In The Fold

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In the Fold — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 06:22:38 -0700

Check out our new and improved In the Fold blog at blogs.autodesk.com/inthefold/.

Not so fast Bentley: Separating fact from fiction

In the Fold — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 15:48:58 -0700

By Carl White, Senior Director of Business Models at Autodesk

Earlier this week, Bentley announced an “upgrade program” for Autodesk customers. We found the offer to be disingenuous and mischaracterizes what Autodesk offers our customers. Here are the facts about our offerings – both perpetual and subscription:

Fact #1 – No Autodesk customer ever loses the right to use the perpetual software license you’ve purchased, it is “evergreen”. And if you’re on a software maintenance plan, you can continue to receive all of the benefits of software updates and technical support for as long as you’d like.

We’ve shared key dates well ahead of time to give customers time needed to adjust, but that does not mean we’re taking away options. Rather than taking our word for it, here’s what one respected industry watcher had to say: “I really just wanted to make it 100% clear: if you have a perpetual license and continue to pay maintenance, NOTHING CHANGES on February/August 1, 2016 unless you want it to.”

Fact #2 – Our customers have a choice. When you subscribe to Autodesk software, you have flexible terms (monthly, quarterly, annually), and multiple access points (single user, multi-user and shared). Now Autodesk customers can get the software they need for a year or a month, in ways that are more convenient and better for their business. Customers can buy and use it for as long as they want and can match their subscription type with the demands of their workforce. When the workforce expands, they can ramp up, or in quieter periods, they can scale it back. In short, subscribing gives you flexibility and predictability.

When it comes to value, lower upfront costs make our software more accessible and allow you to try more tools without the risk of a large upfront expenditure. Plus, you only pay when you need it. This is a big deal. Some of our customers prefer this cost is considered an operating expense, allowing you to bill the cost of the software back to the client or project. And if you subscribe for a longer, multi-year term, you lock-in your rate. Combine that with flexibility in the length of contracts and you may find that you’re actually paying less.

Fact #3 – Software as a service is essential for technological evolution. It allows for continual and consistent innovation and support. The software will get better, faster and more seamless in the way you use it. The experience is customized to you or your organization, and provides a simplified way to access and deploy software, manage your users and collaborate on projects. With this new way of delivering software, everyone will always have the latest, most up-to-date Autodesk tools available.

It’s not just Autodesk saying this; the entire software industry is moving in this direction. Frankly, design and engineering software has been a bit slow to make this change. But the benefits for end-users are clear, and it’s just a matter of time before all vendors have similar ways of buying.

Fact #4 – Our recent earnings results validate our move to an all subscription-based model and readiness of the market and our customer base. More customers are getting on board every day. In Q1 of this year, they were up 132,000 to 2.71 million.

What does this mean? It means that millions of you are already seeing the benefits of shifting to subscription and are making that choice voluntarily.

So Bentley, we have this to say to you: announcing competitive upgrade programs makes for sensational headlines, but it doesn’t solve customers’ problems. Autodesk is in the business of giving our customers the best tools possible to solve their businesses’—and the world’s—biggest challenges.

Big news: Columbus, Ohio Wins U.S. DOT’s Smart City Challenge

In the Fold — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 09:30:00 -0700

Columbus’ Smart City Vision Began with an Autodesk Visualization

Drum roll, please. Introducing the winner of the first U.S. Department of Transportation Smart City Challenge: Columbus, Ohio. As proud sponsors of U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx’s visionary Smart City Challenge, Autodesk congratulates the residents and leadership of the City of Columbus.

At Autodesk, we think the city and residents of Columbus always knew they could win – and they did win. The level of engagement between Autodesk and Columbus’ technical team was extraordinary. The team was proactive in learning, understanding, and eager to put their best proverbial foot forward. Buckeye State, we are proud to have supported the development of your vision for the future – lifting the printed words from your application and turning them into an informed design to be shared visually. Because, when it comes to the smart city of the future, a true vision begins with visualization.

Image of downtown Columbus, Ohio created using Autodesk InfraWorks 360 and 3ds Max. Image courtesy of U.S. DOT Smart City Challenge/City of Columbus (HNTB).

Featured below are two of the set of proof-of-concept animations the City of Columbus used to illustrate their vision of increased use of driver-less vehicles, with the ability to communicate via sensors with traffic signals and other transportation infrastructure. The animations were created using Autodesk InfraWorks 360, and are courtesy of the City of Columbus.

