Hanergy’s SHJ technology Sets New World Record With 24.85 Percent Conversion Rate

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The world’s largest thin-film power solution company, Hanergy Thin Film Power Group, recently jointly announced with Chengdu Zhufeng Yongming Technology Company that Institute for Solar Energy Research in Hamelin (ISFH), the German testing body has certified its silicon heterojunction thin film battery technology (SHJ technology) as the world’s most efficient.

With its record setting 24.85 percent conversion efficiency, Hanergy’s SHJ Technology is primarily used in ground power stations, distributed power stations, vertical installation, fishery or agricultural complementary photovoltaic power stations, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and mobile energy projects.

Following this recent development, not only has Hanergy refreshed its Chinese record (24.23 percent), but has also surpassed the original world record of 24.5 percent maintained by Japan Kaneka, becoming the new world champion of 6-inch silicon SHJ battery.

Hanergy is dedicated to making breakthroughs in solar technology. The company’s advanced SHJ technology has set the global standard owing to significant progress in its conversion efficiency rate. During the past two years, the conversion rate of Hanergy SHJ technology has achieved an absolute increase of 1 percent per year. After setting China’s record in August 2018 and January 2019, Hanergy has raised the bar higher, setting a world record of 24.85 percent conversion efficiency.

To date, Hanergy holds six world records in thin-film solar technologies, advancing the company’s position as a technology forerunner in the thin-film solar industry.

SHJ technology is deemed to be a competitive solar technology in the future. Its components have excellent weather resistance and have a lifespan of more than 30 years. They are attributed to many advantages such as high conversion rate, stable performance, no light decay, no potential induced attenuation (PID), and high power output at high temperatures.

Mr. Zhang Bin, Hanergy’s senior vice president said, “As a global technology forerunner in renewable energy sector, we’re bound to take a notch higher in the industry through our technological breakthroughs. Setting a new world record for SHJ technology is a testimony of our constant efforts to better our technology and to make the world greener. We’ll continue to set new benchmarks in the industry.”

“More importantly, the SHJ technology was developed with low-cost production technology as well as mass production equipment, contrary to many other record setting technologies that were developed in a laboratory setting. This means that Hanergy’s SHJ technology can be used directly for mass production,” he added.

According to Hanergy, the clean energy giant wholly owns the IP right of the production line and turn-key project. The record-breaking Hanergy SHJ battery uses LONGi high-quality N-type silicon wafer as the base, amorphous silicon membrane and Silicon carbon alloy thin-film for the passivation layer, and microcrystalline silicon oxide material for the window layer. Combined with Hanergy’s world leading thin-film technology, the battery significantly improved open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current, achieving steady breakthrough in SHJ battery conversion efficiency. Hanergy’s SHJ battery uses the low-cost ITO Film and screen-printed electrode that can be purchased easily, gaining an edge in reducing production cost and market expansion.

Hanergy’s Chengdu R&D center was established in 2011. Over the past eight years, under the leadership of Hanergy’s Chief Scientist Dr. Li Yuanmin and Co-Chief Technology Officer Dr. Xu Xixiang, Hanergy has achieved an enormous amount of innovative work as well as experience gathering in the fields of non-crystalline silicon, microcrystalline silicon, and Transparent conductive oxide thin films. The R & D team has been aiming for the mass production of SHJ technology from the very beginning, developing SHJ solar battery technology directly on mass production equipment, and thus greatly reducing the capital and time cost of the product development to the production stage.

Hanergy’s US subsidiary, MiaSolé recently achieved a 17.44 percent aperture area efficiency on a commercial size flexible PV module (aperture area 1.08m2) which set the new world record. The company also entered Fortune China 500 List, becoming the fastest growing company in the clean energy sector.

