Building Information Modelling (BIM) for Architecture, Engineering and Construction Multidiscipline BIM Architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical modelling in a single environment with Bentley AECOsim ARENA NATIONAL / THE SCOTTISH + PARTNERS OF FOSTER COURTESY IMAGE Steel fabrication BIM for contractors Dell Precision workstations Task-specific BIM models May / June 2012 >> Vol.60 p01_AEC_MAYJUNE12_Cover.indd 1 25/5/12 18:59:37 Discover our Strucad ® Advance Steel competitive BIM software for structural campaign Steel Detailing & Fabrication Your solution for the future • Over 10.000 licences in 80 countries • Easy to use, short learning curve, powerful, affordable • Worldwide support and helpdesk service • Visit us: www.graitec.com/strucad phone: +44 (0)2380 527575 mail : [email protected] www.graitec.com Pub_Advance_STRUCAD_2012_A4_AECmag.indd 1 29/03/12 13:31:29 Building Information Modelling (BIM) for Architecture, Engineering and Construction editorial MANAGING EDITOR GREG CORKE [email protected] CONSULTING EDITOR MARTYN DAY [email protected] DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR STEPHEN HOLMES [email protected] DESIGN AND PRODUCTION [email protected] advertising ADVERTISING MANAGER TONY BAKSH [email protected] DEPUTY ADVERTISING MANAGER STEVE KING [email protected] 28 subscriptions MANAGER ALAN CLEVELAND AECOsim 11 BIM for principal [email protected] Over the years, Bentley’s building solutions have undergone a number of contractors 24 accounts rebrandings; TriForma, Bentley BIMproject is a brand new document Architecture and now AECOsim. We management tool that uses BIM CHARLOTTE TAIBI examine the newest flavour. models to help manage and control [email protected] procurement workflows all the way to FINANCIAL CONTROLLER construction. SAMANTHA TODESCATO-RUTLAND Autodesk 2013 14 [email protected] Autodesk released updates to its range of CAD tools in March. Martyn Day visited Scan to BIM 27 AEC Magazine is available FREE to qualifying individuals. To ensure you Autodesk’s San Francisco HQ to see the Equipped with a Faro laser scanner and receive your regular copy please register latest design technology. skills in Autodesk Revit, Bury Associates online at www.aecmag.com has positioned itself to meet the recent surge in interest in BIM. about simplebim 16 AEC Magazine is published Building Information Modelling (BIM) bi-monthly by X3DMedia Ltd systems create new challenges in sharing Design Viz 28 data between rival systems. Finnish We look at two visualisation specialists Suite 77, 3rd Floor, The London Fruit and Wool Exchange, developer Datacubist has created a low- that create designs from simple sketches 56 Brushfield Street, London E1 6EP cost IFC BIM tool that is worth a trial. and block models. T. +44 (0)20 3355 7310 F. +44 (0)20 3355 7319 www.x3dmedia.com SmartGeometry 18 Rethinking © 2012 X3DMedia Ltd Once a year the SmartGeometry group All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part workstations 32 without prior permission from the publisher is holds a symposium on new design prohibited. All trademarks acknowledged. Opinions expressed in articles are those of the author and not of technologies, from design through to Dell has completely redesigned its X3DMedia. X3DMedia cannot accept responsibility for production. new ‘Sandy Bridge’ Xeon Precision errors in articles or advertisements within the magazine. workstation with serviceability high on Advance Steel 20 the list of priorities. As far as steel fabrication and detailing packages go Advance Steel has always BIM: the cloud 34 stood out due to its tight integration With every CAD vendor talking up the FREE with AutoCAD. Now for the 2012 cloud, we asked Autodesk to explain release the software is also being made what advantages Building Information SUBSCRIPTIONS available as a standalone tool, meaning Modelling (BIM) in the cloud offers. Register your details to ensure you get a regular copy www.aecmag.com/subscriptions users do not have to invest in a costly AutoCAD license. Also this month: 5 News www.AECmag.com May / June 2012 3 p03_AEC_MAYJUNE2012_ContentsHK.indd 3 28/5/12 12:45:20 News Shaderlight for SketchUp CSC offers free from ART VPS, an interactive rendering plug-in used to create trial of Tedds photorealistic images calculation tool tructural software developer, CSC, has S released a trial version of its Tedds structural calculation software that includes free samples of automated calculations for a range of elements/materials. Tedds calculations are available in a range of international design codes and are used to automate structural and civil calculations, and create project documents for sharing and submitting. SketchUp acquisition adds Meanwhile, Tekla and CSC have released an integration link enabling engineers