IMAGINiT Civil Solutions Blog

NEW Home for the IMAGINiT Civil Solutions Blog

Enjoyed what you've read here on our blog? Looking for more great content from our team? We have an amazing resource center full of blog posts, on-demand webcasts, tips and tricks for Civil 3D, InfraWorks, and AutoCAD, and so much more.

Check out our new blog site: https://resources.imaginit.com/civil-solutions-blog. 

From ADSK Files to BIM - What Happened and Why the Move

Bryant Quinney | Sr Applications Expert

About this document

This document takes to task the usability of a feature, one that was designed for cross-discipline consumption, and why it was discontinued, while exploring the possible reason for doing so. Autodesk has, since, very well expanded on a capability they previous had at a lesser extent by developing BIM 360. The following discussion also serves to put a spotlight on a feature many may not have even noticed. As well, some of those same people may yet be using the version of Autodesk software that did not include the depth of BIM that the current versions offer.

The terminology referenced here discerns the use of BIM from BIM 360. BIM is the foundational structure of information access about design objects, while BIM 360 is the product that Autodesk continues to develop, allowing this sort of access between their many applications. Not to be fully discussed here is the environment and depth of tools available to allow access to BIM data at various levels of project development.

Introduction

Between releases, it is typical of software developers to discontinue features, due to technology progressions or other reasons. The benefits and downsides of doing so do not get missed by Autodesk. Being a “hermit” of functional capabilities, the .ADSK file type had been discontinued from the Revit family with the 2019 version.

The ability to export this file type was in place up until the bigger push towards BIM 360 usage. The reasoning is understood to an extent, but the functionality assisted those who were (and are) not ready to make the full push into BIM 360.

Having left the export function in place, Autodesk could have leveraged (see “showcase”) the basic capability of cross-discipline modeling that is desired in many firms to this day. As it will be discussed further here, and from a Civil 3D standpoint, the use is notably limited when compared to BIM 360. With that said, the import functionality of an .ADSK file is still there. One may wonder what the end game could be.

Discussion

Thanks to my good colleague here at IMAGINiT, Marie Williams [Applications Expert – Building Solutions Division], I have an exported .ADSK file of a Revit model, found in the fundamentals class she delivers. It is of sufficient size and complexity to illustrate the level of information that can be consumed in a Civil 3D environment. As a modern-styled multi-level hotel, fully equipped with exterior doors and balconies, it gives a good basis towards the conceptual idea of project placement. This speaks to the context of a development project, namely when incorporated into a development software capable of handling such an object.

The ability to take the native Revit model into InfraWorks (IWX) is definitely there, allowing the visualization of the relation between the architectural component and the civil portion that also gets imported. With this capability, the InfraWorks software is situated in a place where the design components of civil engineering can meet architectural design intent without interfering with, or losing, data. However, this useful feature requires both the civil portion and the architectural portion to be used outside of the familiar design environment. If you are in the process of design, the simplicity of importing the most recent version of the architectural design component, while still in the vicinity of the design controls, can go a long way to prevent unnecessary repetition. This prevents having to export all of your design and then figure out how it works or interacts with the final design. The other side to this proverbial coin is that the capability involves importing, rather than using a live connection to the data. When the design changes, you would have to remove the previous iteration and repeat the process of importing the model into your design.

An ADSK File Discussion

With project development underway in Civil 3D, using an .ADSK file exported from those who are working on the Revit building model allows the design intent to be realized without leaving such a familiar environment.  Many designers and engineers have not made much use of such a feature but have had a profound need for it. This could be due to the perceived (and often real) disconnect, or lack of communication, between the land development group, project manager, and the architectural group of whatever entity (or entities) given the charge of the project. The questions surrounding the possibility of cross-discipline data viewing or merging come up frequently, in classes and forums alike. Depending on the direction of data flow (between applications), or even the understanding of the software placement, answers come in forms like data conversion and export only after the degradation of the model in question. Therefore, it is no longer a “model” in function but a visual representation of what is intended.