Columbus, Ohio. The underdog? The city that beat out known tech hubs San Francisco and Austin? We don’t think Columbus would ever want to be called the outlier, the underdog, or the long shot. Nope, Columbus is proud of its world-class colleges and universities, its medical facilities, its growing technology corridor, and revitalized downtown. With a population around 800,000, Columbus is in the same ballpark as San Francisco and Austin – and surpasses Washington, DC and Boston in population. Columbus is no shrinking violet. But Columbus proves something important – any city can do this if you pull together a team of committed leaders, the public and the private sectors.

But while Columbus may have been declared the Smart City Challenge champion there really are no second finishes among the six other finalists. As sponsors, we were proud to support San Francisco; Kansas City, MO; Austin, Texas; Denver; Portland, OR; and Pittsburgh. And, we pledge our continued support to bring their individual visions to reality.

Each of these six finalists and Columbus shared a goal: improving the quality of life for their respective citizens. The cities presented their plans to connect people and places and to bring goods to and through their cities. The cities shared a common vision too – to make their cities a healthier, more prosperous place to live and do business through connected transportation. Because, at its core, if your residents can’t easily get to a doctor, to school, to shop for groceries, the city can’t survive and thrive.

But that’s where our technology comes into play. Sketching out a plan – that’s not a hard thing to do. The bigger challenge is the demonstration of a vision in the context of the real world. Data and a modeling tool that lets planners make informed choices and make changes on the fly – that’s the goal. And that’s Autodesk InfraWorks 360.

As the challenges facing our cities continue to grow – population shifts towards cities, not away; infrastructure continues to age and crumble; more teens rejecting driving cars for public transportation and on demand services like Uber, Lyft and Bridj; and with people living much longer than before and aging in place where transportation must be affordable and available - planners need tools to make informed decisions able to incorporate and demonstrate choice.

Thank you to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx for his leadership. The fact is he did something too often considered taboo – he created a partnership between the public and private sectors. You see, there are too many challenges facing our nation’s infrastructure and so many opportunities. The truth is, neither the public nor private sectors can address those challenges on their own.

Through collaboration and discussion, through sharing and a robust exchange of ideas – we can deliver results together. So, let’s begin the real collaboration of not just getting Columbus connected, let’s make sure that all seven finalist cities can carry out their vision. Autodesk remains committed.

FeatureCAM 2016 Delivers New Toolpath Strategies, Autodesk A360 Access for Enhanced Collaboration and More

In the Fold — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 07:34:17 -0700

Delcam, an Autodesk company, sets the industry standard for CAM software, and the company incorporates a wealth of new features into every release of its FeatureCAM product for automating CNC programming. FeatureCAM 2016 R3 available now, delivers a wide range of new features and improvements such as new toolpath strategies and access to Autodesk A360 collaboration software.

The FeatureCAM 2016 R3 enhancements begin with the capability to automatically control rotational machine axes during indexing or 3+2 machining. Machine limits can be used; from a machine design file, by specifying custom limits or using the shortest rotation the machine can take.

The new enhancements also include the ability to program two tools mounted to the same turning head tool holder. Turning heads are tool holders that enable turning operations when used on a milling machine.

Next, FeatureCAM 2016 R3 users can now create spiral toolpaths for face milling operations. Depending on the part shape, this can reduce air cutting for a more efficient toolpath.

The FeatureCAM 2016 R3 user interface improvements also enable an improved workflow. The improvements include a new apply button within the transform dialogue for faster transformations, quicker navigation to feature coolants from the results tab, a new feature tab for post-processor variables to improve navigation, and a change to the simulation algorithm that results in better simulation speeds.

Finally, the incorporation of Autodesk A360 enables project collaboration, file viewing and file sharing—all within a single, central workspace.

“FeatureCAM automates the workflow from design to NC code,” said Sanjay Thakore, product marketing manager at Delcam. “Automation tools including feature recognition reduce programming time and increase programming consistency. The new features in FeatureCAM 2016 R3 will further enhance programming capabilities, ultimately resulting in increased productivity.”