Hanergy’s cutting-edge technologies have been applied in a handful of large-scale projects, including Rafael Gallery, a landmark building in Shanghai and the world’s longest urban industrial porch, and China Pharmaceutical International Innovation Park Joint Research Institute in Nanchang, China’s biggest photovoltaic glass curtain wall project. Additionally, Hanergy has developed an array of products including innovative BIPV materials such as the HanWall, HanTile, and HanBrick, as well as mobile energy applications such as the HanPack, HanPower, and Humbrella

FINALCAD Underway in Revolutionising the Building Industry in Singapore

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FINALCAD, a leading construction mobile platform, is facilitating the digital transformation of the building and construction industry in Singapore. Since 2015, the company has rapidly established itself as a leader in the local built environment sector, having undertaken several high-profile projects in the country, including Changi Airport (Terminals 1 and 4), Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore Sports Hub, Yishun Community Hospital, amongst many others.

Given Singapore’s limited labour pool in construction, the sector is eagerly looking at ways to reduce labour and increase productivity. Across Asia Pacific, there has been a clarion call to boost infrastructure spend, if the region is to maintain its growth trajectory. Currently, only US$880 billion — slightly over half of the US$1.7 trillion required — is spent on infrastructure, annually.

“In order to boost efficiency and productivity in the built environment space, in the face of mounting challenges, the construction industry needs to look at technologies that can reduce the amount of time spent on manual tasks, and optimize their ability to make real-time decisions,” said Jimmy Louchart, President & Co-Founder, FINALCAD. “Additionally, the industry can now leverage solutions that provide data, which can be analysed to eventually reduce defects and increase the safety of projects.”

Significant contributors to time wastage include manual routine inspections — which also adds to paper wastage — and communications. In larger projects that involve multiple subcontractors, communications between groups can also be a source of delays. Being able to make decisions digitally and in on-the-go ensures that less time and resources are wasted unnecessarily, leading to more time spent on valuable tasks that improve the quality of work, while also paying a closer eye to monitoring progress.

FINALCAD provides a simple platform for various parties in a construction project to communicate, while providing timely updates and log reports that can incorporate anything from pictures, descriptions, as well as details about issues. Additionally, users can use the masses of data collected to glean insights around regular issues, to see how they can be reduced in the future. Everyone on the project team, including foremen, site engineers and architects, among others, can share these benefits.

In the case of manual inspections, FINALCAD has enabled inspectors to perform their inspections digitally — driving increased efficiency of defect management by up to 50 percent. In some instances, the inspection and rectification processes were cut down by eight days. During the construction of Changi Airport’s Terminal 1, the time saved by adopting technologies to increase efficiency amounts to about S$300,000.

“We have improved the productivity, quality and efficiency of operations by using FINALCAD, and I believe that we will definitely increase our competitiveness,” said Wei Kewu, Senior Technical Manager, China Construction.

Solutions like these show that the digitisation of construction is the next clear step that will revolutionise the industry, while increasing their capabilities many times over. With digitisation now reaching new heights, demand for FINALCAD’s mobile-first construction app is accelerating. The company has more than 170 people, across 12 countries and has serviced over 20,000 projects.

Bentley Systems to Host Infrastructure Leaders at the Year in Infrastructure 2019 Conference in Singapore

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The structural design of the Marina Bay Sands was done by Arup and was the 2010 Year in Infrastructure Award winner for Innovation in Structural Engineering

Bentley Systems, Incorporated, the leading global provider of comprehensive software solutions and digital twin cloud services for advancing the design, construction, and operations of infrastructure will host its Year in Infrastructure 2019 Conference and awards ceremony at one of the most iconic buildings in Asia, the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore.

 

 

Advancing BIM through Digital Twins is the theme of this year’s conference, which takes place 21 to 24 October, 2019.

The Year in Infrastructure Conference is an annual global gathering of leading executives of infrastructure design, construction, and operations focused on best practices and technologies for going digital. This year’s conference features nearly 100 speakers and more than 150 informative sessions including keynotes by leading industry experts, user success stories, interactive workshops, panel discussions, and technology demonstrations.

Dr. Ayesha Khanna, co-founder and CEO of ADDO AI, is a keynote speaker for the Year in Infrastructure 2019 Conference

Dr. Ayesha Khanna, co-founder and CEO of ADDO AI, an artificial intelligence (AI) advisory firm headquartered in Singapore, is one of the guest keynote speakers for this year’s conference. Dr. Khanna has been a strategic advisor on artificial intelligence, smart cities, and fintech to clients including SMRT, SOMPO, and Smart Dubai. She was also named one of South East Asia’s groundbreaking female entrepreneurs by Forbes magazine in 2018.

