What’s New in Design Review 2009

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by Susan Smith - Managing Editor
Each period (about twice a month) AEC Weekly Review delivers to its readers news concerning the latest developments in the AEC industry, AEC product and company news, featured downloads, customer wins, and coming events, along with a selection of other articles that we feel you might find interesting. Brought to you by AECCafe.com. If we miss a story or subject that you feel deserves to be included, or you just want to suggest a future topic, please contact us! Questions? Feedback? Click here. Thank-you!

Welcome to AECWeekly!

AECWeekly is a news magazine featuring important industry news profiles, a summary of recently published AEC product and company news, customer wins, and coming events. Brought to you by AECCafe.

AECWeekly examines select top news each week, picks out worthwhile reading from around the web, and special interest items you might not find elsewhere. This issue will feature Industry News, Top News of the Week, Acquisitions/Agreements/Alliances, Announcements, New Products, Around the Web and Upcoming Events.

Best wishes,
Susan Smith, Managing Editor

Industry News
What’s New in Design Review 2009
by Susan Smith

Autodesk Design Review 2009 is one product with new functionality that is packaged with all Autodesk’s design applications such as Revit, Inventor and AutoCAD, and also available as a free download from the Autodesk website.

Chris Hession, senior product marketing manager for Design Review and technical marketing manager, Cliff Medling, related the product’s new features.

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According to Hession, the new version has the same goal as the previous version had, which is to improve customer process efficiencies, and help customers communicate clearly both internally and externally about their design data. The product also helps them reduce their costs associated with shipping designs back and forth, and with time delays in the whole design review process.

Seasoned AutoCAD users will recall that Design Review transitioned from DWF Composer with the 2008 release. “In a typical month we see 220,000-250,000 downloads of the product,” said Hession.

For AEC workflows, Design Review is valuable in following the process from the draftsperson, MEP engineer and structural engineer, all the way out to the government agencies and contractors. In the past, customers have experienced great time delays and errors during their workflows, but with Design Review the same customers are able to reduce errors and save time, communicate better with much less rework. The product supports geospatial and manufacturing workflows as well as AEC, and is very useful for field staff who need to locate assets in the field.

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Design Review is also used in customers’ sales team as part of their presentations, so they can show prospective customers what the proposed design is going to look like.

Dalpo Architects, of Syracuse, NY moved to BIM three years ago, and uses Design Review to share their 3D models and gather feedback. One of their latest projects, a shopping mall with LEED gold certification, is planned without using any paper using Design Review.

The primary goal for the 2009 release of Design Review was to increase customer efficiencies, according to Hession.

Features include:

•        find and locate design data quickly and easily
•        customizable user interface
•        enhanced measure and markup capabilities
•        navigation tools

The new DWFX format, which is the next generation of the DWF file, allows the user of all design applications to publish DWFX files and do an integrated batch print directly into the product.

Users can now send files from Design Review to Project Freewheel with the Share functionality, to form an online collaboration session, as it is now integrated into the product as a downloadable plug-in.

Users have continually asked for help with finding and locating design data. With the new Find tools in Design Review you can quickly do a search and find what you’re looking for. The new user interface allows for predefined layouts, and you can create your own layout with the specific tools you want available to you. The SteeringWheels and ViewCube tools that are available in AutoCAD and other Autodesk products are enhanced in the 2009 versions and available in Design Review to facilitate navigation.

4,500 total participated in the beta program for Design Review. Richard Johnson, GIS information officer, City of Vancouver, said, “The new Find feature enables us to search attribute information from within Design Review. For instance, we can now search all valves in an area and see the results almost instantly. It’s faster and less error prone than manual methods.”

Another customer stated that the performance of the latest Design Review is noticeably enhanced and handles large 3D files more easily as they move their plan design review process to 3D.

Performance was a key focus in the 2009 release. The following are performance points for Design Review 2009 for manufacturing (from the press materials)-

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Get Reviews Done Quicker
Directly connect with customers, suppliers, planners, and purchasing professionals sooner to complete design reviews faster and shorten product development lifecycles.
Track Markups and Annotations
Automatically track comments and their status to ensure no information is lost, and eliminate error-prone data re-entry.
Accurately Communicate Digital Prototypes to Key Stakeholders
Even team members not familiar with complex CAD software can fully visualize digital prototypes created in Autodesk Inventor software and AutoCAD-based applications, including detailed manufacturing design data such as bill of materials information and animated assembly instructions.
Protect Your Intellectual Property
Protect your intellectual property by sharing designs as DWF files, which provide complete accuracy and fidelity with password protection, encryption, and digital rights management capabilities.