This is where, like other technological features Autodesk has forged ahead with in their design software lineup, the .ADSK file shines. The actual model and a lot of associated data comes into the Civil 3D environment for reference. After importing a building model, via building site import, this is evident when you look at the model in the Prospector. It is imperative that this part of the discussion must disclose that you will only see the Building Site collection in the 2021 version of Civil 3D and no other version prior. If you recall on the previous page in this blog that the ability to export an .ADSK file from Revit was removed back in the 2019 version. Why the gap in functionality between the two leading software platforms that Autodesk has invested so much into? One software ceases to provide it while the other software makes more use of it.

In just one version prior, Civil 3D 2020, users could import and assign styles to building sites. However, the model data was not available in the Prospector in any capacity. So, why would Autodesk further increase, rather than limit or remove, functionality in a program that could best make use of one that was removed entirely from another? It seems that their closer involvement as an active member (and on the Strategic Advisory Council) of buildingSMART International, incorporating openBIM, could yield part of the answer in the IFC file format (Industry Foundation Classes).

Even though an IFC file seems to be a highly similar beast to an .ADSK file, inferences of unified development efforts may show that an IFC could, inevitably, have more to offer. Through strategic partnerships with other software providers, allowing design data to be portable and fully usable, IFC development could prevent Autodesk from standing in a silo filled with their proprietary file formats. As well, it is possible this all points to a plan that Autodesk may have in store for further development when it comes to consuming BIM data within the Civil 3D environment.

More information on IFC here:

                https://www.buildingsmart.org/standards/bsi-standards/industry-foundation-classes/

BIM 360 Discussion

With the advent of, and subsequent push for BIM 360 adoption, Autodesk provided a method that allows team members of one discipline to access project data from members of another discipline. Most all of the legwork in facilitating the process and tying together of data being performed in the cloud. Since it has been suggested, wished for, and at times expected, accessing design data where it no longer goes through tedious workflow process iterations gets us moving more towards a fluid direction in design collaboration.

Where BIM 360 serves as the “handler” of design data between the software involved, each application must natively, as a destination application, enable the object to begin with. Add to that, the design information about the connected objects must be available in order to be useful, but not all of it is necessary. This sort of interaction is a natural progression in development but should come as a surprise that there is a slow movement to adopt this workflow. It can be presumed that users are awaiting more clarity, as well as features to be implemented and ironed out, before jumping aboard. Whatever the reason, the development has been moving along steadily, adding more ways for users to interact with the data shared by other applications.

The Capabilities of ADSK Files

With the ability to only import the model before, the capability where a user could access certain bits of data are now found in the Prospector in Civil 3D v2021. The various families used to develop the model are viewed by expanding the object listing. The top-level gives a summary and each family lists individual object data.

This is a considerable step forward in an effort to better consume BIM data inside of the Civil 3D environment. With some of this data, relying on the most mundane questions to be answered when the data is in front of the user is a game-changer.

Why remove the ability to export a Revit model to an .ADSK file for import into Civil 3D then? Based on the direction of development and the push for BIM 360 to be the main integral vessel for design collaboration, it seems pretty obvious. Importing a model is a one-time move until the model updates, then an execution of “Update Building Site Definition”. Though the process does not require repeating again with placement and stylization, it does require pointing again to a specific file. That is not a totally bad thing, actually. You can point to a different version of the same object through different file names. However, Autodesk may have realized they hit a snag somewhere with that limitation or others, based on their future direction. So, through BIM 360, the connection is made by associating to the project, maintained with updates pushed to the cloud, and only stylized within the workspace.

Conclusion

Though the capability of data access has been expanded to drill down into the BIM data of a model, imported as an .ADSK file, Autodesk has merely shifted the mechanism by which Civil 3D does so. Like many other technology steps and leaps they have made in the past, only time will tell if the move to force users towards BIM 360 is a wise move. It is possible that many companies, and users, will not graciously accept being forced away from a methodology of importing, and any workflows surrounding it, they may be more accustomed to and more open to using.

