Site Development (General civil engineering)

Product Design & Manufacturing

Virtual Design & Construction

Modeling

Reality Capture

Collaboration

CAD Management & IT

Building Information Modeling (BIM)

<p class="p1">Manufacturing and innovation have always gone hand-in-hand. Since the dawn of the industrial revolution, manufacturers have been willing to explore new technologies and new approaches that could help them improve product quality, increase efficiency, and achieve better business outcomes.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Today, we are in a new industrial era catalyzed by the accelerating pace of digital transformation and continuing advances in everything from sensor technology to materials science and beyond. At the same time, manufacturers are facing new challenges, from unstable supply chains and shortages of skilled labor to a new awareness of the impact of their activities on communities and the environment.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Their response today, as in the past, is continued innovation. These talks from the AU Theater in 2023 show how industry leaders are finding new ways to digitize operations and deploy emerging technologies to unlock new possibilities in manufacturing and chart a course for greater success in the future. &nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p1">Successful Digital Twins Will Depend on Successful Standardization in Digital Factories&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p1">Have you ever stopped to consider that every product you use, from your coffee mug to the chair you're sitting on, began its journey as a simple 2D drawing? The challenge of the manufacturing process is bringing these 2D shapes to life in 3D using real materials. As director of digital twins at Flex, one of the world&rsquo;s largest manufacturing companies, Zohair Mehkri believes that digital twins can help us move beyond the 2D approach the industry has always accepted and embrace a 3D perspective from the beginning that supports transformation and collaboration. This requires optimization not only in the fabrication, but in the design and engineering process, enabling the digital and the physical worlds to constantly inform each other.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>
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<h4 class="p1"><br />Innovating to Deliver Defense Availability&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p1">A number of factors distinguish manufacturing for military use from other types of manufacturing. For one thing, the products tend to be highly specialized, complex, and manufactured in low volumes. They also tend to have long lifecycles&mdash;many must operate for decades. And it&rsquo;s difficult to predict exactly how they&rsquo;ll be used during that time under the dynamic conditions of combat. Jonathan Morley of the Babcock Group shares the challenges of managing production and maintenance of specialized equipment such as air ambulances and naval frigates and the inherent difficulty of maintaining a supply chain for every part on every platform. To address these issues, Babcock has established a new digital engineering and manufacturing team, capable of re-engineering parts and manufacturing them in innovative ways. Morley shares one project involving the &ldquo;light gun,&rdquo; a critical weapon on the battlefield, and their creation of a sustainable supply chain for parts. The team is now focused on scaling their solutions, improving affordability, and enhancing sustainability in the defense industry.&nbsp;</p>
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<h4 class="p1"><br />BOLT: Building Optimization by Leveraging Technology&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p1">&ldquo;Building the building before it&rsquo;s built&rdquo;&mdash;that&rsquo;s the goal Joseph Zabrosky and his team embrace as they imagine, design, model, and finally construct new factories for Tesla. As lead for BIM, VDC, and reality capture at Tesla Technologies, Zabrosky has developed a new acronym that defines his approach: Building Optimization Leveraging Technology (BOLT), an approach that encourages collaboration, data sharing, and unified working environments. The goal? To continuously improve their processes through the active involvement of all team members. He also highlights the importance of sustainable design, which is at the heart of Tesla's mission to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
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<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Learn more about the </span><a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/search?fields.year=2023&amp;fields.industry=Product+Design+%26+Manufacturing&amp;fields.product=Inventor%2CFusion"><span class="s1">future of manufacturing</span></a><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> anytime at AU.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p>

equip-install-01

AU Focus: The Future of Manufacturing

Design & Engineering

Automation, Integration, & Customization

Mechanical Design

Hybrid Manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing

Subtractive Manufacturing

Simulation & Analysis

Machine Learning

Software Training

Software Development

Computational Design

<h4 class="p1">Improving Product Performance with Simulation and Automation&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p2">Product recalls, non-conformances, field failures. When your products fail to meet expectations, your customers are unsatisfied, and your company loses brand reputation. Suddenly, instead of concentrating on the shiny new project you are so excited about, that old design you thought you&rsquo;d left behind is back to haunt you.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">And you don&rsquo;t have the time to be repeating old work. You&rsquo;re under pressure to complete your <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/product-design-manufacturing"><span class="s1">design and engineering</span></a> work as quickly as possible and deliver the designs into manufacturing. After all, if your company isn&rsquo;t the first to deliver products to market that make your customers happy, your competitors will.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">To ensure that a design is robust enough to meet requirements takes time, though. So how do you meet the opposing conditions of ensuring product quality while reducing design cycle time? Simulation tools can help.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">In this article, we&rsquo;ll help you find classes to get you started with product simulation and show how you can turn your design process on its head by starting with simulation to choose from pre-validated designs that have been generated for you.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2"><em>&rdquo;With the use of CFD, the amount of physical prototypes has reduced a lot. The simulation of flow can reliably show whether the dimensions of the product work.&rdquo; &ndash;</em><a href="https://p.widencdn.net/urioln/kytola-instruments-customer-success-story-en"><span class="s1"><em>Ismo Vaaraniem, Kytola Instruments</em></span></a><em>&nbsp;</em></p>
<h4 class="p1">Getting started with product simulation&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p2">An immediate benefit of working with a 3D CAD model is the ability to forecast how a product will perform in the real world while reducing the number of physical prototypes needed for collaboration and testing.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">Simulations can vary from relatively simple mechanical studies that show how components move while checking for clashes to highly sophisticated simulation for fluids, gasses, and plastic injection molding.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">The good news is that getting started with simulation doesn&rsquo;t need to be a challenge, as Elizabeth Bishop explains in her class about <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Getting-Started-Simulation-Fusion-360-Basics-2021"><span class="s1">getting started with simulation in Fusion 360</span></a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /></p>
<p class="p2"><img src="https://live-pantheon2-au.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/sites/default/files/auo2/2024-05/Getting%20started%20with%20product%20simulation.png" alt="" width="1920" height="1040" /></p>
<h4 class="p1"><strong><br /></strong>Simulation and design for manufacture<strong>&nbsp;</strong></h4>
<p class="p2">Work in the early design phase can be focused on limitations, rather than opportunities. What <em>can&rsquo;t</em> I do? Often the manufacturing process, materials, and budget are pre-defined, and you need to work within the limitations dictated.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">Finding out what can and can&rsquo;t be done might involve seeming endless exchanges between design, engineering, and manufacturing. This can feel like it&rsquo;s really bogging down the design process. Is there a better way?&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Should-I-Print-or-Machine-Part-Learn-Which-Process-Choose-and-Why-2021">This AU class by Greg Paulsen of Xometry</a></span> gives you detailed information, helping you decide between additive and subtractive manufacturing methods, while adding value, saving money, and meeting product requirements.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">3D printing can sound like an easy way for your design to be produced the way you want it to look, but it may not be as straightforward as it first seems. Find out how to design components with additive manufacturing in mind in <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Design-Focused-Additive-Manufacturing-2020"><span class="s1">this class by Alexander Jones and Anthony Muzzillo</span></a>.&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p1">Automating product design with simulation tools&nbsp;<br /><br /></h4>
<p><img src="https://live-pantheon2-au.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/sites/default/files/auo2/2024-05/Automating%20product%20design%20with%20simulation%20tools.png" alt="" width="1853" height="1032" /></p>
<p class="p2"><br />Traditionally, your design is modeled in 3D CAD first, and you then use simulation tools to make predictions about your product&rsquo;s performance in the real world.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">To get this right, your CAD model needs to be appropriate for your manufacturing method, accurate, and fully detailed. This means you can be a long way through the back-and-forth of the design development process before you have the confidence in the modelled solution to run simulations.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">If the simulations uncover a potential product failure or manufacturing problem down the line, it can be back to square one. You&rsquo;ll need to provide an alternative solution, and start the rounds of design, engineering, and manufacturing reviews all over again.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">So how can you turn this on its head and start with simulation at the beginning?&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">Generative design in Fusion does exactly this. You define loads, fixed points, and &ldquo;keep out&rdquo; spaces, while specifying your preferred options for manufacturing methods and materials, and generative design uses cloud compute and machine learning to return multiple pre-validated options that meet your requirements.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">You then have the luxury of choosing from the designs available, using filters such as safety factor, cost, weight, or simply aesthetics. Each design is delivered back to you as an editable CAD model, which you can use directly or use as a starting point for your design.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">Learn how GE Aviation tested generative design to cut noise and emissions from jet engines in <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Taking-Generative-Design-Next-Level-LARGE-Jet-Engine-Component-2022"><span class="s1">the AU case study by Philipp Manger and Nick Markovic</span></a>.&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p1">Sustainability and product performance&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p2"><em>Considerations of sustainability in product design and manufacturing are no longer a &ldquo;nice to have.&rdquo; 82% of respondents to the </em><a href="https://www.autodesk.co.uk/insights/research/state-of-design-and-make"><span class="s1"><em>2023 Autodesk State of Design &amp; Make report</em></span></a><em> said their companies feel pressure from customers to pursue and achieve sustainability goals, 74% of respondents said that they feel this pressure from investors, and 72% said they feel this pressure from employees.</em>&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">Much of the environmental impact of a product&rsquo;s lifecycle is the inevitable conclusion of decisions made during design. More than simply considering the sustainability of the materials used to make a product, energy and resources used during the manufacture and lifecycle of the product also need to be considered.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s2">&nbsp;Learn more about the impact of design on the lifecycle of products and how to consider environmental impact in this AU class <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Sustainable-Manufacturing-Starts-with-Responsible-Design-2023"><span class="s3">&lsquo;Sustainable Manufacturing Starts with Responsible Design&rsquo; by Jeff Higgins and Matt Jaworski, &ldquo;Sustainable Manufacturing Starts with Responsible Design.</span></a>&rdquo;&nbsp;</span></p>
<h4 class="p1">Learn more about improving product performance&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p2">To continue learning how designers and engineers like you are improving product performance with Autodesk simulation tools, check out this <a href="https://share.autodesk.com/:w:/s/DMCampaignDevelopment145/EXd3s3be-KFMgNf_DgHxgpEBCtaat9wHlsMvC7bU6_TlPA?e=rgI7D6"><span class="s1">playlist of AU simulation classes</span></a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">For additional free resources for designers and engineers, including case studies and software training, visit our <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/product-design-manufacturing"><span class="s1">Design &amp; Engineering page</span></a>.&nbsp;</p>