Design Review shows you how to plot to DWF using the Compare tool, and publish all files into one repository so you can keep the review process in one compressed file.

3D models can make use of the walkthrough tool for architectural models, and the ability to measure in the 3D space. With Design Review, you can markup the model and get the information back to the designer.

If the 2D sheet is built off the 3D model, when you change the 3D model it will automatically be updated in the 2D sheet.

Using the DWF Writer technology (also a free download), you can take Word documents, PDF files, and many other types of drawing files, quickly convert those to a DWF and pull them right into the existing repository. You can publish a DWF file or DWFX, also open Excel and print it out. DWF Writer will create a DWF which is easier than clicking and dragging it right into Design Review.

The Find command gives you a list, tells you which sheet you are on and gives you a link to find the result you’re looking for. It will find object properties, and data in the model markups and any text in the files.

After you’ve made markups, you can go back into your design program such as AutoCAD, and load the markup set from Design Review. It can show all the sheets in your DWF file or just the markup ones. The designer can see all markups and changes he has to make and walk through and change them. They contain all the status data, which you can change, then you can publish right back out. The Compare tool allows you to see what has been updated since the last version. This tool saves a lot of time in change orders.

The publishing from Revit is slightly different although on the Design Review end, you won’t see a difference. On the main published menu, you have options for 2D sheets and 3D models and you must publish 3D models separately from 2D sheets. The 3D models can be merged with 2D sheets in one DWF repository. The XPS Viewer doesn’t support 3D, so if you open the repository in Microsoft, it won’t show the 3D model. DWF Writer is a free download available from the website, which enables you to print from DWF, Word or anywhere that you can print from.

Design Review works with other products outside the family of Autodesk products. The DWF Writer also supports other products, but in either case, the data is not as rich as in native Autodesk products.

Design Review 2009 also includes some import tools which allow importing design data from third party design applications.

Top News of the Week

Autodesk, Inc. announced the launch of Autodesk Seek, a groundbreaking web service that allows architects, engineers and designers to search, select and specify building products using Autodesk's advanced search technology.

Autodesk Seek provides a consolidated online source for building product design information and delivers information-rich results -- including relevant design files in multiple formats from within the customer's design applications. Design files can be easily dropped directly into the designer's building model or drawing, reducing the need to recreate individual components in the design. This embedded search functionality is now available in the 2009 U.S. versions of Autodesk's Revit-based software applications, as well as AutoCAD, AutoCAD Architecture and AutoCAD MEP. The web service is also available through standard browsers at the website.

Acquisitions/Agreements/Alliances

Spatial Corp., a provider of 3D components for technology applications, and IMSI/Design, announced a new, long-term agreement to expand licensing of Spatial’s 3D component technology throughout the TurboCAD product line. The new agreement covers the use of the 3D ACIS Modeler with 3D ACIS PHL V5 and 3D Deformable Modeling extensions, as well as 3D InterOp translators.

Autodesk, Inc. announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Moldflow Corporation, a provider of software solutions that allow designers to predict and optimize how plastic components will perform during each phase of the design and manufacture process. The transaction will be structured as a cash tender offer for all the outstanding shares of Moldflow common stock, is subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close in the second calendar quarter of 2008.

Newforma, a software company addressing the project information management (PIM) needs of the design and building industry, and Sepialine, a cost recovery software provider, announced a partnership that stems from customer requests for the integration of both companies' software products. Newforma Project Center is used by design professionals to streamline project delivery. Sepialine's Argos Cost Recovery System helps companies capture and get reimbursed for project expenses. Through several key product integration initiatives, Newforma and Sepialine are improving project-driven communication and accounting. Both companies will demonstrate their integration May 19-22 at Deltek Insight '08, the annual Deltek user conference to be held this year in Nashville, Tenn.

Newforma announced that it has entered into an independent software vendor (ISV) partner agreement with Deltek, provider of enterprise applications software designed specifically for project-focused businesses. As a result of this partnership, joint customers will realize the benefits associated with integrating Deltek's industry-leading project and financial management solution with the project delivery capabilities of Newforma software. In addition, Deltek and Newforma will coordinate sales and marketing initiatives aimed at leading architectural and engineering firms in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) marketplace.

