C4D on iPad

Naturally built for the iPad’s touch user interface, Cinema 4D for iPad delivers core 3D modeling and design capabilities in a streamlined, mobile-first interface.

Key Takeaways

• Cinema 4D for iPad will enable creatives to take their 3D and animation skills on the go, whenever inspiration strikes
• Cinema 4D for iPad is designed to complement the desktop versions and will be a mobile, touch-centric version with its own capabilities and functions
• Cinema 4D for iPad is due in late 2026

Moreover, the iPad version of Cinema 4D is meant to complement the classic desktop version of Cinema 4D, so artists can explore ideas on the go, when traveling, or whenever they have a creative moment, and bring that work back into the desktop version.

Maxon is slated to release Cinema 4D for iPad, a touch-optimized version of the award-winning 3D content creation software.

Now the iPad version of Cinema 4D will be tailored for mobile workflows and will not be a carbon copy of the desktop versions of the application. It will also support cross-platform workflows, dovetailing with both Mac and Windows versions of Cinema 4D.

Additionally, Cinema 4D for iPad will support Redshift rendering capabilities, and Sculpts from ZBrush for iPad will also open directly on Cinema 4D for iPad.

Availability

Maxon has only said the release and availability are late 2026. Readers interested can join the official beta program here.

The post Cinema 4D Comes to iPad appeared first on Architosh.

Morpholio Acquired

The award-winning Morpholio Trace came to the AEC market after the iPad became a hit new device for AEC professionals. Over the years, other tools emerged, including Morpholio Board and Morpholio Journal—all apps for Apple’s popular iPad and iPhone. The iPad is the dominant marketshare leader for tablet computers in the United States’ construction industry.

The news means architects, interior designers, and other creative professionals can extend the design-centric workflows of both companies’ solutions from the earliest ideation and sketching all the way through complex and sophisticated Open BIM workflows with documentation and delivery.

Morpholio is now part of Vectorworks Inc, after a strategic acquisition by the Nemetschek Group’s daughter company.

“We are thrilled to welcome Morpholio to the Vectorworks portfolio,” said Vectorworks CEO Jason Pletcher. “Morpholio shares our belief that software should enhance designers’ creativity, not hinder it. By combining Vectorworks’ CAD and BIM platform with Morpholio’s expertise in mobile sketching and presentation, we are strengthening our foundation and expanding what our tools can do together, so customers gain even more freedom, confidence, and creative control in their workflows.”

Joining Forces

The founders and team members of Morpholio, who are architects and designers with a strong passion for design and quality, will now join the Vectorworks team. With Vectorworks’ global resources, scale, and commitment to innovation, the Morpholio apps will now advance even more rapidly than before, serving both the needs of existing Morpholio customers and the strategic goals of the Vectorworks platform.

“This partnership allows us to put the best of mobile together with the best of desktop and create opportunities for designers to bring the unique magic of drawing to more parts of their process,” said Morpholio Co-Founder Mark Collins. “In the years ahead, we see an opportunity to support a richer design experience where sketches, markups, BIM, and AI work seamlessly together. That’s how we unlock new creative superpowers without losing the soul of design.”

The two companies see building on existing AI technologies in Vectorworks and leveraging that to bring additional AI-ready features to Morpholio Trace via sketching, moodboarding, and presentations.

The Power of Morpholio

Morpholio Trace is widely regarded as an all-in-one drawing and design app for architects and designers, offering “scale-aware” sketching, layers, markup, and presentation-ready imagery that pair naturally with Vectorworks models and drawings. The acquisition actually formalizes an existing relationship between the two companies, including work to advance connectivity between Morpholio apps and Vectorworks Cloud Services.

Morpholio Boards serves interior designers and stylists with powerful moodboarding, product curation, and presentation tools. Interior designers use it to deliver polished deliverables to their clients.

Morpholio Journal provides a flexible digital notebook and sketchbook, giving architects and designers a place to capture ideas, notes, and visuals.

“Over the past decade, the iPad and Apple Pencil have sparked a creative renaissance for architects and designers,” said Morpholio Co-Founder Anna Kenoff. “Morpholio was founded with the vision to help define that era. While that has been an incredible beginning, we’re now ready to lead the design industry into its next creative technology revolution.”

Going Forward

For existing Morpholio users, day-to-day use of the apps remains unchanged, and customers can continue to subscribe to Morpholio Trace, Board, and Journal through the Apple App Store. Vectorworks also plans to introduce new offerings designed for larger offices collaborating across devices in Morpholio Trace and Board in the future.

“As part of the Nemetschek Group, Vectorworks’ acquisition of Morpholio is an important step in our strategy to deliver intelligent, connected, open solutions for customers across AEC brands,” said Sunil Pandita, Chief Division Officer Planning & Design, and CEO of Allplan. “Over time, we see a strong potential to expand Morpholio’s mobile sketching and presentation capabilities available to designers working in a multitude of Nemetschek applications, so more of our customers can benefit from cognitive, richer, and cohesive workflows from concept through construction.”

“I believe strongly that joining forces is not an additive operation—it’s a multiplier,” said Morpholio Co-Founder Toru Hasegawa. “Vectorworks and Morpholio coming together is not simply a sum of capabilities, but the start of a multidimensional expansion of initiatives, reach, and long-term value.”

To learn more about Morpholio, go here or here for more on Vectorworks.

Architosh Analysis and Commentary

Morpholio was founded in 2011, a year after Steve Jobs first unveiled the iPad on 27 January 2010. At that time, Architosh did a series of features focused on the revolutionary iPad because we instantly saw its potential for field work in AEC, including bringing construction drawings onto the job site as well as sketching and more. Morpholio’s founders, Mark Collins, Anna Kenoff, and Toru Hasegawa, were architects and clearly saw the same potential and more. Based in New York City (by the way, one of the strongest architectural markets for Vectorworks), Morpholio Trace was quickly recognized within the industry. We first wrote about it in 2013, including it on a list of drawing apps for the iPad. 