The Final Pitch: Seven U.S. Cities Make Their Final Plea to Become U.S. DOT’s First-Ever “Smart City Challenge” Winner

In the Fold — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 02:00:00 -0700

Autodesk sponsors live, final pitch event; register today to watch the seven “Smart City Challenge” finalists compete for a $50 million fund and technology to help make their vision of the future a reality

Autodesk is proud to sponsor tomorrow’s June 9 final pitch event. Register now to livestream the excitement and watch each of the seven cities’ pitches for the Smart City Challenge at 11 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. ET - To register visit here and click “Watch the Final Pitch Live”.

If someone asks, “What does a Smart City look like?”, what comes to mind? For baby boomers and American pop culture history buffs, the iconic cartoon series “The Jetsons” - created in 1962 and set in 2062 – comes immediately to mind with its “way out” vision of the future. In The Jetsons, flying cars folded into briefcases and cities floated above ground. It was a fun romp into fantasy land.

But talk to an urban planner or city manager in the USA and around the globe today, and you’ll hear about some amazing, real-world technologies having a profound impact – such as embedding sensors throughout a city’s infrastructure to monitor everything from traffic to water resources, environmental performance, you name it [a.k.a. the “Internet of Things”], or the advent of self-driving vehicles with a connection to other vehicles and to infrastructure.

There are a host of challenges pressing on the minds of urban planners, city officials, civil engineers and architects who all recognize the urgent need to transform our cities to improve transportation, enhance sustainability, meet citizens’ rising expectations, and attract investment, new businesses, and talent. And to help move the needle in a concrete and positive way on the transportation front, the U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx launched the “Smart City Challenge” in December of last year to help spur the exploration and application of advanced technologies to address the mobility crisis facing most of America’s cities. And Autodesk stepped in to support the finalist cities with technologies to help realize their vision.

The Smart City Challenge garnered applications from 78 mid-sized cities from across the USA aspiring to become the definition of a “smart city,” integrating innovation and technology into their transportation services. What’s in it for the cities taking up the challenge? A $50 million fund plus additional technological support from Autodesk, Mobileye, Amazon Web Services, Alphabet’s Sidewalk Labs, and NXP Semiconductors to help make their vision a reality! The program challenged leaders in the public and private sectors to imagine a fully integrated, first-of-its-kind transportation network that uses data, technology, and creativity to shape how people and goods move in the future.

For the U.S. DOT Smart City Challenge, Autodesk offered to help finalists create, communicate and demonstrate changes required to make their city a “smart city” with access and support for two Autodesk products, InfraWorks 360 and 3ds Max. These products will enable city leaders and planners to build their vision in a stunning 3D environment to show how their plan will look and function within the context of a real-world setting. Our goal throughout the process was to level the visualization playing field to ensure that each finalist had the opportunity to tell their full story of the future. As the global leader in 3D design and engineering software, we could not refuse the opportunity to participate.

More specifically, InfraWorks 360 is a tool that will help empower the designers to quickly build the context of the city and then infuse their smart city design ideas into that context. 3ds Max takes the 3D world of InfraWorks 360 to the next level with visual tools and effects that make it difficult to distinguish the model from the real world. Ultimately, the cities may use these tools to allow the reviewers to experience their proposed smart city as though they are actually walking, driving, or riding through them.

Shown here is a proof-of-concept InfraWorks 360 3D model of Los Angeles.

Seven Finalist Cities to Compete Tomorrow

Now, just six months later, we have the seven finalist cities: Austin, Columbus, Denver, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Portland [Oregon] and San Francisco.

And the big news update we have for you today is all about tomorrow’s big event.

Tomorrow, June 9, the seven finalist cities will present their Smart City vision to the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the world! Sponsored by Autodesk, you can livestream the excitement this Thursday starting at 11 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. ET – visit the registration page here and click “Watch the Final Pitch Live”.

What’s next after tomorrow’s live event? Later this summer, the winning city will become the country’s first city to fully integrate advanced innovations, which may include a host of technologies from security cameras on buses to advanced city-wide self-driving cars. While there is officially only a single winner, the collaboration and free-flow of ideas is unprecedented. Every city around the world now has access to the seven finalist cities proposals, fostering a future that brings big ideas forward to the masses.

At Autodesk we’re wishing all of the seven finalists the best of luck in tomorrow’s final pitch event. And, we again applaud Transportation Secretary Foxx for his vision, helping to bridge the public and private sectors in one of the most unique ways for the common good.