Keith Clarke, chairman of the board for UK-based Forum for the Future, is the other featured guest keynote speaker. Clarke is a chartered architect with more than 40 years of experience in construction and engineering and was formerly the chief executive of the global engineering and design consultancy firm, Atkins. He is a non-executive director for Sirius Minerals plc, chair of Future Cities Catapult and Tidal Lagoon Power plc, vice president of the Institute of Civil Engineers, patron of the Environmental Industries Commission at Oxford, and has honorary fellowships from the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Institution of Structural Engineers, and Cardiff University. He is also visiting professor for sustainable design at Aston University.

Attendees will hear from other industry thought leaders and learn about technologies and best practices that are shaping the future of infrastructure delivery and operations. Speakers from Bentley’s strategic partner organizations, including Microsoft, Siemens, and Topcon will participate in technology demonstrations, presentations, and discussions on numerous topics.

New to this year’s conference are ACCELERATE sessions led by Bentley’s application experts. Featuring more than 20 topics, the sessions give infrastructure experts exclusive insights into how their organizations can master the latest enhancements and key capabilities of Bentley applications to help drive efficiency through multidiscipline workflows.

Attendees can learn best practices through Academies Day sessions led by industry experts. Academies Day features six sessions: digital advancement, construction, constructioneering, research, reality modeling, and process industries. The academies team will also conduct live, interactive sessions in the Technology Pavilion throughout the conference.

In addition, the 2019 finalists in Bentley’s Year in Infrastructure Awards program will present their projects during industry-focused forums — Buildings and Campuses, Digital Cities, Industrial Infrastructure, Rail and Transit, Roads and Bridges, and Energy and Water Utilities. Winners will be announced at a gala and awards program at the conclusion of the conference.

Chris Barron, chief communications officer for Bentley Systems, said, “We’re pleased to be hosting our Year in Infrastructure conference and awards gala in Singapore again this year. Singapore is a leader in innovative use of technology for the delivery and operations of infrastructure and was named a Smart City in 2018, so it is a fitting and inspirational location to host an event that explores the innovations and best practices of technology use for outstanding infrastructure projects around the world. And we’re proud to note that the extraordinary Marina Bay Sands structural system was designed by Arup using Bentley software and is a spectacular example of excellence in structural design and engineering.

Surbana Jurong and Glodon to Collaborate on Expanding Digitalisation to Quantity Surveying and Cost Management

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Surbana Jurong, one of the largest Asia-based urban, infrastructure and management services consulting firms, and Glodon, a leading digital technology company in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on developing advanced digital capabilities in the specialised areas of quantity surveying and cost management to support the further development of the construction industry in Singapore and Asia.

This effort is well aligned with one of the key thrusts in the Construction Industry Transformation Map, as part of Singapore’s efforts to transform the construction industry by improving its overall efficiency and effectiveness through leveraging on technology and innovation.

Essentially, Surbana Jurong and Glodon will work together to expand the adoption of a technology known as 5D Building Information Modelling (BIM), which supports the effective quantification of construction materials based on models constructed in the BIM environment. By having better visibility of the quantities and associated costs at the building design stage, designers and architects would be better able to understand how their designs affect costs of the whole project. This in turn helps project owners to have better budget control.

Under the MOU, Surbana Jurong and Glodon will focus on three key areas:

  • Digitalisation of the Quantity Surveying workflow using the concept of 5D BIM and e-Tender Solution
  • Develop a BIM execution plan to deploy 5D BIM effectively
  • Test bedding of a BIM payment feature using a proprietary measurement software

Mr James Liu Qian, Board Director and Senior Vice President, Glodon, said, “To date, the important areas of quantity surveying and cost management in the construction industry have still not tapped the full potential of digitalisation in capturing better connectivity with construction projects using BIM.