Civil 3D QTO File Creation from Agency Data, Part 1 - CSV Files

Kevin Stacy | Infrastructure Solutions Team Manager

The creation of the Civil 3D Quantity Takeoff (QTO) files to support projects permitted by major review organizations, such as municipalities, environmental agencies, and state departments of transportation, might at first appear to be a formidable task.  However, this effort can frequently be mitigated by making good use of an agencies available data.  Many agencies post construction and material pay item information on web pages like the one displayed in the image, below:

This information is usually available in a standard spreadsheet file format.  But, if it is only available in a text file format, it can still be easily converted.  The data required for the Civil 3D QTO comma-separated value file (CSV) can be readily be identified within an agencies’ data file (see image below).

Any extraneous data (as illustrated in the image below) must be selected and removed.

The remaining, required data must be arranged in the proper order and saved in CSV file format.  Removing extraneous data and rearranging data columns is a quick and simple process that can be performed in Microsoft Office Excel^© or other spreadsheet software.  Conversion to CSV file format is accomplished by selecting this format when saving.  An example of the completed process is shown in the following image.

This CSV file can be saved to the default location (as shown below) or to a network location, if preferred.

This file can be selected in Civil 3D from within the QTO Manager available on the Analyze tab, as shown in the following images.

Once selected, the QTO item data in the edited CSV file is available for use in Civil 3D, as shown.

Note that, although the item numbers, descriptions, and unit types are all shown, no categories are established to help navigate through this large volume of information.  A categorization file is required to accomplish this.  Creating categorization files from available agency data is demonstrated in a separate blog titled “Civil 3D QTO File Creation from Agency Data, Part 2 - Categorization Files”.

Migration to Autodesk in 2020

Kevin Breslin | ISD/RCS Services Manager

Here we are in the middle of 2020 and I’m writing a blog post about “Migration to Autodesk”.  Seems kind of odd when you think about it, considering AutoCAD has been around since the 80’s and our flagship infrastructure program Autodesk Civil 3D has been around since 2004. The reality is, despite Autodesk technology being mature in the CAD/engineering world, it’s still *NEW* for what appears to be a growing number of users.

Unless you happen to be with an organization that is working on this move to an Autodesk platform, you might wonder “Who is just now going to Autodesk?”.

The Top Two Answers Are:

• The expected new engineers, designers, etc., fresh out of school and/or just beginning their careers in the industry.
• But the growing part of this segment of our customers are those migrating FROM a Bentley platform to an Autodesk platform.

For over 25 years, we have been in the consulting services business and have been providing education, support, implementation services to customers, and over these years, we have encountered customers that were also making this Bentley/MicroStation to Autodesk/AutoCAD/Civil 3D migration, but in the last year or so, the numbers have gone up . . . . a lot.

While I could spend time opining on the “why” this is happening, I’ll leave it at, there are changes within the industry that are driving people to consider an Autodesk-based alternative for design, drafting, engineering, survey processing, visualization and data management needs.

The ISD Services team over the years have collectively assisted many organizations, large and small, commercial and government with the move to Autodesk from Bentley and have done so as part of our TakeAIM services.  While the TakeAIM platform has given us the ability to meet the needs of customers making the migration, it often required additional steps which we have found necessary to effectively get an organization migrated to a new platform, with a customized optimized environment, standards, workflows, education and support to ensure the challenges associated to making the change is as minimal as possible.

By leveraging our collective years of experiences, we have developed best practices and methodologies to address the unique aspects of migrating platforms and have used these lessons learned to develop a new service.  This new service is simply branded “Migration to Autodesk”.

 Yes, it’s kind of on the nose. . . . but hopefully it’s self-explanatory.

In addition to the typical aspects of implementation (discovery, education, optimization, piloting, support), the challenges of migrating from another platform also adds the potential of needing to address migrating legacy standards (line types, cells, levels,) and in some cases, the actual conversion of legacy design data from Bentley/MicroStation-based files to Autodesk/AutoCAD/Civil 3D equivalent.  There are also aspects that deal with data management (ProjectWise to Vault Professional), automation, and more.

