Autodesk announces new cloud-based service for early 2016

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Autodesk BIM 360 Docs will help to save time, reduce risk and errors in construction projects.

Autodesk BIM 360 Docs will help to save time, reduce risk and errors in construction projects.

At its flagship annual user event Autodesk University, Autodesk, Inc. announced Autodesk BIM 360 Docs, a comprehensive, cloud-based service for the construction industry that provides a virtual workspace to create, access, maintain, mark-up and share 2D and 3D project documents, plans and models.

Up to 25 percent of construction is rework, and approximately 10 percent of materials are wasted, according to the 2013 industry report by Autodesk, “Making the Grade.” Much of this waste can be attributed to the error-prone process of managing hundreds to thousands of project documents. Today, the construction industry must contend with a tangled web of multiple document management solution providers, contributing to significant inefficiencies and risks on construction project sites.

Formerly known as Project Alexandria, Autodesk BIM 360 Docs will help to save time, reduce risk and errors in construction projects. BIM 360 Docs is designed to ensure that the entire project team is building from the correct version of documents and plans.

“Autodesk is delivering a new world order for construction management,” said Amar Hanspal, senior vice president, Products at Autodesk. “A comprehensive solution is long overdue, and the delay has cost the construction trades too much money and too much time. Autodesk saw the challenge, owns the expertise, and is delivering a powerful step forward for the industry.”

Autodesk BIM 360 Docs connects construction project team members through collaborative, real-time access to construction documents throughout the project lifecycle. Planned capabilities include:

  • Linked 3D and 2D experience, allowing users to interact with models in 2D views and visualise them in 3D on the same page, and vice-versa
  • Permission-based access control and approval processes to manage the updating and release of documents, preventing project teams from working from out-of-date information
  • Blazing-fast viewing experience for large-format PDF design documents, optimized for Apple iOS devices; and
  • Automated organisation of original and updated construction docs into sets, including highly accurate and customised optical character recognition (OCR) of title blocks.

Industry leaders from designers to general contractors and from engineers to owners/operators tested and provided feedback to the Autodesk BIM 360 team throughout the product’s development.

“Document management has historically posed a significant challenge for much of the construction industry, yet many still rely on a cobbled-together web of one-off solutions, which isn’t really a solution at all,” said Jason Reece, technology and innovation improvement lead at Balfour Beatty Construction. “We’ve collaborated with Autodesk throughout the development process and based on what we’ve seen so far, BIM 360 Docs is on the right track to offering the industry an integrated technology solution for this generations-old problem.”

Autodesk is now accepting reservations for a limited release and free preview version of Autodesk BIM 360 Docs at www.bim360.com/docs. The product is expected to come to market in early 2016. In addition to the free, limited version of BIM 360 Docs, Autodesk will offer the option to subscribe to additional capabilities that scale to meet more advanced needs of construction firms. The product will initially be available in English only.

The end of the line for Category 5e cabling?

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The ISO/IEC standards body recently decided to upgrade the minimum cabling infrastructure requirement for offices, effectively marking the obsolescence of Category 5e by defining a minimum of Category 6, and recommending Category 6A. This is a brief overview of the drivers behind this development, and the implications to your cabling infrastructure decisions.

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As the bandwidth requirements for wired and wireless applications continue to grow, a recent decision by the ISO/IEC cabling standards body that defines cabling infrastructure requirements is expected to have a significant impact on the choice of horizontal cabling in offices. For the first time in almost 20 years, the standards body has decided to upgrade the horizontal cabling in offices from a minimum of Class D (Category 5e) to a minimum of Class E (Category 6), and to recommend Class EA (Category 6A), for new installations.

Drivers behind the decision to upgrade the minimum requirement

A number of factors were taken into account to define the new minimum requirement, including:

1.  Market dynamics A majority of customers are already choosing the higher categories. The standards body reviewed recent market data which indicates that shipments of Category 5e have been steadily declining since 2004. The 2014 installed base was estimated to include Category 5e at 26%, Category 6 at 56%, Category 6A at 17%, and Category 7 at 1%.