cad-machine-design-04-engineer-monitors

Improving Product Performance with Simulation and Automation 

Product Design

Product Lifecycle Management

Data Management

<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">For product-focused companies, revenue is inextricably linked to the launch of new products. So logically, expanding your product range&mdash;into smart products or customizable products, for example&mdash;can introduce additional income streams and increase customer satisfaction.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">But the question is not, &ldquo;How can we launch more products?&rdquo; Rather, it&rsquo;s, &ldquo;How can I help my <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/product-design-manufacturing"><span class="s1">design and engineering</span></a> team do it more collaboratively, with more agility?&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">The answer comes from data.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2"><em>&ldquo;Using integrated solutions...allows us to reduce our design time by half. We&rsquo;re not repeating work, which is a big-time savings.&rdquo; </em><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/customer-stories/technica-international"><span class="s1"><em>&ndash;Assaad Hani, Business Analyst, Technica International</em></span></a><em>&nbsp;</em></p>
<h4 class="p3"><strong><br /></strong>Automation of conceptual design&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p2">It&rsquo;s easy to have good ideas when you have lot to choose from. But too often, the pressure to deliver design and engineering information at speed to manufacturing forces us to rely on what we already know. It&rsquo;s common to develop the first viable idea that everyone can agree on&mdash;most of us just don&rsquo;t have the time to iterate and explore every possible option.&nbsp;<br /><br /></p>
<p class="p2"><img src="https://live-pantheon2-au.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/sites/default/files/auo2/2024-05/Automation%20of%20conceptual%20design.png" alt="" width="1433" height="804" /></p>
<p class="p2"><br />The AU class, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Generative-Design-and-Form-Tool-Fusion-360-Concept-Design-2022"><span class="s1">Generative Design and the Form Tool in Autodesk Fusion 360 for Concept Design,</span></a> led by Jeff Smith, reveals a variety of useful automated workflows to investigate multiple design options quickly. From how to use T-Splines to volumetric latticing to generative design in Fusion, you&rsquo;ll learn how simple it can be to rapidly explore a wide range of concepts.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">Generative design, for example, uses inputs&mdash;such as forces, materials, and manufacturing strategies&mdash;to provide a range of pre-validated design variations. Just pick your favorite, then narrow the choices by adjusting attributes like weight, safety factor, or simply aesthetics to find a starting point for your next design.&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p3"><strong><br /></strong>Design collaboration on smart products&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p2">No matter what your team&rsquo;s product idea, developing it will most likely be time-consuming and expensive. But that time and cost can increase exponentially in the world of smart products&ndash;physical products supported with internet-connected applications to provide additional value to customers.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">When customers purchase smart products, they&rsquo;re not just purchasing the product itself. They&rsquo;re buying data-driven insights, product updates, or even tiered feature sets, all with the original physical product you created&mdash;no new product range to introduce.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">The rise in smart products is driving an increase in PCBs, requiring close collaboration between electronic and mechanical designers. Melanie Thilo and Richard Hammerl show you how connected eCAD and mCAD can simplify the process in the AU class, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Smart-Design-Mechanical-Components-and-PCBs-Seamless-Workflow-2021"><span class="s1">Smart Design of Mechanical Components and PCBs in a Seamless Workflow</span></a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p3">Data at the center with model-based definition&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p2">Traditionally, teams share design information via technical drawings. But creating them can add extra time to the design engineering process. What if you could simply share your 3D CAD model?&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">Model-based definition (MBD) is a set of rules that standardize how dimensions, annotations, and tolerances are added to the models, replacing the need for drawings in your workflow.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">MBD improves collaboration, using your 3D CAD design as the single source of truth for your project for all collaborators and downstream users.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">Want to know more? The AU class, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Model-Based-Definition-key-value-driver-future-product-development-2022"><span class="s1">Model-Based Definition: A Key Value Driver for Future Product Development</span></a>,&nbsp; led by Eugen Taranov and Melanie Thilo, can guide you through the process of putting 3D CAD data at the center of your design development workflow.&nbsp;<br /><br /></p>
<p class="p2"><img src="https://live-pantheon2-au.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/sites/default/files/auo2/2024-05/Data%20at%20the%20center%20with%20model-based%20definition.png" alt="" width="1427" height="844" /></p>
<h4 class="p3"><strong><br /></strong>Simplifying design coordination with CAD interoperability&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p2">Managing the data within your company is one thing. But managing the data you receive from your clients, collaborators, and suppliers is quite another.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">Just when you&rsquo;ve got your vendor&rsquo;s CAD model cleaned up and inserted into the design model, you get an updated version and need to start the import process all over again. Just managing which version of the CAD file your team needs to include can be filled with errors.&nbsp;<br /><br /></p>
<p class="p2"><img src="https://live-pantheon2-au.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/sites/default/files/auo2/2024-05/Simplifying%20design%20coordination%20with%20CAD%20interoperability.png" alt="" width="1920" height="1040" /></p>
<p class="p2"><br />Mike Thomas of Prairie machine can help, with his AU class, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/AnyCAD-and-Exchangeability-Inventor-2019"><span class="s1">AnyCAD and the Exchangeability of Inventor</span></a>. In it, Mike details how you can use &lsquo;AnyCAD&rsquo;&nbsp; to reference CAD files in a number of 2D and 3D proprietary formats in Inventor without needing to convert them.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">The referenced files remain editable in the authoring CAD programs, and any updates made to the referenced CAD files will automatically update inside of Inventor. Even if you receive neutral CAD files, or CAD files from outside your company, you can simply save the new version over the top of the old one.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">Of course, all the data can be managed inside Autodesk Vault as well, so you&rsquo;ll never have to manually track which version of a collaborator's CAD file is up to date again.&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p3"><strong><br /></strong>Improving design review with shared views&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p2">The design of new products isn&rsquo;t limited to the design and engineering team. Many stakeholders are required to review the design during the design development process.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">Stakeholders might be internal to the company, like project managers or procurement specialists, or from outside your company like suppliers, subcontractors, or even clients.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">In the past, this might have meant locking all stakeholders in a meeting room with a stack of technical drawings and a box of red pens and letting them have at it.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">This is no longer a realistic prospect. Stakeholders expect your design data to come to them. However, reviewing designs asynchronously can be time-consuming and confusing. Who has seen the design information? Did they understand the drawings? Who has offered feedback? What if the feedback is contradictory?&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">Caleb Funk has an answer for us in his AU class, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Sharing-Caring-Sharing-Vault-Data-Outside-Firewall-2019"><span class="s1">Sharing Is Caring: Sharing Vault Data Outside the Firewall</span></a>. Caleb shows how Autodesk Vault can be used to create permission-controlled, web-accessible &lsquo;shared views&rsquo; of the design model, allowing all stakeholders to review the same information, saving time and providing a clear audit trail.&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p2"><strong style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"><br /></strong><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Learn more about collaboration in product development&nbsp;</span></h4>
<p class="p2">To continue learning how designers and engineers like you are improving collaboration in product development with Autodesk design and engineering tools, check out these playlists of classes from AU, the design and make conference:&nbsp;</p>
<ul class="ul1">
<li class="li4"><span class="s2"><a href="https://share.autodesk.com/:w:/s/DMCampaignDevelopment145/EWI_TplOknBJlxR_9QM3JmkB2iWcKn4vQTFx6mmWnJwZYA?e=gMVXes"><span class="s3">Product Data Management (PDM) classes for design engineering</span></a></span><span class="s4">   &nbsp;<br /></span></li>
<li class="li4"><span class="s2"><a href="https://share.autodesk.com/:w:/s/DMCampaignDevelopment145/EYHsEzoZAjREliE-_Vmp-HIBGE3WD8ClNDZzBEDMRn0j_Q?e=VmLuGq"><span class="s3">Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) classes for design engineering</span></a></span><span class="s4">   &nbsp;<br /></span></li>
<li class="li4"><span class="s2"><a href="https://share.autodesk.com/:w:/s/DMCampaignDevelopment145/ESTrPa4Y5O5NudJedpr5h8IBuAsg-30V3k5GvbMh-F77Xw?e=XvPeEh"><span class="s3">CAD management classes for design engineering</span></a></span><span class="s4"> &nbsp;<br /></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="p2">For additional free resources for designers and engineers, including case studies and software training, visit our <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/product-design-manufacturing"><span class="s1">Design &amp; Engineering page</span></a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>

cad-for-pd-01

The Data Revolution: Powerful Workflows that Unlock More Agile Collaboration

<p class="p1">We live and work in a time of radical transformation. Professional practices in the design and make industries are changing rapidly. The State of Design and Make Report is Autodesk&rsquo;s annual study of thousands of business leaders around the world. This longitudinal study seeks to reveal how these leaders feel about the challenges they face and the opportunities created through digital transformation.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/design-make/research/state-of-design-and-make">The 2024 State of Design and Make Report</a></span><span class="s2"> was released in April. It shows how </span>companies discovered new levels of resilience and agility through innovation over the past four years&mdash;and how they saw their technology investments pay off with unexpected growth. But they face continued challenges&mdash;from labor shortages and material constraints to cost increases&mdash;that continue to drive the search for better, more connected, and sustainable ways to design and make.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">These talks from the AU Theater in 2023 showcase how innovators across industries are creating new possibilities using new digital tools and connected digital processes.&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;</p>
<h4><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/article/digital-practices-for-sustainability-2023">Digital Practices for Sustainability</a></h4>
<p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Here&rsquo;s a fact that might surprise you: internet use accounts for 3.7% of global carbon emissions, surpassing aviation's 2.5% contribution. How can we make our digital world more sustainable and environmentally friendly? Mariel Brown, Director of Foresight at Seymour Powell, provides practical suggestions, such as using green hosting, optimizing imagery and videos for a lower carbon footprint, slimming down fonts, and choosing power-efficient colors. Notably, she brings attention to the untapped potential of sound and other senses as less carbon-intensive alternatives to visual content in design. Brown's call to action is clear: everyone involved in creating digital experiences should take responsibility for their environmental impact and for sharing knowledge and making sustainability-focused changes wherever feasible.&nbsp;</span></p>
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</div>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<h4><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/article/building-the-sustainable-infrastructure-projects-of-tomorrow-2023">Building the Sustainable Infrastructure Projects of Tomorrow​</a></h4>
<p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Cities account for 60&ndash;80% of global energy consumption and 75% of global carbon emissions. With urban populations predicted to double by 2050, the changes we make to urban infrastructure can make a big difference in achieving our common climate goals. Take Copenhagen, for instance, which has set out to become the world&rsquo;s first carbon-neutral capital&mdash;and has managed to cut total emissions by 42% since 2005.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p1">Joe Rasmussen, BIM and GIS Lead for the Copenhagen Metro, shares how his team is achieving a 50% reduction in the climate footprint for the M5 line. This requires transitioning from traditional construction materials and methodologies to the use of green materials, structured data, user-friendly interfaces, and model-based decision-making. By adopting these methods, organizations can not only meet ambitious sustainability goals but also create world-class projects, setting the stage for the future of urbanization.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="position: relative; display: block; max-width: 960px;">
<div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0px; right: 0px; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%;" src="https://players.brightcove.net/6057940518001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6341246677112" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<h4><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/article/how-technology-brought-pinocchio-to-life-2023">How Technology Brought Pinocchio to Life</a></h4>
<p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">No one ever said that producing a stop-motion animated feature was easy. But doing it during the pandemic&mdash;when artists, technicians, and others couldn&rsquo;t be in the same room? That&rsquo;s another level of difficulty. And it&rsquo;s exactly what the team behind Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio pulled off.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p1">When the lockdown began, the team created remote working systems to ensure the safety and well-being of the crew, according to Whitney Schmerber, Art Department Production Manager for the film. This was made possible with support from Netflix and the crucial role of Autodesk ShotGrid in managing the design process. The meticulous work of the art department resulted in 99 individual sets, 12,000 set parts, and 7 vehicles, all created by hand. The film received multiple nominations and awards, including the prestigious Oscar for Best Animated Feature. While technology played a significant role in this journey, Schmerber emphasizes the human story of vulnerability and commitment that drove the project to success and transformed the studio&rsquo;s working culture.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="position: relative; display: block; max-width: 960px;">
<div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0px; right: 0px; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%;" src="https://players.brightcove.net/6057940518001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6341244901112" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
</div>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Learn more about the current state and the future of the <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/search?query=%22Design+and+Make%22"><span class="s3">Design and Make industries</span></a> anytime at Autodesk University.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>

Building the Sustainable Infrastructure Projects of Tomorrow - Joe Rasmussen-Still1

AU Focus: The State of Design and Make

AR/VR

Animation & Visual Effects

Visualization

<p><span data-contrast="auto">Imagining and creating new products can be the best part of the job. It&rsquo;s often why we became designers or engineers in the first place. But think about this: the whole time you are developing products, you&rsquo;re losing money.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">For business leaders in product-focused businesses, the time it takes to deliver a product to market is a key barrier to business success. When you put it that way, it&rsquo;s no wonder </span><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/product-design-manufacturing"><span data-contrast="none">design and engineering</span></a> <span data-contrast="auto">teams are under such extraordinary pressure.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">And that creates a tension. On the one hand, there&rsquo;s a perception that speed equals lack of quality. On the other hand, the job of the design and engineering team is to ensure that the final product is successful. What if you rush through the development process&mdash;and discover (too late) that your shiny new product is costly to produce, unsuccessful with customers, or simply faulty?</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">If you take your time and do it right, the design and engineering process will take too long. If you speed it through, you haven&rsquo;t done your job properly. Either way could mean trouble for you.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">So, how do you maintain quality while reducing design cycle time?</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><em><span data-contrast="none">&ldquo;Through one package, we create configurable models for our teams, who can view and manage entire projects in one place.&rdquo; &mdash;</span></em><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/blog/pulpac-plastic-free-revolution/"><em><span data-contrast="none">Mathias Bergfjord, R&amp;D Engineer at PulPac</span></em></a><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:284,&quot;335559737&quot;:284,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h4><strong><span data-contrast="auto"><br /></span></strong>Improve time-to-market with rapid prototyping&nbsp;</h4>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Your prototype can either be the starting point of your design, before you move into CAD, or it can be the outcome of the CAD design process. Either way, modern rapid prototyping technologies, such as 3D printing and small-footprint CNC machines, put additive and subtractive manufacturing directly into the hands of your product development teams, dramatically shortening an otherwise laborious prototyping process.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Instead of sending designs to a prototyping workshop, your development team can create them directly, lowering product development costs and speeding up design iterations. Designers can quickly create a physical form&mdash;even from an unresolved design&mdash;to help communicate opportunities and issues, illustrate design options, and test solutions.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">This AU class by Robert Bowerman and Chris Mitchell, </span><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Leveraging-Additive-Manufacturing-Technology-Fusion-360-and-Inventor-2022"><span data-contrast="auto">Using Additive Manufacturing Technology Via Autodesk Fusion 360 and Inventor</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">, can show you how to make the best use of your CAD model for rapid prototyping.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;<br /><br /></span></p>
<h4><strong><span data-contrast="auto"><img src="https://live-pantheon2-au.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/sites/default/files/auo2/2024-05/Improve%20time-to-market%20with%20rapid%20prototyping.png" alt="" width="1853" height="1034" /></span></strong></h4>
<h4>Improve collaboration with Extended Reality (XR)&nbsp;</h4>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The advantage of a physical prototype is that we can view it from all angles; we can assess its form, its color, its texture&mdash;even the way it feels in our hands.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The disadvantage is that all stakeholders must be in the same physical location to review the prototype. Or you need to make multiple copies and ship them out to each stakeholder for asynchronous review.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Physical review of design prototypes can be time-consuming, expensive, and prone to misunderstandings and mixed messages&mdash;slowing down design cycle time and delaying the launch of your product.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">How can you improve collaboration and design review using the 3D digital model you already have?</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The answer is Extended Reality (XR). An exciting way to create digital prototypes through technologies like Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR), XR prototypes have several advantages over their physical counterparts.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">To start, they offer you the ability to bring all stakeholders&mdash;regardless of location&mdash;into a single virtual environment to review the same 3D model simultaneously, improving decision-making and alignment.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Reviewers can assess design options in real-time, which is particularly helpful for personalized or configurable designs. Each change made to the CAD model can be reflected and reviewed in the virtual environment immediately.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">To </span><span data-contrast="auto">learn more, check out this AU class, </span><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Visual-Collaboration-and-Communication-in-Design-and-Manufacturing-Using-VRED-2023"><span data-contrast="none">Visual Collaboration and Communication in Design and Manufacturing Using VRED</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">, led by Pascal Seifert and Lukas F&auml;th.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:-20,&quot;335559737&quot;:-20,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h4><strong><span data-contrast="auto"><img src="https://live-pantheon2-au.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/sites/default/files/auo2/2024-05/Improve%20collaboration%20with%20Extended%20Reality%20%28XR%29.png" alt="" width="1853" height="1042" /></span></strong></h4>
<h4>Learn more about the benefits of automation&nbsp;</h4>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">To continue learning how designers and engineers like you are improving product development cycle time with Autodesk design and engineering tools, check out these playlists of classes from AU, the design and make conference:</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://share.autodesk.com/:w:/s/DMCampaignDevelopment145/EWI_TplOknBJlxR_9QM3JmkB2iWcKn4vQTFx6mmWnJwZYA?e=gMVXes"><span data-contrast="none">Product Data Management (PDM) classes for design engineering</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">  </span><span data-contrast="auto"> </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://share.autodesk.com/:w:/s/DMCampaignDevelopment145/EYHsEzoZAjREliE-_Vmp-HIBGE3WD8ClNDZzBEDMRn0j_Q?e=VmLuGq"><span data-contrast="none">Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) classes for design engineering</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">  </span><span data-contrast="auto"> </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><a href="https://share.autodesk.com/:w:/s/DMCampaignDevelopment145/ESTrPa4Y5O5NudJedpr5h8IBuAsg-30V3k5GvbMh-F77Xw?e=XvPeEh"><span data-contrast="none">CAD management classes for design engineering</span></a><span data-contrast="auto"> </span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">For additional free resources for designers and engineers, including case studies and software training, visit our </span><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/product-design-manufacturing"><span data-contrast="none">Design &amp; Engineering page</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:120,&quot;335559740&quot;:288}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