This new service takes all of these aspects into account.

While there may be many similar needs from one organization to another, we know that once you dig into the specifics, each migration requires a unique plan to be defined.

If you are with an organization that is currently considering making the move to Autodesk from Bentley, please review the details of this new service here, and as always, feel free to contact us with questions.

Remote Collaboration Options for Civil 3D Users

Kevin Breslin | Manager ISD/RCS Services

For many organizations the recent pandemic has created a range of disruptions with operations as more people are for various reasons staying home.  For a growing number of our Civil 3D customers this has compromised their ability to keep projects on track and to keep people working. 

Under these circumstances, it seems like a good time to review options that may allow users to continue to work, collaborate with others and to keep projects moving forward.

Software & Hardware

The first step to consider is the software itself.  Depending on the version and license type of Autodesk software you’re using, in many cases there is an allowance to use licenses for “Home Use” or to be borrowed from a license server.  (See links below)

In cases where your office workstation is a laptop/notebook, you may have the ability to bring your workstation home with you (with management’s consent of course).  For users who cannot bring their work computer home, there are options available where you can install Autodesk software on your personal computer, and using one of the licensing options noted below, work remotely (assuming said home system meets system requirements).

COVID-19 Autodesk Resource Center

Request a license to use software at home

Autodesk Licensing Options

Other key necessities would be an internet connection sufficient to transfer large files in a reasonable time. 

[FWIW, I have a ~300MB down and 30MB up connection at home and I have absolutely no issues with even very large files.] 

Keeping in mind, your personal internet connection at home is only part of the story when considering file transfer speeds.

Collaboration (file sharing) Options

In the case of working with Civil 3D, this is where things get a bit more complicated.  Most organizations utilize Civil 3D’s ability to share Data References (e.g. Alignments, Surfaces, etc.) as well as Xref and image files, etc.  Accessing these files remotely is possible if your organization can grant remote system access (i.e. Remote Desktop) to your office workstation, or access to your network files share (e.g. VPN access).  In many cases however, this is not an option.

Vault Professional

If your organization utilizes Autodesk Vault Professional your remote (home) workstation may be configured to allow you to access shared files (including references and data references).  If your organization does use Vault Professional, contact your system administrator to find out how you could work remotely.

More information on Vault Professional and Civil 3D

BIM 360 Design for Civil 3D

The latest option for remote collaboration would be the 2020.2 (and newer) versions of Autodesk Civil 3D along with the latest version of BIM 360 Design.  With BIM 360 Design users have the ability to create and work on projects in the BIM 360 environment.  Through this cloud-based system, access to and the ability to share files including drawing files, data reference, Xrefs, images, etc. is possible.

While still somewhat new to Civil 3D, the technology is solid and offers the easiest means to collaborate and share project files remotely with users pretty much anywhere internet access is available.

Important Note: BIM 360 Design technology does necessitate BIM 360 Design licenses and the 2020.2 (or newer) version of Autodesk Civil 3D to function.

BIM 360 Design Information

For organizations implementing BIM 360 Design for Civil 3D, late last year, IMAGINiT developed a quick implementation/training service called the BIM 360 For Civil 3D Jumpstart service which is designed to quickly get organizations up to speed and running with BIM 360 Design for Civil 3D.

Other Options

In addition to the options noted here, IMAGINiT is well versed in the tools and technology related to remote education, consulting services, etc. and have been using these technologies for years.  If you or your organization is considering using this time to get caught up on some needed training, or the development of an optimized and customized Civil 3D environment, let us know.

With the technology advancements over the last several years, working together doesn’t require travel, or even having to be in the same room. 

If you have any questions on anything noted here, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Infrastructure Industry Trends Survey 2019

Kevin Breslin | ISD/RCS Services Manager

For the last several years, IMAGINiT has been running an annual industry survey to gauge the pulse of the industry to better understand what’s working, what’s not working, challenges, concerns, etc.

In this year’s survey we received feedback from 240 individuals and learned the following. . . 

