KeyShot 11 Overview

As the leading visualization tool across every industry, KeyShot is the solution to solving challenges in the project development pipeline by combining advanced visualization authoring with unparalleled ease of use. KeyShot 11 is at the core of creating eye-catching experiences, taking visualization capabilities to the next level, introducing new ways to explore details, expanding how ideas are presented, and bringing balance to the art of creating 3D visuals.

KeyShot 11 combines flexibility and advanced tools for the creation, management, and presentation of all visualization assets. Model: Cki Vang. All rights reserved.

KeyShot 11 introduces 3D Paint to apply color and textures like never before, new CMF capabilities to manage and organize material information, Physics Simulation to create and capture physical phenomena through KeyShot Animation, Workflow Automation with new headless scripting capabilities, the new KeyShot Web Viewer to upload and share KeyShot scenes online, and much more.

3D paint

KeyShot 11 introduces 3D Paint, a new texture painting tool, that allows users to further customize a model’s surface finishes by directly painting or stamping textures on the surface. With 3D Paint enabled, users may directly paint or stamp bump textures, colors, roughness, specularity, refractivity, and opacity.

KeyShot 11 3D Paint allows users to use adjustable and custom brushes to apply and layer material appearance and textures.

3D paint is an incredibly useful tool for creating unique surface weathering and patinas and can be used to accurately add wear marks to any surface within a scene. The new feature also allows layering effects to create rich, realistic surface patinas.

Material Management and CMF Output

Color, Materials, Finish (CMF) is a term covering the non-functional identity of a product and its relationship with a given environment. KeyShot is frequently a major part of the CMF process, allowing users to easily change and decide on CMF options during the product design review phase.

To streamline this workflow, KeyShot 11 adds both Material Management and CMF Output. This robust feature set eliminates the manual process of aligning rendered output to its corresponding materials by allowing KeyShot users to utilize an expansive Material Library that supports metadata about each material, a custom schema builder, and easy output of ready-made “tech packs” for design review.

Physics Simulation

Physics Simulation is a new Tool in KeyShot 11 that allows users to record the physics of an object and apply it as a “keyframe” animation. This tool brings fully simulated animations to KeyShot users along with more accuracy in scattering objects.

Physic Simulation in KeyShot 11 allows quick application and recording of physics using KeyShot Animation

Simulations may be applied to individual or multiple Model Sets, objects, or groups of objects and simulated as parts or an entire group. Users have control over Gravity, Friction, and Bounciness and the ability to adjust the time, quality, and keyframes per second.

KeyShot Web Viewer

KeyShot Web Viewer is part of the KeyShotWeb module and allows KeyShot users to easily share KeyShot scenes by uploading them to KeyShot Cloud. It brings sharing of interactive scenes to users across browsers, desktops, and mobile devices with a single link.

KeyShot Web Viewer is highly optimized to provide the most realistic visuals available and smoothest interaction possible for viewing 3D in the web browser and on mobile devices. Viewing of any material or environment variations in the scene or any KeyShot Studios is available through the Web Viewer flyout menus. Other features include quality adjustment, texture baking, including a mobile-friendly texture option, and password protection. 10GB of KeyShot Cloud storage is included in the KeyShotWeb subscription.

Workflow Automation

Workflow Automation is an advanced new feature, that allows KeyShot users to automate various KeyShot workflows via the KeyShot Scripting Console (with a user interface) as well as through Headless Scripting Mode (without a user interface). Applications include automating render output and speeding up the generation of product variations.

KeyShot 11 Workflow Automation brings Headless Rendering to automate an array of functions including the Material Graph and Render Output.

KeyShot 11 expands the set of functions that can be called in headless mode, along with adding support for KeyShot Material Graph control with headless scripting. With the update to Python 3.9.5, 257 total features have been added, including 147 new features and 136 new constants that may be declared.

Additional Features

●  Environmental Brightness Animation – Control and adjust the brightness of environment lighting directly with KeyShot Animation.

●  Deformable Animation support – Import .mc/.mcx cache files and FBX files with rigged animations in addition to Alembic.

●  Skin Tones – New skin materials bring a wider array of skin tones to the KeyShot Material Library to drag and drop onto 3D models.

●  GPU Cutaway Material – The popular cutaway material is now supported in GPU mode with all cutaway options.

●  glTF/USDz Enhancements – KeyShot glTF and USDz export are optimized with support for instancing to greatly reduce file size.

KeyShot Subscription Options

With the release of KeyShot 11, Luxion is introducing subscription pricing for all new licenses, which reduces the upfront cost to a pay-as-you-go model. For additional information, please see the KeyShot Subscription FAQ.

The entire list of features and improvements in KeyShot 11, along with information on how each feature works, is available in the KeyShot 11 What’s New Guide. Key features include:

Availability

KeyShot 11 is available immediately for download and purchase at keyshot.com and through all certified KeyShot resellers. All KeShot customers with active annual maintenance will automatically receive the upgrade to KeShot 11. For questions on upgrades, maintenance, or transfer your license to subscription, please contact sales@luxion.com.

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The new SIG is oriented at the facilitation of small to mid-sized development projects within the CAD and BIM industries.

ODA SIG

“ODA is well-known for interoperability solutions that impact broad industry segments—toolkits for Autodesk® DWG™, DGN, IFC, and so on,” said Neil Peterson, ODA President. “We also offer development services for smaller, more specialized projects, things like proprietary BIM formats, technologies for urban digital twins, and so on.

MORE: Autodesk Joins ODA to Fast-Track Improvements to Interoperability

“The new Strategic Interoperability Group allows small groups of companies to efficiently collaborate on key interoperability projects, instead of working alone.”

ODA SIG benefits will include:

• Reduced Cost. Working together on shared solutions can save 50% to 90% or more on development costs for complex projects.
• Experienced Project Management. ODA has more than 23 years of experience developing complex interoperability solutions.
• Rich Foundational Technologies. SIG projects leverage ODA’s mature and widely used technologies for visualization, cloud collaboration, publishing, modeling, and more.
• Independent Control. Each SIG project is independently controlled by the participating companies, including priorities, budget, and licensing terms for the developed software.

“Small-group collaboration through ODA works,” continued Mr. Peterson. “Our SDK for Autodesk Revit® files was developed using this model, starting with six companies back in 2014 and growing to more than 60 companies today. We’re providing the BIM industry with a critical interoperability solution for Revit files, and at the same time attracting new member companies to ODA—it’s a clear win for everyone involved.

“With the launch of the new Strategic Interoperability Group, we’re building on our past success to take on new, industry-critical projects. These can include support for key file formats, digital twin technologies, scan-to-BIM, and other interoperability challenges that are important to the long-term health of the industry.”

More Information

More details about the new ODA Strategic Interoperability Group, including project requirements and contact information, can be found at opendesign.com/sig.

The post ODA Launches Strategic Interoperability Group (SIG) for CAD/BIM Industry appeared first on Architosh.

Under the agreement, the Master of Science (Architecture) students taking the Specialization in City Design module will learn to use Digital Blue Foam and develop their projects with the software. They will have the opportunity to sketch directly onto an environmental analysis and make building designs more humane and sustainable.

Students Will

• be given access to DBF’s online tutorials
• participate in one-hour guest lectures with DBF co-founders on machine learning (ML) and the functionalities of the DBF software
• participate in monthly group catch-ups with a representative from DBF to discuss the student’s projects and their experience using the DBF software

Digital Blue Foam is a Singapore-based design technology firm founded by architects that has created an easy-to-use software for architects and city planners that offers geospatial data on every city,
unparalleled user experience, a powerful design engine, and project analytics tools—all in one fully web-based platform. The software is being used by some of the world’s leading AEC companies such as Takenaka Corporation of Japan.