Winning multiple awards and honors, and being featured in the New York Times, Fast Company, TechCrunch, and Architectural Digest, among other publications, Morpholio Trace has evolved tremendously over the past decade and a half. Looking forward to the era of artificial intelligence, what is exciting about this pairing is that AI visualization tools are getting much better at staying closer to what architects are actually trying to envision, and are able to be fed hand sketches and stay quite close to the design intent in those hand sketches. 

But where were those sketches taking place? 

By and large, tools like Chaos’s Veras 4.0, which we just wrote about, and numerous other AI-powered visualization tools, including Vectorworks’s own AI Visualizer, can leverage hand sketches, but much sketching, if not the vast majority, takes place on actual trace paper. Morpholio Trace was always meant to be the digital equivalent of a roll of tracing paper. You can already sketch over 3D models (that can come into Morpholio Trace) for your 3d sketching, but now we can imagine the Nemetschek Group’s AI Visualizer rendering technology going to Morpholio Trace so that architects can deliver client-facing workflows that go from sketching to photo-realistic AI-powered visuals and animations. Moreover, its moodboards content can feed the AI engine. 

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Now architects, engineers, and construction professionals can create, edit, and collaborate on SketchUp models from anywhere at any time.

SketchUp for iPad Beta

Trimble previously had an iOS viewer app for SketchUp but that product was limited and ultimately far less useful for professionals who want to actually create models on a mobile device like a tablet. Now with the latest beta version, users can create 3D models on a range of iPad products from the iPad, iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad Pro—using the Apple Pencil, a mouse, a keyboard, and multitouch gestures.

Trimble launches SketchUp for iPad Beta. The new software allows users to create, edit and collaborate on 3D models from the iPad lineup.

The app leverages 5G technology on devices to communicate with Trimble Connect™—a widely used collaboration platform or CDE (common data environment)—that would enable pros in the field to communicate with peers at the office or remote work at home in real-time. This would enable users also to move freely from SketchUp for iPad, Web, and the desktop.

“With the features, we’ve developed specifically for Apple Pencil, we’re able to digitally emulate the paper and pencil sketching paradigm and provide a unique and compelling 3D modeling experience on iPad devices,” said Christopher Cronin, vice president, and general manager at Trimble SketchUp. “The ability to create new designs and conceptual ideas whenever inspiration strikes and review and update SketchUp models on the go, whether on the job site, in a coffee shop, or while meeting with clients, is something our professional users are requesting. We’re excited to deliver a solution that fits how SketchUp users want to work today and into the future.”

Unique Features

SketchUp for iPad introduces some unique features such as Autoshape, Markup Mode, and AR model viewing. These features leverage the unique capabilities of iPad devices and their supported accessories.

Early access to SketchUp for iPad is open to a limited number of users and granted on a first-come, first-serve basis. To sign up, visit https://www.sketchup.com/products/sketchup-for-ipad. Those who are selected to participate will be notified via email and provided with detailed instructions on how to access the SketchUp for iPad beta.

Architosh Analysis and Commentary

Architosh was an early invite to SketchUp for iPad and we are enthusiastic about this development from Trimble. Other software companies, but most notably Budapest-based Shapr3D—a company we highlighted in our fourth annual INSIDER Reports issue—have clearly demonstrated the potential of robust 3D modeling on a tablet device using input tools such as Apple Pencil or an attached keyboard. On the latter, as Apple pushes the frontiers of CPU power with the M1 chip in the iPad Pro line, these machines are meant to function like touch-screen laptops and possess exactly the same CPU/GPU power as Apple’s laptop computers. 

MORE: Rising Stars — Five Tech Firms and their Impact and Innovations

We see this trend moving forward for other CAD and 3D apps as well as user-interface techniques continue to advance for the multitouch gesture and Apple Pencil input, it is more than possible to model on a touch-based device, there are actually benefits in some cases depending on the tool and situation. 

With mobility more important than ever, due in part to the global pandemic, Trimble’s timing with SketchUp for iPad is spot on. 

The post Trimble Announces Beta Launch of SketchUp for iPad appeared first on Architosh.

New AR-Toolkit App

The new Moves by Maxon app is available for free in the Apple App Store. It follows on the success of the Cineversity facial capture app, CV-AR, which is still available on the Apple App Store.  However, designers who want full-body motion capture are now able to use Moves by Maxon, an application that combines both technologies.

Moves by Maxon capitalizes on the emerging technology of Apple’s AR-Toolkit, which enables users to capture facial motion and whole-body movement; enabling artists to bring motion sequences into Cinema 4D with limited technical effort.

Moves by Maxon is a new free facial and whole-body AR capture application that works on your iOS devices.

Moves by Maxon is immediately available from the Apple App Store and is compatible with iPhone® XR, iPhone® XS, iPhone® XS Plus, iPhone® 11, iPhone® 11 Pro, iPad Pro® (3rd Generation).

A separate plugin is required to transfer the captured data from your Apple device to Cinema 4D and can be downloaded for free from the Cineversity website. This plugin is only compatible with the latest version of Cinema 4D – Release 2, or later. Cineversity also provides an overview video, installation instructions and basic instructions of use tutorials.

Find out more about Cinema 4D system requirements here.

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Eight years and 18 million downloads later, Magicplan 8 combines the power of augmented reality (AR) through ARKit with artificial intelligence (AI), utilizing Apple’s Core ML framework, to now enable users to scan rooms in 3D.

ARKit + Apple Core ML

Apple’s two operating system technologies tackle the chore of empowering apps to provide both the AR and machine learning AI in Magicplan 8. Once a room is scanned with an iPhone or iPad using Magicplan 8, the app automatically detects and captures windows and doors—adding these dimensions to the digital floor plan. Mapping of three-dimensional spaces is now placed into the hands of every iOS user worldwide.

From Vision to Realization

The Magicplan team pursued one goal right from the very beginning, says the company, to allow the automatic planning and realization of projects around the house by capturing data from existing built space.