Cubicost is an end-to-end 5D BIM technology which combines all solutions in the form of smart automation through one common platform. One of the world-leading digital building platform service providers, Glodon develops professional digital applications and solutions through BIM, cloud computing, big data, Internet of Things, mobile Internet and artificial intelligence. In Singapore, Cubicost technology has a market coverage of more than 25% among building contractors and over 43 percent among A-grade contractors.”

Mr Wong Heang Fine, Group Chief Executive Officer, Surbana Jurong, added, “With our focus to develop smart urban cities, we need to be equipped with effective and proven technologies to strengthen our end-to-end service delivery to our clients. Our digitalisation efforts in recent years have yielded promising results, and we are committed to continue to work with like-minded partners such as Glodon in our digitalisation journey. We are moving towards 5D BIM and through this partnership with Glodon, we will be able to fully leverage Cubicost, a 5D BIM-based solution, to deliver cost-effective solutions to our clients.”

Kimberly-Clark Switches On One of Singapore’s Largest Solar Roofs at Tuas

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Earlier this year, Kimberly-Clark Corporation switched on one of Singapore’s largest solar energy installations at its manufacturing facility in Tuas, which produces Huggies diapers and baby wipes. 7,730 photovoltaic panels mounted on its roof will generate 3.5 Gigawatt hours of clean energy, enough to power up a thousand three-bedroom HDB flats for a year.

With this investment, renewable energy will now replace 15 percent of conventional energy use at the plant, reducing Green House Gas emissions (GHGs) by approximately 1,600 metric tons per year. This is equivalent to removing nearly 350 passenger cars from roads annually.

Kimberly-Clark’s Tuas plant has a long track record of reducing its environmental footprint. In 2016, it launched an in-house wastewater treatment plant that recycles 75 percent of the water used in its wet wipes production. Since 2017, it has partnered with Ngee Ann polytechnic researchers to find utility for material waste generated during its production process, as part of its broader efforts to re-use or recycle 100 percent of its waste.

At a ceremony held to inaugurate its solar roof, Achal Agarwal, President, Kimberly- Clark Asia Pacific, said “Our manufacturing operations in Singapore have long been recognized as a leader in environmental protection. Switching on this solar roof marks a new milestone in our sustainability journey and accelerates our progress towards our goal of achieving a 20 percent reduction in GHG emissions globally, by 2022.”

Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Singapore’s Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, was the guest of honour at the inauguration. He said, “I am glad to see enterprises such as Kimberly-Clark Corporation step up efforts to adopt renewable energy. Sustainable development is not just central to the mitigation of climate change and protection of the environment. When thoughtfully incorporated, it can benefit business operations and reduce costs in the long run.”

The solar roof panels were installed in partnership with Singapore-based solar energy provider Sunseap, which has played an instrumental role in the development of many grid-connected PV systems, pioneering the solar energy movement in Singapore.

“We are pleased to work with Kimberly-Clark in their efforts to go green. As the leading integrated clean energy solutions provider in Singapore, we encourage all companies to look for ways to be environmentally friendly in their business. There are various measures companies can take to reduce their carbon footprint including tapping renewable energy for their operations and going paperless in their day-to-day work,” said Frank Phuan, CEO and Executive Director, Sunseap Group.

The 2019 Editions Of Shanghai Intelligent Building Technology and Shanghai Smart Home Technology are Close to Capacity

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The 2019 editions of Shanghai Intelligent Building Technology (SIBT) and Shanghai Smart Home Technology (SSHT) will be held from 3 to 5 September at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). Spurred by the fast development of China’s intelligent building, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) sectors, the two exhibitions are close to capacity as there has been strong demand from exhibitors to participate at the shows.

The concurrently held trade fairs are expected to attract over 280 renowned businesses from China and overseas, and welcome a similar number to last year’s 29,423 professional visitors. The total exhibition space is also expected to reach a record of over 28,750 square metres.

Fairgoers to SIBT and SSHT will not only be treated to the usual array of smart home and building technologies and solutions, but will once again be able to visit the returning Parking China fair, while a debut ‘Shanghai Smart Office Technology’ (SSOT) feature zone will add yet another element to these growing group of exhibitions.