While there is officially only one winner of the grant money, healthy competitions like this help cities think outside the box and imagine “what is next?” It may not be flying cars, floating cities, or moving conveyors instead of walking à la The Jetsons, but it is a new wave of innovative thinking to solve city-wide problems. And, that’s the beauty of the Smart City concept - government agencies, cities, and companies coming together to collaborate about what the future should look like to benefit citizens.

Click on the image below to see a video highlighting Autodesk's global viewpoint on the future of our world's urban infrastructure:

Autodesk at CEM7: Taking Action against Climate Change

In the Fold — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 10:36:30 -0700

Today we’re thrilled to be hosting an international contingent of energy ministers, government officials, and corporate leaders in the Autodesk Gallery. This event comes at the end of a momentous week at the Seventh Clean Energy Ministerial Conference (CEM7), hosted this year in San Francisco. Energy Ministers and government officials from around the world came together with visionary leaders from the private sector to build on the progress made at the Paris Climate summit last December. Autodesk, together with Google, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft; and leaders from the investment community urged the public and private sectors to continue taking bold leadership and action.

CEM7 was a celebration of public and private sector entities leading by example. On that note, we made three important announcements about our own efforts to lead by example in the transformation to a clean energy future: 1) We are powering our facilities with 100% renewable energy – 4 years ahead of schedule. 2) We are building on this accomplishment with a commitment to procure renewable energy that is more additional, local, and that spurs innovation in markets around the world. 3) We set an internal price on carbon.

1) We are powering our facilities with 100% renewable energy – 4 years ahead of schedule

To accelerate global demand for renewable energy and continue meeting our annual science-based greenhouse gas emissions reduction target, C-FACT, we committed to power our buildings with 100% renewable energy in 2015. Today, we are proud to announce that we achieved RE100 for 2016 through the purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs). While we celebrate this achievement, we aspire to more, so…

2) We are deepening our commitment to procure renewable energy that is more additional, local, and that spurs innovation

In achieving 100% renewable energy, we learned that there is a lot more to renewable energy procurement than just the number. To truly accelerate innovation and recognize all of the co-benefits renewables have to offer, today we are committing to purchase renewable energy that is additional, local, and that spurs innovation. This is the kind of renewable energy procurement we need to see from the corporate sector, and we hope to help guide the industry on this journey.

We want to catalyze and accelerate renewable energy markets in the areas Autodesk and our customers work. Our goal is to work with our customers to implement the new technologies that they are designing with our solutions, and to experiment with new procurement and financing approaches. In doing so, we hope to pave the way for many more companies, of all sizes, to pursue 100% renewable energy goals.

Renewable energy and clean technologies are essential in the transition to the low-carbon economy. They are also good for business. Our customers and employees have come to expect us to lead by example in driving sustainable business practices ourselves. Investing in renewable energy gives us a hedge against future energy price volatility. Lastly, taking a leadership role in helping to stimulate the market for renewable energy helps us anticipate and respond to the challenges our customers will increasingly face as they design and make the low-carbon built environment for the future. .

3) We have set an internal price on carbon.

We are pleased to have set an internal price on carbon, which is an important step in continuing to meet our renewable energy and GHG reduction goals. The price enables us to communicate the cost of emissions in financial terms across our business and will help align business decisions and investments with a low-carbon economy, while preparing us for future carbon taxes and energy price increases. The price we set represents a floor which we will periodically assess and increase as needed to align with market conditions. We expect that setting an internal price on carbon will help spur smart investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency, as well as innovation and new partnerships with customers who share our commitment to a low-carbon economy.

We are proud to be the first US company to have set 7 of the We Mean Business commitments. We applaud We Mean Business for working closely with the private sector to set bold and ambitious commitments. Just as with governments, bold action starts with commitments.

The Seven We Mean Business Pledges

Our greatest contribution we can make toward a low-carbon future

As noted at CEM7, the transition to a clean energy future is analogous to an ascent of Mount Everest – a long arduous climb to the summit. The Paris agreement was monumental, yet is probably equivalent to arriving at the Everest Base Camp. The real work lies ahead as we move forward from here, bringing other companies along with us. We are committed to helping pave the way and remove barriers for other companies, especially small and medium-sized companies to join us on this climb.