Platform-VR-0918

Automation: The Must-Have Capability to Accelerate Innovation

CAD Management

Business Management

<p class="p1">Delivering successful products to market takes research, investment, and experience&mdash;but it isn&rsquo;t a one-horse race. The competition is fierce. If you don&rsquo;t <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/product-design-manufacturing"><span class="s1">design and engineer</span></a> products that customers love, your competitors will.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Even when you deliver a superior product, arriving late to market can affect your ability to establish your brand as the market leader, reducing the proportion of the market you can capture.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Growing market share can help your company improve product profitability, increase competitive advantage, and even raise your company's bargaining power.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">73% of business leaders surveyed for the <a href="https://www.autodesk.co.uk/insights/research/state-of-design-and-make"><span class="s1">2023 State of Design &amp; Make by Autodesk</span></a> planned to increase product and service innovation investment. So, how can improvements in your design, engineering, or R&amp;D process improve market growth and profitability for your company?&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;73% of business leaders surveyed for the <a href="https://www.autodesk.co.uk/insights/research/state-of-design-and-make"><span class="s1">2023 State of Design &amp; Make by Autodesk</span></a> planned to increase product and service innovation investment.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p2">Growing market share with product innovation&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p1">Isn&rsquo;t market share considered a job for marketing and sales? The reality is that the foundation for market growth is innovation.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Innovation takes investment and time. Even for companies with a budget for R&amp;D, the problem is time. With limited design and engineering resources, the concern is that investing time in innovation will mean falling behind on current project work.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">With competing pressures from the support of your released products, overseeing your current products in manufacture, and the new product ranges you are working on, how can you find time to think ahead?&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Modular-Design-Design-Standards-and-Function-Automation-Using-Inventor-and-iLogic-2020">Modular Design, Design Standards, and Function Automation Using Inventor and iLogic</a></span>, a class led by Demir Ali, shows how organizations are using design automation to reduce engineering time and create time for innovation.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Learn how organizations are developing standards-based designs, capturing engineering knowledge, developing recipes from existing assemblies to help build new designs, and automating tasks such as the creation of manufacturing drawings using Autodesk Inventor&rsquo;s native functionality and the iLogic rule engine.&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p2">Improve profitability<strong>&nbsp;</strong></h4>
<p class="p1">Growing market share can increase revenue, which in turn can increase profits. Your other big lever for increasing profit is to reduce the production cost of your product.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Your 3D CAD model is not just a tool to visualize and communicate your design, your design and its data are key to optimizing your production process.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Your 3D CAD model is an investment of time that reaps rewards when it is shared with downstream teams in your company.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">One of the easiest tasks to automate from a 3D CAD model is the creation of a Bill of Materials (BOM)&mdash;a list of all the components needed to manufacture the design. The BOM is added to and used by many teams across your organization, including procurement and manufacturing. Manually compiling the BOM can be laborious and prone to error.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">In the AU class, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Autodesk-PDM-and-PLM-For-the-Long-Run-2023"><span class="s1">Autodesk PDM and PLM: For the Long Run</span></a>, Anthony Monty reveals how Woodway is implementing BOM management from Inventor to ERP&mdash;to reduce errors caused by manual processes and data re-entry.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;Kelly Young gives us a great example, showing how 3D CAD models can be used downstream in his AU class, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/All-You-Do-One-Platform-CAD-Nesting-CAM-Inventor-2019"><span class="s1">All You Do in One Platform&mdash;CAD to Nesting to CAM in Inventor</span></a>, showing how to design data is repurposed to optimize the arrangement of components on sheet goods and then program CNC machines.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;Dimitri Van Nuland Carl Schelfhout of Reynaers Aluminium show us how they use manufacturing data to supplement project management and New Product Introduction (NPI) in their AU class, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Fusion-Lifecycle-and-Vault-Synergy-2020"><span class="s1">Fusion Lifecycle and Vault: The Synergy</span></a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">The retained link is the big advantage of using a single data source to connect design and manufacturing workflows. If the design data is updated, the manufacturing data reflects the changes. No time is lost looking for the correct and current files or wrangling geometry and repeating programming work.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">This provides an opportunity for product companies to move from a &lsquo;Waterfall&rsquo; approach to design and manufacturing, where each person completes a task before handing it over to the next person, to an &lsquo;Agile&rsquo; approach, where teams can work concurrently, reducing time-to-market while maintaining, or even improving, the quality of the design-engineering-manufacturing process.&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p2">Learn more about design automation<strong>&nbsp;</strong></h4>
<p class="p1">To continue learning how design engineers like you are using design automation and configuration to improve the profitability of their products and increase market share, check out these playlists of classes from AU, the design and make conference:&nbsp;</p>
<ul class="ul1">
<li class="li3"><span class="s2"><a href="https://share.autodesk.com/:w:/s/DMCampaignDevelopment145/EWI_TplOknBJlxR_9QM3JmkB2iWcKn4vQTFx6mmWnJwZYA?e=gMVXes"><span class="s3">Product Data Management (PDM) classes for design engineering</span></a></span><span class="s4">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /></span></li>
<li class="li3"><span class="s2"><a href="https://share.autodesk.com/:w:/s/DMCampaignDevelopment145/EYHsEzoZAjREliE-_Vmp-HIBGE3WD8ClNDZzBEDMRn0j_Q?e=VmLuGq"><span class="s3">Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) classes for design engineering</span></a></span><span class="s4">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /></span></li>
<li class="li3"><span class="s2"><a href="https://share.autodesk.com/:w:/s/DMCampaignDevelopment145/ESTrPa4Y5O5NudJedpr5h8IBuAsg-30V3k5GvbMh-F77Xw?e=XvPeEh"><span class="s3">CAD management classes for design engineering</span></a></span><span class="s4">&nbsp;<br /></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">For additional free resources for designers and engineers, including case studies and software training, visit our <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/product-design-manufacturing"><span class="s1">Design &amp; Engineering page</span></a>.&nbsp;</p>

cad-for-pd-04

Growing Market Share and Improving Product Profitability with Design Automation

<p><span data-contrast="auto">With the global population expected to reach 10 billion by 2050, we&rsquo;re facing a growing need for new buildings and infrastructure.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">You can look at the numbers from many angles: You could say that we&rsquo;ll need to build 13,000 buildings a day every year and enough roads and rail to wrap around the earth 30 times. You could say that we&rsquo;ll need to construct 2.5 trillion square feet of new architecture&mdash;the equivalent of building a new New York City every month. Or you could say that if we continue building the way we do today, we&rsquo;ll need 1.7 Earths to provide all the required resources and space.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Compounding these issues is the reality that construction productivity has lagged other industries. Since 1970, manufacturing productivity increased 800%, while </span><a href="https://bfi.uchicago.edu/insight/research-summary/the-strange-and-awful-path-of-productivity-in-the-us-construction-sector/"><span data-contrast="none">one study showed</span></a><span data-contrast="auto"> that construction productivity fell by 40%. To add to the challenge, the construction workforce is aging&mdash;an estimated 33% of the labor force, many of whom are among the most highly skilled workers, will retire over the next five years.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">There&rsquo;s little debate that we need to build better. But what does that mean? It means </span><em><span data-contrast="auto">connecting construction</span></em><span data-contrast="auto"> processes&mdash;the data, people, and workflows&mdash;taking building information that&rsquo;s generated upstream in design and ensuring that it&rsquo;s more consumable downstream for construction, then operations. That requires a unified platform and a Common Data Environment (CDE).&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">And it means applying manufacturing principles to the built environment&mdash;in other words, </span><em><span data-contrast="auto">industrializing construction, </span></em><span data-contrast="auto">because when we produce building components in the factory, we can optimize processes and apply Lean principles. It means </span><em><span data-contrast="auto">productizing</span></em><span data-contrast="auto"> those building components, so that defined products and assemblies can be used across multiple projects, enabling building designers to design with those products in mind. That in turn allows us to </span><em><span data-contrast="auto">design with certainty</span></em><span data-contrast="auto">&mdash;improving predictability and reducing waste and rework through the entire process. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Multiple industry leaders stepped into the Theater at AU 2023 to share their ideas and their innovations that can help us develop the construction practices of the future.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h4><span data-ccp-props="{}"><br /></span><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/article/generating-a-digital-kit-of-parts-for-housing-2023">Generating a Digital Kit-of-Parts for Housing in the U.K.</a><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></h4>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Construction is fragmented in the UK&mdash;there's no common language that's being used between manufacturers of building components and architectural designers. With manufacturers having no clarity on performance or the geometry of components needed and designers not knowing the limitations of the various industrialized construction systems that are out there, the construction sector is at odds a lot of the time.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Building on previous research, Katie Rudin and the team from Akerlof are creating a digital kit-of-parts for housing at the request of the UK government. This digital kit-of-parts will create a clear and consistent language for the specifications, performance, and geometries of home components, including the walls, floors, windows, roofs, and doors. And having this shared language will mean that they can reduce miscommunication and costly mistakes.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The digital kit-of-parts will be open-access, so that the whole industry is sharing and communicating in the same way. The standard data templates that will sit within it mean that metadata and standard data classifications can be used alongside the digital kit-of-parts, allowing it to plug into current and future technologies. Ultimately, it means designers will spend less time on costly design changes and will use the specifications of manufactured solutions from the earliest parts of the design process. Manufacturers will be able to invest in their factories because there'll be more certainty in what they need to produce.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;<br /><br /></span></p>
<div style="position: relative; display: block; max-width: 960px;">
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<h4><span data-ccp-props="{}"><br /></span><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/article/our-common-data-environment-journey-2023">Our Common Data Environment Journey</a>&nbsp;</h4>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">As manager for project information on the Lofton Link project, a new railway line construction project with five stations in Hong Kong, Hanson Chan was responsible for implementation of a Common Data Environment (CDE) for the project. In fact, the adoption of a CDE is mandatory for all project team members working on new projects for his company, Hong Kong-based MTR. Everyone on an MTR project has to commit to work in the CDE, and since 2021, more than 2,000 users have joined.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Implementing the technology was only part of the challenge&mdash;it quickly became clear that they needed to create a culture of collaboration and sharing information to adapt. That meant encouraging open communication and setting common goals. They organized workshops, training sessions, and discussion forums to build a collaborative culture.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">It's made the work smoother, allowed them to capture data in real time, and made it easier to share information with everyone in the project. They can see how each state of the project is progressing, track project issues, and can approve submissions, all in one platform. By building the CDE, Chan&rsquo;s team has empowered collaboration and streamlined workflows, which has led to more successful projects.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;<br /><br /></span></p>
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<div style="padding-top: 56.25%;"><iframe style="position: absolute; top: 0px; right: 0px; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; width: 100%; height: 100%;" src="https://players.brightcove.net/6057940518001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6341246091112" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></div>
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<h4><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;<br /></span><a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/article/raising-constructions-collective-tq-technology-quotient-2023">Raising Construction&rsquo;s Collective &ldquo;TQ&rdquo; (Technology Quotient)</a><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></h4>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">You&rsquo;ve heard of IQ (&ldquo;intelligence quotient&rdquo;), but what about TQ (&ldquo;technology quotient&rdquo;)? Shelly Brown, CIO of Burns &amp; McDonnell, defines TQ as the ability to use technology to make a difference. And in the construction sector, she says, TQ is lower than ever, with 80% of construction businesses having only a beginning level of data maturity. Today, the average construction manager still spends over a day and a half each week just looking for data necessary to do their job.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">People have the capacity and willingness to improve and increase their TQ, but they often need a trigger or the desire to do so. Raising TQ requires everyone to make better technology decisions that are driven by the business outcomes that they're trying to achieve. With a low TQ, people lack the digital judgment around the life cycle of technology and the necessary human interaction support and financial investment that it requires to actually get the ROI that your business case requires.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">One of the problems, Brown points out, is that no one wants to or has time anymore to go sit in multi-day classes to learn a whole new platform. Instead, the idea is to be able to learn in the moment at that point in time. Most people just need a question answered or a feature explained, not necessarily an entire week or month of training. So, ultimately, this will help us raise our collective TQ. It means that &ldquo;learning is the job&rdquo; for all of us&mdash;especially those who work in construction.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;<br /><br /></span></p>
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<p><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<h4><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/article/building-our-future-with-industrialized-construction-2023">Building Our Future ​with Industrialized Construction</a><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></h4>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Industrialized construction techniques have existed for decades but have yet to be widely adopted. The challenge? Finding the right balance between standardization and customization. Essentially, it's a balancing act between specificity and scalability. Add to that a maze of ever-changing regulations and standards that require meticulous attention to ensure safety and code compliance in every project and the slow rate of adoption makes sense.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Fope Bademosi and Magda Kowalczyk share their prototype for a modular wooden floor cassette section with an embedded HVAC system, helping to show us a path forward where buildings and infrastructure can be constructed more quickly at lower cost. That's the promise of industrialized construction.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;<br /><br /></span></p>
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<p><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Learn more about the possibilities for </span><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/search?query=connected&amp;fields.year=2023&amp;fields.industry=Construction"><span data-contrast="none">connected construction</span></a><span data-contrast="auto"> and </span><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/search?query=industrialized&amp;fields.year=2023"><span data-contrast="none">industrialized construction</span></a><span data-contrast="auto"> anytime with AU year-round learning.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p>

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AU Focus: The Future of Construction

  
  