Intergraph Korea Ltd. has acquired all the shares of TechServer Corp., a Seoul-based software and services company specializing in automated drafting, data exchange and system integration in the shipbuilding, process, power and offshore industries.
The strategic acquisition will complement and enhance Intergraph’s SmartPlant and SmartMarine Enterprise engineering software solutions and expand Intergraph’s capability to serve its growing Asia-Pacific customer base. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Eagle Point Software Corporation announced the creation of its Channel Partner Program. Under this program, Eagle Point offers Autodesk resellers the opportunity to better serve their AutoCAD Civil 3D clients by making Eagle Point's Task Navigator for Civil 3D an integrated part of their solution offerings.

ShareCG.com and Altadyn have teamed up to provide game developers, graphic artists, and animation enthusiasts with the tools to create and display their own 3D worlds on the Web.
Users visit 3DXplorer.com to get the tools they use to create and populate their own virtual worlds then, during the building process, they grab user contributed 3D models, art work, textures, and materials from ShareCG’s thousands of library selects.

Announcements

PacifiCAD Inc, technology experts for design, engineering, and facilities management announced their free 2009 Autodesk rollout series of events for all design professionals. The new 2009 products from Autodesk allow engineers to explore ideas and experience designs before they’re real by evaluating “what if” scenarios before anything is built. PacifiCAD technical experts will take attendees on a tour through the latest features that will impact the way they work, and open a world of innovation. Attendees will receive answers from certified Autodesk experts to their toughest questions and learn how to increase productivity, reduce errors, and save valuable time.

This event is free, reserve your spot today!

Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report related to the Building materials industry is available in its catalogue. World Building Materials Markets

This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Building Materials in Millions of US$. The major product segments analyzed are Aggregates, Cement & Concrete Products, Bricks, Tiles, Glass, Metal, Timber, and Others. The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East. Annual forecasts are provided for each region for the period of 2000 through 2015. The report profiles 1102 companies including many key and niche players worldwide.

TRIRIGA announced a donation of more than $1.3 million in enterprise software and services to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). The donation includes a combination of TRIRIGA IWMS, TRIRIGA Workplace Performance Management (WPM), and TRIRIGA Real Estate for Environmental Sustainability (TREES) software for use by faculty and students at the UNLV William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration.

New Products

Digimation, a leading provider of 3D content and related solutions to the entertainment and defense industries, announced the immediate availability of The Archive; the world's largest single collection of high-quality 3D models. The Archive is available at significant new price points making it accessible to companies and individuals alike.

Intergraph has introduced significant enhancements to its end-to-end earth imaging portfolio that will enable organizations to capture, process and manage high-quality images faster and more cost-effectively. Intergraph’s earth imaging solutions include digital aerial cameras, flight management and post-processing systems, photogrammetric workstations and a full photogrammetric data exploitation software suite.

The Intergraph digital mapping camera (DMC) will soon be compatible with leading aerial survey software from TRACK’ AIR, offering TRACK’ AIR users a smooth transition to all the benefits of using digital camera technology while still leveraging their existing mission planning and flight management technology. In addition to operating with the DMC, TRACK’ AIR mission planning and flight management software will also work in conjunction with Intergraph’s latest sensor management hardware.

Quantapoint, provider of laser scanning technology and services that helps companies achieve Zero-Defect Projects – announced the release of PRISM 3D 8.0. PRISM 3D puts reality on your desktop by enabling facilities digitized using laser scanning to be accessed as award-winning high-definition Laser Models and photo-realistic Laser Images.

The Cadac Group, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner developing Microsoft SharePoint based engineering document management solutions, announces the release of Organice 2007 R3. This new Organice release provides new features and enhancements in Organice Explorer and Organice Transmit.

Around the Web

New Blog from Robert McNeel & Associates

AutoCAD Raster Design 2009 Object Enabler Available

SI Xchange for Revit

Scale List Cleanup Utility for AutoCAD 2008 and AutoCAD 2009 Between the Lines blog

Events:

