,and  Omniclass.
Utilization of metrics and benchmarks involving time, exactness, conditions, cost.
Formation of a concentrated procedures and business “best-practices” highlighting constant development.
Application of proper level of technology to facilitate sound productivity, collaboration, security, audit trail.
Thorough understanding on the influence of the construction cost delivery method upon construction costs and life-cycle costs highlighting design-bid-build, CM@Risk, design-build, job order contracting, integrated project delivery.
Get acquainted with various “levels” of construction cost estimating, cost engineering, and their accurateness. This may range from square Foot / conceptual / building level construction cost estimating, assembly / system Level Construction cost Estimating, unit line item construction cost estimating.
Basic knowledge of total cost of ownership and facility Life-cycle Management that include physical and functional conditions, operations, sustainability, reconstruction, repair, well-organized project delivery methods (IPD-Integrated Project Delivey, JOC – Job Order Contracting)


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For any kind of 3D modeling services, please visit us at www.bimoutsourcing.com and www.sketchup4architect.com

Monday, May 21, 2012

BIM technology becomes more and more mainstream in the construction sector


With the advent of Business information modeling (BIM) technology, the construction industry becomes high-tech. All the project stakeholders utilize BIM in the construction process that range from design and construction firms to building operators. Besides architects, project managers, contractors and trades workers, engaged with a construction process, are also being benefitted.

BIM can be defined as 100 per cent a game-changer for the (construction) industry. BIM technology refers to a central technology hub that represented with numerous diverse software packages taking into consideration the complete lifestyle of a building. All concerned parties of a construction process get the ability to form, synchronize, document, control, revise, transform and analyze every single characteristic of design and construction in real time with a collective, central hub.

BIM is applied to renovate the system buildings are designed, the system they're planned and the system they're managed. BIM based technology can transfer the paradigm to get better output.

BIM is now also playing an important role for infrastructure projects. More than 27 per cent of the civil engineers are utilizing BIM for infrastructure projects.

BIM is also going to be fruitful for making the efficiencies required for advancing productivity among a construction sector labour short-age..

Trades workers working on the ground also utilize BIM knowledge to set up, to create alterations or to revise projects faster in real time. BIM surpasses it’s 3-D modeling capability to incorporate a potentially unrestricted number of dimensions -  for example cost, time and quality.

BIM consist of all components of a project during construction process that may range from services or the structure itself.

By applying BIM, the structural engineers can easily find out any potential clashes at the beginning stage along the way as changes are unavoidably occurred. Any costly overruns can be easily detected before the actual structure is presented in the field saving  millions of dollars.

For any kind of 3D modeling services, please visit our sites at www.bimoutsourcing.com and www.sketchup4architect.com

Friday, May 18, 2012

idsDesignTOUCH™ Navisworks® Manage plug-in


DS Engineering and SMART Technologies Inc. mutually launched idsDesignTOUCH™ Autodesk®Navisworks® Manage plug-in for SMART Board®. By utilizing this plug-in, Navisworks Manage users will be able to manage and edit Navisworks files straightforwardly on SMART's interactive displays. Architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms will be benefitted to make effective communication and solve issues throughout coordination reviews.




Navisworks Manage is a Building InformationModeling (BIM) review tool that can be applied together with SMART's interactive displays to detect design conflicts and recognize the chosen remedial action.

The idsDesignTOUCH Navisworks Manage plug-in make superior incorporation involving Navisworks Manage and SMART's interactive displays. This results in better coordination among AEC project teams to find out design deficiency and resolve later in the construction schedule.

By utilizing Navisworks with SMART's interactive displays building professionals now get the ability to shift BIM to on-site facilities for project updates, materials delivery, complex assembly and construction sequences, and other project data efficiently.

SMART's interactive displays facilitate to immediately highlight conflicts on technical drawings and create changes directly on the working document for quick solutions. These tools are useful for mutual team sessions, augment production and competence and considerably saving costs on the projects.