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 <p>Increasingly geometrically complex designs employ larger teams which deploy increasingly complex workflows for data exchange across multiple disciplines. However, not all workflows are equally effective at handling data. A new approach to tackling interoperability is crucial for the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Industry.</p>
<p>Using Buildings and Habitats object Model (BHoM) in our workflows can help avoid critical data loss and allow the seamless flow of data. In this article, we will explore BHoM scripts for interoperability and share our conclusions about the effectiveness of the BHoM in the industry so far.</p>
<h4>What is BHoM? <b> </b></h4>
<p>BHoM is a free, open-source collaborative project that allows software-agnostic representations of designs and their constituent elements. It is supported by a network of architects, engineers and software developers who have contributed code to it. BHoM seeks to resolve the interoperability challenge of tools used across the AEC industry.</p>
<h4>How it works?</h4>
<ul>
<li>It acts as an extendable data dictionary having a shared mapping process through identifiers, providing a good foundation for data exchange.</li>
<li>The core functionality of the BHoM adapter is centralized, meaning that new adapters for BHoM can work from a well-established framework to connect to the software in question. The developer only needs to solve the nuances of the new software to gain access to other adapters within BHoM.</li>
</ul>
<p><figure role="group">
<img alt="Picture1.png" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="865c0d9d-5e5d-4755-9858-fef8cac95593" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-137005-1png.png" />
<figcaption>Flow of Data from the BHoM definition<br />
<br />
Available: <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Open-Source-BIM-Interoperability-Exchange-and-Refine-Your-Data-BHoM-2021#presentation">https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Open-Source-BIM-Interoperability-Exchange-and-Refine-Your-Data-BHoM-2021#presentation</a></figcaption>
</figure>
</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>This decentralization allows BHoM to be both scalable and manageable as the adapters are managed by users of different software.</li>
<li>Through its central object model, BHoM provides a common platform for everyone to write scripts in a scalable way. A common language means that the output of a script created by one person can easily be used as the input for another script.</li>
<li>BHoM offers data structure and data manipulation strategies which are compatible with both visual flow-based programming and text based imperative code.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<h4>What all it comprises of?</h4>
<ul>
<li><b><i>BHoM</i></b>– A collection of object definitions, such as list of properties (beam, column, slab etc.)</li>
<li><b><i>Engine</i></b> – A Collection of custom tools and algorithms for data exploration and manipulation.</li>
<li><b><i>Adapters</i></b> – A Collection of translators to map and translate the object definitions between BHoM and external software packages.</li>
<li><b><i>User Interface (UI)</i></b> – A connector to expose BHoM functionality through tools such as Grasshopper, Dynamo and Excel.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><figure role="group">
<img alt="Picture2.png" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="419e32eb-090c-433f-8d74-d8f36048cc3a" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-137005-2_29.png" />
<figcaption>Structure of the BHoM<br />
Image courtesy of "The Buildings and Habitats object Model"<br />
<br />
Available: <a href="https://github.com/BHoM/documentation/wiki/Structure-of-the-BHoM">https://github.com/BHoM/documentation/wiki/Structure-of-the-BHoM</a></figcaption>
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</p>
<h4> </h4>
<h4>Why BHoM?</h4>
<p>The AEC industry's digitalization, along with growing project complexity and market competition has forced AEC professionals to look for smarter ways to manage data and streamline collaboration across projects—no matter what design tools they use.</p>
<p>Various AEC organizations have been independently developing their own in-house customized tools, including plugins and spreadsheets, for design workflows. Sharing large 3D models and metadata is now commonplace. These workflows are challenging for coordination and create unnecessarily large data payloads that cause problems in tracking changes during the design life cycle of the project. This produces inefficiencies in design communication across multiple disciplines.</p>
<p>The industry needs solutions that are flexible, brings design teams together and ease the sharing of data to deliver high quality designs insights. We need to transition from centralized, file-based processes to a decentralized design workflow where different software applications are connected.</p>
<h4>How Can BHoM be used for Enhanced collaboration? <b> </b></h4>
<p>BHoM can be implemented to meet industry needs, as it provides a single common language between multiple design tools. The BHoM uses a code base primarily written in C#. It defines a set of classes and objects for a common language that can be used to transfer data into any application and only requires one translator (adapter) per software application.</p>
<p><figure role="group">
<img alt="3" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a88a888e-e16a-4de4-a028-5aa30405e419" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-137005-3_37.png" />
<figcaption>Comparison of traditional approach against Central Object Model of the BHoM<br />
Image courtesy of "The Buildings and Habitats object Model"<br />
<br />
Available: <a href="https://github.com/BHoM/documentation/wiki/What-Is-the-BHoM-For%20">https://github.com/BHoM/documentation/wiki/What-Is-the-BHoM-For</a></figcaption>
</figure>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Another notable factor of the BHoM is that it’s completely open source.The code base is improved and maintained by the community which ensures long term interoperability and leads to enhanced collaboration.</p>
<p>Interested in being part of it?  You can join the community of contributors <a href="https://github.com/BHoM/documentation/wiki/Getting-started-for-developers">here.</a></p>
<h4>Case Study</h4>
<p>During the design life cycle of a typical AEC project, data is created in the form of building information modeling (BIM) models, finite element (FE) models, and shared back and forth across multiple disciplines for coordination and design communication. However, due to lack of a central object model-based workflow, every discipline creates their own set of data for their specific software. This is inefficient, as efforts to create models are-</p>
<ul>
<li> Duplicated</li>
<li>Time consuming</li>
<li>Unsustainable</li>
</ul>
<p><figure role="group">
<img alt="4" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e7693feb-1ea6-477d-bdef-a4792ea71135" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-137005-4_33.png" />
<figcaption>Use Cases of the BHoM<br />
Image courtesy of "The Buildings and Habitats object Model"<br />
<br />
Available: <a href="https://github.com/BHoM/documentation/wiki/What-Is-the-BHoM-For%20">https://github.com/BHoM/documentation/wiki/What-Is-the-BHoM-For</a></figcaption>
</figure>
</p>
<p> </p>
<h4><b>Steel Virendeel Truss Footbridge by BuroHappold</b><a href="https://structurae.net/en/literature/conference-paper/new-workflows-for-the-efficient-design-and-construction-of-architectural-footbridges">[1]</a></h4>
<p>The proposed steel bridge is 10 m wide, spans 56m, and lightly touches an existing bridge. The form was created to compliment the landscape of the existing bridge. The design team decided to use BHoM to parametrically control analysis models for structural materials, properties and loading— as it was destined to change due to challenging site conditions.</p>
<p>They created construction model to give due consideration to size and location of the foundation amongst the railway platform structure. As a central model was used, all the modifications in the construction model were done via BHoM objects, which resulted in cascading various analysis model vis-à-vis.</p>
<p><figure role="group">
<img alt="5" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5529ec91-6f8d-4307-957a-03d92cddff7b" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-137005-5_25.png" />
<figcaption>Design Workflow of Steel Virendeel Truss Footbridge using the BHoM<br />
Image courtesy of Peter Nugent</figcaption>
</figure>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After completion of the project, the design team believed BHoM proved beneficial throughout the design lifecycle of the project. It also resulted in reduction of redundant work,and all the changes made to the central model were cascaded down to the construction and local models.</p>
<h4>Impact of BHoM Implementation</h4>
<p>BHoM can have a far-reaching impact in the AEC industry by supporting and improving business practices compared to traditional practices. Its use can shorten the project duration, produce market-ready facilities, and optimize management and maintenance.</p>
<p>Other benefits include:</p>
<ul>
<li><b><i>Accessibility</i></b>– The data-driven framework is highly accessible since BHoM is a free software licensed under <a href="https://github.com/BHoM/BHoM/blob/master/LICENSE">GNU Lesser General Public License v3</a>.</li>
<li><b><i>Quality</i></b>– BHoM enables projects<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSYZyCW_0pY">[2]</a>to be completed within tight timeframes without compromising on quality of deliverables.</li>
<li><b><i>Promptness</i></b>–BHoM expedites the design processes with seamless data exchange across multiple software packages.</li>
<li><b><i>Collaboration</i></b>–BHoM fosters enhanced collaboration across multiple disciplines and stakeholders such as architect &amp; engineers, specifically for projects in the urban landscape.</li>
<li><b><i>Data efficiency</i></b>–BHoM avoids the loss of critical data in AEC workflows as it contains a rich information model with real time integration across different disciplines.  </li>
<li><b><i>Flexibilit</i>y</b>– Dynamic definition of data allows greater flexibility throughout the design lifecycle of a project.</li>
<li><b><i>Opportunity</i></b>–BHoM has a robust definition for construction objects, data management and data transfers between software. It allows users to build upon it and explore the integration of new workflows —like machine learning, positive feedback loops and generative design.</li>
</ul>
<p><i> </i></p>
<h4><b>Challenges to BHoM Implementation</b></h4>
<p>Will BHoM be a technology that is adopted overnight by the AEC Industry? No, it was open sourced in December 2019 and the digital revolution in construction is just beginning.There’s a long road ahead before open-source software packages like BHoM become the norm in design. BHoM in the <a href="https://autode.sk/3oz3lWH">AEC</a> industry still has some obstacles to overcome, such as:</p>
<ul>
<li><b><i>Limited integration capabilities</i></b>— Being a community-based initiative BHoM offers limited integration capabilities. Community input is required for development of adapters for different software packages.</li>
<li><b><i>Maintenance</i></b>—As it’s publicly available for contributors, regular maintenance is required for affected GitHub repositories and for rewriting speciﬁc object models.</li>
<li><b><i>Scepticism</i></b>—Even the most tech-savvy design consultant might be hesitant to adopt BHoM into their day-to-day operations.</li>
<li><b><i>Culture</i></b>—BHoM is a non-traditional approach for interoperability. It isn’t easy to adapt, even for the organizations that are now digitized. It takes time, effort, and training to accomplish.</li>
<li><b><i>Lack of resources</i></b>—In order to implement BHoM into everyday operations, a variety of complex workflows need to be created. This carries a cost—for the systems, and for hiring people to create and implement them.</li>
<li><b><i>Cost and efficiency</i></b>—While BHoM is quite good at cost reduction (it’s open-source after all) it still faces specific challenges implementing legacy systems. Setting up the initial BHoM infrastructure can get expensive.</li>
</ul>
<p><b><i> </i></b></p>
<h4>The Bottom Line</h4>
<p>Application of BHoM in the AEC industry is emerging as a potential solution to the prevailing interoperability problem of multidisciplinary designs. When implemented, it can also assist design decisions through reasoning and enhanced collaboration. But the implementation still has a long way to go given the cultural and economic barriers associated with it. BHoM itself has its own limitations which need to be investigated. A collaborative effort from the AEC community is what’s needed to overcome challenges associated with BHoM implementation.</p>
<h4>Acknowledgements</h4>
<p>A special thanks to <a href="https://www.burohappold.com/people/peter-nugent/">Peter Nugent</a>, Senior Computational Bridge Engineer, BuroHappold Ltd, London, for extending tremendous support to the article and providing valuable insights and guidance throughout the process.</p>
<h4>About the Authors</h4>
<p>Paras Taneja, a practicing Structural Engineer based out of Haryana, India striving to contribute to the AEC community through engineering sustainable solutions powered by data and technology. He comes with multitude of experience as a Structural Engineer and Computational BIM Technologist in Bridge Engineering.</p>
<p>Muskan Khan is currently an MBA student at Indian Institute of Management-Kozhikode, India. She's a technology enthusiast who likes to explore different industries and perspectives. Previously, she has worked with Economic Times Prime as Business Correspondent where her work involved highlighting issues in different domains. She is a graduate in commerce from Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Delhi University, India.</p>


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Enhancing Collaboration with the Buildings and Habitats object Model (BHoM) in AEC Workflows