The greatest contribution we at Autodesk can make toward a low-carbon future is through the design technology that is used by millions of people to design and redesign everything on the planet – from computers, to cars, buildings, highways even whole cities. We are continuing to develop design technology that enables people to make better design decisions about everything that gets made. This is core to everything we do and an enduring commitment.

An important theme at CEM7 was innovation and entrepreneurship – with a Tech Showcase of over 80 technologies and solutions toward a low-carbon future. We were pleased to have 12 of our customers showcasing their technologies. Through the Autodesk Entrepreneur Impact program, we provide free software to any entrepreneur anywhere in the world who is creating positive impact and designing solutions to social or environmental challenges. We call these people Impact Entrepreneurs and they include companies like FreeWire which has built an EV charger using 2nd life EV batteries, Nexus eWater has a grey water solution enabling us to recycle 2/3 of our water, and Lightning Motorcycle has a solar powered, electric battery motorcycle which holds the land speed record.

The future of making things is about entrepreneurs like these who are designing solutions that the world needs. We are proud to do what we can to support them and help bring these solutions to market at scale as rapidly as we can.

FreeWire at the CEM7 Tech Showcase

The transformation towards a low-carbon economy requires creativity, imagination, innovation and leadership from every sector. CEM7 was a celebration of such bold leadership. We applaud these leaders who are bolding paving the way forward.

Why we're excited about the HP Jet Fusion 3D Printing system launch

In the Fold — Wed, 25 May 2016 05:00:00 -0700

As anyone who has even a passing interest in additive manufacturing probably knows by now, HP Inc. has just unveiled its potentially ground-breaking new Jet Fusion 3D Printing System. The printers promise a 10x increase in speed at half the cost of existing machines, not to mention the ability to deliver voxel-level resolution for production-ready commercial parts. Pretty incredible stuff — as the reception in the press has shown.

What's perhaps most exciting about advances like this is how it will help augment the future of making things, in which technologies like generative design produce complex geometries than can often only be fabricated using 3D printing. Consider two cases in point where 3D printing was critical: Airbus' bionic partition and Under Armour's ARCHITECH training shoe.

As with any breakthrough innovation, HP readily acknowledges that they didn't do it all alone and that collaboration with customers and partners helped bring the Jet Fusion system to life. Autodesk is proud to be one of those working with HP.

As Samir Hanna, vice president of digital manufacturing at Autodesk, noted: "Autodesk is excited to be partnering with HP and to be providing software for the HP Jet Fusion Solution. As a leader in 3D design and engineering software, Autodesk is committed to providing technologies that expand the applications of industrial 3D printing. This partnership will help advance the entire additive manufacturing industry by providing access to the most innovative and up-to-date combined hardware and software technology on the market."

Autodesk’s contribution comes through our collaboration with HP to create the Autodesk Netfabb Engine for HP Multi Jet Fusion™ technology. Using the Netfabb Engine, manufacturers can execute a wide range of tasks in a single software environment, including: review, repair and edit 3D models, make design changes to optimize your model for production, prepare build files, control the slicing process, fine tune build parameters and toolpaths. For more, see here.

We congratulate HP on the launch of the HP Jet Fusion System and look forward to working together to help manufacturers around the world take advantage of the incredible power of 3D printing to more rapidly prototype and deliver new products to market, especially those kinds of products that were never before possible without additive manufacturing.

Autodesk launches free, automated connection between the AIA’s 2030 Design Data Exchange (DDx) and Autodesk Insight 360

In the Fold — Thu, 19 May 2016 05:00:00 -0700

Autodesk, AIA and You: Partners for the Planet

The cat is out of the proverbial bag. At the AIA 2016 convention, The American Institute of Architects and Autodesk are announcing the release of a new, collaboratively developed tool that will automate the AIA 2030 Commitment data reporting to the Design Data Exchange (DDx). The development of an open API to the DDx aims to help make it easier for our industry to be true partners for the preservation of our planet while reducing the headache of manual entry using the existing process.

The new automated connection will allow the more than 350 AIA 2030 committed firms to report their project and portfolio performance to the DDx directly from Autodesk Insight 360, a technology addition included in Autodesk Revit and Autodesk FormIt 360 Pro subscriptions. This automated process between Insight 360 and DDx will eliminate the need for manual data entry and eliminates duplication of effort, encouraging performance analysis and more frequent reporting throughout the design process instead of annually.