01 – Magicplan 8 adds AI to AR using Apple’s powerful technology to provide unique mobile device offering for automatic creation of 3D floor plans from scanned environments.

Since Magicplan 1.0, mobile devices could be utilized for the creation of digital, 2D floor plans and data capturing with AR. Magicplan 8 now introduces the third-dimension to take Magicplan into the world of 3D capture.

Using AI to Scan Rooms

Magicplan 8 captures a floor’s shape and size as well as the ceiling height. It utilizes real-time image recognition and processing through AI (artificial intelligence) using Apple’s Core ML combined with the iPhone or iPad’s powerful cameras to automatically recognize elements and sizes of walls, doors, windows during the floor plan creation process. Apple Core ML is a machine learning library built into their operating systems.

02 – A screenshot of Magicplan 8 and its UI overlaid on the iPad or iPhone’s camera scene.

While there are many systems for mobile devices to help users capture floor plans and spaces, Magicplan 8 involves no post-processing workflow, which streamlines the core activities which are useful in AEC fields and related fields like real estate.

Future Plans

3D room scanning and automatic capture of windows and doors is just the beginning, says Magicplan, which has offices in Germany, Canada, France, and Singapore. The company plans to advance this offering in the near future so that AR + AI can capture all details of a room including furniture and equipment, all in 3D. All the data in a room will be recorded, recognized and systematically utilize the power of AI.

Pricing and Plans

Magicplan 8 offers multiple use plans, from $2.99 per plan to standard and business monthly rate subscriptions per user starting at $8.33 to enterprise plans with special per case pricing.

To learn more visit them here.

To see the app in action watch the video below.

Architosh Analysis and Commentary

Magicplan 8 utilizes Apple’s ARKit technology which taps the power of the iPad and iPhone’s powerful cameras. Interested readers should be aware of which iOS device supports this app. One key item that users have noted is that the app measures the rooms (see picture above) using the lower corners of the room at the floor level and apparently some readers feel that the ceiling corners should be allowable to use to scan rooms as well. This would help in cases where furniture is in the way of room corners at the floor. 

That particular concern is more applicable to survey work of existing furnished spaces. Architects evaluating existing buildings for renovation are often inside buildings without any occupant, and thus no furniture. But that is not always the case. The point above is valid. Readers should also be aware that these types of scanning and mobile survey apps are often challenging to learn at first. That is because the workflow is so different than other types of computerized functions we deal with. In reviews online, there are always many complaints that upon closer inspection are invalid because the user isn’t using the software correctly. These apps take a bit longer to master but once you have they are very productivity boosting tools. 

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BIMx Presenter

First available on iOS and then Android, BIMx has led the AEC industry in cutting-edge mobility solutions. The new Presenter feature allows architects and clients to experience building designs in a more immersive and structured way.

BIMx Hyper-models include both 3D building views and 2D documentation sets—cleverly linked together—while also providing an intuitive, game-like viewing experience on tablets and smartphones. BIMx Presenter allows architects to hand-pick 3D views or 2D drawings and organize them into an animated presentation, all running on BIMx Presenter on their smartphone or tablet.

01 – BIMx Presenter is a major upgrade set of new features for the award-winning BIMx PRO mobile app for iOS and Android.

A BIMx Presentation can include views previously created with ARCHICAD and saved in the Gallery; they can be defined directly on the mobile device in the Favorites tab. Such views can be 3D model views, floor plans, and sections, as well as detail drawings, interior elevations, and construction details on layouts.

“Our intention was to develop a presentation tool that guides the audience through the building design concept in a dynamic and fascinating way. By combining live BIM models and traditional drawings, BIMx enables architects to tell their design story in a way that leaves a more lasting impression than with any other presentation software,” said Gyuri Nyitrai, BIMx Product Manager, GRAPHISOFT.

The Ultimate PowerPoint Substitute

BIMx Presenter is meant for presentations and can go beyond the one-on-one discussion. Any tablet or smartphone connected to a TV screen or project can turn BIMx Presenter into ultimate PowerPoint substitute. The user can also switch to “loop automatically” to run the presentation in the background during meetings, exhibitions, and conferences.

BIMx is available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play. The BIMx Presenter feature is available for BIMx PRO license holders or by connecting through BIMcloud. To learn more visit the BIMx product website or watch the short video below.

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The AR Experience for Vectorworks Users

Nomad was already a 3D modeling viewing app for the Vectorworks user-base, letting users orbit around a model or experience a 3D model in walk-through mode. With the new update, users can view Vectorworks models at their actual size and in context with the real world. This helps architects, for example, make decisions before they are built.

01 – Vectorworks Nomad now has Apple ARKit support for experiencing AR models in actual environments to scale. (see video below)

A few of the key benefits for users in architecture, landscape architecture and entertainment industries include:

• Ease of use — simply load a 3D Vectorworks model to Cloud Services and select “View in AR” from the Nomad app
• Effortless manipulation — use standard gestures for zooming in and out, move with an iOS device to experience a model in the current reality

Vectorworks users are already embracing the new AR technology. “As a must-have companion to Vectorworks, Nomad with AR represents a defining moment in working interactively with models,” said Brian Goodridge, principal at Thor Studios. “It’s a powerful tool when designing kitchens and custom cabinetry because AR allows me to project my Vectorworks models into real-world spaces. Clients are now able to view and interact with my new kitchen designs inside their home before the cabinets are ever built.”

The new Nomad AR mode works with Apple’s new iOS 11 operating system and devices that support the ARKit. Users must have one of these iOS devices to be able to run the AR viewer:

• iPhone 6s and 6s Plus
• iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
• iPhone SE
• iPad Pro generations 1 – 2 (9.7, 10.5, 12.9)
• iPad 2017
• iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
• iPhone X

“The Research and Mobile teams have been demonstrating prototypes of this technology in various forms internally and at public events, learning about the technology and gathering feedback,” said Alex Nicol, mobile team manager at Vectorworks. “This is the first iteration of AR for Vectorworks, and we won’t stop here. As users begin adopting the new technology, we’ll continue making enhancements based on their feedback.”