Building Operations

<p class="p1">In the early days of Building Information Modeling, it was easy to think of BIM as simply a more advanced form of CAD. But BIM is more than a tool for design&mdash;it&rsquo;s a tool for decision-making. That&rsquo;s because we can associate any kind of data with a model or component. That means we can take a data-driven approach not only to building design, but to estimation, construction, and operations, too&mdash;every stage of the building lifecycle.  &nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">By leveraging BIM data for operations, building owners and facility managers can drive better outcomes for their occupants and their bottom line, since &ldquo;approximately 80% of the total cost of building ownership occurs in operations after construction post-occupancy,&rdquo; according to <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/article/Evolution-BIM-Facilities-Management-2023"><span class="s1">Nick Stefanidakis of Eptura</span></a>. &ldquo;So even a small improvement in operations can have a dramatic impact on the overall lifecycle costs of a facility.&rdquo; &nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">If you take that approach to its natural (and technological) conclusion, you&rsquo;ll get a <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/solutions/digital-twin/architecture-engineering-construction"><span class="s1">digital twin</span></a>&mdash;a digital replica of a real-world entity or system that continuously informs and is informed by the real world. For a building, the digital twin can map heating, cooling, power, plumbing, and any other functioning building system. It can track traffic and space usage by people as well as maintenance needs. And with the right data and analytics, it can start to predict problems and plan maintenance so that you can avoid downtime. Eventually, a digital twins can even use AI to respond to problems&mdash;adjusting temperature and other operational variables automatically in response to input. &nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">When <a href="https://intandem.autodesk.com/"><span class="s1">Autodesk Tandem</span></a> was launched, the focus was on providing owners with contextual access to design and construction data at handover. But that&rsquo;s really just the beginning. In 2023, <a href="https://adsknews.autodesk.com/en/news/autodesk-tandem-facility-monitoring/"><span class="s1">facilities monitoring capabilities were released for Tandem</span></a>, allowing you to track occupancy trends in near-real time and visualize historical trends as heat maps on 3D models. This enables you to define relationships between assets, spaces, and systems over time so you can strategize and optimize operations, making your buildings more efficient, more sustainable, and more comfortable.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Digital twins and data strategies for business owners were important topics at AU 2024. Check out these sessions to deepen your understanding and build your skills: &nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p1" style="font-size: 21px;">Getting started &nbsp;</h4>
<ul class="ul1">
<li class="li1"><span class="s2"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Digital-Twins-The-Competitive-Advantage-2024"><span class="s3"><strong>Digital Twins: The Competitive Advantage</strong></span></a></span><strong>&mdash;</strong>Karina Cardenas and Arundhati Ghosh explore how these digital twins can bridge gaps in the handover process, securing data critical to successful facilities management. Tune in for guidance on how to introduce digital twins to building operators and success stories from organizations that have mastered digital twins.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s2"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Ready-Set-Twin-The-Digital-Twin-Decoded-2024"><span class="s3"><strong>Ready, Set, Twin: The Digital Twin, Decoded</strong></span></a></span>&mdash;Join Chandan Sutradhar and Siva Koppula to learn about digital twin implementation across diverse industry verticals&mdash;including airports, hospitals, metros, and office buildings. Discover how the nuances of each vertical shapes our approach, and learn why creating and maintaining digital twins is a progressive journey.&nbsp;</li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s2"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/A-Paradigm-Shift-in-Building-Operations-Digital-Twin-with-BIM-and-AI-based-Data-Analytics-2024"><span class="s3"><strong>A Paradigm Shift in Building Operations : Digital Twin with BIM and AI-based Data Analytics</strong></span></a></span>&mdash;Discover how Samsung C&amp;T is using a digital twin powered by AI to improve operations of a 100,000 square-meter office building with solutions for energy management and comfort control that work in real time using machine learning models and optimization algorithms.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p1" style="font-size: 21px;">Learning from leaders<strong> </strong>&nbsp;</h4>
<ul class="ul1">
<li class="li1"><span class="s2"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Innovating-with-Digital-Twins-Strategy-and-Application-in-BAMs-Construction-Projects-2024"><span class="s3"><strong>Innovating with Digital Twins: Strategy and Application in BAM's Construction Projects</strong></span></a></span>&mdash;Bob Moons and Jordy Vos discuss the importance of the digital twin strategy at BAM and demonstrate how they used Autodesk Tandem software to realize a digital twin for risk reduction during a construction project.&nbsp;</li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s2"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/ECOFACT-Digital-Twin-Platform-An-Energy-and-Resource-Management-System-for-Factories-2024"><span class="s3"><strong>ECOFACT Digital Twin Platform: An Energy and Resource Management System for Factories</strong></span></a></span>&mdash; Riccardo Merizzi and Andrea Perego showcase ECOFACT, an innovative energy management platform for factories that combines data about production lines and machines with simulation and optimization tools into a single web environment. Learn about their dashboard that includes an LCA/LCCA module based on SimaPro and an Energy and Resource Management System (ERMS) built on Autodesk Platform Services.&nbsp;</li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s2"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Boosting-Campus-Operational-Efficiency-Through-the-Power-of-Autodesk-Tandem-Digital-Twins-2024"><span class="s3"><strong>Boosting Campus Operational Efficiency Through the Power of Autodesk Tandem Digital Twins</strong></span></a></span>&mdash;Discover how researchers and facility managers at the University of Florida collaborated on implementing Autodesk Tandem software in facilities and asset management (FAM) to improve operational efficiency, automate repetitive tasks, and enhance preventative maintenance. Learn how they integrated sensor and actuator device data using an academic building's Revit model in Tandem to create a twin that monitors facility performance in real time.&nbsp;</li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s2"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Past-Meets-Future-Preserving-History-with-Digital-Twins-2024"><span class="s3"><strong>Past Meets Future: Preserving History with Digital Twins</strong></span></a></span>&mdash;Can a digital twin help preserve one of the nation's preeminent Victorian civic structures? Robert Fink and Charles Thompson show you how Quinn Evans has pioneered a method to merge past data with current information. Working with the Michigan State Capitol, the firm has applied this approach to more efficiently, effectively, and sustainably manage and maintain the Capitol, including more than nine acres of historic finishes, all while serving the state legislative body and general public.&nbsp;</li>
<li class="li1"><span class="s2"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Revolutionizing-Railway-Sustainability-Unleashing-the-Power-of-Autodesk-Tandem-as-a-Metro-Rail-Digital-Twin-Solution-2024"><span class="s3"><strong>Revolutionizing Railway Sustainability: Unleashing the Power of Autodesk Tandem as a Metro Rail Digital Twin Solution</strong></span></a></span>&mdash;Ferdi Tatar ad Saban Kus show how they integrated data from SCADA and energy management systems with digital twins for the İstanbul Metro, achieving cost savings of 25% on operations and maintenance and energy efficiency gains of 37%.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Learn more about digital twins and the future of digitized construction and building operations anytime on the <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/construction"><span class="s1">Construction</span></a> page at Autodesk University.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

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AU Focus: Digital Twins and Data Strategies for Building Owners

<p class="p2">Water is the original infrastructure. It&rsquo;s the element people must have access to, the resource we have always sought to manage&mdash;from the first human settlements to today&rsquo;s largest megacities.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"> Today, water management can mean many things. It means capturing and distributing fresh water for consumption and industry, as well as treating and disposing of wastewater.  It means controlling groundwater such as rivers, lakes, and springs, managing sea level and mitigating rainstorms. From dams, canals, and irrigation systems to water mains, sewer networks, and treatment plans, we may not always think about water management, but there&rsquo;s no part of our infrastructure that&rsquo;s more essential.  &nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">And with the global population growing and climate change bringing a range of unpredictable effects to water supplies, the choices we make in water management have never been more important. A quarter of people around the world lack consistent access to safe drinking water. And the infrastructure that we use for water is, in many cases, aging. In the U.S. alone, an estimated 240,000 water main breaks each year contribute to the loss of more than $7 billion in treated water.  &nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">New digitized approaches are creating new possibilities for how we manage water, enabling us to better conserve the water we have, maintain and optimize the systems in place, and build better, more resilient systems for the years ahead. Build your skills and expand your understanding with these AU 2024 sessions.  &nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p2" style="font-size: 21px;">Sessions for drainage designers&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Navigating-Stormwater-How-VHB-Overcame-Drainage-Challenges-Using-InfoDrainage-2024"><strong>Navigating Stormwater: How VHB Overcame Drainage Challenges Using InfoDrainage</strong></a></span>&nbsp;<br /><a href="https://www.vhb.com/"><span class="s1">VHB</span></a>&lsquo;s Jenna Woyner and Jess Ewing join Samer Muhandes to explore the pitfalls of designing drainage systems with isolated drainage design tools and spreadsheets&mdash;but also wins from using InfoDrainage.</p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/InfoDrainage-for-Transportation-Projects-From-Concept-to-Detailed-Design-2024"><strong>InfoDrainage for Transportation Projects: From Concept to Detailed Design</strong></a></span>&nbsp;<br />Matthew Piggott, Ryan Brown, and Youssef Al Fahham present a streamlined workflow with InfoDrainage and Civil 3D that facilitates the interaction and data exchange between both software solutions, with a special emphasis on drainage for transportation projects. They also show off the ML Deluge feature&rsquo;s AI power.</p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Simulation-101-Creating-Catchments-in-Civil-3D-to-Simulate-Hydrology-in-InfoDrainage-2024"><strong>Simulation 101: Creating Catchments in Civil 3D to Simulate Hydrology in InfoDrainage</strong></a></span>&nbsp;<br />Consultant <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-l-driscol-09636811/"><span class="s1">Kenneth L. Driscol Sr.</span></a> shows Civil 3D users how to up their drainage game using some handy integrations that bring all your data into InfoDrainage. From there, use its more extensive runoff routing methods and rainfall generation tools to simulate hydrology and accurately size up your drainage network.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">Explore <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/blogs/water/2024/11/01/icymi-all-the-au-2024-on-demand-sessions-for-drainage-designers/"><span class="s1">more classes for drainage designers</span></a> on the Autodesk Water blog.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p2" style="font-size: 21px;">Session on hydraulic modeling&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Integration-of-BIM-and-Hydraulic-Modeling-into-a-Single-Workflow-2024"><strong>Integration of BIM and Hydraulic Modeling into a Single Workflow</strong></a></span>&nbsp;<br />The development of information flows in each phase of asset life enables integration and interoperability between design applications (Civil 3D or InfraWorks), geographic information systems (ArcGIS), and hydraulic modeling software (InfoWorks WS Pro). Paulo Macedo covers network pathways, sizing, depth, clash detection, documentation, calibration, operational rules, and more, using the best application for each step with the smoothest interoperability.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s2"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Using-Sensor-Data-to-Drive-Dynamic-Hydraulic-Models-in-InfoWater-Pro-with-Info360-Insight-2024"><strong>Using Sensor Data to Drive Dynamic Hydraulic Models in InfoWater Pro with Info360 Insight</strong></a></span><span class="s3">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2">In this session, Nathan Gerdts, Adyen Baren, and Shawn Huang equip you with practical skills and tools to facilitate the integration of sensor data and analytics into InfoWater Pro water distribution models using Info360 Insight. Dynamically coupling hydraulic models with sensor data is a smart but often under-explored strategy, and it&rsquo;s a key aspect in deploying a digital twin. They discuss the data types suitable for hydraulic models, the preprocessing steps required, and various integration strategies, such as the automatic scaling of customer demands to meet forecasts.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Climate-Resilience-and-Urban-Sustainability-The-Need-for-City-Wide-Stormwater-Models-2024"><strong>Climate Resilience and Urban Sustainability: The Need for City-Wide Stormwater Models</strong></a></span>&nbsp;<br />Traditional methods for managing stormwater have clearly shown their limitations. The conventional focus on site-specific solutions, while essential, does not fully account for the complex, interconnected nature of urban water systems. Mel Meng and ISG&rsquo;s Jacob Rischmiller will show you a comprehensive, city-wide approach to stormwater modeling as a more adaptive and effective solution.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s3">Explore <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/blogs/water/2024/11/11/icymi-the-hydraulic-modeling-on-demand-sessions-from-au-2024/"><span class="s2">more AU 2024 session on hydraulic modeling</span></a> on the Autodesk Water blog.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2">Learn more about the possibilities for digitizing processes for water management on the <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/civil-infrastructure"><span class="s1">Civil Infrastructure page</span></a> of the AU website.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

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AU Focus: Digitizing Design and Operations for Water Infrastructure

Internet of Things (IoT)

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<p><a href="https://autode.sk/3Gr4YOk">Digital twins</a> for building owners are emerging tools for facilities management, operations, and maintenance. The benefits of digital twins to overall businesses beyond traditional practice are just beginning to be realized.&nbsp;This article provides background information on digital twins as a starting point for the <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Digital-Twin-Building-Owners-2020#video">AU 2020 roundtable</a> and <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Digital-Twin-Building-Owners-2021-Optimizing-Data-and-Delivery-2021#video">AU 2021 panel</a> discussions exploring what digital twins mean for the building industry today.</p>
<p>Digital twin strategies started in the digital manufacturing, product, and machine industries. This practice was spearheaded as far back as 2016 by companies such as GE and Siemens. Digital twins are currently defined as software representations of assets, and processes that are used to understand, predict, and optimize performance in order to achieve improved business outcomes.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Related: <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/content/Extending-the-Value-of-BIM-to-Owners-with-a-Digital-Twin">Extending the Value of BIM to Owners with a Digital Twin</a> with Robert Bray</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Digital twins consist of three components: a data model, a set of analytics or algorithms, and knowledge. <a href="https://autode.sk/3Gr4YOk">Digital twin</a> practices leverage data tactics from other trending technologies like <a href="https://autode.sk/35O4XI5">AI</a>-driven development (artificial intelligence), predictive/augmented analytics, <a href="https://autode.sk/3hU8mb2">IoT</a> (Internet of Things), and IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) to enhance next-generation PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) and PDM (Product Data Management). For the building industry, it is an emerging technology and set of practices still being defined and understood.</p>
<p><img src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-134260-1_63.jpg" alt="1" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="50a563df-6a69-4591-876f-d3716c4cb14e" /></p>
<p>Like most trending industry technology terms such as '3D printing' and 'mixed reality,' the term 'digital twin' is overused and misinterpreted in the AEC industry. Most commonly the use confuses record drawings and models with a digital twin. The hype versus reality couldn&rsquo;t be more apparent in today&rsquo;s building industry vernacular. The industry buzz around digital twin hit its plateau in 2018-19, according to Gartner. The term is not even mentioned in any public Gartner Hype Cycles for 2020-21. If <a href="https://autode.sk/3Gr4YOk">digital twin</a> is really moving from the Trough of Disillusionment and into the Slope of Enlightenment, then a more balanced, rational, and practical understanding of the concept will eventually emerge.</p>
<h3>Owner's Dilemma</h3>
<figure role="group"><img src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-134260-2_66.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Bob Bray, Autodesk" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="842db88c-6129-423e-8d83-c9ea620be43b" />
<figcaption>Image courtesy of Robert Bray, Autodesk.</figcaption>
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<p>Building owners and operators ("owners") have long understood the need for both geometric model representation and associated metadata of building systems for operational and maintenance needs. Owners struggle in obtaining both complete and accurate building data. The traditional practice of obtaining record, as-builts, as-constructed drawings is a flawed and inefficient practice in providing the level of detail and accuracy required. Managing as-constructed and as-designed conditions from contractors, trades, and design consultants is also an inefficient workflow during the construction phases.</p>
<p>From a professional fee perspective, it&rsquo;s poorly planned as a deliverable and resources requirement. BIM practices have helped with providing models and data deliverables, but owners still struggle with platform integration and metadata standards to make the requirement efficient, repeatable, and scalable.</p>
<p>Facility management practices of maintaining key data like manuals and asset warranties for building management systems can be inaccurate due to a lack of industry data standards and common platforms. Real-time operational data needs with digital monitoring and sensors are currently explored but systems are costly and business value ROI does not make it affordable yet. Owners that have BIM data requirements typically don&rsquo;t have the resources and time required to validate compliance of deliverables.</p>
<p>Handover from designers, engineers, and contractors to the owner at substantial completion is still a traditional practice of 2D PDF deliverables in most cases. FM/PLMs are large databases but only digital records of known conditions of the building(s). This information requires continuous human intervention to validate, maintain, and update. Currently most FM/PLM systems have only basic automated maintenance scheduling, asset tracking, and management features. They require high levels of customization to meet owner needs and are relatively expensive to operate and maintain. This type of digital record keeping is not digital twin.</p>
<p>Owners also struggle with building renewal and renovation cycles. Property management, forecasting development, space planning, and programming requirements of existing assets to new or repurposed uses need improvement in data understanding.</p>
<p>What is the value of the digital twin to owners? It is a highly accurate and complete digital single point of truth of the build conditions and that information is always kept current and activities are regulated and visible. Operation and maintenance are proactive and automated based on data&nbsp;gathered during daily operations. Digital twin also aids better understanding in building renovation and renewal.</p>
<p><a href="https://autode.sk/3Gr4YOk">Digital twin</a> doesn&rsquo;t need to start at building commissioning. Design models are digital prototypes for the building(s). The evidence of collected data over time can be used to inform design decisions. The collection and understanding of design and business decisions over time allows for enhanced knowledge and understanding of buildings, knowing not only the 'what' in a building, but also the 'why' of it.</p>
<h3>Key Concepts</h3>
<p>From the Gartner report of Top 10 Strategic Technology trends for 2019:</p>
<p>A digital twin is a digital representation that mirrors a real-life object, process, or system. Digital twins can also be linked to create twins of larger systems, such as a power plant or city. The idea of a digital twin is not new. It goes back to computer-aided design representations of things or online profiles of customers, but today&rsquo;s digital twins are different in four ways:</p>
<p>1.&nbsp;The robustness of the models, with a focus on how they support specific business outcomes</p>
<p>2.&nbsp;The link to the real world, potentially in real time for monitoring and control</p>
<p>3. The application of advanced big data analytics and AI to drive new business opportunities</p>
<p>4. The ability to interact with them and evaluate &ldquo;what if&rdquo; scenarios</p>
<p>The focus today is on digital twins in <a href="https://autode.sk/3hU8mb2">IoT</a>, which could improve enterprise decision making by providing information on maintenance and reliability, insight into how a product could perform more effectively, data about new products, and increased efficiency. Digital twins of an organization are emerging to create models of organizational process to enable real-time monitoring and drive improved process efficiencies.</p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Digital-Twin-Building-Owners-2020#video">Watch the AU 2020 roundtable.</a> </em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Digital-Twin-Building-Owners-2021-Optimizing-Data-and-Delivery-2021#video">Watch the AU 2021 panel.</a></em></p>
<p><em>Brandon Wlosinski works as the BIM technical specialist with the WDW Facility Asset Management teams. Brandon works with interdisciplinary teams of many sizes, within and outside, providing support and leadership for process and deliverables, centered around models and data. He also works to help set, maintain, and enforce company standards so that data and documentation can be made readily available for partners within The Walt Disney Company. He also works to build up tools and workflows for better safety and efficiencies of the project team. This includes areas such as VR/AR, IoT, building analytics, agile construction, and computational design. </em></p>
<p><em>Dorian Chau orchestrates design technology solutions for major global organizations and is a principal business consultant at Autodesk. He combines his background in architecture and expertise in design technology to help organizations transform their business by optimizing workflows through innovation and enables new capabilities in the design, build, and manage lifecycle including tech giant campuses and top tier resorts. He also brings his deep foundational understanding of design technology, digital transformation, and BIM to the engineering and manufacturing spaces. Prior to joining Autodesk, Dorian was the firm-wide BIM manager at Gensler, where he managed and refined the firm&rsquo;s BIM strategy for seven years.</em></p>
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Walt Disney World’s Brandon Wlosinski and Autodesk’s Dorian Chau explore what digital twins mean for building owners.