Digital Blue Foam is one of the most user-friendly sustainable design platform in the world.

Camiel Weijenberg and Sayjel V. Patel, co-founders of Digital Blue Foam, said: “We are pleased to
partner with Budapest University of Technology and Economics, the largest university in Hungary to train architects. We believe that by educating the next generation of architects on the latest tools and technologies, we will shape the way they design—efficiently, intelligently, and sustainably—and contribute to the industry.”

Associate Professor Bálint Kádár, the university’s Department of Urban Planning and Design and lead for the partnership, said: “I believe Digital Blue Foam is a wonderful educational tool to explain many factors in urban development such as different site data, shades in different seasons, and zoning values. Students who are familiar with Digital Blue Foam as a generative design tool will have a faster learning curve and will be more prepared for future design technologies. We look forward to using and learning from the software in our Master’s program coursework.”

About Digital Blue Foam

Digital Blue Foam is a Singapore-based design technology firm that has created an eponymous software for architects, city planners, and the AEC industry. The software hunts, gathers, and computes contextual data such as climate, program, and urban networks to determine the right building configuration.

About Budapest University of Technology and its Department of Urban Planning and Design

The Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) is a public higher education institute operating as a central budgetary institution. The Faculty of Architecture is the leading architecture school in Hungary. The Department of Urban Planning and Design through its educational activity connects the fields of environmental design (architecture, landscape architecture, engineering etc.) and the scope of the analytic experts, introduces the interdisciplinary approach into architecture, and ensures the presence of architects in urban design and urban planning projects. The City Design specialization of the department has the goal to give enrolling students insight and professional skills connected to urban design, urban planning, and connected other fields of urban activities. The complex program integrates Hungarian and international experiences and is based on the highly competent and diverse background of the Department.

The post Digital Blue Foam—Introduced to Masters Program at Budapest University appeared first on Architosh.

Rhino 7 includes Grasshopper and together they add numerous new powerful features, improvements and optimizations, in addition to new interoperabilities with other applications. Rhino 7 can even directly affect how you use your BIM tools.

Rhino 7 – General Features

SubD combines free-form accuracy for those who need to explore organic shapes quickly, while still allowing quick editing. SubD is a new geometry type that can create editable, highly accurate shapes.

SubD is unlike other geometry types, it combines free-form accuracy while still allowing quick editing.

Demanding updates are needed with the growing popularity of Grasshopper, such as in Rino 7, adding more new components and making programs into plugins for easier use and wider distribution of definitions around the office.

Grasshopper Player turns your GH definitions into Rhino commands. There there is also new “clash detection”—a term coming from the BIM world—which helps you quickly find where objects occupy the same space. There is also Package Manager in Rhino 7, an entirely new way to add plugins; you won’t have to leave Rhino now to install plugins. For developers, the Package Manager simplifies the publication and distribution process.

Emissive materials are a new feature in Rhino 7.

In Rhino 7 there are significant updates to the Rhino Render engine and other presentation tools. Support for PBR (physically-based rendering) materials is new, as is Denoisers that help clean up draft renderings beautifully shortening down presentation rendering times. Other improvements and new features aiding your Rhino work presentations include Emissive Materials, Light Falloff, LayerBook, and Gradient and Transparent Hatches.

There is also new Mold Making Tools, Named Selections, Single-Line Fonts and improved support for file formats.

Rhino 7 – BIM Features

Rhino 7 can now be fully integrated directly into your BIM tools. To learn about the workflows below, register for the free webinar by PAZ Academy on December 15th to see how Rhino and Grasshopper run with Revit and Archicad at the same time.

Rhino.Inside.Technology allows Rhino 7 and Grasshopper to run within Revit. Integrate the best of both popular tools into one workflow.

Archicad can be linked directly to Rhino 7 and Grasshopper by bringing the best of Rhino to Archicad. More than that, it is now possible to connect Archicad and Revit through Grasshopper using the direct connection in real-time.

Rhino 7 features Rhino.Inside technology. Shown here is Rhino.Inside.Revit which is based on technology that brings Rhino and GH into 64-bit Windows apps.

Enscape has released a Rhino 7 compatible version with several options to upgrade to the new Enscape version 2.9.1. Lastly, Conveyer by Proving Ground has also been updated to run in Rhino 7. Conveyor is a geometry and data management plugin for user-friendly compatibility between Rhino and Revit software applications.

Development Platform

This update also brings big improvements to McNeel’s free SDKs (software development kits) with API refinements (995 new items), better documentation, RhinoCommon, rhino3dm Libraries, Rhino.Inside, Rhino.Inside.Revit and more.

As Architosh has written before, Rhino.Inside is new technology that allows embedding Rhino into 64-bit Windows applications. Rhino.Inside.Revit is based on that technology.

Availability of Rhino 7

Those interested in Rhino 7, available for both Windows and Mac can download an evaluation version here. This evaluation version works for 90-days and then will no longer support plugins or allow file saving. However, the evaluation version will continue working itself after 90 days just without those two capabilities (which is good for learning Rhino and view Rhino files).

The Mac evaluation version is available here. It requires an Intel Apple Mac and must run on macOS Mojave (10.14.6) or later. Apple Silicon Macs (M1 processor-based) are not supported.

Rhino 7 for Mac or Windows new licenses cost USD 995.00. Upgrades from older single-user licenses are USD 395. Click here for more. Systems requirements for both platforms are found here.

The post McNeel’s Rhino 7 + Grasshopper—Biggest Update in their History appeared first on Architosh.

The Hammers

The Construction Computing Awards, also known as “The Hammers,” is now in its 15^th year. The awards showcase and reward the technology, tools, and solutions used in the effective design, construction, maintenance, and modification of commercial buildings, residential and social housing, and civil engineering projects of all sizes. The Hammers are the perfect opportunity for companies from every industry sector to seek recognition for their efforts over the past 12 months.

Vectorworks receives nine nominations for the 2020 Construction Computing Awards.

“We’d like to thank the Construction Computing Awards for recognizing our efforts and commitment to the AEC industry,” said Vectorworks UK Director of Sales Adrian Slatter. “Despite this unprecedented year, providing innovations to our customers remained our top priority, which is why the launch of Vectorworks 2021 highlights our continued emphasis on improving product quality, performance, and the user experience.”

Vectorworks and its products are short-listed in the following categories (all for 2020):

• BIM Product of the Year — Vectorworks Architect
• Architectural CAD App of the Year — Vectorworks Architect
• GIS/Mapping Product of the Year — Vectorworks Landmark and Architect
• Mobile Application of the Year — Vectorworks Nomad
• Product of the Year — Vectorworks Architect
• Company of the Year — Vectorworks, Inc.
• Innovation of the Year — Vectorworks Architect 2021
• One to Watch Company of the Year — Vectorworks Architect and Landmark
• Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality Project of the Year — Jonathan Reeves Architects with Vectorworks for Urban Masterplan
• Editor’s Choice of 2020 — Vectorworks Architect 2021

The awards are determined by voter submission and a panel of judges. The Editor’s Choice award is selected by David Chadwick, editor of Construction Computing Magazine. Voters are encouraged to place their votes here by November 2. Winners will be announced on November 12.

About Vectorworks, Inc.

Vectorworks, Inc. is an award-winning design and BIM software provider serving the architecture, landscape architecture, and entertainment industries in 85 countries. Creating intuitive software since 1985, we’ve become the preeminent software built to manage the entire design process. Globally more than 685,000 users are creating, connecting, and influencing the next generation of design with Vectorworks on Mac and Windows. Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with offices in Newbury and London, England, and Vancouver, Canada, Vectorworks is a part of the Nemetschek Group. Learn how we empower designers to create experiences that transform the world at vectorworks.net or follow @Vectorworks.