to share weight to Trimble’s portfolio models between their software applications. Models from the code based analysis application, his month the biggest news in recently acquired Tekla, StruCad, Fastrak Building Designer can be the world of AEC software Accubuild and Plancal (MEP). Analysis of synchronised with the design and T concerned Trimble’s acquisition Trimble’s acquisitions would indicate a detailing tool, Tekla Structures. of SketchUp from Internet search focus on Building Information ■ cscworld.com ■ tekla.com behemoth, Google, for an undisclosed Management, site logistics, laser scanning fee estimated to be around $90 million. and fabrication, which makes the SketchUp is a 3D modelling program acquisition of SketchUp appear to be quite that was originally created in 1999 by odd. SketchUp does have millions of users Brad Schell. The software was sold to and while there is a paid for ‘professional’ Analysis tool Google in 2006 and became a free utility version, insiders have told AEC Magazine to add 3D content to Google Earth. that this business is only worth approx $10 boosted by However, SketchUp’s ease of use ensured million a year. that it became a standard tool in SketchUp is undoubtedly good marketing 64-bit code architectural practices all around the for the Trimble brand but, as of yet, its SA 8.6, the latest world and kick started the use of 3D in acquired brands don’t integrate and there release of the architecture. appears to be little if any obvious physical G structural design and From Google’s perspective, SketchUp manifestation of a cohesive vision. analysis software from Oasys, became of less importance once it had In its press release, Trimble mentions a the software house of Arup, introduced the Streetview technology into ‘Connected Community’ between its features 64-bit support to Google maps, where users can be products, which will provide a ‘stand-alone boost performance. immersed into 3D viewpoints on its maps. enterprise solution’ that will ‘enable an Engineers in the Arup Last year there were some rumours that integrated and seamless workflow to Toronto Office working on a Google would sell off the product to one of reduce rework and improve productivity’. large concrete model in GSA the main CAD vendors with Autodesk, The products will eventually be able to 8.6 (30,000 Quad 8 elements Dassault Systèmes (DS) and Bentley collect data, design, model, and collaborate and 70,000 nodes) were able rumoured as possible buyers. DS was the on one platform in the cadastral, heavy to run the model in three most likely candidate as the company civil, and building and construction minutes, between eight and planned to get serious about the AEC space industries. Trimble will extend the ten times faster than before. this year and, without an existing installed SketchUp platform to third-party Meanwhile, Oasys has base, SketchUp would have been a great developers and distribution partners to adapted its geotechnical tools entry point. However, in the end, Trimble, a create new applications. to enable engineers to apply specialist in GPS/positioning systems, was It seems that Trimble has big aspirations the Eurocode 7 (EC7) announced as the buyer for an undisclosed to play in the BIM market and offer a methodology, including . sum. Industry pundits have estimated this ‘platform’, which, in theory, could put it in Oasys Frew for retaining to be around $90 million. competition with Autodesk, Bentley and walls, Pile for vertical loads Trimble had already been on a buying other players. and Slope for slope stability. spree in the AEC software market, having ■ trimble.com ■ oasys-software.com 4 May / June 2012 www.AECmag.com p04_06_09_AEC_MAYJUNE12_Newsb.indd 4 25/5/12 18:49:14 geometry design sustainability geometry generative components architecture generative The Challenge: geometry components sustainability High-Performance Buildings design geometry sustainability architecture generative components architecture The Solution: Bentley geometry architecture design Image courtesy Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners Ltd. Image courtesy Forman Roberts Image courtesy DP Architects Pte Ltd BUILDING INFORMATION MODELING & MORE T Design and Deliver Software for the design, construction, and operation of all types of buildings and facilities Projects Faster around the world, from the conventional to some of the most inspiring projects of our time. For projects small to large, simple to complex, each discipline-specific application provides an T Reduce Errors informed work environment – from conceptual design through documentation, to coordination and Omissions and construction. T Optimize Building Bentley’s comprehensive suite of software helps professionals productively deliver sustainable Performance high-performance