To learn more about the new AR functionality in the Nomad app, watch this video. Download the free Nomad app from iTunes. To learn more about Vectorworks go here: http://www.vectorworks.net

Architosh Analysis and Commentary

Vectorworks, Inc., has released the new ARKit based augmented reality software for Nomad, its mobile app for connecting to the cloud and bringing design data to the field. This iOS-first based strategy largely makes sense given the dominance of Apple’s tablet in the AEC market in the United States and other countries. But there are other reasons that can explain the iOS first strategy.  

• Google’s answer to Apple’s ARKit was late and has been considered underwhelming. An article on BGR it was noted that when the Android OS maker rolled out ARCore, its answer to Apple ARKit, it needed to target specific Android devices—and there are so many types—and they must be running Android 7 Nougat or above.

• Google actually led Apple with AR development at one time, using its Tango development platform, something Architosh got to see and touch years ago at an AIA conference. The problem was finding Tango-capable hardware. Another interesting point about Tango was that at the time Tango devices contained PrimSense’s Capri PS1200 SoC (silicon on chip) technology. Apple eventually acquired PrimeSense, a company based out of Israel. PrimeSense engineering is no doubt inside iOS devices today. Back to Google devices, the problem with the platform is that its openness equals “fragmentation,” and this is something that has hurt the platform for professional and business app development in particular.

• There are many possibilities for ARKit in the AEC industry. We hope one of those future ones is like what Tango was promising and already demonstrating a few years ago, which was synchronized 3D BIM models to actual environments so that the AR image could display 3D BIM components behind walls and behind ceilings. Such a feature is incredibly useful for FM (facilities management). At the time, John Bacus of Trimble referred to such a feature as Superman vision. 

You can see the Vectorworks Nomad app in ARKit action here:

The post Vectorworks, Inc. Brings Apple’s ARKit to CAD/BIM Designers—Lastest Nomad App appeared first on Architosh.

The announcement comes after securing a seed round of funding led by InReach Ventures in August of 2017.

Bringing Big CAD Power to iPad Pro

István Csanady, Founder, and CEO of Shapr3D says, “The barrier to entry with CAD software is high in the case of traditional CAD tools that are complicated and expensive. We want to make 3D CAD modeling available for creative professionals, and now, all you need is an iPad Pro, an Apple Pencil, and some inspiration.

01 – Shapr3D for the iPad Pro has impressive capabilities. Be sure to watch the video below.

The new Shapr3D, now available, integrates the Siemens Parasolid modeling engine and HOOPS Exchange to allow solid modeling and data translation locally within the app. Csanady says this takes mobile CAD to a new level of experience unmatched by any other CAD tool.

“After years of research, we found that touch screens are not optimal for precise engineering. Detailed 3D CAD design on tablets only became a reality after Apple released the iPad Pro line in early 2016, which uses a pressure sensitive, active stylus. The key to success was to integrate the Apple Pencil’s pixel‑perfect precision and the touch-based user interface. We were the first company to do this successfully,” added Csanady.

Big Power in Siemens Parasolid and HOOPS Exchange

HOOPS Exchange is the leading CAD translation software development kit (SDK), and Siemens Parasolid is the world’s leading 3D geometric modeling kernel (software engine). We have written extensively about the Parasolid modeling engine here on Architosh before.

By integrating this industry-leading technology combination,  Shapr3D is offering the market the power of desktop modeling on a tablet in the iPad Pro.

“Finding a way to do professional-grade 3D modeling natively on a mobile app has been the something that so many in the industry have been striving for,” said Gavin Bridgeman, CTO at Tech Soft 3D. “The team at Shapr3D has taken mobile 3D CAD modeling to a new level, and the feedback we’ve seen from users so far is indicative of just how powerful this new app will be. We are thrilled to be a part of this pioneering journey to bring industrial 3D modeling and data conversion to mobile devices—a move that will have a lasting impact on the engineering world.”  

“Siemens PLM Software has a proven track record of making Parasolid openly available to other software vendors so that designers and engineers working in different domains can design, edit and share Parasolid models, regardless of their choice of application,” said Jim Rusk, CTO, Siemens PLM Software. “Working closely with Shapr3D accelerated our release of Parasolid on iOS, which has enabled us for the first time, to make Parasolid available to users and developers of apps for the iPad Pro.”

The Background by Shapr3D

Shapr3D is a direct modeling tool with an intuitive 3D modeling user interface and broad CAD software compatibility for a tablet device. Easy to learn and use, it is built for the professional market. Fundamental differences between it and similar tools are that everything runs locally on the iPad Pro. There is no pushing files or rendering jobs up to the cloud, and it runs offline without an Internet connection. There is no cloud storage with Shapr3D; all data is stored and secured on your iPad Pro.

“While most of our users have been professionals such as product designers, engineers, architects, jewelry designers and 3D printing hobbyists, we also have users from MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Berkeley, Duke, Columbia, Cambridge, University of Tokyo, Singapore Polytechnic and many other schools worldwide,” added Csanady. “We see this as an opportunity to empower as many students as possible, all over the world, to fuel their creativity and design aspirations. To help them, we are offering the Educational license for free.”

Availability and Pricing

Shapr3D is made exclusively for the iPad Pro and comes in a free and Pro version. Both are available now. The free version can be downloaded from the Apple App Store, and the Pro version is an “in-app” purchase.

The free version includes 3 workspaces and 3D printing export. The Pro version includes unlimited workspaces, expert to other CAD apps, image import/export, and construction plane/axis colors. Learn more here.