Digital Twin for Building Owners

<p class="p1">Collaboration through design phases, coordination on the construction site&mdash;these have long been challenges for architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) businesses. And the rise of remote work and a globalized workforce hasn&rsquo;t made these jobs any easier. The result? Rework, schedule delays, and unnecessary costs. &nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Extended reality (XR) can be an important tool to facilitate collaboration, coordination, and communication through all phases&mdash;to help everyone involved understand both the original design and the current state of the project. It gives every stakeholder greater spatial awareness&mdash;the ability to not just see or read the data, but actually <em>experience</em> the design in 3D space and in the proper context. It can bring professionals together from anywhere in the world. And that enables you to catch costly errors early, make better decisions, and ultimately achieve better outcomes.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><a href="https://workshopxr.autodesk.com/?nab=1">Autodesk Workshop XR</a></span> enables you to bring the whole AEC project team together in an immersive and dynamic workspace to inspect and scrutinize 3D models and problem-solve together&mdash;in real time. It brings value across the entire project lifecycle, from early conceptual design to detailed design to coordination of design and build on the construction site or the factory floor, all the way throughout operations and maintenance.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">In these AU 2023 Theater sessions, AEC industry leaders share their experiences using XR in real-life projects to reduce risks and achieve better outcomes.&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p1">A Culture of Curiosity:​ 100 Years of XR&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p1">The first publicly released movie in 3D, "The Power of Love," was screened a century ago. For Elliott Crossley, director of digital delivery at Building Design Partnership (BDP), this can be seen as the birth of XR&mdash;and we&rsquo;ve come a long way in the decades since. Crossley&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">shares how a culture of curiosity underpins BDP&rsquo;s work in leveraging XR to create immersive, collaborative design experiences. He cites the Alder Hey Children's Hospital project in Liverpool, UK, where the use of VR enabled the team to create 360-degree panoramas from the 3D model and co-design spaces with doctors. The process resulted in the project being delivered 20% faster than any comparable hospital. He also discusses using XR for the restoration of the Palace of Westminster. Using scanning technologies, a 3D model was created and developed into a real-time virtual environment. This digital model served as a design tool to understand the complexities of the building and to consider different design scenarios, but also as a communication tool to engage stakeholders.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
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<h4 class="p1"><br />Building the Digital Big Room&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p1">Virtual reality (VR) can be a powerful tool for collaboration in construction projects. Allison Flavin shares her team's experiences at Jacobs, a global solutions provider. They used VR to create a 'digital big room,' an immersive space where clients and team members can interact with 3D project models and additional information in real time. This VR room is not just for a one-time showcase, but is used continuously throughout the project lifecycle, facilitating ongoing collaboration. The room includes a site plan, with 4D animations showing how the building will be constructed, and it allows notes to be made directly within the space. Flavin emphasizes that this technology is accessible to everyone, regardless of their location or whether they have a VR headset, as it can also be accessed via a desktop computer.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
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<h4 class="p1"><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"><br />Achieving Cutting-Edge MEP Design Using XR</span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></h4>
<p class="p1">When it comes to using XR to improve construction processes, it&rsquo;s all about the details. Gary Cowan, head of digital construction at the Kane Group, Northern Ireland's leading MEP design and build specialists, shares how his team was able to enhance design, improve 3D coordination, and overcome construction challenges by creating detailed XR experiences that could be shared by all stakeholders and disciplines. A notable case study is the Claridge's Hotel project, which required fully prefabricated solutions due to challenging and congested site conditions. By using XR technology and precise reality capture technologies, they managed to overcome building tolerance issues and create a one-to-one scale representation of the required elements, leading to a more efficient workflow.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
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<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Learn more about <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/search?fields.topic=AR%2FVR&amp;fields.year=2023"><span class="s1">the possibilities of XR in industry</span></a> anytime with year-round learning at AU.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>

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AU Focus: Revolutionizing AEC Businesses with XR

<p class="p2">We&rsquo;re on the cusp of a new era in media and entertainment. Traditional production methods are strained by soaring demand for high quality content and the constant pressure of accelerated timelines. Teams are often working in silos, with data and technology sometimes being more of a barrier than an enabler for better collaboration. New technologies and new approaches&mdash;from AI and connected data to open standards&mdash;can help by automating and simplifying mundane, tedious, and error-prone tasks, so artists can focus on being creative.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">These AU Theater talks feature trailblazers in the fields of animation and VFX that have embraced new technologies while celebrating the creative spirit that drives them. They explore the relationship between people, technology, and the art they create, and show how embracing and strengthening that relationship can help us to reach&mdash;and move beyond&mdash;the next frontier of film and TV&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p2">From &ldquo;That&rsquo;s Never Been Done&rdquo; to Delivery&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p2">Constraints necessarily limit creative possibilities&mdash;but they&rsquo;re also a primary driver of innovation in the creative industries. This insight, shared by David Lawson, creative director at The Mill, and Jocelyn Birsch, who runs the experience team at The Mill, can help us fundamentally reframe the challenges and opportunities that come with groundbreaking projects. Lawson shares three key principles that are crucial when tackling creative projects: ensuring the creative is exciting, understanding the client's broader goal, and effectively communicating the direction and intention. Birsch emphasizes the need to tackle projects piece by piece and aligning creativity with new possibilities. Birsch and Lawson both urge professionals to remember these principles when approaching pioneering projects&mdash;things that have &ldquo;never been done before&rdquo;&mdash;and they emphasize that technology only becomes truly meaningful in the hands of creators.&nbsp;<br /><br /></p>
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<h4 class="p2"><br />Artists and Technology in Harmony&nbsp;&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p2">How can we strike a balance between creativity and innovation in the entertainment industry? Chay Carter, head of creative content and brand partnerships at Artists Equity, and Hansjeet Duggal, the company&rsquo;s head of visual effects, champion the idea of valuing and investing in people while recognizing the transformative role of technology. Carter advocates for a paradigm where artists are empowered with ownership and responsibility, fostering a more productive and supportive environment. Duggal showcases historical examples of the successful fusion between human imagination and technology, emphasizing the importance of human emotion in crafting compelling visual effects. They both underscore the need for harmony between artists and the tools they use, arguing that this balance not only increases the quality of entertainment but also cultivates a sense of community and diversity within the industry.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /></p>
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<h4 class="p2"><br />Art as a Driver for Technology&nbsp;&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p2">Innovation and art can naturally challenge and inspire one other in a continuous cycle. Drawing from his work at Mikros Animation, Gaspard Roche discusses the studio's experiences with adapting the 2D show SpongeBob SquarePants into a 3D animated feature. The team had to develop new techniques and push their technologies to capture the unique identity and extreme poses of the characters. Roche then discusses their work on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, where they collaborated to create a unique sketch-like style, which led to the development of multiple types of lines, a new shader for tone mapping, and their own motion blur effect. These projects exemplify how creative intentions drive technological advancements, and in turn, these advancements inspire new creative possibilities.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br /></p>
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<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">Learn more about the <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/search?query=animation+VFX"><span class="s3">future of media and entertainment</span></a> anytime with year-round learning at AU.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>

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AU Focus: The Next Frontier of Film and TV Production