Some exclusive Features
  • 3D images are easily marked up and maneuvered directly on SMART's interactive displays
  • SMART's interactive display pen and eraser tools are incorporated with the Navisworks Manage redline markup tools intended for both local and remote users
  • Multi touch gestures on the interactive display facilitates users to perform with Navisworks 3D navigation tools as well as pan, zoom and orbit
Pricing and accessibility

The idsDesignTOUCH Navisworks Manage plug-in for SMART Board is priced at US$695 per license and can be accessed online from May 16, 2012.

Purchase Now. 


For any 3D modelling services, please visit us at www.bimoutsourcing.com and www.sketchup4architect.com

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Building Information Modeling & Risk Management


BIM has been widely implemented in architectural-engineering-construction (AEC) industry. In order to use BIM properly, a careful examination of the criteria of BIM for execution on the project is essential. An attorney who is well versed with BIM contract language should be appointed to evaluate the BIM application process.

There are two commonly used documents focusing on the framework of BIM :-

AGC ConsensusDOCS 301 BIM Addendum - This document is developed by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America. This type of document is mainly created to plug the void originated from typical standard form agreements which insufficiently, or can’t fully deal with BIM. This document takes into consideration different segments like definitions, information management, the BIM implementation plan, risk sharing, intellectual property rights, and collaboration.

AIA E202-2008 Building Information Modeling Protocol - This document is developed by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The document aimed at creating an outline for establishing model content, model handling, and model element responsibility.

The above two documents are very effective in communicating & controlling the risk assignment concerning with BIM implementation.

BIM with Risk Management


The parties involved in the project should initially make a decision on the purpose of the model. Once it has been settled, determination the risks for each party become easier.

Before applying BIM in a project, design professionals must highlight some fundamental risk management ideas to find out the legitimacy of BIM. Some of those considerations are as follows :-

BIM involves new business models, hardware, software, and human capital. The costs and risks may relate with the hardware and software investments. BIM is a multifaceted design tool and a thorough understanding of the software is necessary to efficiently deal with and assure design liability.

In order to drive a BIM model there should be enough control and understanding of the technology towards controlling it’s unpredictability and blurred lines of right and responsibility. Project managers should be trained in every phases of the BIM platform

Every organization will have to be conscious of several technical challenges that generate risk in order that it may employ mitigation measures. These types of technical issues may range from interoperability, software limitations, and file storage and transfer limitations. 

There should be proper BIM related service agreements authorized by owners, design professionals, and their legal counsel.

To reap the prospective BIM benefits the risks and information should be allocated equally between the design-construction team as well as the owner, designer, contractor, subcontractors, and suppliers.

Designers must be careful at the time of generating the model with the intention that the Building Information Model they utilize is not restricted to a solitary source, if not an owner purposely ask for it.

Software manufacturers should be cautious toward over-promise or certification of the competence of their products which facilitates design professionals, project owners & others team members associated with the project to easily access to the BIM. All parties must perform mutually to build up new contract forms useful for addressing, allocating, and distributing risk impartially in a clear way.

Design changes in a BIM model may result in enhancing the risk of design and range of services. Information along with design elements is provided into the BIM database and the database communicates elements of a building design. So if a change happens to one phase of the design all interrelated designs consequently are reconfigured. The push for applying BIM’s flexibility to create change upon change right equal to and together with bidding and construction will have to be uncompromisingly controlled and persistently restrained. Although make alteration in BIM is simple, but budgets and design-construction schedules are not as flexible.

Design professionals have to face several quarries while finalizing their design documents. These quarries may range from - What control over the design is to be surrendered to the software providers, contractors, subcontractors, manufacturers, and suppliers? Where should be the line involving the designer-of-record and the other entities contributing input to the model? Should the designer-of-record express his/her control over the design without having BIM expertise? Exclusive of sufficient supervision, is BIM close to the risks concerning off shore outsourcing?

