Skip to main content

Autodesk introduces new software tools

As World Highways was going to press Autodesk was due to announce the 2014 versions of its entire range of programs including AutoCAD, Civil 3D, NavisWorks and Revit Structural and others programs used by the road industry. As previously, they are packaged in suites; Standard, Premium and Ultimate. Key aspects focus around the inclusion of a completely new and fast point-cloud “engine” developed from the Alice Labs company acquisition made last year. Part of a new Autodesk Recap, standing for reality captur
April 25, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
As 3260 World Highways was going to press 685 Autodesk was due to announce the 2014 versions of its entire range of programs including AutoCAD, Civil 3D, NavisWorks and Revit Structural and others programs used by the road industry. As previously, they are packaged in suites; Standard, Premium and Ultimate.

Key aspects focus around the inclusion of a completely new and fast point-cloud “engine” developed from the Alice Labs company acquisition made last year. Part of a new Autodesk Recap, standing for reality capture, this will be able to open point-clouds in the main tools used in civil engineering such as Map, Civil 3D and Revit. Recap is included in all of them. The company says the new engine is fast, inputs most of the major formats, and can translate point-clouds into different local coordinate systems to match other data.

The Infrastructure Modeller tool, for conceptualising projects and testing sketch scenarios is now relaunched as a enhanced version, re-named InfraWorks.

In the Ultimate suite this will include roads and highway modules which allow early design sketches to be done with precision data, so that they can be imported directly into Civil 3D for further work. It will also link to the cloud for tasks like optimisation of the vertical alignment

– part of a general philosophy for all Autodesk products using more "infinite" computing power of the cloud for heavy "grunt" work, instead of the local desktop.  Rendering capacity is another aspect.

The cloud will also be used for communication, and design and construction collaboration, with BIM360 Glue, a cloud accessed tool for design integration and class detection, which is a “NavisWorks light" - accessed via a very small client application with full high quality graphics whatever the capacities of the local laptop.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • New positioning tools streamline survey operations
    March 14, 2012
    Trimble has launched a range of new tools which it says will deliver faster and more accurate data to surveyors. The Trimble S6 Robotic Total Station with Trimble Vision Technology enables surveyors to remotely see and measure through a live video feed from the instrument on their data controller.
  • New BIM compatibility from Topcon and Autodesk
    March 9, 2016
    Topcon Positioning says that its DS-200i direct-aiming motorised imaging station is compatible with the new Autodesk BIM 360 Layout app for the Apple iPad. The DS-200i is the second total station solution that Autodesk and Topcon have collaborated on for contractors. Topcon says that the BIM 360 Layout app’s connectivity with the DS-200i offers a reflectorless solution along with imaging and increased vertical range over previous systems. The DS-200i has an electronic distance measurement (EDM) range of
  • Trimble’s vision of a far more efficient future
    July 5, 2021
    Trimble is offering a future with more efficient, optimised construction operations for faster project delivery
  • GPS machine control technology aids productivity
    February 21, 2012
    GPS technology offers contractors many benefits and product offerings are growing more diverse, Mike Woof reports. The benefit of GPS technology for the construction industry cannot be overstated.