The post Vectorworks Earns Nine Nominations for 2020 Construction Computing Awards appeared first on Architosh.

Corona Renderer 6

The new software provides a new Sky Model that can now accurately depict twilight and dawn, providing gorgeous results to 2.85 degrees below the horizon. Chaos says that the new sky is easy to animate because the new sky model is procedural, enabling stunning animated time-lapses for sunrise and sunsets.

3d rendering done in Corona Renderer – www.corona-renderer.com

Additionally, multiple skies and suns can be added to any scene, so artists can toggle options like dusk and afternoon using LightMix. With the new Distance Map, artists can create procedural materials that understand their proximity to other objects in the scene. Some of the examples of uses of this technology are the ability to create ground-hugging fog, dirty window sills, and immaculate coastlines. Users can also use the map technologies to drive scattering whenever they want to add grass at different lengths.

New Features:

• Adaptive Environmental Sampler —
• New Bloom and Glare Controls —
• Texture and Randomization —

To try Corona Renderer 6 for Cinema 4D, please visit here.

Availability and Pricing

Corona Renderer 6 is available now for macOS and Windows versions of Cinema 4D, R14 – S22 (64-bit). Pricing is subscription-based, with monthly rates set at USD 28.50 or yearly rates at USD 330. A free 45-day commercial trial is also available at https://corona-renderer.com/download.

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Evan Troxel is an architect, author, and digital design director, and famous podcaster in the world of architecture. He is one of three co-founders of the superb ‘Archispeak’ podcast, consistently noted in the media as one of the world’s top podcasts on all things architecture.

About TRXL

TRXL is a new podcast series by Evan devoted to how technology is changing the architecture profession. The About page says:

“guests from the architecture community and beyond join Evan, co-host of the widely-recognized architecture podcast Archispeak, in long-form conversations to talk about how technology is impacting what we do day-to-day, and what we need to be paying attention to when planning for the future of the profession.”

Episode 1 of the new TRXL podcast launched as a teaser on 18 June 2020. Since that time it has featured special guests within the industry including (following episodes):

• #02 — Mark LePage of EntreArchitect (well-regarded architect and consultant for arch-biz topics).
• #03 — Ian Keough, co-founder of HYPAR.io (a new computational design technology platform).
• #04 — Randy Deutsch, architect, professor, and author of “Superusers.”
• #05 — Clifton Harness, CEO and founder of TestFit, computational design software for AEC.
• #06 — Bill Allen, CEO and President of EvolveLAB, Disrupt Repeat, and On Point Scans.
• #07 — Konrad Sobon, architect and programmer at archi+lab.
• #08 — Geoff Manaugh, LA-based freelance writer and author of “A Burglar’s Guide to the City.”
• #09 — Eric Reinholdt, architect and author of “Architect + Entrepreneur” volumes 1 and 2.
• #10 — Lucas Reames, architect and director, Trimble Consulting and co-founder ZeroSixty
• #11 — George Valdes, of Monograph.io and formerly of irisVR, an architect and technologist.
• #12 — Anthony Frausto-Robledo of Architosh.com. Architect and AEC technology journalist.

Episode #12

Evan talks to Anthony about a range of topics, including the story of Architosh’s creation and founding. After that, they head straight at two of the AEC tech industry’s hottest topics: Apple’s decision to abandon Intel chips and design its own Apple Silicon (SoC) system on chip processors for future Macs, and one of the biggest storms in the tech industry in 2020, the Autodesk Revit Open letter movement led by a group of British architects including noted marquee firms Zaha Hadid Architects, Grimshaw and others.

Episode #12 of TRXL, the new podcast series by architect and Archispeak co-founder and co-host Evan Troxel.

The podcast touches on several noteworthy items, including not-yet-published information about how the CEO of the fastest-growing CAD company in the world believes Apple will have the fastest computers in the world within the next five years—because of Apple Silicon!

Anthony provides additional color around the conversation about the Autodesk Revit Open letter as he and Evan discuss the complexities surrounding Revit’s dominance. To listen to the episode go here now.

The post ‘Force Multipliers’—Architosh’s Editor on latest TRXL Podcast appeared first on Architosh.

The report entitled ‘Digital Engineering: Optimizing Construction’s Digital Future,’ provides recommendations for how the industry can overcome its fragmentation to ensure future prosperity. The report also recommends the steps the industry needs to take to set the foundations for the global advancement of digital engineering.

Nathan Doughty, Asite CEO

“For years, Asite has been at the forefront of digital integration across the AEC industry; we recognize the importance of digital adoption and believe the future of our industry lies in digital engineering, says Doughty, Asite CEO.

“To help enhance digital adoption and ensure the future prosperity of our industry, this report provides recommendations for how we can optimize our use of digital engineering processes and create a more integrated and collaborative industry.”

“As our industry continues to recover and rebuild in the wake of COVID-19,” adds Doughty, “now is the right time to take the opportunity to build a digital ecosystem that works for everyone.”

The report examines digital engineering from a number of different standpoints, including the benefits of digital engineering across the project lifecycle, innovative projects that are leading the way, the technologies set to be the most transformative, and global government initiatives to push the adoption of digital engineering techniques.

Finally, it arrives at a recommendation for how the construction industry can unlock greater value.

Holistic lifecycle approach

The report analyses the impact of digital engineering across the project lifecycle – from planning and design to construction and operation. At each lifecycle phase, it sheds light on the challenges faced at that stage, how digital engineering can solve these challenges, and the barriers that need to be overcome for successful adoption.

At each lifecycle phase, the free report it sheds light on the challenges faced at that stage, how digital engineering can solve these challenges, and the barriers that need to be overcome for successful adoption. All rights reserved.

The report also identifies the different technologies and techniques facilitating digital transformation at different stages. Accompanying these insights are accounts of different global projects utilizing digital engineering technologies to build better.

Ultimately, the report recognizes the need for a holistic approach to digital engineering across the asset lifecycle, allowing stakeholders to make informed decisions that streamline practices, ensure project fulfillment, and increase overall value.

The global push for digital engineering

The push for the adoption of digital engineering is a global one. The report notes the global government initiatives that are driving the adoption of these technologies and processes.

The United Kingdom, the European Union, India, Hong Kong, Australia, and the United States are mentioned as leaders in the push for adoption.

This showcases a cross-regional desire for a more uniform and integrated approach to the adoption of digital engineering.

A digital framework is the answer

The report concludes that the fragmentation of the industry needs to be addressed before it can move forward. To create fertile ground for digital engineering and innovation, we must first address the fragmented nature of the industry, which has led to a lack of knowledge-sharing, low incentives to adopt technologies, and poorly utilized data.

It proposes data and knowledge-sharing, combined with the development of an easily interpretable integrated global platform, as a means of safeguarding the industry’s digital future. For digital engineering to truly transform the AEC sector and produce the desired outcomes, technologies need to be deployed in an environment where they can thrive, and a global digital framework could facilitate this.

A digital framework can harness the benefits of sharing better quality information; how data is used, maintained, and planned will allow for a better understanding of the interdependencies between sectors and help break down silos.

United States

In the report the United States is noted as driving the adoption of digital engineering techniques and processes:

Government Initiatives

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Building Construction (ABC) Initiative, led by the Department’s Building Technologies Office (BTO), promotes advanced building construction techniques, such as off-site manufacturing, robotics, and the digitalization of building design and construction processes. Although currently focused on the housing sector, the initiative seeks to improve construction productivity and ensure that assets are smarter, healthier, more sustainable, more resilient, and more responsive to the needs of their users.