Services Provided:

For the last 4 years running, the industry seems to continue its growth into different facets where land development (incl private development) has grown over 20% since 2015.  We are also seeing a near 20% growth into municipal consulting; however, the big chance has happened with reality capture services where the number of organizations offering these services has more than doubled since 2015!

Technology:

Based on the growing trends over the last several years, it was no surprise to learn that more than ever, organizations are relying on Autodesk Civil 3D as their primary design tool, with AutoCAD holding its place as well.  Also, after several years in the shadows, Autodesk Infraworks is seeing a strong bump in use as a secondary design tool.  Also, after 10 years, it appears that the long-retired Land Desktop is no longer ranked as a primary or secondary design tool.

CAD/BIM Management:

This is another topic that has remained mostly static over the last few years, where the number of organizations with a dedicated CAD/BIM manger is still around 50%.  Those same organizations report that most of the time their CAD/BIM managers are in a reactive mode (addressing issues that come up from users) vs being proactive (education, standards development/maintenance, internal education, etc.). 

Another seemingly unchanged situation with CAD/BIM managers is that the allure of billable work is still in play, often keeping those who should be working towards keeping the organization on the path to efficiency and high-levels of productivity, distracted with project work and as such, unable to do the things that are of a greater long-term, strategic value to the organization.

Data Sharing/Collaboration:

Not surprisingly, this is another topic that has continued its rise.

In 2019 when asked “Who do you share data with on projects?”, the majority of the respondents (~84%) noted “With everyone involved (internal and external)”.  In 2015 that number was 62%.

The means and challenges related to Data Sharing/Collaboration have also increased, where in 2019, for the first time, we’re seeing a growing number of organizations currently using or considering cloud-based tools like Autodesk BIM360.

One unchanged aspect of Data Sharing/Collaboration is that PDF is still the preferred file format for sharing (i.e. “printed” files) with external sources.

Business:

Once again, it seems that optimism remains strong in the industry where organizations are evaluating their fees every year and over half (51%) are increasing staff/hiring.

Business Challenges:

While optimism remains strong and many organizations are hiring, the challenges related to profitability and the ability to remain competitive are still present.

As we have seen in the last few years, some of the greatest challenges related to technology adoption is time and the cost of the implementation.

While some are able to stay on top of the latest and greatest technologies, in many cases this topic was noted on the subject of CAD/BIM Managers not having the necessary support from management, the necessary time, or the budget to implement (optimize, educate, rollout) a new design technology.  This inability to leverage the best in class technologies in many cases is a self-limiting factor, throttling an organizations ability to achieve greater levels of productivity and a competitive edge within their respective markets.

Training:

Free “training” (no surprise) is the leader when it comes to education.  Sources like YouTube are what most rely on to keep up on the latest technology.  While some state this meets their needs, many state that while free and available, the quality, accuracy and applicability of most of the free sources of education are insufficient.  Add the often-excessive time spent searching for the correct, free sources of information, and you have a perfect storm of mediocre, inefficient, incomplete and often unanswered questions leading to poorly educated users.

Takeaways:

Generally speaking, business is good for most.  Challenges remain a mix of the usual suspects (time, competition) and a continuously growing percentage of organizations are leveraging power of the tools found not only within Autodesk Civil 3D, but also other tools within the AEC Collection (e.g. Infraworks) as well as a growing adoption of BIM360.

Finding the best education solution is still a challenge, while everyone loves the idea of “free”, the stubborn realities that “you get what you pay for” hold true for many.

Options:

As you would likely expect, I’m going to make the obvious and helpful suggestion that for those who are struggling with any of the following challenges:

• Education
• Support
• Standards
• Implementation
• Assessment and Recommendation services
• CAD Management Consulting

Keep in mind that these are ALL things that IMAGINiT does and we are ready, willing and very able to help.

If you or your organization are struggling with any of these issues, or if you have a process, standards, workflow, collaboration, performance, issues that you need help with. . . . . contact us.

This is what we do.