Covering key topics such as IoT, AI, big data, robots, smart offices, smart parking, home security, HVAC, energy conservation, 5G, smart neighbourhoods and smart cities, fairgoers and exhibitors alike can benefit from a one-stop market and purchasing platform which positively bring together multiple different industries.

On the development of SIBT, Ms Lucia Wong, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Co Ltd said: “As SIBT welcomes its 13th edition, I must express my sincere gratitude for the unwavering support from the industry. Devoted to demonstrating cutting-edge technology and innovative products, we are looking forward to highlighting new market trends and welcoming fairgoers this September.”

Ms Wong also shared her optimism on the fifth edition of SSHT, stating: “The fairs have grown alongside the market. By exploring advanced technology and top-tier products, we strive to promote the widespread implementation of smart homes.”

In line with recent policies implemented by China, green building and renewable energy initiatives are being promoted in different parts of the country, while intelligent buildings have also become a common sight across cities. China’s IoT capabilities are also developing rapidly which extends to the smart building, smart office and smart parking industries.

As 5G and AI technology continue to improve, smart home is now more than a fictional concept but a lifestyle that is gradually taking over traditional homes. Full smart home implementation are expected to soar in popularity with sensors becoming the epicentre of smart homes. With the rapid development of 5G technology and the enhanced applicability of AIoT and IoT operation systems, the future of home industry will be brimming with exciting possibilities.

With both fairs placing a strong emphasis on ‘AI+IoT’, SIBT and SSHT will work in synergy to bring together IoT and smart building suppliers, encouraging cross-industry cooperation and communication. Over 280 exhibitors from multiple sectors will congregate at the shows including Schneider, Hisense, Ezviz, Ave Leelen, ANJUBAO, Dnake, Legrand China, SUREN, ORVIBO, Baiwei, FANTEM and much more. Selected exhibitors and their innovations include:

  • HDL
    HDL showcases integrated smart control systems, one-stop solutions and equipment. New products on display include the multipurpose S10 touch screen and other smart panels.
  • Ezviz
    Concentrating on the safety-related aspects of smart living and technology, the company will demonstrate its intelligent air quality sensor with remote access and history function, as well as its video recorder with internet-connection, 360° high-speed rotation, intelligent human detection, acoustic location, and other functions.
  • Legrand China
    Legrand China will offer visitors a multitude of new smart home appliances and systems, including intelligent switches for window blinds, switch modules, gateways, smart plugs, wireless IR transmitters, controllers, and door and window detectors.
  • FANTEM
    The latest upgrade to its home system, OOMI3.0, is a stability solution for wireless connections in mansions and duplexes. Targeting the needs of families and those that require large-scale systems, it supports scenario settings with the use of multiple gateways.

SIBT and SSHT are both headed by the biennial Light + Building event in Frankfurt, Germany. The fair will be held once every two years. The next edition will be held from 8 -13 March, 2020.

For more information on Light + Building shows worldwide, please visit www.light-building.com/brand.

To learn more about SSHT and SIBT, please visit www.building.messefrankfurt.com.cn or email building@china.messefrankfurt.com.

Archidex Celebrates 20 Years of Building Together

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The 20th edition of the annual International Architecture, Interior Design & Building Exhibition (ARCHIDEX) was officially opened on 3 July 2019 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre by the Minister of Works, Malaysia, Yang Berhormat Tuan Baru Bian.

Said to be larger than ever, the exhibition took up all 10 halls of the convention centre and covered 24,000 square metres of space – an increase of 20 percent exhibition space from last year, with over 1,400 exhibition stands by 600 exhibitors locally and internationally.

Jointly organised by the leading Malaysian trade and lifestyle exhibitions organiser, C.I.S Network Sdn Bhd (C.I.S), and Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM or the Malaysian Institute of Architects), a sizable 35,000 turnout of professionals and trade visitors from over 70 countries was expected.

Bridging professionals and various representations of high-quality materials from Malaysia and the world, delegates and visitors can expect to explore exhibits from more than 20 countries and four country pavilions from China, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan.