Advanced planning and construction techniques

New technologies are at the forefront of providing organizations with the capabilities to gather all necessary detailed information. For example, new techniques that integrate high-definition photography, 3-D laser scanning, and geographic information systems, enabled by recent improvements in drone and unmanned-aerial-vehicle (UAV) technology, can dramatically improve accuracy and speed.

One project that is taking advantage of these developments is the development of the new Microsoft campus in Washington. The use of drones is helping the campus rebuild. For the duration of the planning and construction process, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV or drone) passes over the site to create high-accuracy GPS scans each week. The data captured is then fed into over 100 BIM models, which contain more than 2.8 million individual 3D building components and provide data to more effectively tackle challenges as they arise, plan, and monitor construction progress.

Report Availability

To read the full report go here. There is a link at the bottom of this page and you can download the report.

The post New report by Asite on optimizing construction industry’s digital engineering appeared first on Architosh.

Animation and Phasing Tools

A wide range of new door assets are now available (including single, double, sliding, and pocket) that automatically snap and scale to fit within existing openings, and can be set to automatically open based on the proximity of camera and/or people assets. Additionally, users can select different styles, handles, hinges, and casing, for a broad array of design variations.

With new Animator objects, users have the ability to easily link any object to a rotation or translation widget in order to animate custom objects such as doors, windows, and elevators. 

Children’s roundabout, a lifting barrier, an industrial gate, and a retractable bollard are also included in the Animator Object presets. The car assets included in Twinmotion now have a clear coat effect that depicts more accurate car paint by simulating a layer of varnish applied over a surface. A new multi-track timeline-based Phasing tool enables users to more efficiently create a phased video of a project’s construction schedule, or to present different variations sequentially.

Tools for Enhanced Realism

The water material has been improved to better reflect changes in-depth and to increase the rendering quality, empowering users to create more realistic lakes, ponds, rivers, and pools.

Rain generated by Twinmotion’s weather system now makes surfaces appear wetter and forms puddles with greater physical accuracy, letting users simulate more realistic rainy day scenes. All rights reserved.

Twinmotion now includes 15 new trees commonly found in China, Japan, and Korea, each with four seasonal and three age options enables users in those regions to more accurately reflect the local environment.

New and Updated Assets

Several existing construction vehicle assets have been replaced in this update with higher-quality versions that feature animated rigs and the option for customization with a company logo. Users can tailor new aircraft assets with different colors on different parts, as well as a custom logo. In addition, these aircraft react to the time of day by turning on lights at night.

For a limited time, new users can also take advantage of a 50% pricing discount, receiving a perpetual license for $249 USD. Please click here for a full list of pricing and licensing information.

The post Twinmotion 2020.2 is available from Epic Games appeared first on Architosh.

The implementations are shipping from Oculus and Microsoft, leveraging the newly opened OpenXR 1.0 Adopters Program and open-source conformance tests. OpenXR is a royalty-free, open standard that provides direct access into Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)—collectively known as XR—runtimes across diverse platforms and devices.

Khronos OpenXR Conformance Tests and Adopters Program. All rights reserved.

The OpenXR Adopter’s Program enables consistent cross-vendor testing and reliable operation of OpenXR across multiple platforms and devices with OpenXR-conformant products published on the Khronos Conformant Product Registry.

Enabling portability across various platforms

Khronos members Microsoft and Facebook each have multiple conformant OpenXR-enabled devices showcasing how OpenXR enables portability across diverse platforms. PC-enabled virtual reality devices include Microsoft’sWindows Mixed Reality and Oculus Rift headsets, enabling these HMDs, and any future OpenXR-compatible devices, to run the same application executable on Windows. In addition, Microsoft has released an OpenXR-conformant runtime for the HoloLens 2 headset, and Facebook has shipped a conformant runtime for the Android-based Oculus Quest, demonstrating OpenXR’s flexibility to enable portable VR and AR applications across standalone and tethered XR devices—using different underlying operating systems.

Developing OpenXR applications

In addition, Valve has released a developer preview implementation of OpenXR 1.0 with new features on SteamVR expected to now appear through OpenXR, rather than OpenVR APIs. Similarly, Varjo’s developer preview implementation of OpenXR enables the use of OpenXR applications with Varjo headsets. The Monado open-source XR runtime founded by Collabora is also more compatible and capable and is approaching conformance with OpenXR 1.0.

OpenXR enables developers to create polished VR experiences by targeting a single non-proprietary SDK. All rights reserved.

In parallel with finalizing the OpenXR 1.0 conformance tests, the OpenXR Working Group continues to push the API forward and announces today two OpenXR cross-vendor extensions for eye and hand tracking. These new extensions expand the range of advanced UI techniques that can be portably deployed through this cross-platform, cross-vendor API. In fact, Ultraleap has released a developer preview OpenXR integration for its hand-tracking technology for Ultraleap tracking devices.

“This is another milestone for OpenXR, and Collabora is proud to have contributed to the development of the OpenXR specification as well as the open-source conformance test suite,” said Ryan Pavlik, specification editor, OpenXR Working Group, and principal software engineer at Collabora. “The Monado open-source XR runtime project founded by Collabora is quickly approaching conformance. As a specification editor, I commend the working group on their dedication to publishing and maintaining a high-quality standard and a comprehensive test suite. The suite is designed to ensure conformance to the specification and uniform application behavior across runtimes and environments, so the industry can deliver on the OpenXR promise of unifying reality.”

XR games and applications

OpenXR enables XR games and applications to target the widest range of hardware with maximum performance. Today, Microsoft is excited to announce that Minecraft’s new RenderDragon rendering engine is building its desktop VR support using OpenXR!  Further adding to OpenXR ecosystem momentum, several open-source projects have also incorporated OpenXR. The free and open-source 3D creation suite, Blender 2.83, has integrated OpenXR to deliver native VR scene inspection capabilities. Google recently released Chromium81 with OpenXR as its default backend for WebXR, enabling Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers to use any OpenXR-compatible hardware. Finally, Microsoft has released its OpenXR samples for Mixed Reality Developers as open-source, demonstrating how to use OpenXR to access the full capabilities of HoloLens 2. Firefox Reality also supports the OpenXR browser for the HoloLens 2 platform.

“Khronos has done it again, bringing divergent industry organizations, technologies, and ambitions to a common ground that benefits all parties,” said Dr. Jon Peddie of Jon Peddie Research. “OpenXR will not just save VR and AR—it will provide the launching pad to make all the promises, dreams, and potential be realized. An extraordinary body of work, the members are to be congratulated for their tireless effort. The industry is in your debt.”

Become and OpenXR Adopter

The OpenXR 1.0 Conformance Test Suite has been published as open-source under the Apache 2.0 license on GitHub for continued public development and for use by any company as they implement the OpenXR API on their platform. Any implementers, whether or not a Khronos member, are welcome to become an OpenXR Adopter and submit conformance test results for working group review and approval in order to use the OpenXR trademark and gain patent protection under the Khronos Intellectual Property Framework.

Industry Support for OpenXR 1.0 Adopter’s Program

“From the earliest days of VIVE, we’ve set out to keep the platform open for developers and their content, and we believe OpenXR’s work is important for the entire XR community. We’re committed to enabling the developer community to build the content and applications that power experiences across the spectrum of reality. This is a big step in the right direction for the XR industry,” said Dario Laverde, senior developer evangelist, HTC.