If you are interested to learn more, IMAGINiT recorded a webcast on the topic which can be found here

Introducing the RTC360

Leica Geosystems has changed the high definition laser scanning workflow forever!  If you are not familiar with the world of high definition laser scanning, you may not understand how much the June 13^th announcement has changed the scanning workflow for the better.  Let me explain for those who are not familiar.  The current workflow consists of a laser scanning technician traveling out to the scan site, placing the scanner in a location and running a scan.  When a scan finishes, he equipment is picked up and moved to a location where similar features can be seen from one location to another.  This goes on and on until the entire project is scanned.  The user then has to go back to the office to register or “stitch together” the data so make one large point cloud.  This process can take hours depending on the project. 

The announcement of the RTC360 has changed the game.  The RTC360 has the technology to know where it is in relation to scans taken around it.  You might be wondering how this is possible.  Well, Leica has created VIS (Visual Inertial System) technology that is able to track the movement of the scanner position relative to the previous setup in real time.  I have had the opportunity to see the system work in real time and it is nothing more than amazing!  This system is capable of aligning the scans in the scanner so when the data is brought over to the computer, it is already registered together.  Of course, this is technology and we all know technology can fail at times.  The worst fail I was able to witness with this particular technology was that the data wasn’t registered together as tightly as it could have been.  In a case like this, we can tighten the registration in Register 360 like we always have.  The difference here is that even if you weren’t on the project scanning, the data is already aligned and just needs to be nudged a little bit to tighten the registration so we don’t have to know what the project looks like. 

So maybe you’re reading this and thinking to yourself, how is this different from my current scanner?  Well, depending on the scanner, the automatic registration isn’t available on any other scanner on the market.  This alone is a benefit to the RTC360.  Another reason I hold this new system in high regard is the ability to scan using a tablet (Android or IOS) with Cyclone Field.  The Cyclone Field app can be used to run the scanner, look at the registered data and eventually send a TruView off to stakeholders without ever having to go back to the office! 

I can imagine the questions people are going to ask about this scanner so I am hoping to answer a few of them here in this post. 

Why would Leica put this scanner on the market to compete with the BLK360 and P series scanners?

The simple answer here is that they haven’t put this scanner on the market to complete with either of these scanners.  The BLK360 is an entry level scanner that has a price that reflects its place in the market.  The RTC360 will not be a $20k solution when it is released in July.  The RTC360 is a more powerful solution that the BLK360 and will command a higher price tag.

What about the P Series scanners?

The only fair comparison between the P Series and the RTC360 is comparing the P30 to the RTC360.  They have about the same range and capability but the RTC360 is not upgradable to a P40.  If we compare to the P40, we are not in the same ball park.  The RTC360 is not meant to take the place of this survey grade scanner.  The P40 has a longer range and higher point density than the RTC360.

Where does the RTC360 fit?

The RTC 360 is a mid-range scanner that is capable of scanning up to 130m.  I personally see this as an excellent solution for all interior scanning purposes and some outdoor scanning. 

When and where can I get my RTC360?

You can purchase your RTC360 beginning in the middle of July and currently expect to take delivery towards the end of August, beginning of September.  Contact your IMAGINiT sales representative for more information going forward. 

See a video of the Leica RTC360 in action.

Learn more about the Leica RTC, including seeing a brochure/specifications.

What’s new in Civil 3D 2018.1

James Branagan | Applications Expert

With the 2018.1 version of Autodesk’s AutoCAD Civil 3D recently released, there have been some new tools and abilities added. This new release focuses on new abilities and expanded and enhanced abilities of tools currently available in the program.

Model and optimize roadway rehab.

The new Rehab Corridor tool enables design teams to deliver pavement rehab proposals that optimize milling, leveling and overlay of roadways. It also works great with a combined Civil 3D + Infraworks solution with new tools coming to Autodesk’s  Infraworks 2018.1 is able to work with and extract linear features from point clouds better.

Civil 3D corridor model has been extended to provide; a purpose-built workflow for rehab, automatic generation of reports/analytics, and Corridor Derivatives.