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New in OrthoGraph I v 1.7

One of the benefits of using this software to do building survey work is that it works with numerous laser distance meters (LDMs) which speeds the process along quite quickly. Now in version 1.7, OrthoGraph I is compatible with two types of STABILA brand laser distance meters. Models LD 520 and LD 250BT are compatible via a Bluetooth connection between LDM and the OrthoGraph I software running on your smartphone or tablet computer.

STABILA LDMs have been developed over many years with close collaboration with input from craftsman representing numerous varied construction trades. OrthoGraph says that STABILA’s popularity has inspired them to make their software compatible with these LDM devices.

01 – OrthoGraph I is now at version 1.7 and adds three big new features, one of which is the ability to work with new STABILA LDM devices. To celebrate the new version the company is offering 50% off at this moment.

Also new in version 1.7 is the added ability to measure across rooms. Users have been asking for this feature as it speeds up the overall building survey process. Those who measure by tape measure know that often it matters to measure across rooms to increase accuracy and provide cross-check measurements. So not only can you measure accurately within rooms but now across different rooms. This is an exciting feature and one we at Architosh would actually like to see in action soon.

MORE: Product Review: OrthoGraph I—Building Survey System for AEC Pros

Another great new feature is the ability to export and import native OrthoGraph (.ORT) files. Why would you want to do this? By exporting native files users can share their work across mobile devices, valuable when others take over building survey tasks using their own device as well as for when device flexibility. This helps manage overall OrthoGraph I projects easier.

Finally, there is improved DXF export from OrthoGraph I version 1.7.

To celebrate these new feature milestones the company is currently offering 50 percent discount on the price of the software. To learn more or download a trial of the software please visit here: https://www.orthograph.net/get-the-app/

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What the Winner Says

They also announced a series of contests, with winners receiving an annual OrthoGraph I subscription and a Leica Disto D2 laser distance meter (LDM).

Peter Samarin, an architect from Norwalk, California, is the latest winner from the recent webinar: ‘Fire investigation with the most advanced technology.‘  He says:

As a big fan of Orthograph and its capabilities, I can tell you that I’m very excited. (…) I’m educated and trained as an architect and provide various services to other architects in the Los Angeles region. Technology has always been an interest of mine. My architectural thesis in 1993 at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, dealt with the impact software would have on the making of architecture. The intersection of architecture and technology has been central to my practice since that time.

Samarin notes that OrthoGraph and the Disto D2 allow him to offer his clients an invaluable resource.

01 – OrthoGraph announces latest winner of their webinar series contests.

MORE: Featured Video: The New OrthoGraph I System

To learn more about OrthoGraph I and the Leica Disto D2 (LDM) device working together read this recent feature article. (see, Architosh, “Lasers and iPads—How OrthoGraph Solves AEC Problems,” 2 Nov 2016).

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Webinar Series Contest

OrthoGraph met a major milestone this year in the fall with the release of its new OrthoGraph I building survey software system for both Apple iOS and Google Android. The first, multi-platform release has meant a lot to the company; OrthoGraph is predicting there will be more than 20,000 downloads of the specialized software by year end.

As promised the company raffled an annual OrthoGraph I and ArchLine.XP subscription with a Leica DISTO D2 among the webinar participants. That first webinar was back in November. And Kapucian was the winner!

01 – OrthoGraph I is the building survey software that automates the process of taking field dimensions and converts results into CAD and BIM formats, including 3D data. An upcoming webinar focuses on Firefighting professionals and investigation work.

An OrthoGraph user since last May, Radek Kapucian makes an interesting and valid point about using such technology literally in the field and in front of clients.

“I’ve tried many available apps on the market. Every developer has a slightly different approach in terms of what their app should do. If I forget the free or DIY apps, most paid apps try as many options and buttons as possible. Believe me, when you are actually out there using your laser meter and iPad with a client curiously watching you, the last thing you want is to be fighting with or fiddling with the app and eventually grabbing paper and pen.”

Next Chance to Win—Coming Webinar

The new webinar is titled “Fire Investigation with the Most Advanced Technology” and will be coming in January 2017.

Users can sign-up here and take part. Winners not only gain free software but also a Leica DISTO D2. For more information, visit this webinar link.

Not just for architects and other AEC pros…firefighters are ancillary AEC pros and OrthoGraph I is playing a big part in fire investigations. Check out the video below.

The post OrthoGraph Announces Survey to 3D Render Webinar Winner appeared first on Architosh.

Winner—Best in Biz Awards 2016

The app that eliminates pencil and paper on job sites is the Silver Winner for the ‘Best New Version of the Year’ award. The Best in Biz Awards are the only independent business awards program judged by members of the press and industry analysts and open to all companies in the world.

01 – OrthoGraph I wins Silver for Best New Version of the Year Award.

You can learn more about OrthoGraph I by reading our recent feature here (see, Architosh, “Lasers and iPads—How OrthoGraph Solves AEC Problems,” 2 Nov 2016).

For more info, visit them online here.

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Graebert Japan

The collaboration between CST and Graebert started three years ago when CST founded a Japanese subsidiary, JDraf Co. Ltd., to distribute and promote an OEM version of ARES Commander rebranded as “JDraf”. JDraf established itself as one of the leading CAD solutions in Japan within only three years. JDraf is now used by thousands of companies in Japan including three of the top five construction groups.

The creating of this alliance demonstrates new ambitions for the Japanese market, which is the second largest for CAD software worldwide. CST’s fully-owned subsidiary JDraf will be renamed as “Graebert Japan” and become the exclusive distributor of the ARES CAD software in Japan while Graebert will acquire a 50% participation in the company. In parallel, the Japanese brand “JDraf” will be replaced by Graebert’s global product line with ARES Commander (Windows, Mac and Linux), ARES Touch (Android and iOS) and ARES Kudo (Cloud).