2. The emergence of new application drivers Wireless requirements, paradoxically, were identified as the first technology driver for higher bandwidth. IEEE 802.11ac WiFi access points are expected to require backhaul bandwidth in excess of 1 Gbps, prompting the formation of the IEEE P802.3bz™ 2.5/5GBASE-T Task Force. While the intent is to support 2.5 Gbps and 5 Gbps Ethernet over the installed base of Category 5e and Category 6 cabling, the lack of alien crosstalk specifications limits support to a subset of installed configurations, and mitigation steps may require component replacements in some cases.

3. The expected life of cabling Cabling installations are expected to have a useful life in excess of ten years, with twenty years being a common expectation. With this in mind, and considering the market dynamics as well as the emergence of technologies with requirements beyond those specified for Category 5e, the committee decided it was time to upgrade the minimum requirement for offices. The selection of Category 6 as the minimum reflects the fact that it is better suited than Category 5e to support 2.5 and 5 Gbps, while the recommendation for Category 6A takes into account the fact that applications beyond 1 Gbps will require alien crosstalk specifications.

Category 6A is recommended for all horizontal cabling since it provides the required performance to support these faster speeds up to 10 Gbps.

iStock_000009430552_SmallDoes this mean you need to upgrade your existing Category 5e cabling infrastructure?

Fortunately, significant industry efforts are being made to enable migration to 802.11ac Wireless Access Points by supporting up to 2.5 Gbps (and even up to 5 Gbps) over the large installed base of Category 5e. Although 2.5 or 5 Gbps may not be guaranteed for all installation configurations, standards bodies are developing qualification and mitigation procedures to maximize the chances to re-use the existing infrastructure.

Should you install Category 6, or Category 6A cabling in office environments? 

Once the new standard is published, Category 6 will be the minimum required for compliance. However, the standard will recommend Category 6A to support applications with alien crosstalk requirements (meaning applications beyond 1 Gbps). While initial deployments of 2.5 and 5 Gbps are targeted at WiFi access points, industry analysts predict a gradual phasing out of 1 Gbps technology in favor of the faster speeds, as the technology becomes mainstream and prices decline.  Category 6A is recommended for all horizontal cabling since it provides the required performance to support these faster speeds up to 10 Gbps. When do we expect the new standard to be published?

The standards development process can be slow at times, and it can be subject to technical and logistical delays. Based on current timelines, it is expected that the standard will be published in early 2017. This standards upgrade effectively marks the obsolescence of Category 5e and positions Category 6A as the optimal horizontal medium for new office installations, and the foundation for connected and efficient buildings.

This post is brought to you by CommScope. 

Research reveals gaps in indoor wireless connectivity

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Planning for mobile connectivity doesn't match consumer demand.

Planning for mobile connectivity doesn’t match consumer demand.

In a world in which approximately 80 percent of wireless data traffic originates or terminates within a building, new global research focused on the professionals who design and manage buildings is shedding some light on this critical indoor wireless gap. For example, only about 56 percent of building managers, facilities managers, real estate managers and architects always consider mobile connectivity for a building’s tenants as a factor when working on projects.

The study, commissioned by global network infrastructure leader CommScope and carried out by Coleman Parkes, examined the current performance, attitudes and insights of building managers, facilities managers, real estate managers and architects regarding access to indoor wireless connectivity.

The findings revealed that about 48 percent of architects across the globe plan and design buildings with dedicated in-building cellular networks in mind. Providing access to cellular coverage inside buildings appears to be considerably less important to European architects than to their counterparts across the Atlantic, with 31 percent always considering it for their projects compared to nearly 65 percent in the US.

Network operators and their partners should be engaged early on.

Network operators and their partners should be engaged early on.

Despite an apparent lack of commitment to planning for in-building mobile connectivity, however, 73 percent of respondents globally cited it as an “important” or “very important” factor. However, nearly 47 percent admitted to having no control over cellular coverage in their buildings, but wish they did.