“We are proud that this platform serves as a bridge to share the latest of innovation and technologies as we move towards building this industry for our future generation of architects leading to the expansion of mutually beneficial business trades” said C.I.S President Dato’ Vincent Lim.

ARCHIDEX’s appeal lies in the ever-growing range of conference and forums. This year, the exhibition saw 62 local and international renowned speakers presenting at least 56 powerful and thought-provoking sessions in DATUM:KL (International Architecture & Design Conference) organised by PAM, the Focus Forum, The Forum @ PAM Tomorrowland Pavilion, Biz @ ARCHIDEX, and others.

Keeping the excitement level high, participants were also encouraged to join in a range of concurrent professional networking events, conferences, forums, workshops and business matching programmes.

An addition to this year’s exhibition was the Innovation Hall with its main attraction being the PAM Tomorrowland Pavilion. The Pavilion was a must-see for anyone desiring a peek into what tomorrow brings and to explore the possibilities in architectural and urban design for the future.

A long list of other activities and events were also lined-up with highlights such as the annual ARCHITALENT student design competition, Focus Forums that will feature speakers on the topics of Green Buildings and Integrated Building System (IBS) and the eagerly anticipated ARCHIDEX New Product Award (NPA) and Green Dot Award (GDA) that is held annually to recognise the best products in terms of design, innovation and sustainability.

For a full list of events and activities that took place at ARCHIDEX, log on to www.archidex.com.my for more information.

Clover and Dime Pte Ltd Launch Panopedia Platform for the Creation of Virtual Property Tours

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Panopedia, by Clover and Dime Pte Ltd, announces the go-to- market launch of its revolutionary platform for property owners, real estate agents and anyone with a space to promote. Developed in mid-2016, and insidiously adopted by tech and marketing- savvy property agents, Panopedia has to date, amassed a total of 6,000 virtual tours of various properties on its portal, making it the world’s largest single repository of PanoTours.

Created as a hobby project with a “why not” from its young developers, the Clover and Dime team took the cool factors associated with anything virtual, anything 360 and anything immersive and combined them into a quirky, but eventually useful tool.

To their surprise, they found ready users and even investors at an early stage, willing to buy over the software and its rights from them. The team finally decided on the name Panopedia once they saw the global potential of their creation.

“Panopedia was coined because we realised that we could become like the encyclopedia of panoramic videos. This definition is so new that it’s not even in the dictionary! At Panopedia, we provide a panoramic, 360 view of the space, making it more realistic and easier for people to visualize the actual space for their needs. In any case, we managed to marry many cool things to create a tangible product that seems to be much sought after in the property industry!” enthuses Randy Png, founder and main developer of Panopedia.

With the many offers to buy over his company, Randy realised that the company could set its sights on something bigger. “Panopedia’s goal right now, is to create a lively, almost living portal, where property can be viewed in as close to their realistic states as possible, and even purchased. This factor alone helps property seekers filter out the unsuitable ones and allows both property agents and property buyers to save time. What you see is almost what you will get, give and take technical limitations,” explains Randy. “More importantly, we save the most expensive premium of all – time – and this helps agents be more productive.”

Panopedia also promotes itself as a marketing tool, to be used by savvy agents and property owners, to present their properties in a more engaging manner. To introduce its functionality as a marketing tool for F&B outlets, Panopedia has tied up with the Dine At Stevens enclave of 11 outlets, and CHUG, the drinking app, to help its F&B merchants create 360 videos of their premises which they may use to promote their venues for corporate events and functions.

“I believe that we can help businesses market themselves better by providing them easy-to-use and inexpensive tools like Panopedia. Technology can help them improve on their bottom line, and be more profitable as a whole,” says Randy, referring to businesses in the F&B and retail industries, notorious for the short runway for shops to turn a profit and stay in business.

Indeed, it is this helpful attitude that has Panopedia to set its pricing a really affordable rates. Panopedia may be accessed through a monthly subscription plan, of which there are 3 tiers, from S$8 per month for five PanoTours to S$19 a month for up to 25 PanoTours and S$25 a month for 100 PanoTours. Visit the website for more information.