BIM touts its ability to eliminate design conflicts, reduce errors, and limit omissions. But a question remains – will the use of BIM raise the standard of care? Will design professionals using BIM be held to a standard of care equal to perfection or something very close to it? It will be a long while before there is case law addressing these questions. In the short term, designers need to be proactive in defining and reinforcing the concept that the standard of care for BIM-delivered projects as being the same as the standard of care for conventionally-delivered designs.

The BIM users should have sufficient technical and managerial skills toward managing access to all the “pieces and parts, revising & tracking model changes for successfully control model inputs and outputs.

Design professionals while delivering BIM-related information to Consultants, contractors, suppliers, and subcontractors, should necessitate an executed disclaimer like those presently utilized together with providing CADD files.

The risks may also be connected with working across software boundaries in creating design-construction software work.

Design professionals find it difficult to handle the design process for sufficient detailing and quality assurance/control activities. If any construction document is issued from a BIM model not highlighting detail and quality reviews properly, may lead to budget and schedule failures. So designers should assign the essential resources to get rid of the problems.

Useful Reference :-
Managing the Risks of BIM


For any kind of 3D modeling services , please visit us at www.bimoutsourcing.com and www.sketchup4architect.com

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

AcmeBIM Online an useful BIM tool for brick industry


Acme Brick Company launched a software tool useful for brick industry with which architects will be able to bring BIM (Building Information Modeling) data straightforwardly to an Autodesk® Revit® project.

All the Architects and designers can operate with two existing online visualizations tools from the Acme Brick website which are completely manageable with BIM.





With AcmeBIM Online the users will get the ability to choose brick from a visual catalog distinguished by name or color family. Once selection is done, users are capable to view brick as a simulated panel or building elevation. The users can also modify mortar colors.

AcmeBIM Online database contains BIM-compliant technical data in support of every brick. Applying the plug-in version, BIM data, accumulated in 36 diverse categories, can be imported straightforwardly into a Revit project. Users of the AcmeBIM Online’s Web version can download BIM data as a standard text file in .CSV format.


For any kind of 3D modeling services, please visit us at www.bimoutsourcing.com and www.sketchup4architect.com

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

ArchiCAD e-SPECS Integration will enhance the work of Architects


GRAPHISOFT® just declares the incorporation among e-SPECS and ArchiCAD to augment the work of architects and makes the construction management process easy.

The e-SPECS Specification Management product suite will be useful for automating the preparation of construction specifications and selection of products & materials which are integrated into construction projects. By utilizing e-SPECS for ArchiCAD, the customers will get the ability to incorporate and organize construction documents.

ArchiCAD customers can make their designs effectively to maintain their flow of work in a  optimized way and increase their productivity.

InterSpec's e-SPECS products will facilitate Architects, engineers and construction professionals to utilize these  on numerous projects yearly to keep synchronization connecting construction models, drawings, and project specifications. ArchiCAD integration with e-SPECS allows cost management in general at some stage in the course of generating project construction documents.

ArchiCAD users will be greatly benefitted as e-SPECS Application Program Interface (API) offers automation, coordination, and access to the specifications and other project data.

For any kind of 3D modeling services with BIM and sketchup please visit us at www.bimoutsourcing.com and www.sketchup4architect.com

Friday, May 11, 2012

Some exclusive Projects in recent year in which BIM was successfully implemented for completion of the projects



INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital's New Medical Office Building IV

Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology will have to be utilized for INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital Medical Office Building IV located in Fairfax, Virginia. BIM will be applied to pursue LEED ® Silver certification. Suffolk Construction Mid-Atlantic will work as the contractor for the entire hospital building.



INOVA Fair Oaks Medical Office Building IV is a four storied building containing total area of 115,000 GSF and a below grade level designed and erected for a future radiation / oncology imaging suite with two linear accelerator (LINAC) vaults. The project also comprise of a new campus entrance on Rugby Road; site clearing and construction of supplementary surface parking; setting up of site lighting and traffic signals; and the essential site improvements needed for the new medical office building. 