Yoshiyuki Nagao, Chairman of the Board of CST commented: “Over the last three years, Graebert and our subsidiary JDraf worked intensively to meet the specific demans of the Japanese market and establish itself as the number one alternative for CAD in DWG. We see now a very strong demand for the mobile and cloud versions of the ARES CAD software and expect Graebert will give us a strong competitive advantage to become the market leader in our country. The new joint-venture shows our strong ambition for the ARES CAD Software and Graebert Japan will benefit from an extended support from the CST group, with 141 salespeople that will be involved in the distribution of the ARES CAD software across 21 offices in Japan.”

01 – Yoshiyuki Nagao, Chairman of the Board of CST and Wilfried Graebert, CEO of Graebert seal their partnership. All rights reserved.

Wilfried Graebert, CEO of Graebert added: “CST has shown an outstanding performance in Japan, and we are very proud to see the result of our collaboration after only three years. They were in particular very successful in breaking into the leading construction firms, whose influence in Japan is very strong on the market. Many of these large customers have thousands of iPads and a growing interest for Cloud. We therefore see a strong interest for the synergies offered by the ARES CAD software across desktop, mobile and cloud.”

Earlier Release in Japan

At the Graebert Annual Meeting, Graebert also announced that Japanese customers will benefit from an early access to the iOS version of ARES Touch from end of October 2016 in the Apple Store, while the rest of the world will benefit from a general availability end of November 2016 with the release of the Windows version of (ARES Commander) JDraf. Graebert commented that this early release is also aimed at rewarding the enthusiasm of its Japanese customers and beta testers.

About CST

Computer System Technology Co. Ltd., is a company headquartered in Sendai, Japan, that specialize in the development and distribution of CAD and BIM software for Civil Engineering and Construction. Founded in 1986, CST could establish a wide presence on the Japanese market with nearly 600 employees spread across 21 offices and a strategic distribution alliance with Ricoh. Our mission is to facilitate the transition to the new technologies in the Construction industry and our customers include most of the major construction groups, medium-size builders and contractors in Japan.

The post Graebert and CST Announe Japanese Joint-Venture appeared first on Architosh.

ARES Touch

ARES® Touch is a professional application designed to read, create, modify or annotate technical drawings in the popular DWG format. The Android® version was privately released to select Graebert customers at the end of 2014 and was introduced on the Google Play store this year.

Cedric Desbordes, Sales & Marketing Executive at Graebert commented on the motivations for an iOS version: “Graebert is happy to introduce the iOS version that was announced at our last Annual Meeting. With the iOS version we will not only satisfy the Mac® users of ARES Commander – our desktop version – but also the expectations of all the CAD professionals who use iPads and iPhones. Some our large customers have already purchased thousands of iPads and look forward to using our solution in their CAD workflows. This is especially true in Japan, where the ARES Touch has generated a tremendous amount of enthusiasm.”

Trinity of CAD

At its annual Meeting, Graebert also explained how ARES Touch is an integral part of a unique “Trinity of CAD” with three DWG-based CAD solutions interconnected to offer a unique user experience across desktop, mobile and cloud. The ARES CAD software family share a common subscription, allowing the same user to work from several computers (ARES Commander for Windows®, Mac® or Linux®), mobile devices (ARES Touch for Android and iOS) and the cloud with the upcoming ARES Kudo™.

01 – The ambition of ARES Touch is to offer mobile CAD users the same level of performance and features they are used to on their desktop computers with professional CAD software. All rights reserved.

ARES Touch is also completely customizable for large accounts and major developers, Powered by a custom API, its supports programming languages such as C++ Tx, DCL or Lisp, which allows developers to add workflow-oriented features and facilitates integration with other systems. Graebert’s mobile version also supports Mobile Application Management, which offers IT managers possibility to deploy the application to many users via Mobile Device Management solutions.

Availability

The iOS version of ARES Touch will become available in the Apple Store as Graebert will release ARES Commander 2017 for Windows, Mac and Linus at the end of November. It will come at no additional cost for ARES Commander users during their subscription. Licensing options for ARES Commander offer the choice between an Annual Plan or a Perpetual license. The perpetual license of ARES Commander includes a renewable one year of subscription.

Non-subscribers will also be able to get ARES Touch from the iOS Store and will benefit from a free trial with all features enabled. After experiencing the full capabilities of ARES Touch within the time limited trial, non-subscribers can purchase a license from Graebert or continue to use the application in a free but limited mode. The free version will include both viewing and sharing capabilities, plus complete set of dimensioning tools; while the subscription unlocks the drawing and editing features as well as the insertion of pictures or voice to annotate drawings.

Earlier release in Japan

At the Graebert Annual Meeting, Graebert also announced that Japanese customers will benefit from early access to the iOS version of ARES touch, starting at the end of October 2016 through the iOS Store, while the rest of the world will benefit from general availability at the end of November 2016 with the release of ARES Commander 2017. The release in Japan is synchronized with the release of a Service Pack for the Windows version of our partner JDraf. Graebert commented that this early release is aimed at rewarding the enthusiasm of its japanese customers and beta testers.

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Joint Venture Streamlines Industry Workflows In The Field

As part of the joint venture, OrthoGraph licenses will be packed together with CadLine’s ARCHLine.XP 3D CAD/BIM design software to ensure that users have a thorough digital experience—from the site all the way to the stunning digital render. The combo software package debuted this year in London, at the Decorex Expo (running from 18 – 21 Sep).

MORE: Viewpoint: Handling BIM on an iPad: OrthoGraph Begins the Process

OrthoGraph is a professional building survey software for Apple’s iOS platform and soon for Google Android mobile devices, made for anyone who needs to map out and measure existing buildings. OrthoGraph converts hand-drawn sketches into digital walls, windows and door openings, allowing users to create accurate building survey floor plans complete with measurements and notes, thus cutting down on site survey workflows.

01 – OrthoGraph is a native BIM app by nature for a fast, accurate and powerful building sketching solution.

The end result is a 3D digital floor plan, making OrthoGraph work ideally within architect Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows. The final plan can be converted into several file formats, including the industry open standard IFC, which ARCHLine.XP reads natively.