“Mobile users expect uninterrupted voice service and super-fast wireless broadband wherever they are, indoors or out,” Dr. Ispran Kandasamy, global building solutions leader, CommScope said. “As bring-your-own-device policies become increasingly prevalent in the workplace, the earlier you start planning for wireless in building design, the easier it is to deliver high quality, high bandwidth networks that give consumers what they demand. The ‘build it first; fix it later’ model doesn’t work anymore with indoor wireless.”

The research also demonstrated differing opinions across industry sectors when assessing the importance of connecting people inside buildings. For example, 70 percent of respondents in retail, a sector that relies on mobile as part of a multi-channel commerce strategy, always consider indoor wireless as part of their building projects. Less consideration was given in sectors without as much reliance on mobile, such as banking and insurance (58 percent), and energy and utilities (50 percent).

All the parties involved in operating buildings should see these survey results as validating the need for taking a greater leadership role in the provisioning of in-building wireless, in the same way that seamless wired/wireless LAN connectivity is taken for granted within buildings,” Kandasamy said.

Iconic Parisian tower comes to life in Macau

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An artist’s rendering depicts The Parisian Macao, slated to open in the second half of 2016. Image courtesy of Sands China Ltd

An artist’s rendering depicts The Parisian Macao, slated to open in the second half of 2016. Image courtesy of Sands China Ltd

Standing next to another distinguishable Sands development, The Venetian Macao, the replica Eiffel Tower at the Parisian Macao is set to become both a landmark feature and a popular outlook, offering guests and visitors alike spectacular views of Macau’s bustling Cotai Strip.

The Macau Eiffel Tower, which is half the scale of the original, is a faithful replica of the famed 19th century counterpart in Paris, and retains many decorative features of its Paris cousin, including cornice scrolls, balustrades, gussets plates, lattices, staircases and mesh screens around the observation decks.

Global engineering consultants Aurecon was closely involved in the planning and design for the distinctive new structure. The company provided full structural engineering consultancy on the job, and helped manage the difficulties of maintaining an authentic design while addressing the challenges caused by extreme weather, a congested construction site, and the anticipated high number of visitors.

At the project’s outset, Aurecon provided the drafting of the tower using Revit software, which allowed the team to visually represent the complicated design connections in 3D. This made it easier to detect any potential challenges or clashes that might arise during construction even before building work had begun. As a result, this ensured time-consuming amendments at the shop drawing preparation or fabrication stage were avoided.

“The key to recreating this iconic landmark has been strong team work and the close collaboration between the design and construction teams,” says Dr Alecs Chong, Aurecon’s project leader on the Macau Eiffel Tower. Dr Chong says the close co-operation between the design and construction teams started at the earliest stages of the project, and has delivered efficiency improvements from the beginning.

Among the biggest challenges for the design team was addressing the issue of typhoons, which occur seasonally in Macau. In particular, the design team had to ensure it made the correct critical wind loading calculations for the tower in the event of a direct hit from a typhoon.

“We used the Equivalent Static Wind Loads (ESWL) approach developed for towers to determine the critical wind loads,” says Dr Chong. “We also ran a series of studies to investigate the wind-induced dynamic response at the tower’s top peak at various wind speeds. And we then looked at the subsequent impact on human comfort in terms of potential vibrations. Our thorough investigations and scenario planning allowed the project team to ensure not only an aesthetically pleasing and accurate design, but also a safe one.”

A luffing jib crane facilitated the modular construction method on site. Image courtesy of Aurecon.

A luffing jib crane facilitated the modular construction method on site. Image courtesy of Aurecon.

A further challenge for the design team was accounting for the very high number of visitors the attraction is likely to draw. In particular, says Dr Chong, they focused on the footbridge that will connect the tower with an adjacent casino complex. Aurecon and its partners also had to contend with how to get the large steel sections needed for the tower’s construction to the job site and, once there, how to assemble them.

“The port of Macau is neither large enough nor deep enough for the vessels that would normally deliver the oversized steel sections needed,” says Dr Chong. “As a result, the job had to request shallow-hulled vessels, but this limited delivery capacity. This, in turn, meant we had to plan the size of the delivery racks, to maximise delivery capacity and minimise delivery costs, which were estimated as being anything up to a quarter of the overall material cost.” And on the job site itself, there was a challenge presented by the selection of the tower crane needed to place the steel and other building materials.