“Holochip develops AR flight training and simulation technology for the U.S. military and is incorporating XR capabilities into existing NAVAIR training environments. The OpenXR 1.0 spec will enable wide adoption of conformant OpenXR-enabled devices. The OpenXR spec paves the way for military simulation environments to benefit from the technical advances in the commercial XR market. These advances will lead to greater effectiveness and cost savings of training and improve the ability of warfighters to safely mitigate risks,” said Robert Batchko, CEO of Holochip Corporation.

About Khronos

The Khronos Group is an open, non-profit, member-driven consortium of over 150 industry-leading companies creating advanced, royalty-free, interoperability standards for 3D graphics, augmented and virtual reality, parallel programming, vision acceleration, and machine learning. Khronos activities include Vulkan®, OpenGL®, OpenGL® ES, WebGL™, SPIR-V™, OpenCL™, SYCL™, OpenVX™, NNEF™, OpenXR™, 3D Commerce™, ANARI™, OpenVG™, and glTF™. Khronos members drive the development and evolution of Khronos specifications and are able to accelerate the delivery of cutting-edge platforms and applications through early access to specification drafts and conformance tests.

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Architizer A+ Awards

Through relevant new categories, topical coverage, and pioneering jurors, the awards will celebrate industry professionals working at the forefront of today’s creative challenges. The 2020 awards will promote work that is harnessing cutting-edge approaches, materials, and technologies to create more resilient spaces and cities for generations to come.

New categories

New this year are awards that emphasize the industry’s most innovative use of materials and technologies, as well as those celebrating sustainable design and new approaches to building. These include categories for sustainable products, design hardware, and BIM technology. The jury evaluates the product categories based on aesthetics, performance, and impact.

“We are honored to be a finalist again for this prestigious award and thank Architizer for including us alongside other incredible products and companies who are helping to drive the AEC industry into the future,” said Vectorworks Vice President of Marketing Jeremy Powell. “Each year, we strive to provide enhanced and new software capabilities that simplify design workflows from sketch to BIM. In particular, Vectorworks Architect 2020 was created with an emphasis on helping architects strike a balance between practicality and creativity using data-driven insights.”

The Architizer A+ Popular Choice Award is determined by public voting. Be sure to cast your vote by July 31 on their website. Popular Choice and Jury winners will be announced on August 4.

To learn more about the nominated product, Vectorworks Architect 2020, visit vectorworks.net/architect.

About Architizer

Architizer’s core mission is to empower architects. Through its inspiring content, building-product marketplace, awards program, and vast online reach, Architizer connects architects with the tools they need to build better buildings, better cities, and a better world.

Architizer A+Awards

The Architizer A+Awards is the largest awards program focused on promoting and celebrating the year’s best architecture and products. Its mission is to nurture the appreciation of meaningful architecture in the world and champion its potential for a positive impact on everyday life. Imagine your best work in front of a global audience of 400+ million.

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Deltek A&E Report

The annual Deltek A&E Report covers a broad range of issues in the industry, including AEC technology, financial, business development, project management, and human capital management. Each of those issues is a major section in the five-section report, with quick glance statistics at the end.

Deltek’s annual A&E report covers industry stats for the most recent year and useful data for helping AECO companies improve on their overall business performance.

Here’s a brief look at some sample findings from this year’s report:

• 44% of high-performing A&E firms have a clearly defined project management process
• Only 43% of firms had succession planning processes, posing a challenge to business continuity when new leaders are placed in roles without prior development
• Career development plans were offered at only 29% of firms, impacting employee engagement, retention, and project delivery 

The Deltek A&E Report includes key financial performance information to help report readers to understand where their firm may compare among the data. Detailed income statements per employee indicate, for example, that architecture or A/E firms are currently generating income per employee substantially greater than engineering or E/A firms, with the former over $230,000 US per employee.

Importantly, for AEC industry firms not equipped with knowledge of what key performance indicators (KPIs) are for their industry, the Deltek A&E Report provides good examples with current data.

Current Economic Climate

Many architecture & engineering (A&E) firms reported most fiscal metrics were flat year-over-year, yet maintained strong financial performance. This compelled “increasing profitability” to be a top concern for financial management going into 2020, as well as the need to find and retain qualified staff.

Finding and retaining talented employees remains a challenge in the current client, with employee turnover averaging around 12.3% – 14%.

Deltek’s Solutions for AEC

While Deltek produces this annual report, the company is well known and well regarded in the AEC industry for its financial, management, and ERP software solutions for project-based industries like architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC).

Many architecture firms are familiar with Deltek’s Ajera software solution, which is designed for addressing the management of the entire project lifecycle. It functions for project accounting, project management, and business intelligence.

For larger AE firms Deltek Vantagepoint is a solution that offers more than Ajera, putting people and projects at the center of a firm’s business to maximize and increase profitability.

To get the Deltek Clarity A&E Report visit here.

To learn more about Deltek visit on them on the web.

Architosh Analysis and Commentary

This year’s Deltek Clarity A&E Report makes clear that firms are increasingly levering emerging technology trends. The top trend challenge is non-obviously cost. But completely equal to that challenge is knowing what emerging technology trends to prioritize. So 24% of all firms ranked cost as the top challenge with dealing with technology trends, but 24% ranked prioritization of emerging technologies (emTech) as the top challenge. 

AE firms everywhere can gain a lot of insight from subscribing to and reading Architosh’s free monthly newsletter focused on emTech in AECO. Our own data from our subscribers sheds light on where firms are most focused on emerging technologies.  [analysis written Anthony Frausto-Robledo]

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“The future is all-in-one,” said Phillip Miller, Vice President of Product Management at Chaos
Group. “An artist doesn’t want to jump into extra applications – they want tools that excel at
every part of the process. V-Ray 5 is a big step in that direction.”

Beyond rendering

Two of V-Ray 5’s most exciting additions – Layer Compositing and Light Mix – can be found in the new V-Ray Frame Buffer (VFB), which was also redesigned for efficiency and a cleaner look.

With Light Mix, artists can interactively explore different lighting scenarios without having to re-render an image. Users can now adjust the color and intensity of any light source right away, ensuring faster iterations when designing looks and moods.

The Layer Compositor offers a faster path to final images, helping users post-process shots in the new VFB without outside applications. Using this non-destructive workflow, artists can adjust different render elements and perform color corrections with ease.

Materials made easy

V-Ray 5 adds seven features and improvements tailored to materials, including a new management system and over 500 readymade materials designed to cover most objects and spaces. New built-in presets can help dial-in everyday options like metal, glass, and plastic, as well as common hair colors, helping artists achieve photorealism much faster.

01 – With V-Ray 5’s new randomization tools, artists can add slight variations to their materials, increasing believability across a scene.

VRayMultiSubTex colors can now be shifted by hue, saturation, and gamma, while a new VRayUVWRandomizer map will adjust the offset, rotation, and scale of both textures and procedural materials. For repeating texture maps, artists now have Stochastic Texture Tiling, which automatically removes tiling artifacts.

Other New Features in V-Ray 5 includes

• Coat Layer — Gain extra reflections on surfaces without using blend materials.
• Sheen Layer — Easily simulate fabrics like velvet, satin, and silk.
• Photoreal Materials Preview —  A new view incorporates global illumination to provide the exact representation of a rendered material.
• Dirt with Streaks — New controls for aging materials with procedural streaks have been added to the VRayDirtMtl.
• New Car Paint Material — Provides highly realistic flakes with less memory.
• New Sun and Sky System —  Improves accuracy when the sun is at the horizon, including the magic hours right before sunrise and after sunset.
• Camera EV Control — Adjust the exposure value of the V-Ray Physical Camera without affecting motion blur or depth of field.
• V-Ray GPU Updates — Initial support for out-of-core geometry allows users to break through memory constraints when necessary. Resumable progressive rendering ensures artists never have to restart from square one.