Project Delivery

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<p>Use of standards for construction project delivery has grown over the last decade, with national and regional mandates, and an increase in <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/industry/aec/bim/benefits-of-bim" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Building Information Modeling</a> (BIM) has led to the development of the <a href="https://www.iso.org/standard/68078.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ISO 19650</a> set of standards. This article will discuss the development and use of these standards and how they relate to how people are using <a href="https://construction.autodesk.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Autodesk Construction Cloud</a>.</p>
<h2>Introduction: Common Data Environment</h2>
<p>&ldquo;The common data environment (CDE), is the single source of information used to collect, manage and disseminate documentation, the graphical model and non-graphical data for the whole project team,&rdquo; says the <a href="https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Common_data_environment_CDE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BIM Wiki</a>. &ldquo;Creating this single source of information facilitates collaboration between project team members and helps avoid duplication and mistakes.&rdquo;</p>
<p>In other words, a common data environment is a digital hub where information comes together as part of a typical BIM&nbsp;workflow. In fact, it was originally developed and popularized as a component of the UK BIM Level 2 standards. Today it extends beyond <a href="http://constructionblog.autodesk.com/future-of-bim-infographic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BIM data</a> and information, and it can include anything from project contracts, schedule, change orders, and more. Basically, if it involves information created during a project, it&rsquo;s available to everyone who is given permission from its inception through to the end of the project and beyond.</p>
<h3>Why Is a Common Data Environment Important?</h3>
<p>Figure 1 below shows a comparison of a typical project information flow vs. one in which a common data environment (CDE) has been implemented.</p>
<p>On the left, there is a simplified view of how team members typically exchange information on a project. It is a giant matrix, and it is hard to ensure the right information is with the right person at the right time. Often information lives within different systems. and information exchange is manual, error prone, and can lead to costly mistakes.</p>
<p>On the right, a CDE has been adopted by the project team. With a CDE, the information flows through a central repository where, ideally, it is more easily controlled and up-to-date. The CDE provides mechanisms to gate information flow so that construction documents (and other information such as markups and issues) are only available to project team members when the information has been reviewed, approved, and release for its intended purpose.</p>
<figure role="group"><img src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-132804-1_40.jpg" alt="1" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="24e8adef-290a-4250-8673-ccf58101543f" />
<figcaption>Figure 1. Traditional information flow versus common data environment.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Figure 2 reflects a common project delivery configuration, representing the ecosystem of companies that need to work together to design, build, and operate a building or infrastructure project. However, there are many challenges, including:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Contractual boundaries between disciplines and teams</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Design and construction teams, as well as the entire supply chain, are different entities that need to control the sharing of and access to data and information on the project</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>A central hub of information for the project is essential to not only the teams but also the owner &ndash; without that, information can be unreliable and increases project risk.</p>
<figure role="group"><img src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-132804-2_42.jpg" alt="2" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cd0a81cd-35fe-4af4-91e5-d14926fb9d5d" />
<figcaption>Figure 2. Project team organization.</figcaption>
</figure>
<h3>Benefits of a Common Data Environment</h3>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Enhances collaboration: <a href="https://blog.plangrid.com/2019/07/digital-technology-can-improve-collaboration-formwork-firms/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Digital technologies have proven time and again that they can improve collaboration</a> if used correctly. That means that all project data and information needs to flow into and be updated in one centralized system. This leads to improved coordination and teamwork, both internally and across teams.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Creates a single source of truth: Never underestimate the power of <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brentdykes/2018/01/10/single-version-of-truth-why-your-company-must-speak-the-same-data-language/?sh=52263cfa1ab3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one single source of truth on a project</a>. One reliable place for team members to access real-time plans, changes, and data leads to better decision-making and insight across projects and even company-wide.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Improves efficiency and quality: Common data environments reduce the need to manually recreate data, which leads to reduced input errors and lost information. Consequently, the entire firm has improved access to information that empowers teams to make decisions faster.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Reduces risk: A CDE lowers risk with better transparency and insight into the entire project landscape. Over time, this enables continuous improvement and predictability, crucial for excelling a business forward.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Strengthens security: With a CDE, administrators and IT professionals have better control of data and information, creating more security.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>ISO 19650</h3>
<p>ISO 19650 is an international standard for end-to-end information management over the lifecycle of a built asset. It provides clear definitions for the information needed by the project client or asset owner and for the methods, processes, deadlines for the efficient and effective transfers of information between project team members.</p>
<p>ISO 19650 3.3.15 common data environment (CDE): &ldquo;agreed source of information (3.3.1) for any given project or asset (3.2.8), for collecting, managing and disseminating each information container (3.3.12) through a managed process.&rdquo;</p>
<p>ISO 19650 defines the requirements, and the National Annexes define the actual standards associated with those requirements. A CDE is not a technology solution alone &ndash; it requires the project team to follow a standard process that can be enabled and enhanced by the technology.</p>
<p>Key requirements include:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Unique, standard identification for every &ldquo;information container&rdquo; (including drawing, model, file, and other data)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Naming convention standards that are defined by each country adopting the standard (also called a National Annex)</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The ability to classify the data and to assign a specific &ldquo;suitability status&rdquo; to ensure that anyone accessing and using that data can be confident in the reliability, accuracy, and intended use</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Revision control, so that only specific revisions are available for use by the project team, ensuring that everyone is working from the correct information</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Controlled information flow and approval processes to ensure that only approved information goes from WIP to Shared to Published</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Audit trail</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>What to Look for in a CDE</h3>
<ul>
<li>
<p>Easy to use: user experience is an essential component of a common data environment. To be effective, it needs to be easy to use, meaning it&rsquo;s intuitive with minimal to no training to get teams working in the system.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Accessible: cloud-based means accessible from anywhere, for&nbsp;anyone who needs the information (if they have the permissions, of course), whether they are in the office or out on a job site.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Integrated: a&nbsp;CDE must work with current systems and processes. The goal is to break down silos and increase collaboration overall.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Standardized and scalable: a&nbsp;CDE should allow you to standardize workflows and processes across projects, and it should scale to projects of any size or complexity.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Secure: your common data environment must be secure,&nbsp;to ensure data integrity and controlled access to your confidential and proprietary information.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>How Autodesk BIM 360 CDE Supports ISO 19650</h3>
<p><img src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-132804-3_34.jpg" alt="3" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="259b3991-abab-4616-b0e5-f34b7dc1fe4c" /></p>
<p>Autodesk <a href="https://autode.sk/3fC60eL">BIM 360</a> is a common data environment, with support for:</p>
<ul>
<li>Permission control</li>
<li>
<p>Audit trail</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Document control and&nbsp;versioning</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Custom metadata</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Integrated with design workflows</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Design and office file viewing</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>2D and&nbsp;3D viewing and&nbsp;compare</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Approval workflow</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Transmittals</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Markups and issue management</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Mobile access</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Reporting and&nbsp;analytics</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Support for unique file naming*</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Support for file naming standards*</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Revision and status*</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Enhanced review and approval workflows*</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p><em>*Currently available in limited beta</em></p>
<h3>Best Practices for Setting Up Your CDE</h3>
<ul>
<li>Set up separate folders for WIP, Shared, Published (and Archived, if applicable) for each discipline. Use &ldquo;Project Files&rdquo; folders. Folders in BIM 360 Docs will display in alphanumeric order by default). In order to ensure a folder order that you want, use a number / label format like this: 01-WIP, 02-Shared, 03-Published</li>
<li>Set up Role-based or Company-based permissions for each of these folders. Permissions in <a href="https://autode.sk/3fC60eL">BIM 360</a> are set at the folder level, and apply to all subfolders and documents contained in that folder. Permission levels range from view-only to full administrative control.</li>
</ul>
<p>Permission levels include:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>View only:</strong>&nbsp;user/role/company may view documents, add private markups, and <a href="https://help.autodesk.com/view/BIM360D/ENU/?guid=GUID-2E10E17D-D814-4357-AD94-7AD10B1B55D4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">create issues</a>.</li>
<li><strong>View + Download: u</strong>ser/role/company may view documents, add private markups, <a href="https://help.autodesk.com/view/BIM360D/ENU/?guid=GUID-2E10E17D-D814-4357-AD94-7AD10B1B55D4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">create issues</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Upload only:&nbsp;</strong>User/role/company may upload documents but not see the folder contents.</li>
<li><strong>View + Download + Upload:</strong>&nbsp;user/role/company may share their own documents with team members and view any other documents in that folder.</li>
<li><strong>View + Download + Upload + Edit:</strong>&nbsp;user/role/company may share their own documents with team members, view and edit any other documents in that folder, and publish markups.</li>
<li><strong>FolderControl:</strong>&nbsp;user/role/company may share their own documents with team members and view and edit any other documents in that folder. With folder control permission they can also carry out tasks within that folder that are usually restricted to the project administrator. This includes creating title blocks, adding project members, managing permissions, and <a href="https://help.autodesk.com/view/BIM360D/ENU/?guid=BIM360D_Document_Management_To_Work_with_Document_Management_To_Work_with_Document_Sets_html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">editing set assignment</a>. This permission level offers the greatest access to folders.</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-132804-4_32.jpg" alt="4" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="10c004af-0d45-472e-a11f-235d9d438af7" /></p>
<ul>
<li>Best practice is to&nbsp;set up a Template Project, so that it is easy to create additional project CDEs. A template project is simply a BIM 360 Docs project with folders and Role-based permissions. When you create a new project in <a href="https://autode.sk/3fC60eL">BIM 360</a> Account Admin, you can choose your Template Project and &ldquo;Copy Project Settings.&rdquo;</li>
<li>In Project Admin, add project members and assign Role(s) and Company. The project members&rsquo; access will be controlled by the Role and Company based permissions. When project members are added to or removed from the project at a later date, the Role and Company based permissions ensure that the individuals have the proper access right away.</li>
<li>In Project Admin, from the Document Management &gt; Reviews tab, set up Review and Approval workflows. Choose from templates (1 to 6 steps) with both serial and &ldquo;group&rdquo; (parallel) review steps.</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-132804-5_37.jpg" alt="5" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="331eceae-1556-4b87-99c8-5ab82152843a" /></p>
<ul>
<li>You can assign individual users, roles, or companies to each workflow step. You can also copy a workflow and adjust the steps to easily additional workflow templates.</li>
</ul>
<p><em><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/ISO19650-Common-Data-Environment-and-Autodesk-Construction-Cloud-2020#video">Learn more with the full class.</a> </em></p>
<p><em>Joan Allen leads product management for Autodesk Construction Solutions' document management and construction records management platform. Joan is a registered civil engineer with over 30 years of experience in construction management and technology for the AEC industry. Since joining Autodesk, she has focused on delivering innovative, cloud-based solutions for connecting AEC project teams and improving project delivery workflows, Autodesk BIM 360 Docs, Autodesk BIM 360 Glue, and Autodesk Buzzsaw. </em></p>
<p><em>Angela Yee is a senior product manager for Autodesk Construction Solutions&rsquo; document management team working on the common data environment initiative. Angela is a registered architect with over 15 years of experience in architecture, construction management and technology in the AEC industry. Since joining Autodesk, Angela has continued to be an advocate for building the best-in-class document management and compliance solutions for BIM 360 Docs users.</em></p>
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Use of the ISO 19650 international standard for managing built assets is on the rise. Check out this overview with Joan Allen and Angela Yee, including best pra

ISO 19650, the Common Data Environment, and Autodesk Construction Cloud

<p class="p1">&ldquo;Get me the latest drawings!&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Did you ever hear this phrase shouted around your workplace? Even when you know that the latest <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/product-design-manufacturing"><span class="s1">design and engineering</span></a> information is saved on the server where it should be?&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">When we can&rsquo;t trust the data we are working with, it slows us down. We have to double check to make sure that the data we have is correct&mdash;and current. Typically, this means multiple formal and informal coordination meetings with the data originator and anyone who significantly influenced the data along the way.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">In a crisis, there simply isn&rsquo;t time to manually compile this audit trail, leading to late nights at the office and, potentially, unsatisfied customers.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">How can we increase our ability to respond to change, while improving our colleagues&rsquo; trust that the design and engineering data they have is correct and current? Even better: how can we use data and automation together to do this in a reduced design cycle time?&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><em>&ldquo;Using integrated solutions like the Product Design &amp; Manufacturing Collection allows us to reduce our design time by half. We&rsquo;re not repeating work, which is a big time savings. If we have standard projects that use components from the library, we can minimize engineering time as well. On top of that, we&rsquo;re eliminating the risk of losing time correcting errors because we&rsquo;re all using accurate data.&rdquo;&nbsp;</em></p>
<p class="p1"><em>&mdash;</em><strong><em>Assaad Hani</em></strong><em>, Business Analyst, </em><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/customer-stories/technica-international"><span class="s1"><em>Technica International</em></span></a><em>&nbsp;</em></p>
<h4 class="p2"><strong style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"><br /></strong><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Data management and collaboration&nbsp;</span></h4>
<p class="p1">Agility means being able to take advantage of opportunities as they arise. This can be difficult when you are dancing on the shifting sands of unreliable data.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Data management is at the heart of engineering agility. A product data management system (PDM) keeps your design and engineering CAD files in order and provides permission controls so only the right people see the right data at the right time.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">This reduction in administration frees up the time you need to assess new information and helps you to communicate changes in design&mdash;without concern that releasing new information will cause confusion.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">The power of Autodesk Vault is its ability to share correct, current data securely with your entire organization, including the tools needed to view, measure, and interrogate CAD files. How much time could you save if you simply had fewer interruptions from non-CAD users who need information from the 3D design model?&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">If you&rsquo;re looking for a great resource to learn more about implementing Vault, check out Lauren Drotar&rsquo;s class, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/What-You-Need-Know-You-Go-Tips-and-Tricks-Transitioning-Vault-2019"><span class="s1">What You Need to Know Before You Go: Tips and Tricks for Transitioning to Vault</span></a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">How about stakeholders from outside your organization? An easy way to share 3D CAD data is through the Shared Views feature. A Shared View can be viewed, marked up, or commented on using a web browser. The viewable data is limited to what you want to show, and it does not give the viewer access to your CAD files.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Mike Thomas of Prairie Machine walks us through the process in his AU class, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Get-More-Out-of-Your-Connected-Vault-Professional-2023"><span class="s1">Get More Out of Your Connected Vault Professional</span></a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Is that enough? For many companies, collaboration runs deeper. Design work is often shared across multiple companies, requiring collaboration around a single shared 3D CAD model.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Sharing CAD files with a vendor or customer sounds like it could save a lot of design work, but it can also create a lot of administrative work when design files from outside your organisation are updated. This process needs to be managed.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">In their AU class, Joshua Wilson and Carlos Caminos of Bridgestone Americas share <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Putting-Vendors-to-Work-While-Keeping-Them-at-Arms-Reach-2023"><span class="s1">how they implemented Autodesk Vault with Project Sync and Fusion team</span></a> to maintain a secure collaborative working environment while reducing bottlenecks and time spent wrangling vendor data.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Data management supports agility in product design by improving trust, automating administration, reducing time spent providing or clarifying information, and freeing up time to focus on the value you add&mdash;design and engineering.&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p2"><strong><br /></strong>Design automation&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p1">Creating a 3D CAD model of your design can be a time-consuming process. Thankfully you have a lot of experience in the design and manufacture of your companies&rsquo; products. If you could only explain these rules to the computer, you could save yourself a lot of time!&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Automation of engineering design takes many forms&mdash;from the use of templates and model libraries to speed up 3D CAD modelling to the use of design accelerators to automatically calculate fasteners, gears, and drives.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Thom Tremblay&rsquo;s AU class, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Better-Machine-Design-Inventor-Design-Accelerators-2019"><span class="s1">Better Machine Design with Inventor Design Accelerators</span></a>, is a great place to find out more.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">In addition to automating modelling, engineering processes can also be automated using iLogic, the integrated rule engine in Autodesk Inventor.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">iLogic can be used to automate repetitive tasks, such as ensuring drawing title blocks are filled out correctly, or to capture engineering knowledge in the form of configurable designs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">You can try out some examples of iLogic in action for yourself using the resources from this hands-on lab, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Five-Autodesk-Inventor-iLogic-productivity-hacks-for-non-programmers-Lab-2023"><span class="s1">Five Autodesk Inventor iLogic Productivity Hacks for Non-Programmers</span></a>, led by Paul Munford.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Beyond engineering, the logic that you&rsquo;ve built into your configurable design model can be repurposed to become a sales tool, or even a customer-facing web configurator, safe in the knowledge that colleagues or customers cannot choose configurations that are unmanufacturable.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Providing the opportunity to configure designs within design engineering parameters can speed up the time it takes to provide a quote to your customers, improve quote accuracy, and reduce the engineering time spent supporting sales inquiries.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;You&rsquo;ll find some good examples in the AU class, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Shorten-Lead-Times-Integrating-Design-Automation-Downstream-Processes-2020"><span class="s1">Shorten Lead Times by Integrating Design Automation in Downstream Processes</span></a>, led by Peter van Avondt and Sven Dickmans.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">CAD standards, standard operating procedures, templates, libraries, dedicated applications, and iLogic help you to automate your design engineering process so you and your team can work more efficiently and create time to focus on innovation&mdash;and imagination.&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p2"><strong><br /></strong>Automating design process management&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p1">Improving data management and automating design engineering processes can get you a long way along the path to an agile product development process.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">How much time do you spend compiling design information for other teams in your company?&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Coordination meetings, progress reports, enquires&mdash;how much more could you get done if you had fewer interruptions?&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Design engineering data is at the heart of the product development process. When the information you provide is easily available to your colleagues, the impact on productivity is undeniable.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">So how can we automate the process of passing on data to downstream colleagues? Could we send out automated alerts so that next person in line knows that new information is available? Could we capture this data in a project dashboard, so that progress can be monitored&mdash;without taking up our time?&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;You can gain insight into Giancarlo Caldarella and Samuele Gallazzi&rsquo;s journey with the De Nora Group as they implemented Autodesk Vault for data management and Fusion manage for product lifecycle management (PLM) in, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/corporate-PLM-journey-case-De-Nora-deploying-Vault-PLM-Worldwide-2022"><span class="s1">A Corporate PLM Journey: The Case of De Nora Deploying Vault PLM Worldwide</span></a>.&nbsp;</p>
<h4 class="p2"><strong><br /></strong>Learn more about agile product development&nbsp;</h4>
<p class="p1">To continue learning how design engineers like you are using automation and data to reduce administration overhead and free up time for innovation, checkout these playlists of classes from AU, the design and make conference:&nbsp;</p>
<ul class="ul1">
<li class="li3"><span class="s2"><a href="https://share.autodesk.com/:w:/s/DMCampaignDevelopment145/EWI_TplOknBJlxR_9QM3JmkB2iWcKn4vQTFx6mmWnJwZYA?e=gMVXes"><span class="s3">Product Data Management (PDM) classes for design engineering</span></a></span><span class="s4">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /></span></li>
<li class="li3"><span class="s2"><a href="https://share.autodesk.com/:w:/s/DMCampaignDevelopment145/EYHsEzoZAjREliE-_Vmp-HIBGE3WD8ClNDZzBEDMRn0j_Q?e=VmLuGq"><span class="s3">Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) classes for design engineering</span></a></span><span class="s4">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /></span></li>
<li class="li3"><span class="s2"><a href="https://share.autodesk.com/:w:/s/DMCampaignDevelopment145/ESTrPa4Y5O5NudJedpr5h8IBuAsg-30V3k5GvbMh-F77Xw?e=XvPeEh"><span class="s3">CAD management classes for design engineering</span></a></span><span class="s4">&nbsp;<br /></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="p1">For additional free resources for designers and engineers, including case studies and software training, visit our <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/product-design-manufacturing"><span class="s1">Design &amp; Engineering page</span></a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>