BASF Launches MyConcrete App for Instant Access to Concrete Information in Asia Pacific

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BASF’s new smartphone application, MyConcrete is now available in Asia Pacific, allowing instant access to information on concrete properties. Intended for contractors, engineers, architects and producers, the free MyConcrete app serves as a channel to a range of information on the fundamentals of concrete use.

The app includes items such as concepts and design factors, provides answers to questions on concrete slump, air, finishability and set time and offers information on BASF products for concrete producers.

“MyConcrete is like having a textbook in your hand,” says Viswanath Mahadevan, Director of Admixture Systems Business Management, BASF Construction Chemicals Asia Pacific. “We want our customers to get the information they need, when they need it, wherever they are. With MyConcrete on their mobile devices, they’ll always have access to information about our products and how to use them – allowing them to achieve better productivity.”

MyConcrete app’s includes a Surface Evaporation calculator to determine the risk of shrinkage cracking and a Concrete Temperature calculator for freshly mixed concretes, which help professionals understand the effects of ambient conditions on concrete. Local weather conditions are considered in the calculators based on GPS or chosen location.

MyConcrete can be downloaded free of charge from Apple and Google Play stores by searching for “MyConcrete”. The app is available in English, Japanese and Vietnamese.

Trimble Introduces Tekla 2019 Structural BIM Software Solution

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In March 2019, Trimble introduced the latest versions of its structural Building Information Modeling (BIM) software solutions for the construction industry: Tekla Structures 2019, Tekla Structural Designer 2019, Tekla Tedds 2019 and Tekla EPM 2019.

Trimble’s solutions support professionals in the structural steel, precast and cast-in-place concrete industries with a Constructible Process, an innovative approach for the digital transformation of architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) workflows.

Tekla Structures 2019 delivers enhancements, improvements and new features that enable smoother workflows, more precise control and improved productivity, including:

  • Geometry improvements for describing curved structures, such as bent plates and staircases that boost productivity and eliminate the need for workarounds.
  • New automated features for model-based drawing production and upgraded precast production data exports, which support more streamlined design communication and information transfer from detailing to production.
  • Rebar detailing enhancements, such as rebar rounding at the model, set and modifier levels, which allow more intuitive control and efficiency when detailing and documenting reinforced cast-in-place concrete.
  • Cast-in-place (CIP) concrete workflows for improved Pour Unit, which make it easier to create reliable, structured pour takeoffs, reports and drawings.
  • CIP concrete formwork tools that are upgraded and simplified to boost detailed and efficient formwork workflow.

Tekla Structures 2019 includes new tools such as Revit Export, an extension which brings greater flexibility when working with .rvt files, and the Design-to-Cost tool, which supports faster value engineering and more economical precast solutions.

A new Bridge Creator extension, which makes early design phase workflows faster and easier, has also been introduced as part of a new customised bridge designer role and ribbon menu containing productivity-boosting bridge design tools.

Improvements in drawings include annotation cloning for faster and easier creation of general arrangement drawings, more intelligent handling of drawing views, improved dimensioning productivity and increased support for a wider variety of BIM objects. It is also now easier to meet office standards for documents and drawings, with enhanced Drawing Content Management and aligned marks.

Tekla Structural Designer 2019 introduces updates around flexibility and interoperability. The new Core Walls feature enhances real-world simulation and constructible core wall modeling, and new and improved export features focus on data interoperability with Tekla Structures and Autodesk Revit. In addition, the interface and usability for users of Tekla Structural Designer and Tekla Structures have been fine-tuned for a more aligned experience.

Tekla Tedds 2019 offers even better integration with Tekla Structures, meaning more convenient design management for users of both Tekla products. Users can also now create even more professional BIM design documentation and use Tedds calculations to create professional PDFs.

Tekla EPM 2019 introduces an advanced model-based viewer that brings productivity gains through enhanced collaboration and real-time visualization for steel fabrication management. The earlier versions of Tekla EPM are known as FabSuite.

To learn more and to download Tekla 2019 versions, visit www.tekla.com/2019.