And several additional items including blue noise sampling, V-ray scene updates, ACEScg color workflows, light path expressions, filmic tonemapping, and other minor improvements.

For a full feature tour, please visit the V-Ray 5 for 3ds Max product page. Chaos Group will also
be hosting a webinar and live Q&A on June 23. The webinar is completely free and begins at 9
a.m. PST / 7 p.m. EEST. Register now.

Pricing and Availability

V-Ray 5 for 3ds Max is available now for Windows. A full Workstation license is priced at
$1,180, with upgrades available for $590. Term licensing is available at $470 (annually) and $80
(monthly). V-Ray 5 for 3ds Max is also included in V-Ray Collection, an annual plan that gives
users full access to 15 Chaos Group products and services for $699/year.

About Chaos Group

Chaos Group is a worldwide leader in computer graphics technology, helping artists and
designers create photorealistic imagery and animation for architecture, design, and visual
effects. Chaos Group’s award-winning physically-based rendering and simulation software is
used daily by top design studios, architectural firms, advertising agencies, and visual effects
companies around the globe. Today, the company's research and development in ray-traced
rendering, cloud computing, and real-time ray tracing is shaping the future of creative storytelling
and digital design. Founded in 1997, Chaos Group is privately owned with offices in Sofia, Los
Angeles, Prague, Seoul, and Tokyo. For more information, visit chaosgroup.com.

The post Chaos Group releases V-Ray 5 for 3ds Max appeared first on Architosh.

Instant access to 15 products

V-Ray Collection offers instant access to 15 products and services for $699/year, including the latest versions of V-Ray, Phoenix FD, 0, and the high-res material library, VRscans, on the same machine. Users will receive free upgrades for the life of their license, as well as 20 Chaos Cloud credits every year.

01 – Artists and designers looking for creative freedom and flexibility will get instant access to 15 Chaos products with only one license. All rights reserved.

A standard in architecture, design, and visual effects, V-Ray is the most widely used rendering solution in the world. Whether used to showcase products at IKEA or bring the Game of Thrones dragons to life, V-Ray has helped artists and designers visualize their best work for over 20 years, pushing the boundaries of imagery, animation, and real-time. In 2017, V-Ray was honored with an Academy Award for helping to facilitate the “widespread adoption of fully ray-traced rendering [in] motion pictures.”

V-Ray Collection Includes

Photorealistic Rendering

● V-Ray for 3ds Max
● V-Ray for Maya
● V-Ray for SketchUp
● V-Ray for Rhino
● V-Ray for Revit
● V-Ray for Modo
● V-Ray for Unreal

● V-Ray for Houdini
● V-Ray for Nuke
● V-Ray for Cinema 4D
● V-Ray for Blender

All-In-One Fluid Simulation

● Phoenix FD for 3ds Max
● Phoenix FD for Maya

1000+ Scanned Materials

● VRscans

Real-Time Scene Exploration

● Project Lavina

Pricing and Availability

V-Ray Collection is available now for $699/year. Licenses can be purchased directly on the product page. Unlike past licenses, V-Ray Collection will not require a separate render node for each product. Individual product licenses are still available. For students, schools, and educators, the V-Ray Education Collection is also available.

About Chaos Group

Chaos Group is a worldwide leader in computer graphics technology, helping artists and designers create photorealistic imagery and animation for architecture, design, and visual effects. Chaos Group’s award-winning physically-based rendering and simulation software is used daily by top design studios, architectural firms, advertising agencies, and visual effects companies around the globe. Today, the company's research and development in ray-traced rendering, cloud computing, and real-time ray tracing is shaping the future of creative storytelling and digital design. Founded in 1997, Chaos Group is privately owned with offices in Sofia, Los Angeles, Prague, Seoul, and Tokyo. For more information, visit chaosgroup.com.

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OpenIfcViewer

OpenIfcViewer supports all major IFC versions from 2×3 through the 4×2 Bridge candidate. It is a full-featured solution with 3D navigation controls, render modes, predefined views, fast selection, and IFC property inspection. The full IFC hierarchy tree is available. The viewer also includes sophisticated features such as scene markup, cutting planes, and clash detection.

01 – OpenIfcViewer visualizing an IFC model with cutting planes. All rights reserved.

“We developed OpenIfcViewer with two goals in mind,” said Neil Peterson, ODA President. “First, we want to provide a professional-grade visualization solution for today’s IFC users, who are mostly using IFC 2×3 and 4×0. Second, we would like to facilitate the development and adoption of new IFC versions, the IFCs of tomorrow. We already support the 4×2 IFC Bridge candidate released in 2019, and we’re currently working in cooperation with bSI to support the new IFC 4×3 infrastructure candidate, which includes Rail, Road, and other IFC extensions. IFC 4×3 is being developed by bSI in cooperation with a large group of stakeholders, including bSI members, software vendors, government agencies, and various infrastructure domain experts. These stakeholders need tools to create, visualize, and work with IFC 4×3 for testing and validation of the new standard. To support these efforts, ODA has committed to adding IFC 4×3 support to OpenIfcViewer by September of this year.”

Availability and Pricing

OpenIfcViewer is available at no cost for personal and professional use at
https://openifcviewer.com/.

About Open Design Alliance

ODA builds SDKs for people who work with complex engineering data. We offer platform-agnostic solutions for proprietary and open engineering formats, including data access, visualization, cloud development, publishing, and more. Learn more at opendesign.com.

Architosh Analysis and Commentary

Nearly 10 months ago, senior associate editor, Pete Evans was in Milan for the ODA’s DevCon ’19 conference where the Open Design Alliance announced plans for new software development kits that would transform the AEC industry. How? By democratizing key standards that facilitate open access to data. 

If the announcement that a software company that makes no products for “end-users” has suddenly announced a product for the whole of the AECO industry—and certainly this new IFC viewer is useful for stakeholder users across the AECO industry—don’t be. The ODA has four offices globally and 90 internal employees. As such, it has become one of the largest groups of software programmers in the CAD/BIM industries. The ODA has taken the IFC format bull by the horns, setting out to deliver a consistent standardized implementation of IFC that the industry can all depend on, working eventually towards an ISO standard. While this new IFC viewer is exciting, ODA said back in Milan that its Open Cloud initiative—a common data access environment—is a framework for a single-source, cloud-based project delivery tool, combining all multiple technologies supported by ODA and extending those into the cloud. 

MORE: ODA DevCon ’19—Coming Full Circle in the AEC Industry

The short of it is this: the ODA with over 1200 members is a powerful technology group with industry-wide support for solving interoperability problems that plague both AEC and manufacturing industries. The types of open, cloud-based solutions that bring synergistic benefits and force multipliers to CAD industry workflows depend highly on democratized access to data and workflows.  

[This analysis section was authored by Anthony Frausto-Robledo, AIA, LEED AP.]

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But how do you know how healthy your business is?

When left unchecked, your company may not be living up to its full potential, perhaps falling behind the competition, missing opportunities to reduce risk to people and projects, losing bids, and failing to meet operational goals. Not knowing your company’s health may put you and the people who work with you at risk.

Construction Health Check

Aside from the Experience Modification Rate (EMR), the construction industry lacks a standard set of commonly used and accepted benchmarks, more commonly known as key performance indicators (KPIs). To help you get a sense of where your team stands, Autodesk created the Construction Health Check, a free 15-minute assessment measuring your current processes that may help reduce risk, avoid downstream problems and improve quality. After completing four easy steps, you will receive a personalized report that shows how your team stacks up against others in the industry, along with ideas on how to improve the way you and your company collect and analyze project information.