The solution came in the form of a luffing jib crane, which can articulate its jib between the horizontal and near vertical angles. Using such a crane, and fitting it with a shorter jib, meant less of the lifting force was distributed laterally and more was directed down the crane’s mast. With a maximum hoisting capacity of 28 tons, the crane facilitated the modular construction method on site, overseeing the fast and safe installation of building elements.

Overall, says Dr Chong, being involved on the recreation of the Eiffel Tower on the Parisian Macao Integrated Resort has been a hugely challenging yet rewarding venture for the team at Aurecon. Visit www.aurecongroup.com for more.

Experience 3D Printing

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Ido Eylon is the General Manager of Asia South, Stratasys Inc., he is responsible for the overall operation of the business while ensuring sustainable growth of the 3D printing business across Australia, Southeast Asia and India.

Ido started his career at Stratasys as an Applications Engineer in the company’s headquarters in Rehovot, Israel. He has gained extensive experience with the company’s technology and its applications across various industries and has collaborated with many of Stratasys’ customers from diverse trades. Ido has also assisted in a variety of projects to further expand and implement the applications and use of Stratasys products in numerous areas. By taking part in these activities, Ido contributed to discovering new and innovative solutions for Stratasys products. He has also been invited to speak at many events to spread and share his in-depth experiences.

Ido holds a Biomedical Engineering degree in Ben Gurion University.

At a recent launch of Stratasys’ new 3D Printing Experience Centre, Building Review Journal had an exclusive interview with Ido, to share more about how 3D printing can impact the architecture industry.

Ido Eylon General Manager, Asia South Stratasys AP Ltd.

Ido Eylon
General Manager,
Asia South Stratasys AP Ltd.

BRJ: How have Stratasys’ customers in the architecture industry in the region and other parts of the world benefited from 3D printing?

Ido Eylon: Architectural bureaus can save a significant amount of time because 3D printers can achieve the characteristics of a model much faster, especially when complex geometries are in question. Architects can also easily validate designs and make good decisions earlier before committing to a final model because of the product realism. With the latest Connex3 released earlier this year, Architectural bureaus benefit from color printing and more productive and efficient printing processes with three different base materials ready-to-print on a single job.

The following are case studies that showcase the value of 3D printing to the architecture industry:

1) Seoul, Korea: Modelzium Architectural Modeling Firm Enhances Competitiveness with Objet 3D Printer Modelzium purchased the Stratasys Objet Eden350TM 3D Printer and were impressed by the fine details and smooth surface finish of the printed models. Compared to the previous CNC and manual method, by using 3D printing technology model turnaround time has been reduced by 30 percent for simpler designs and 50 percent for more complex designs. Another benefit Modelzium mentioned was that by using 3D printers to produce architectural models, they were able to cut production cost by 30 to 50 percent.

2) Toronto, Canada: McCann Architecture Architectural Modeling Firm Builds Scale Model of
Stunning Abu Dhabi Edifice with 3D Printing. Peter McCann Architectural Models Inc. (PMAMI) uses Stratasys 3D printers in order to be able to provide their customers the best architectural models possible. One of their clients was Chicago-based Smith+Gill Architects for whom they created a large model of Masdar Headquarters, the world’s first large-scale positive-energy building that generates more energy than it consumes. Stratasys 3D printers helped Smith+Gill to print a model that included multiple helix-shapes that needed to be both precise and strong because they were structural. Without the printer it would not have been possible for them to build the free-flowing roof for the Masdar HG model.

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A model of Masdar Headquarters printed by Smith+Gill Architects using Stratasys 3D printing technology.

A model of Masdar Headquarters printed by Smith+Gill Architects using Stratasys 3D printing technology.

BRJ: What is Stratasys’ vision for the new Demo Centre in Singapore and the value it brings to customers/prospects in the region?