Autodesk Insight 360 empowers architects to help drive impactful energy and environmental design decisions with centralized access to their building energy and environmental performance data. And Insight 360 incorporates the world’s most advanced analysis engines, all within a beautiful and intuitive interface. Through robust bi-directional Building Information Modeling (BIM) integration, direct access to leading analysis tools, and guidance and recommendations from industry benchmarks, architects can approach the design process with more effective understanding of the elements that lead to better building performance outcomes throughout the building lifecycle. By automating a connection to the DDx, Autodesk will help build a more valuable resource of building performance data for the industry without the overhead of manual data entry.

More than just a method of reporting to the DDx, we believe this tool will play a critical role in helping the industry hit the Architecture 2030 targets issued by Architecture 2030 in 2005. There's really two main ways that it helps – streamlining the reporting process and actually helping to hit the targets.

Essentially eliminating the overhead of manual reporting not only saves time but it also enables more regular updates so firms can get up-to-the-minute progress on their projects. As for hitting the targets themselves one of the key findings of the 2014 progress report was the critical role that energy modeling plays, and how projects that applied energy modeling were generally higher performing.

For example out of all of the projects that were submitted in the 2014 reporting period nearly 50 percent of the projects where an energy model was created met or come close to achieving the goals, whereas 80 percent of non-model projects fell below the 40 percent target. So now with Autodesk Insight 360 greatly lowering the barriers to energy modeling, it’s not only feasible to conduct energy modeling on virtually every project, especially from the early stages, but in doing so automatic reporting to DDx essentially comes for free.

Snapshot of how it all works together

Step 1 – Design with Autodesk FormIt 360 and/or Autodesk Revit

Step 2: Use Autodesk Insight 360 to evaluate better building and environmental performance

Step 3: Use Autodesk Insight 360 for AIA 2030 DDx reporting

Step 4: Report AIA 2030 commitment progress with AIA 2030 DDx

Over the past few days, Autodesk published a two-part blog series [part 1, part 2] highlighting our partnership with you in this evolution of our industry. Never before have we had at the tip of our fingertips – or stylus for that matter – so many ways to advance or enhance our profession. Today, Autodesk provides one more tool that will enhance the quality of life on our planet.

Autodesk Class/Theater Schedules, Demos and Experts

For more about all the activities Autodesk has in store for you at AIA 2016, including class and theater schedules, visit our event page

Autodesk Pushes the Boundaries of BIM in the Evolution of the Architect (Part II)

In the Fold — Wed, 18 May 2016 05:00:00 -0700

Autodesk showcases Dynamo Studio, Insight 360 and Project Expo Tech Preview at AIA 2016

Yesterday we began a discussion in advance of AIA 2016 about the evolution of the architect and our shared mission with you. You will recall from yesterday’s “Part I” preview of Autodesk’s activities at AIA 2016, most of our tools are now connected to a Revit core – instantly, seamlessly, efficiently. We’ve introduced the idea of extended BIM. Your life, your team – simplified.

Let’s continue discussing how Autodesk at AIA 2016 is showcasing how we’re helping enhance your job while up-leveling your productivity.

Save time, save money: Dynamo and Computational Design

Computational design is a burgeoning trend, based upon the idea that any design problem can be described as an abstract model with clear and logical guidelines, which can then be solved through computation. In a nutshell, computational design for the world of design, including architecture, is all about using compute power to create geometries and objects.

In the past, creating and updating responsive, dynamic models proved much more time-consuming and difficult than it should be. Luckily, an industry-proven visual programming environment, powered by the Dynamo engine and accessed via Dynamo for Revit and Autodesk Dynamo Studio, helps combat this problem. Designed to work within a Revit environment, Dynamo for Revit extends building information modeling with the data and logic environment of a graphical algorithm editor. Dynamo Studio, launched at AIA 2015, is a standalone programming environment that lets designers create visual logic to explore parametric conceptual designs and help automate tasks while working untethered from Revit.

Dynamo also helps extend your designs into interoperable workflows for documentation, fabrication, coordination, simulation, and analysis.

Dynamo Studio’s visual interface allows for easy and fast iteration of design concepts.

Sean Burke, digital practice BIM leader and senior associate at NBBJ notes that his team is using Dynamo to extract intelligence from a client’s legacy DWG files and bring them into Revit as native linework. NBBJ was able to process non-intelligent 2D files, extract data, and report against their client’s database export form. So, for the lay person, we take the “not-smart” and make them “Mensa-smart”. That’s pretty cool; that’s pretty Autodesk.