ARCHLine.XP is a 3-in-1 CAD/BIM design software which incorporates the workflow of architecture, interior design, and modeling furniture. ARCHLine.XP is able to seamlessly import the OrthoGraph survey files, so the rooms data gathered in the field can be used instantly as a coordinated and computable building model.

ARCHLine.XP also includes a comprehensive set of interior design tools such as furniture, blinds, and curtains, lighting, tiling, moldings, et cetera. With this material designers can furnish rooms and render life-like fabrics, textiles and wall finishes with excellent light effects and night scenes.

OrthoGraph and ARCHLine.XP together address a specific set of common workflow needs in the AEC industry with professionals such as architects, designers, and interior decorators. The mission behind this joint venture is to streamline an otherwise tedious process of manual field dimensions and re-drafting in order to get to the same result.

To Learn More

To learn more visit OrthoGraph here and ARCHLine here.

The post OrthoGraph Teams with CadLine Ltd for Building Survey and 3D Interior Design appeared first on Architosh.

Naples Central Station and Pietrarsa Railway Museum Featured

Ernesto Minnucci will discuss some of his firm’s recent projects, including the Naples Central Station and Pietrarsa Railway Museum, where the firm made extensive use of BIMx for client communications. BIMx also provided them the digital tool they needed to manage the entire lifecycle of the buildings.

BIMx and BIMx PRO—New Features

In this live webinar participants will learn more than just how BIMx technology was utilized on some noteworthy projects but under the details and differences between the various versions of the BIMx family of offerings, including:

• BIMx (free) — now provides free access to both 2D documents and 3D BIM models. It also displays any non-geometric data incorporated into your BIM.
• BIMx PRO (paid) — now provides on-demand measurement features (length, area, and angles) for both 2D documentation layouts and for 3D Hyper-models. BIMx PRO also features a real-time magnifier tool on layouts, as well as smart point/edge snapping functions and guidelines in 3D that provide intuitive help.

Now that accessing the full contents of Hyper-models no longer requires a BIMx PRO license, GRAPHISOFT feels that mobile PDF viewers are entirely redundant for accessing ArchiCAD project documentation on construction sites.

01 – GRAPHISOFT’S BIMx Pro got a major starring role in Apple’s 9.7 inch iPad Pro product launch film recently. Apple’s mobile iOS platform has been GRAPHISOFT’S preferred device to showcase BIMx technology.

Finally, GRAPHISOFT will provide participants a ‘sneak peek’ into new BIMx features that will be released later this fall.

Registering For Event

To register for this event please follow this link: http://www.graphisoft.com/learning/online-seminars/registration-bimx-everywhere.html

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Apple’s iPad device in particular is already the leading tablet computer used by design and build professionals in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) markets. FormZ is one of the most popular 3D modeling applications used by architects, interior designers and fabricators in AEC. The new mobile app provides numerous new workflow benefits.

What’s formZ Mobile Viewer

The new formZ Mobile Viewer is more than just a simple “viewer” app for formZ users. The application features measurement capabilities and more.

“This app is a great tool for sharing designs with colleagues, collaborators, and clients,” reports the company. Offering quick access to saved views and scenes, designers can utilize interactive navigation of sophisticated formZ models on their mobile devices in field and client-based settings. The formZ interactive clipping planes create real time sections to reveal the interior or sides of spaces and forms.

01 – The brand new formZ Mobile Viewer application extends formZ based workflows into the field, factory floor or client location.

Other key features include:

• Accurate dimensional measuring capabilities
• 3 Render Modes — Wireframe, Shaded Work and Shaded Full. Shaded Full includes shadows, textures, transparencies, bump maps, multi-sampling, and ambient occlusion.
• Interactive View Navigation — including orbit, pinch zoom, and fit window
• Interactive Real-Time Sections — clipping planes support creation of sections of models in real time
• Recall Saved Clipping Planes — Recall saved sections
• Recall Saved Views Created in formZ
• Create New Views
• Recall “Scenes” saved from formZ
• Full Layers Visibility Control — Turn on or off layers, per layer
• Interactive Model Walkthrough Mode

To learn more about the new formZ Mobile Viewer app, visit the AutoDesSys website or go here.

Readers can also check out a video of the app in action above or here.

Availability and Pricing

The formZ Mobile Viewer is an Apple iOS app for compatible iPad and iPhone devices. It costs $9.99.USD and can found here on the Apple App Store.

The post iPad News: formZ Mobile Viewer announced for iPad and iPhone appeared first on Architosh.

This month Urban Design Ltd, has released Archisketch 2.0, now with support for Apple Pencil, Adobe Creative Cloud, smart one and two-point perspectives, “Share Extension” and other advancements to the scale-aware sketching app for architects and designers.

Archisketch 2.0—The Details

“Finally, I can keep designing on the plane,” exclaimed Pierre Baillargeon, managing director, Mixity Design Ltd. “Archisketch works great for me to keep ideas flowing, creating sketches to scale. Now I can just send my sketches back to the team in the correct scale, and not feel like those long-haul flights set me back a couple of hours. 5 Stars!”

01 – A sample screen shot of Archisketch 2.0.

“Architects mastered iteration far before software was ever invented,” explained Reza Farhad, founder of Urban Design Ltd. “Archisketch lets you solve problems and iterate designs on an iPad, with the feel of using a traditional tracing pad, but with modern amenities, like Apple Pencil and Adobe Creative Cloud. In some ways version 2.0 massively iterates on version one, yet its new features absolutely change the game.”

Archisketch 2.0 leverages the new added precision and versatility of Apple Pencil, complete with a palette to set the opacity and set or change the color. Optimized for the iPad Pro 12.9 inch screen, using Archisketch 2.0 with Apple Pencil puts the high resolution and barrier-breaking performance of iPad Pro to work.

New Adobe Creative Cloud support, which Urban Design included in Archisketch by integrating Adobe’s Creative SDK, let’s Archisketch users import images from their Creative Cloud Library for use directly in Archisketch, and export images from Archisketch to their Adobe Creative Cloud Library.