01 – This tool is designed to get a conversation started among teams within an organization. All rights reserved.

This tool is designed to get a conversation started among your team and across your organization. The survey invites the perspectives of all construction professionals: those in the field, the trailer, and the office. This means you’ll get a high-level understanding of how your projects perform, but the final prescription for success will come from within your organization.

Explore the infographic: The KPIs of Construction

Responses are measured against the results from the Autodesk and Dodge Data & Analytics study on the KPIs of Construction. The study examined how contractors and trade professionals currently operate around some common project processes. Our report found that 50% of contractors do not consistently capture and review project data. The study also revealed seven KPIs for construction that most companies agree are useful for interpreting overall performance. The findings suggest that by adopting specific workflows for project management, contracting firms and trades professionals can reduce risk and minimize downstream problems, improving performance.

02 – This interactive tool uses these seven categories of project activity to look at key workflows while identifying blind spots and establishing processes that can help improve the way you record and use information. All rights reserved.

These practices have been found to have the greatest impact on improving workflows when tracked and measured, and the Construction Health Check is an easy way to understand the health of your business while highlighting opportunities for growth and continuous improvement.

You can get started on your company’s digital health in a few minutes by clicking here.

The post Free Health Checks Gives Contractors a New Reason to Measure Their “Digital Health” appeared first on Architosh.

DIN SPEC 15800

“With this latest accomplishment of DIN SPEC 15800, GDTF will continue its growth and see even greater success now that it is recognized as a standard way of communicating controllable characteristics of lighting fixtures,” said Vectorworks CEO Dr. Biplab Sarkar. “GDTF has covered a lot of ground in the two short years since inception. We already have 35 manufacturers signed on to support the open standard and are grateful for their contributions to help build a solid basis for a standardized format that will advance the industry in new ways. I look forward to seeing more manufacturers, as well as more entertainment professionals contributing to the wide-spread availability of GDTF files and benefiting from it in their workflows.”

DIN, the German Institute for Standardization, is the independent platform for standardization in Germany and worldwide. A DIN SPEC, is a document that specifies requirements for products, services and/or processes, and it’s a trusted strategic instrument for quickly and easily establishing and disseminating innovative solutions on the market. DIN’s job is to ensure that a DIN SPEC does not conflict with any existing standards or rules of procedure.

GDTF will be the new standard

Now, GDTF will be a standard for describing the hierarchical and logical structure and controls of any type of controllable device in the lighting and entertainment industry. GDTF will be used as a foundation for the exchange of device data between lighting consoles, as well as CAD and 3D pre-visualization applications. The purpose of an existing GDTF file is to reflect the real-world physical components of the devices and to provide control based on this information. A GDTF file contains and is derived from the device’s real-world geometry, attributes, and abilities.

01 – GDTF was created for the purposes of a unified definition for the exchange of data for the operation of intelligent luminaires. This unified standard provides a consistent and dependable way to adapt new fixtures and devices in the lighting industry. All rights reserved.

“At Robe we are thrilled by all the new development around GDTF because there are now great possibilities for providing detailed specifications of our moving head fixtures in a format not specific to a particular console manufacturer, but defined by a standard format – the new DIN SPEC 15800,” said Josef Valchar, CEO of Robe lighting. “This format covers DMX desk related use-cases and also includes data for visualization purposes, dedicated portions for media servers and for event planning workflows. With DIN SPEC 15800 and the GDTF Builder to create the files online, there is absolutely no reason to remain locked to old, manufacturer-specific proprietary formats but rather use open standard fixture definition files.”

 “The recognition by DIN that GDTF offers value to manufacturers and practitioners in the live production and events industry is a monumental moment in the maturity of the GDTF file format,” said Gerhard Krude, managing director of MA Lighting Technology. “This signifies that the industry is ready to embrace the benefits of using it to standardize the definitions of real-world controllable objects, which is just the start for GDTF. Looking ahead, future revisions to the DIN SPEC 15800 will extend the GDTF to all parts of the industry including media servers, rigging systems, laser systems, and much more.”

“DIN SPEC 15800 is a good example of what DIN wants to achieve with DIN SPECs: support those who improve the status-quo with an innovative idea,” said Michael Bahr, project manager at DIN. “GDTF can be one of those ideas for the entertainment industry. I’m happy that we could support this project and develop a standard with the GDTF group. In a short period of time, we were able to develop the document which will build trust in the GDTF format. DIN SPEC 15800 will make the GDTF format available and usable to everyone. That’s what DIN SPEC is made for: ‘Today’s idea. Tomorrow’s standard.’”

To learn more, visit gdtf-share.com or watch the on-demand webinar.

About Vectorworks, Inc.

Vectorworks, Inc. is an award-winning design and BIM software provider serving the architecture, landscape architecture, and entertainment industries in 85 countries. Creating intuitive software since 1985, we’ve become the preeminent software built to manage the entire design process. Globally more than 685,000 users are creating, connecting, and influencing the next generation of design with Vectorworks on Mac and Windows. Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, with offices in Atlanta, Georgia, Newbury and London, England and, Vancouver, Canada, Vectorworks is a part of the Nemetschek Group. Learn how we empower designers to create experiences that transform the world at vectorworks.net or follow @Vectorworks.

About MA Lighting

MA Lighting International as master distributor is responsible for worldwide sales and marketing of the professional lighting control solutions of MA Lighting Technology. The current product range offers the grandMA3 series and the MA Network Switch. In the past, MA has become well known for its grandMA2, grandMA, and dot2 series.

Today, MA Lighting is respected for its technical knowledge and has achieved a unique international reputation for its operational philosophy. The company offers several decades of experience and strictly follows a professional user-centric approach, getting as close as possible to the market via its own international offices and support centers in the UK, North America, Latin America, the Middle East/India, Asia Pacific, and Scandinavia/Eastern Europe/Russia – supported by a worldwide distribution and service network.

About Robe Lighting

Robe is among the world’s leading moving light manufacturers, recognized for its innovation, quality engineering, and dedication to the very highest production values. The company is based in the Czech Republic and all processes involved in making the luminaires are undertaken locally in 75,000 square meter premises. Currently, Robe employs over 850 skilled staff worldwide.

Robe has wholly-owned subsidiaries in six key markets – the U.S., U.K., Middle East, Singapore (Asia Pacific), France, and Germany – and a highly proactive and talented regional sales management team that helps oversee and co-ordinate the worldwide distribution network covering over 100 countries.

Robe’s moving and LED lights can be found everywhere. They are installing on stages and in concert halls, in theatres and all types of other venues; they are lighting all genres of performances from music to TV to drama and opera; appearing on a myriad of diverse events, including theme park attractions and entering the specialist world of architectural and environmental illumination.

Robe is also known for being accessible, forward-thinking, and understanding the importance of people and personal communication in sustaining a successful enterprise. The excellent communication with those investing in and using its dynamic range of products is at the core of future research and development.

The company is very proud of its independence and private ownership. This ensures the business remains agile, efficient, decisive and focused on producing genuinely creative tools for an imaginative and exciting industry that constantly pushes the boundaries.

The post Vectorworks, Inc., MA Lighting and Robe lighting Announce DIN SPEC 15800 Recognition for GDTF appeared first on Architosh.

Highlights include

Live Judging: “Year in Infrastructure 2020” Awards finalists’ Presentations October 5-16

The “Year in Infrastructure Awards” finalists, chosen by independent juries of industry experts, present their projects to the judges beginning October 5. This is your chance to hear from the people behind the most extraordinary infrastructure projects of the year as they tell the story of how they leveraged digital advancements to achieve unprecedented outcomes.