State College Civil User Group
Date:	May 13, 2008
Place:	Ramada Inn, Terrace Room 1450 South Atherton Street, State College, PA 1680 USA
Benefit from face-to-face contact with your peers and form professional relationships while strengthening your networking efforts. We strive to focus on our member’s needs by providing educational opportunities and sharing information pertinent to the locale. Get your questions answered by Synergis experts and bring along your suggestions for future discussion topics. Time: 5:30 -8:00 pm
Re-tooling Technology for Construction
Date:	May 13, 2008
Place:	Bellevue Hilton 300 112th Avenue SE, Bellevue, WA 98004 USA
Attend this seminar to learn how your company can use today’s technology to: Benefit from BIM (Building Information Model) Leverage your company’s project cost history to quickly and accurately respond to future opportunities Develop a project controls command center
South Jersey Civil User Group
Date:	May 14, 2008
Place:	Frog Rock Golf & Country Club 755 S. White Horse Pike, Hammonton, NJ 08037 USA
Benefit from face-to-face contact with your peers and form professional relationships while strengthening your networking efforts. We strive to focus on our member’s needs by providing educational opportunities and sharing information pertinent to the locale. Get your questions answered by Synergis experts and bring along your suggestions for future discussion topics. Time: 6:00-8:00 pm
AIA 2008 National Convention and Design Exposition
Date:	May 15 - 17, 2008
Place:	Boston Convention and Exhibition Center Boston, MA USA
The AIA 2008 National Convention and Design Exposition comes to Boston, a vibrant and thriving city renowned for its architecture as well as one of AIA members’ top destination cities. At the very forefront of American history, Boston is the ideal locale for next year’s theme We the People, exploring the architects’ role in society. Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in AIA Expo2008, bringing together over 25,000 architects and building industry professionals.
Deltek Insight 08
Date:	May 19 - 22, 2008
Place:	Nashville, TN USA
Deltek Insight is designed to provide you with everything you need to be successful — all the insight into industry trends, best practices, future Deltek products and plans and tips and tricks on how you can to help you further leverage your investment in Deltek products to streamline operations, improve business performance and win new business.
ECOBUILD AMERICA AND AEC SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Date:	May 21 - 22, 2008
Place:	Anaheim, CA USA
Serves the Built Environment by focusing its expert sessions on helping you increase your productivity and profits throughout the project life cycle - solely by maximizing the benefits of your information technology.
Civil Harrisburg User Group
Date:	May 22, 2008
Place:	GTS Technologies 441 Friendship Road, Harrisburg, PA 17111 USA
Benefit from face-to-face contact with your peers and form professional relationships while strengthening your networking efforts. We strive to focus on our member’s needs by providing educational opportunities and sharing information pertinent to the locale. Get your questions answered by Synergis experts and bring along your suggestions for future discussion topics. Time: 5:30 -8:00 pm
Field to Finish Workshop
Date:	May 27, 2008
Place:	County College of Morris 143 Headquarters Plaza 3 Speedwell Avenue Mall Level- Room 110, Morristown, NJ 07960 USA
Whether it's a simple plat survey or a 1,000-lot subdivision, AutoCAD® Civil 3D® offers a single solution for importing, analyzing, and managing survey data. From the field to the office and back to the field again, you can import fieldbooks, perform traverse analysis, edit survey observations, create contours, and lay out parcels and alignments - all from one application. Join Synergis and Autodesk Technical Experts Jerry Bartels and David Blanchette, for an informative workshop that takes you from "Field to Finish" and demonstrates the new survey functionality in AutoCAD® Civil 3D®. Time: 8:30am – 12:30pm
Re-tooling Technology for Construction
Date:	May 28, 2008
Place:	The Woodfin Suite Hotel Emeryville 5800 Shellmound, Emeryville, CA 94608 USA
Attend this seminar to learn how your company can use today’s technology to: Benefit from BIM (Building Information Model) Leverage your company’s project cost history to quickly and accurately respond to future opportunities Develop a project controls command center
Intergraph 2008
Date:	June 2 - 5, 2008
Place:	Caesars Palace Las Vegas, NV USA
Get ready for another energizing experience… Another networking extravaganza… Another event with unlimited possibilities. And that’s just for starters! We invite you to experience firsthand the excitement, natural beauty, and difference between ordinary and spectacular.
CONSTRUCT 2008
Date:	June 4 - 6, 2008
Place:	Las Vegas Convention Center Las Vegas, NV USA

Re-tooling Technology for Construction
Date:	June 4, 2008
Place:	The Sheraton Newton Hotel 320 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02458 USA
Attend this seminar to learn how your company can use today’s technology to: Benefit from BIM (Building Information Model) Leverage your company’s project cost history to quickly and accurately respond to future opportunities Develop a project controls command center

You can find the full AECCafe event calendar here.

To read more news, click here.

-- Susan Smith, AECCafe.com Managing Editor.

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