Ido Eylon: As a leading 3D printing industry player, Stratasys recognises the importance of implementing a global strategy in local context. Establishing a 3D Printing Experience Centre in Singapore allows our customers to see our innovative technologies in action and realise the values and advantages of 3D printing technology. A local demo center allows us to provide local support and offer accessible 3D printing solutions to serve the growing needs in South Asia and Pacific region. The establishment is also well aligned with our corporate vision to make 3D printing more accessible and to help customers revolutionise their product design and manufacturing processes. The demo center showcases the full technology portfolio ranging from desktop 3D printers to large, advanced 3D production systems, thus enabling designers and engineers to create models and prototypes for new product design and testing and to build finished goods in low volume.

While Asia-Pacific is the fastest growth engine of the Stratasys, contributing 21% of the company’s revenue (as at Q2 2014), Stratasys is committed to continuing its investment in the region to sustain the momentum.

The company has over 2,500 employees globally with approx. 200 based in Asia. Stratasys has a strong local presence in Asia with 8 offices in the region. Stratasys is confident about the future growth of the 3D printing market in Asia and continues to invest in strengthening its sales, marketing and channel infrastructure in the region and globally.

BRJ: What materials can 3D printing produce?

Ido Eylon: Stratasys offers a range of additive manufacturing materials, including clear, rubberlike and biocompatible photopolymers, and tough high-performance thermoplastics. This variety lets users maximize the benefits of 3D printing throughout their product-development cycle.

Two leading 3D printing technologies including:
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) Technology works with production-grade thermoplastics to build tough, durable parts that are accurate, repeatable and stable over time.

PolyJet Photopolymers offer fine detail along with final-product realism surpassing all other 3D printing technologies. They exhibit a chameleon-like ability to simulate clear, flexible and rigid materials and engineering plastics — and even combine many colors and material properties into one model.

BRJ: Stratasys recently launched a new product, can you share more about that?

Ido Eylon: Yes. In February this year, Stratasys launched the latest printer, the Objet500 Connex3 printer which enables an incomparable product realism and enhanced functionality with the revolutionary three-base-material capability.

The printer features a unique triple-jetting technology that combines droplets of three base materials to produce parts with virtually unlimited combinations of rigid, flexible, and transparent color materials as well as color digital materials – all in a single print run.

The Objet500 Connex3 lets users build rigid, rubber-like and clear parts into one model and offers hundreds of composite materials, blended right in the 3D printer. There are three color base materials – VeroCyan, VeroMagenta and VeroYellow – which are combined to produce hundreds of vivid colours. It eliminates secondary operations, such as assembly and painting. And when combined with Stratasys’ extensive range of PolyJet photopolymer materials including digital materials, rigid, rubber-like, transparent, and high temperature materials, Connex3 helps users to produce prototypes which simulate standard and high temperature engineering plastics.

Connex3 can simultaneously build as many as 46 hues/ material characteristics into an individual part, assembly or multi-part job in a single process.

BRJ: How is 3D printing different from the traditional modelling methods?

Ido Eylon: 3D printing is complementary to traditional manufacturing methods and benefits the users in many ways such as:

Shorter Time-to-Market: Users can print an assembled part without assembly or painting which is a significant time-saver. It helps architectural bureaus to validate designs and make good decisions earlier before committing to building.

Minimize costs-of-errors: prototypes can be created in a cost-effectively manner, allowing design reiterations prior to project initiation.

Confidentiality: Having an in-house 3D printing system would minimize the risk of design leakage.

Liberate Creativity: The ability to print complex geometries, and even more so with three different base materials simultaneously expands both the number of materials available and the number of combinations in an individual part. With a wide range of advanced material option and dozens of composites, user’s designs will come to life as realistic models, with materials characteristics like colours, rubber-like and transparency, earlier in the design process.

Optimized model development process: Stratasys printers enable to print out models that look like the final building. Fine feature quality provides high detail and smooth surfaces to create brilliant, precise 3D models. The product realism enables designers to build models with final product quality, not only to impress the audience in a pitch, it also helps to eliminate costly design errors at early stage of the model development process.