Historic Hinman Research Building

BIM was utilized for restoration, rehabilitation, and adaptive reuse of the historic Hinman Research Building containing an area of 35,000-square-foot. The total project cost was $9.5 million. The Beck Group acted as construction manager of the project.


BIM was successfully applied to create collaboration among the architectural team and the construction manager. The construction manager (Beck group) transferred the architect’s BIM model to a construction-level BIM model which integrated laser scans of the space to complete the project design maintaining the construction budget and schedule. 
  
Additionally, Beck group also generated intelligent models to maintain the design, fabrication, and installation of architectural millwork. Beck also offered an absolute model of the building along with facility management functionality to examine the building’s performance over its life cycle.
State Route 99 Tunnel projects
In another case BIM was successfully implemented for collaboration, information sharing. This was a State Route 99 tunnel project in Seattle.  State Route 99 Tunnel is an exceptionally multifaceted project involving civil engineering, structures, architectural elements, mechanical & electrical systems, and traffic management. The project value was $1.35 billion. HNTB served as the designer for the State Route 99 Tunnel project. HNTB utilized an exclusive BIM tool known as Tekla BIMsight for construction collaboration. Tekla BIM sight was applied to combine models from several regulations, evaluate those models with smooth navigation features and capture areas of interest. Tekla BIMsight also facilitated the design team to analyze comprehensive project elements as a whole and locate design and coordination problems connecting each discipline.    
In BIM collaboration, HNTB applied Tekla BIMsight in weekly all-discipline coordination meetings to talk about the two buildings, cut and cover areas, and the tunnel with the sub-consultants, architects, and engineers. HNTB and project participants got the ability to observe clashes and prospective design changes as all the discipline models were loaded into Tekla BIMsight. 



Collaborative model based workflow for Canada's new National Music Centre.
A stunning architectural design was developed for National Music Centre situated across from the Stampede Grounds in Calgary's East Village neighborhood. The project area was 135,000-square-foot music center and cost was $132 million.
The project includes a 300-seat performance space, an interactive music education center, a recording studio, and a broadcast center.

The project contains complex geometries and the concerned architect utilizes Rhino3D, a well accepted architectural modeling program to model the structure. There were some problems regarding the scale of the project, complex architecture and mix of materials.

To overcome the problem the architect has to apply Scia Engineer, a new type of integrated structural design software facilitating engineers plug into today's 3D workflows. Scia Engineer can easily analyze the entire structure by using Rhino3D model into analysis.
From Rhino3D, a VRML (virtual reality modeling language) model can be exported. VRML is a general 3D exchange format for surface and solids modeling programs. It is compatible with ArchiCAD, Sketchup, Solidworks and Vectorworks etc. The VRML model was then imported into Scia Engineer. While importing the VRML model, the Scia Engineer can be used to convert the VRML geometry into 1D or 2D members automatically or convey the model in as reference geometry. Due to several doubly curved shell elements in the design, the model was brought in as a reference model. The concerned structural engineers got the ability to aply the tools in Scia Engineer's BIM toolbox to trace around and convert the Rhino3D model into a appropriate analytical model to available for loading and analysis.

Assotech Blith Projects in Sector 99, Gurgaon

This project was from India. Assotech Limited worked as a developer to make a new housing project, Assotech Blith, in Sector 99, Gurgaon. The project included 12 acres of land containing 586-apartment and located at upcoming 150 Meters wide NPR (Dwarka expressway) in Gurgaon. The project cost was Rs500 crore. In this project BIM was applied for creating the pre-construction three dimensional virtual construction model co-coordinating all the structural architectural and services design elements to get rid of any clashes in the design prior to the compleltion of the project on the ground.  This leads to accurate co-ordination and zero inaccuracies in design. The project was constructed on BIM and LEAN technologies.


Posted by Rajib Dey


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