There is a new Rehab Corridor tool located in the dropdown for the Corridor tools. Clicking on this tool will open the Create Rehab Corridor dialog box where you can set up most of the same parameters as when you create a corridor. Notice though, that there is no place to specify an assembly. Click OK to accept the parameters and your screen splits in to three viewports, which is very similar to the Section Editor. The Rehab Parameters dialog box also opens which allows you to edit any of the parameters for the rehab corridor and a corridor and assembly are created. New subassemblies for rehab are also included with the 2018.1 update. Lastly, a new Rehab Manager has been included which gives access to a Cross Slope Correction report and a Milling and Leveling Report.

Pressure and Gravity Network Content

New pressure and gravity tools, which was formerly Project Kameleon has been included in the 2018.1 update. There are two parts to the tools; the Shape Modeler plugin which uses Inventor or Inventor LT and allows the user to model new shapes. The Parts Editor is launched from within Civil 3D, Infraworks or as a standalone program, and can be used to add new sizes to already created parts. It can also be used to create different assemblies for catch basins and manholes from available parts library.

Create and Edit Section Sheets

Updated section view projection tools have been updated with new tools for filtering what is projected into section views. New edit output display options allow users to control how projected objects are displayed in the section view; either by projection or crossing.  A new Crossing Label type for section views has been added as well. You can now Zoom to Section View by right-click option when selecting a  sample line and vise-versa when selecting the section view.

CAD Manager Maintained Design and Production Standards

The Managed Referenced Settings dialog box for attaching reference templates has been expanded to include command setting and blocks. It can also manage the reference settings and chose which aspects to include or exclude from being managed.

Roundabout Modeling

New tools for modeling roundabouts are coming, however, they are tied to the 2018.1 release of Autodesk’s Vehicle Tracking. These improvements include 3D slip lanes, improved approach alignment, improved Civil 3D Corridor/Surface, and additions to the library/standards.

Share Alignment and Profile Geometry

Support has been added for the updated IFC formats (IFC 4 and IFC 4x1). Alignment and profile geometry is also supported during import and export.

There are also a number of smaller refinements and bug fixes included as well.

Are you ready for Reality Capture?

Jay Meszar | Solutions Consultant

Typically, when I write a blog post here at IMAGINiT, I write about something that has to do with how to do this or that.  Today’s post is a bit different.  Today I am going to write about the world of Reality Capture and ask a few questions to see if you and your company are ready to venture into this world. 

Many times I speak with clients who are looking to purchase the equipment to assist their company in keeping up with the changing times of acquiring real world conditions, and they don’t realize all that goes into accomplishing this task. 

It is very important before going too far that we understand what we are talking about when we use the term Reality Capture.  This simply means that we are measuring real world conditions.  While the mind tends to wonder to and think we NEED some fancy equipment for this, that isn’t necessarily the case.  As long as a person with firsthand knowledge of a site is documenting the conditions of that site, the instrument can be as basic as a tape measure (with paper and pencil) or a cell phone camera.  Of course, the latest technology is so impressive that we would not be thorough if we didn’t take a look at it. 

The software that is available in today’s market is nothing short of remarkable.  A series of photos can be taken of an object or area and turned into a point cloud for creating measurements of the real world environment.  Depending on the camera and number of photos, the result can be fairly accurate.  Laser scanners have also become a huge part of many organization’s workflows.  These scanners can range from the relatively inexpensive to a substantial capital investment.  The difference between the different types of scanners is based on the features and capabilities of the different units.  What does that mean for pricing?  Well, venturing into scanning can range from $20k to $150k and beyond.  This is the reason I am writing this article.  I can see the look on some clients faces when those numbers are mentioned, and they simply can’t believe it. 