02 – Another sample image of Archisketch showing the perspective features.

“Adobe Creative Cloud has redefined what creatives should expect from their software, delivering an industry-defining set of tools and services across desktop and mobile,” said Drew Endick from the Creative Cloud Ecosystem team at Adobe. “But we’re not the only company with good ideas and through our Creative SDK we aim to connect other great mobile apps to our Creative Cloud platform. Archisketch’s support of Adobe Creative Cloud allows designers of all types — from interiors, landscapes, and products to buildings — to access essential creative assets and integrate them into their work.”

Working in Perspective

Archisketch 2.0 adds a flexible system for working one and two-point perspectives. The app deploys an intelligent grid system in perspective that users can sketch over. The grids can be arranged by the user to change the standing point, view point, and vanishing point; when drawing the lines automatically snap to the grid in perspective.

Version 2.0 also provides new dimension lines, a new Scrapbook to manage images and receive images from other apps via the new “Share Extension,” and an new infinite canvas size for infinite zoom without losing quality. Overall, Archisketch 2.0 is easier to use, reducing steps necessary for an action, or access to features. When completed, users can now add text or images, such as a company logo, to an exported file, or print directly from the iPad up to A1 size.

Archisketch 2.0 requires iOS 9.2 or later, and is a recommended update available free of charge to all Archisketch customers. For more information on Archisketch, visit: http://www.archisketch.eu

Pricing, Availability and Compatibility

Archisketch is available immediately from the App Store as a free download for use with up to 30 shapes in two projects, with an in-app purchase for unlimited shapes and projects for an introductory price of US$9.99 (regularly US$14.99).

Archisketch 2.0 requires iOS 9.2 or later on an iPad, iPad Air or iPad Pro. Support for Apple Pencil requires iOS 9.2 on an iPad Pro.

About Archisketch

Archisketch is a scale-aware sketching program ideal for Architects, interior and landscape designers, product designers, design students, or anyone working with design on an iPad.

Inspired by the tradition of sketching on a tracing pad, Archisketch brings sketching into the modern era on an iPad. Archisketch helps architects and designers visualize, capture and explore their ideas using layers, symbols, colours, dimension guidelines, 2D grids, isometric and axonometric 3D grids, and even smart one- and two-point perspectives for 3D. When finished, drawings can be printed to scale directly from the iPad up to A1 size, or exported to PDF, into a CAD application, or to Adobe Creative Cloud.

Urban Design Ltd. is a privately held company headquartered in London. Urban Design can be found at the website: http://www.ud-ltd.com

Architosh Analysis

Archisketch 2.0 looks like the most refined vision of a sketching solution for architects specifically due to its focus on adding a few features that take this app beyond other leading sketch apps that architects have already praised. These two features are its ability to aid the perspective sketching process in both one and two-point perspectives as well as the addition of real dimensional qualities applied to the sketching interface.

The post London-based Urban Design Ltd, Releases ‘Archisketch’ 2.0 with Apple Pencil and Adobe Creative Cloud Support appeared first on Architosh.

Sometimes There’s No Internet Connection

While cloud-based application providers are bullish about the “era of connection,” as some have begun calling this new phase of application development, they are also aware that often end-users get off the grid inadvertently and due to troubles at hotels, client locations, and job sites with no Internet.

The major focus of this release is the new apps for the various platforms CL3VER feels are most important in the market. CL3VER 3.3 comes with a brand new “CL3VER App” for Windows, Apple’s OS X or iOS.

01 – The new CL3VER 3.3 comes with free “offline” access oriented apps for Windows, OS X and iOS.

The app allows end users to store presentations on any compute device which then can be viewed offline later on. The new app is also free to all registered CL3VER users. Once installed, users simply login to their cloud CL3VER accounts and sync up their project data.

Retina Device Support

The CL3VER viewer has been optimized to work natively via mobile on any browser on iOS devices with Apple retina displays (iPad Air or superior), or Android devices using a Mobile browser that supports WebGL.

This new addition means CL3VER presentations on these mobile devices will bump up in visual quality. A video of the new release is available here to watch (below).

Complete release notes can be found here as well.

Architosh Analysis

As good as the Internet can be in certain parts of the world, there are sometimes those moments when access to the Internet breaks down. This can be particularly common in hotels around the world, no matter how much they may boast of quality online access speeds. This latest update takes a “belt and suspenders” approach to addressing access issues to end-user data.

CL3VER is specifically geared towards the mobile presentation and has been since the beginning. The updates for retina display support are also welcome improvements. We think CL3VER has a good future and admire the overall direction the company has been headed in, adding sophisticated new presentation capacities in an easy-to-use application environment.

About CL3VER

CL3VER is an award-winning new cloud-based application platform for interactive 3D presentations for the web or mobile devices. The company is aimed at meeting the emerging needs of AEC and manufacturing industries to engage customers and stakeholders with the power of 3D and the usability of the web.

The post 3D News: CL3VER Releases new CL3VER 3.3 for PC, Mac and iOS appeared first on Architosh.

Android Requested

During the previous years, OrthoGraph received plenty of requests that they should create OrthoGraph Survey System for Android too to complement their already successful iPad version. In response to this feedback, the company has developed the application’s Android version as well. Android users will surely rejoice with this news.

OrthoGraph Cloud Client

Everyone will be able to download OrthoGraph Cloud Client on Android platform too from Google Play; furthermore, the company provides a 3 days-trial opportunity to try all the benefits of the application. During this trial period the users are entitled to get an online demo or a training for free of charge.

01 – Experience building survey from a unique, new aspect by the professional BIM CAD application.

This new Android version is going to be the one and common version running on all mobile platforms, therefore OrthoGraph did the development from scratch and used all their experiences that they learned from their users during the last few years. The result is a new, “easy to understand” software with the professional features what users can expect from OrthoGraph.

All details about the Android version can be found on the following link: https://www.orthograph.net/android/

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