Working with 75 buildings for this specific project, using Dynamo saved NBBJ about 1,650 hours of work, and, according to Burke, was the “single most impactful workflow on the project.”

The NBBJ story is but one of many examples of work processes Dynamo has a cure for, with thousands of stories like this blooming in firms around the globe. And Dynamo User Groups are popping up around the world as smart designers connect to discuss innovative work processes that help save their firm’s time, money and headaches. Learn more here: http://dynamobim.org/digging-the-dug/

For more about Dynamo Studio – and its integration with Revit – visit our AIA 2016 booth 3531.

Save the world: Design for Optimal Building Performance with Insight 360

Introduced at Greenbuild 2015, Autodesk Insight 360 will be one of the highlights of our exhibit. Insight 360 empowers architects with centralized access to their building energy and environmental performance data and the world’s most advanced analysis engines, all within a beautiful and intuitive interface. Through robust bi-directional BIM integration, direct access to leading analysis tools, and guidance and recommendations from industry benchmarks, architects can approach the design process with more effective understanding of the elements that lead to better building performance outcomes throughout the building lifecycle.

The Health Plan Energy Analysis using Autodesk’s Insight 360: Image source: Mills Group.

Insight 360 allows users to visualize and interact with building performance with regard to recognized industry benchmarks such as Architecture 2030 and ASHRAE 90.1.

Ryan Hess is the Director of Sustainable Design at Mills Group in Morgantown, West Virginia. The Mills Group is a small firm contributing in a big way to saving our planet from the change in climate – one design at a time from the heart of coal country. The Mills Group is doing it with Insight 360 and other Autodesk tools.

In 2015, Mills Group began design of The Health Plan headquarters in Wheeling, WV, a 50,000 square foot new construction building situated on a site encompassing an entire city block.

Hess notes that prior to Insight 360, Mills Group used a “handful of energy modeling software with downfalls such as a lack of attractive or easy to use graphic user interfaces – if one even existed.” Additionally, multiple architectural software needed to be used in order to be compatible with these disparate modeling engines. That’s costly work.

Ryan agrees - the industry is evolving. “Architectural practice has evolved with a current demand on quick response, easy access, and easy feedback amongst team, client, and consultants. Insight 360 provides powerful graphics, a sophisticated modeling engine, and fast calculation time. Mills Group has used the software, along with Revit to justify design features with the client, showing that many are not arbitrary or aesthetic, but rather functional, necessary, and responsible.”

Again, designing with Revit at the core – extended BIM. Check out Autodesk Insight 360 at our AIA booth.

Blow your clients’ minds: Project Expo Tech Preview

When it comes to helping Architectural, Engineering and Construction [AEC] professionals visualize their ideas and designs; Autodesk is no newcomer to the challenge. And, just as with video game developers, or movie visual effects creators, our AEC customers also demand a piece of that visualization greatness. And so we will be offering a tech preview of Project Expo, check out our AIA events page for more information.

Project Expo is expected to upend the visualization world for the entire AEC industry – giving you a new tool to wow your clients and to help make informed decisions – together – in real-time. Project Expo uses the Autodesk Stingray game engine, which was released in August 2015 to incorporate a recent acquisition of a gaming engine to move Revit models to this environment via Autodesk 3ds Max rendering software. With Project Expo technology under the hood, Autodesk’s cloud platform, and a truly simple one-button rendering in Revit, what more could you ask for? The experience is immersive, real-time and far more intimate between your firm and client.

Stingray editor images courtesy of PLACE architect.

Twenty-five year veteran architect, Heather Johnston of PLACE architect, ltd., told Autodesk that “trying to get the images that we produce to really reflect the kind of energy and spirit and quality of light and quality of experience that I can see in my mind, that’s an ongoing puzzle. That’s been a dilemma for architects since Vitruvius.”

Asked another way by BIM/CAD Manager Nelson Weeks of Lord, Aeck and Sargent, Inc., “How do you truly make them feel the space so that they know they’re getting what they want?”

If you work in Revit, Project Expo will help your design sing. Your clients will join the chorus.