While I believe everything comes down to how much is something going to cost as well as what the value of the technology will mean to an organization, there are a number of items to consider before your company jumps into the world of Reality Capture.  First, I can’t stress enough that while many of the scanners available today are straightforward and easy to use, training is a must.  There are certain methodologies and workflows (deepening on what you’ll do with the collected data) that can make the scanning process much easier, valuable and cost efficient than the default “trial and error” method many opt for.  Next, the question “what type of scanner do I need?” should be one of the first questions you ask yourself.  Many times, people think the best scanner for them is the one that doesn’t cost a lot of money.  However, this can be a shortsighted thought process.  For scanning short distances, which don’t necessarily require a high-level of detail and accuracy, the task could be accomplished with an entry level scanner.  Whereas an organization which requires high-detail, high-accuracy and the ability to utilize a survey workflow will likely be better off with a professional series scanner with those capabilities. 

Once the data is collected it is moved from the scanner to a computer for data processing.  This is where pre-planning for hardware expenses is paramount.  Often, this is where new users will figure out they need more storage space than they likely have.  When collecting data using a professional series laser scanner, we measure our project data size in gigabytes, not megabytes. This means that some organizations will need to add storage capacity to their workstations.  Many times, this isn’t thought about until after they have purchased the equipment to do the scanning.  Because budgeted dollars have been spent on the scanning hardware without planning for computer (storage, etc) expenses, frustration often sets in.  Computer hardware is definitely one of the prime considerations an organization should keep in mind when budgeting for implementing scanning technology. 

Too many times I have heard people say that they know they will need more storage space and their computer is good because they have an i7 processor.  While an i7 processor is a must, a multicore processor definitely speeds things up. 

I remember working in a computer store as a teenager and buying one-megabyte memory sticks for anywhere from $50 to $100 (yes, I am that old).  I also remember when 32 GB of memory was a ton of memory.   Personally, I would recommend as much memory as you can afford in your workstations.  Memory is also a must on any video card you use in a workstation.  

The hardware you work with to process the point cloud are every bit as important as the scanning equipment you use to collect the data.

I have re-read this post enough times to know that it sounds like I am being negative about using reality capture as a cost effective method of capturing real world existing conditions.  My intent isn’t to warn potential users away from the technology.  My intent is to provide anyone reading this post with a small list of possible pitfalls that will make the transition to reality capture a smooth and pleasant one.

IMAGINiT Technologies has been involved with Reality Capture technology and consulting services for almost 20 years.  Over the years, we have had the benefit of being involved in many services/education engagements with a wide range of customers using a range of different reality capture technologies.  If you have questions about reality capture, contact us.  We can help.

CAD and BIM Management Services: A Cost-Effective Way to Work More Efficiently

by Kevin Breslin

We recently conducted a survey of the civil engineering industry which found that insufficient time is one of the biggest challenges to completing projects on time and on budget. What if your firm had access to experts that could increase your team’s efficiency, without increasing headcount and incurring the costs of hiring full-time staff?

Civil engineering firms can now hire IMAGINiT experts to serve as a part-time, remote CAD manager for their teams. IMAGINiT’s BIM and CAD Management Services are designed to help firms work smarter:

• Get more work done without taking on more staff. Over half of the civil engineering industry survey respondents (55.7%) indicated that their organization doesn’t have a full-time CAD manager. Unfortunately, this often means that valuable employee time is devoted to CAD management. A better alternative is using IMAGINiT’s experts to provide day-to-day tactical assistance to the team. A part-time CAD manager is the perfect resource to answer technical questions, assist with content creation such as documentation and styles, configure and deploy software, provide ad-hoc guidance for staff members, and more. 
  
  
• Enable in-house CAD managers to work on strategic projects. Of the survey respondents who have a CAD manager, around one quarter (25.6%) indicated that the CAD manager spends more time on reactive support issues than on proactive work like planning and deployments. Having a backup resource from IMAGINiT is a proven way to address this issue. 
  
  
• Access industry best practices in a flexible way. IMAGINiT’s technical services team has extensive experience with CAD in the civil engineering and surveying sector. Part-time CAD managers from IMAGINiT bring this knowledge to clients. Assistance is tailored specifically to customer needs in a cost-effective way. 

To learn more about how IMAGINiT Technologies’ CAD and BIM Management Services could help your firm, feel free to contact us. We’d love to learn more about your unique environment and business needs.