“Year in Infrastructure 2020” Executive Perspectives October 20-21

Greg Bentley, CEO of Bentley Systems, will be joined by leading infrastructure executives for an interactive discussion on the resilience challenges they face and how to meet those challenges through digital advancement.

The Year in Infrastructure 2020 Conference is going digital.

Keith Bentley, founder, and chief technology officer will discuss Bentley’s open strategy for digital twins. Keith will be joined by other leading industry visionaries who have deployed digital twins successfully for project delivery or asset performance.

Twin Talks Premier October 20

Infrastructure digital twins will be front and center at this year’s event. Join leading industry figures as they moderate six sector-specific TwinTalks, exploring the implications of digital twins for Digital Cities, Design and Construction, Digital Plants, Energy Utilities, Rail and Transit, and Roads and Bridges. Listen to interactive panel discussions with leading industry and business leaders and discover the fascinating opportunities that digital twins introduce for each of these critical infrastructure sectors. The initial October 20 TwinTalks are each part of a three-part series, with the second and third installments of the TwinTalks’ series scheduled through mid-November.

“Year in Infrastructure 2020” Awards Ceremony October 21

After months of jury deliberations, the winners of the Year in Infrastructure 2020 Awards will be announced in our live global broadcast. Don’t miss what has been called the “Academy Awards of Infrastructure.”

ACCELERATE Sessions starting October 27 

Join Bentley product executives Dustin Parkman (Project Delivery), Robert Mankowski (Digital Cities), Ken Adamson (Design Integration), and Alan Kiraly (Asset and Network Performance) as they and their leadership teams review the latest advancements in Bentley applications and cloud services. These sessions will kick-off a multi-track program of more than 100 ACCELERATE sessions that will continue into November. ACCELERATE will feature Bentley and user experts in panel discussions and interactive demonstrations on the latest product advances, innovations, and best practice digital workflows.

Register for updates at https://yii.bentley.com/en

About Bentley Systems

Bentley Systems is a leading global provider of software solutions to engineers, architects, geospatial professionals, constructors, and owner-operators for the design, construction, and operations of infrastructure. Bentley’s MicroStation-based engineering and BIM applications, and its digital twin cloud services, advance the project delivery (ProjectWise) and the asset performance (AssetWise) of transportation and other public works, utilities, industrial and resources plants, and commercial and institutional facilities.

Bentley Systems employs more than 3,500 colleagues and generates annual revenues of more than $700 million in 172 countries. From its inception in 1984, the company has remained majority-owned by its five founding Bentley brothers. www.bentley.com.

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Modeled after Maxon’s NAB Show

Following the success of Maxon’s NAB digital experience, the company will host a robust calendar of online streaming events to coincide with the timing of Siggraph, IBC, NAB Show NY, HOW, and Adobe Max — shows that are now canceled as in-person events. Each virtual trade show or event will be modeled after Maxon’s NAB Show online event, which featured four full days of exciting presentations that streamed live the same week the major industry conference would have taken place prior to its cancellation amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

01 – Enjoy the latest demo reel, filled with amazing 3D animation, created by Cinema 4D artists from around the world. All rights reserved.

Maxon will be hosting this series of events as “The 3D and Motion Design Show.” It will feature the world’s top motion graphics and VFX artists showcasing professional 3D techniques and real-world production workflows using Cinema 4D, Redshift, and the Red Giant suite of products. Presentations from each event will be streamed live and available online shortly after airing on 3DMotionShow.com as well as the Maxon YouTube channel.

“The 3D and Motion Design Show” kicks-off on June 18th, at 8:00 a.m. (PDT). Interested viewers can sign up now to receive updates and for early access on 3DMotionShow.com.

Presenter highlights

• Anthony Abbott, Senior Creative of San Francisco-based motion design studio Swordfish, will discuss the creation of the company’s short film, Talos, which was produced during studio downtime and completed while the creative team was sheltering in place during Covid-19. Anthony will share techniques used in Cinema 4D, Redshift, and Red Giant Looks to create the film’s mesmerizing 3D visual effects.

• Alan Towndrow, Rigger and Animator for Bomper Studio, a leading creative production studio in Wales, will share how they relied on the character animation toolset in Cinema 4D to create its recent hilarious animated short, Coffee Run. Alan will also share the details of their contest for aspiring animators called #MovingColin, with prizes that include a Cinema 4D subscription and a Bomper Studio internship.

• Ryan Talbot, a Dallas-based freelance 3D animation and VFX artist for broadcast, commercials, mixed reality, and more will be sharing an exciting new personal project created with Cinema 4D and Redshift.

Maxon Event Calendar

The Maxon virtual event calendar for June through December 2020 includes:

• The 3D and Motion Design Show: June 18

• The 3D and Motion Design Show for Siggraph: July 21-23

• The 3D and Motion Design Show: August 12

• The 3D and Motion Design Show: August 26

• The 3D and Motion Design Show for IBC: September 11-14

• The 3D and Motion Design Show for AdobeMax/NAB NY/HOW: Oct 26-28

• The 3D and Motion Design Show: November 18

• The 3D and Motion Design Show: December 9

All events will be streamed live on 3DMotionShow.com (formerly C4DLive.com).

About Maxon

Maxon is a developer of professional 3D modeling, painting, animation and rendering solutions. In January, Maxon and Red Giant closed a merger of the two companies. The combined company’s award-winning Cinema 4D, Redshift 3D, and Red Giant products have been used extensively to help create and render everything from stunning visual effects in top feature films, TV shows and commercials, cutting-edge game cinematics for AAA games, as well as for medical illustration, architectural and industrial design applications. Maxon products are available directly from the website and its worldwide distribution network. Maxon is part of the Nemetschek Group.

The post Maxon Announces 2020 Virtual Events Calendar appeared first on Architosh.

Remote collaboration

In response to COVID-19, distributed working has intensified the need for teams to share information and collaborate remotely, leading 1.2 million users to join Trimble Connect in March and April alone. To date, Trimble Connect has hosted more than 80,000 design and construction projects, making it possible for people to collaborate and work together from anywhere in the world.

Trimble Connect AECO collaboration platform reaches 10 million user milestone. (Image: Trimble / Architosh. All rights reserved)

Trimble Connect is an open collaboration platform for design and construction that connects project stakeholders with the data, the need to inform decisions and improve team efficiency. Project stakeholders can share, review, coordinate, and comment on data-rich constructible models, schedules, and critical project information in real-time – reducing miscommunication and improving coordination to keep projects on time and on budget.

Increased Activity on Trimble Connect

During this pandemic, Trimble Connect has seen a considerable increase in use, enabling AECO stakeholders to collaborate and stay active during times of mandated shutdowns and remoteness. The number of invitations to collaborate increased 58 percent in April over the previous month, indicating that users are adjusting to new remote work mandates and maintaining operations and demonstrating agility and resilience.

“This is an exciting milestone for Trimble Connect,” said Ray Bagley, business area director for Trimble Connect. “Businesses in the AEC industry need an open, common data environment that allows project stakeholders to unlock the real value of building information modeling (BIM), civil construction, and geospatial data. The increased adoption of Trimble Connect in recent months shows us that businesses need reliable, open collaboration more than ever before.”

Trimble Connect’s API

Trimble Connect features an open API that facilitates data-flow to and from a variety of applications and enterprise solutions. Users can customize workflows as needed; they can access project files stored on Trimble Connect directly through a wide range of solutions, including Tekla Structures, Trimble SketchUp, Trimble ProjectSight, Trimble Access field software, and Trimble FieldLink layout software.

Availability

Trimble Connect is available online in a range of flexible plans, including the Personal (free), Business, and Business Premium for enterprise deployments. For more information, visit: connect.trimble.com

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