Project Expo takes your Revit model, processes it in the Autodesk cloud for use on a desktop or mobile device, according to Joel Pennington, a Project Expo product manager. No other partner can offer the trifecta of tech: Revit, 3ds Max and Stingray game engine. And, we do it all in the cloud, in one take, to make your life quick and easy. No muss, no fuss.

Doesn’t sound hard, right? It’s not. “Project Expo appeals to me because, number one, it is a push button solution,” noted Weeks. Simplicity.

Project Expo is coming soon to a cloud-future near you. You can check it out at a special demo in the Autodesk AIA booth 3531 at 11 am on Thursday, May 19.

Evolving together

When you arrive at AIA 2016 in Philadelphia, remember one important thing: Autodesk supports you. The evolution of the industry and your role as architect is happening – and we at Autodesk are making that change with you and working to ensure that our products, our team, and our support services are meeting the demands of your future.

In fact, on May 11 we launched “The Revit Station” [visit www.autodesk.com/revitideas] designed to support our customer’s requests via a first time for Autodesk crowdsourced approach that allows users to vote on ideas and continually watch for the status of future releases.

So stop by our booth to let us know how we’re doing. Share your Autodesk stories and experiences with us – pat us on the back or take us aside and tell us what we need to be doing to improve your workflow. It really is that simple – engage. Autodesk has your back – and your future.

Autodesk Class/Theater Schedules, Demos and Experts

For more about all the activities Autodesk has in store for you at AIA 2016, including class and theater schedules, visit our event page. And come by the booth to speak to a product expert and learn more about Autodesk’s BIM technologies or get individual technical support.

Autodesk adds Fusion Connect and Fusion Lifecycle to its Cloud-Connected Product Innovation Platform

In the Fold — Tue, 17 May 2016 07:00:00 -0700

Renamed PLM 360 and SeeControl Join Fusion Ecosystem for an Integrated Product Design, Make and Use Experience

Manufacturers are facing a dizzying array of technology and industry disruptions. Crowdfunded start-ups can design a new product, 3D print prototypes, refine it based on real-time collected data and outsource on-demand manufacturing in record time. This future of making things is upon us, and it compels product developers to innovate or get eclipsed by more nimble competitors.

To help companies big and small adapt to this changing environment,

Autodesk introduced its Fusion product innovation platform, which unites every stage of the product development lifecycle in a single platform. Fusion 360 is the foundation of this cloud-based platform, giving product developers parametric and direct modeling, mechanical engineering, drawings, visualization, simulation, machining and additive manufacturing, all in one place and available on demand from any device via subscription for as little as $25/month (and free for students and startups).

Product lifecycle management, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and data management are also essential in this new era of product development.

To better integrate those critical elements, Autodesk is adding Fusion Lifecycle and Fusion Connect to its product innovation platform. Fusion Lifecycle is a new name for Autodesk’s fast-growing cloud-based PLM 360 software helping to make the product development process more efficient. Fusion Connect replaces the name SeeControl, the widely-used Industrial IoT software Autodesk acquired in 2015 aimed at creating smart, connected products and services.

“The old way of doing product development required multiple disconnected software tools, often costing tens of thousands of dollars apiece. It was cumbersome, slow and expensive. Autodesk is working to fix this with a single cloud platform that is affordable and supports the complete product development process – not just design and manufacturing, but even the post-sale period of product monitoring and innovative sensor-driven services,” said Stephen Hooper, senior director for manufacturing industry strategy, Autodesk.

As an integrated solution, Fusion unites the entire development process into a single platform using the data collected and leveraging the always-connected ecosystem of the cloud. Fusion 360, Fusion Lifecycle and Fusion Connect together comprise a unified product innovation platform for the new ways products are designed, made and used.

While the three products will continue to be available for separate subscriptions to give customers flexibility, the software will be more tightly integrated over time.

This future state is not 10 years or even 5 years away. Some forward-looking product developers are already using the components of Autodesk’s product innovation platform together and seeing remarkable value.

“Fusion Connect and Fusion Lifecycle are helping evolve our business to deliver a whole new set of services to our customers,” said David Keeley, Engineering Manager at TSM Control Systems. “We’re excited to see that Autodesk is combining its cloud-based services into one product innovation platform as we navigate this transformation in manufacturing and look to implement a more efficient approach to connected product development.”

For more on how disruptions impact manufacturing and how product developers can adapt to better meet customer needs, visit the Fusion Connect and Fusion Lifecycle websites.