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Increasing Product Development Agility with Data and Automation

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<h4>Summary&nbsp;</h4>
<p>Optimizing your processes&mdash;that&rsquo;s good and necessary. But real growth lies in transforming how you deliver value to customers&mdash;sometimes in ways they didn&rsquo;t know they needed or wanted. New technologies make it possible.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>In this article</strong>, explore examples of transformation and learn how:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>A global construction services company is offering <a href="#infrastructure">infrastructure-as-a-service</a>.&nbsp;</li>
<li>An automotive design consultancy is filling a niche for <a href="#custom-cars">high performance custom cars</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li>A leading toy manufacturer is offering unique action figures, each featuring the <a href="#additive">3D-printed head of a customer</a>. &nbsp;</li>
<li>Global companies in architecture, engineering, and construction are <a href="#aec">spinning off new entities</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h4>Beyond optimization&nbsp;</h4>
<p>We&rsquo;re all transforming on a regular basis these days&mdash;as individuals and companies, as industries and communities. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not a question of <em>if</em> your company should take on digital transformation, but <em>how</em>,&rdquo; Oliver Lepinoy points out <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/New-Business-Models-and-Digital-Platforms-Construction-4-2020">in his AU class.</a>&nbsp;</p>
<p>But transformation can mean many things. It can mean looking for ways to design and make more efficiently, more quickly, or in ways that open new creative pathways&mdash;such as the ways that <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/How-Decathlon-use-GD-designing-consumers-products-future-2022">Decathlon is using generative design</a> to create the next generation of athletic products. It can mean automating the configuration and cost/price/quote process, as racking solutions provider <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Design-Automation-Solution-Drives-Competitive-Advantage-Racking-Provider-2022">Nucor did, to accelerate bidding</a> and reduce the time needed to spec out each potential solution.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>But it can also mean something more foundational&mdash;<strong>transforming entire business models.</strong> This can mean adding new revenue streams or modifying existing ones. Fundamentally, it means looking for new ways to deliver value to customers.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h4>Pipelines to platforms&nbsp;</h4>
<p>These transformations, large and small, are largely driven by the opportunities created by new technologies, whether you&rsquo;re talking about AI and machine learning, new types of sensors, mobile technologies, reality capture, VR and AR, or new fabrication processes, individually or in combination.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>But perhaps no technology is so fundamental to transformation as the cloud. That&rsquo;s because the cloud provides access to nearly unlimited computing power and storage on demand. And that&rsquo;s key for almost all AI and machine learning today, because those functions take a lot of processing power. And who wants a supercomputer under their desk?&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Just as importantly, the cloud lets us break down data silos and share project data in a more flexible and granular way. Ultimately, it enables us to move from pipeline business models to platform models, as Marc Sleegers points out in his AU 2022 class, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Compete-Through-Business-Model-Innovation-Become-Invincible-Company-2022">Compete Through Business Model Innovation to Become an Invincible Company.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Pipeline business models are characterized by a linear value chain with a well-directed value flow from supplier to customers,&rdquo; Sleegers says. &ldquo;In comparison, platforms are intermediaries that bring two or more sides of a market together. They provide the infrastructure and rules that facilitate transactions between the respective sides.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>If you&rsquo;re wondering how your company could transform and deliver new value, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Compete-Through-Business-Model-Innovation-Become-Invincible-Company-2022">Sleegers&rsquo; class</a> provides an excellent introduction</strong> to the factors to consider and processes you can follow.&nbsp;</p>
<p>A number of speakers have led recent classes at AU showcasing how they and others have launched new companies and new divisions that transform their business models.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p><a id="" title="" href="https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2023/web/page/overview?mktvar002=5904152014" target="" rel="" data-entity-substitution="" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid=""><img src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-137051-au-2023-ad.png" alt="AU 2023" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="053a8973-c2c7-43ff-8627-cb1e85f0b41b" /></a></p>
<h4 id="infrastructure" style="padding-top: 20px;">Infrastructure-as-a-service with Transportation System B&ouml;gl&nbsp;</h4>
<p>Max B&ouml;gl is a global construction company that has long placed a high priority on research and development. It started as a family business of bricklayers in Germany in the 1920s, then began manufacturing bricks for construction. In the 1930s, they started manufacturing cinderblocks, and in the 1960s they started to make precast concrete forms for construction, even as they continued to offer standard construction and engineering services. Each of those was a minor transformation in its own right, a new way to serve the market.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Since 2010, they&rsquo;ve been developing a new offering called <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/customer-stories/transport-system-max-boegl">Transportation System B&ouml;gl</a> (TSB), a maglev train system for public transit and moving cargo. Maglev (short for &ldquo;magnetic levitation&rdquo;) trains are frictionless and vibration-free, enabling them to go extremely fast&mdash;some maglev trains go more than 200 miles per hour. While still fast, speed isn&rsquo;t the main goal for TSB&mdash;it uses maglev tech to be quiet, sustainable, and safe, even in dense urban environments.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Creating the TSB system has required Max B&ouml;gl to expand their core competencies.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>First, they are designing and making both the trains and the tracks, capabilities that come from the world of manufacturing. They plan each unique train system, bringing them into the realms of civil engineering and city planning. Then they build and install it&mdash;that&rsquo;s construction, something they&rsquo;ve done for a century. Finally, because TSB is designed to be an automated, driverless system, they also offer system operation. Think of it as &ldquo;infrastructure-as-a-service.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s a service that no other construction company can offer.<strong> </strong><strong>And that&rsquo;s because B&ouml;gl is no longer just a construction company. They have transformed their business model</strong>, fundamentally shifting how they deliver value. Instead of the pipeline model, in which they would build and deliver a train system, they have created a platform that customers will, in essence, subscribe to for the life of the system.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Learn more in <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Advanced-visualization-improve-communication-transportation-design-2021">the AU 2021 class</a> led by B&ouml;gl&rsquo;s own Mantas Smidtas and Claudia Zeh, in which they show how they worked with Autodesk Consulting to create 3D visualizations of the TSB system.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
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<h4>&nbsp;</h4>
<h4 id="custom-cars">Custom cars for a new millennium&nbsp;</h4>
<p>The first cars were custom creations&mdash;bespoke products for those who could afford them. Henry Ford changed the industry by turning to mass production. His assembly lines could produce thousands of identical Model Ts at a price point that made them accessible to far more people.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Today, the team at Briggs Automotive Company (BAC) are bringing custom cars back, creating bespoke high-performance roadsters with interiors and exteriors tailored to each customer.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Brothers Neill and Ian Briggs started BAC as a design and engineering consultancy, helping companies like Porsche and Mercedes create their more traditional, mass-produced cars&mdash;and they still provide those services. With the BAC Mono, they are filling a gap they identified in the market for high performance cars designed for leisure driving&mdash;with only room for one passenger: the driver.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<figure role="group"><img src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-137051-BAC%20Mono.JPG" alt="BAC Mono" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bb358f2d-1833-4a55-9d8c-c3e3e6ae2925" />
<figcaption>Image courtesy of PaulHPhotos.&nbsp;</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Because they make only a few dozen BAC Mono cars each year, they are able to employ processes that are difficult to scale. This includes 3D printing multiple components, from the steering wheel that&rsquo;s molded to the driver&rsquo;s hands to the headlights, rear-light casings, and wing mirrors. And along with the car, each buyer gets a &ldquo;build book&rdquo; that shows the creation of the unique car every step of the way, from ideation through fabrication.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>If you&rsquo;re looking for a vehicle to get the kids to school, you&rsquo;ll need something else. But with the BAC Mono, the Briggs brothers have developed <strong>a specialized, high touch offering that fills a unique market niche</strong>. And car lovers can&rsquo;t get enough of it. Learn more about their process in their AU 2022 panel, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Transforming-Custom-Car-Design-British-Supercar-Manufacturer-2022">Transforming Custom Car Design with British Supercar Manufacturer</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h4 id="additive">Transformation with additive manufacturing&nbsp;</h4>
<p>The teams at BAC aren&rsquo;t the only ones using additive manufacturing to transform, as Diana Verdugo of Formlabs shared in her <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/article/Propelling-Digital-Transformation-3D-Printing-2023">AU 2022 Theater talk</a>. She cites the Hasbro toy company&rsquo;s new &ldquo;selfie series,&rdquo; which enables customers to scan their own heads, then order a unique action figure featuring their face, as one example. Commute is another&mdash;a start-up using additive processes to rapidly and cost-effectively design, prototype, and produce small runs of charging stations for e-scooters, wheelchairs, and other micro-mobility vehicles. Both of these offerings give these companies unique places in their respective markets.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
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<h4>&nbsp;</h4>
<h4 id="aec">New business models in AEC&nbsp;</h4>
<p>Building design, engineering, and construction companies have traditionally used pipeline business models, and there will always be a need for that approach. But leading firms are <strong>incubating new divisions and spinning off new entities that are taking a data-driven platform approach</strong>, as Oliver Lepinoy showcases in his still-relevant AU 2020 class, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/New-Business-Models-and-Digital-Platforms-Construction-4-2020">New Business Models and Digital Platforms in Construction 4.0</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here are just a few examples from Lepinoy&rsquo;s class that showcase what&rsquo;s possible in business model transformation in the evolving world of AECO:&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://vinci-construction.com/en/">Vinci Construction</a> created <a href="https://www.sixense-group.com/en">Sixense</a> to support clients with engineering, monitoring, mapping, and other digital services to help them optimize infrastructure performance.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.lendlease.com/au/">LendLease</a> created <a href="https://www.lendleasepodium.com/">Podium</a> as a tool for data and insights for the property industry, including design simulation, financial analyses, and safety assessments.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.holcim.us/">Holcim</a> created <a href="https://www.oris-connect.com/en/">Oris</a>, the first construction materials platform to help reduce environmental impact.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.skanska.com/">Skanska</a> collaborated with IKEA to create <a href="https://www.boklok.com/global/">Boklok</a>, a company focused on creating sustainable, affordable homes at scale.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-top: 15px;">The truth is that you can see this kind of transformation at every level of the AEC ecosystem. As Amy Marks points out her class, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/New-business-models-convergence-customers-and-their-need-platform-2022">New Business Models of Convergence Customers and Their Need for a Platform</a>, &ldquo;Most MEP subcontractors are actually fabricating things inside of their facilities." In other words, companies who traditionally provided pipeline mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering and building services are now <em>manufacturing building products</em>. And they're being "programmatic in nature, not project-centric as they think about things," Marks says, an important shift in how they deliver.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>The difference between playing offense and defense&nbsp;</h4>
<p>Traditional pipeline business models will always have a place in industry, but as Lepinoy points out, "the AEC industry is changing in the very way it is structured and its services rendered. Technology is just a puzzle piece. True and sustainable innovation does not come from technology alone; it comes from new business models." And the same is true in manufacturing, as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>We live and work in a time of transformation. None of us knows exactly how things will change, but no one expects their job or their industry to stay the same for long anymore. And while the changes aren&rsquo;t under the control of any single individual, that doesn&rsquo;t mean that you&rsquo;re merely a passenger on the ride or a passive player. <strong>You can drive transformation, you can initiate change, and you can guide your company and your industry toward better, more intelligent ways of designing and making</strong>. &nbsp;</p>
<p>These changes present opportunities to optimize existing processes and business models&mdash;and also to transform them. And you can do both; it&rsquo;s not an either-or situation. But as <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Compete-Through-Business-Model-Innovation-Become-Invincible-Company-2022">Marc Sleegers points out,</a> &ldquo;there is a big difference between playing defense, business as usual&mdash;working on your bottom-line agenda, like productivity improvement, cost savings, or business optimizations, and playing offense&mdash;working on your top-line agenda. When you play offense, you need to rethink your priorities and efforts. Market differentiation and radical reinvention are much more interesting for a company.&rdquo; And ultimately, these are the kinds of changes that can lead to transformational, rather than incremental, growth.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Learn more about business model transformation, see the latest examples from leading companies, and join the conversation by <a href="https://conferences.autodesk.com/flow/autodesk/au2023/web/page/overview">registering now for AU 2023</a>.</p>
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AU Focus: Business Model Transformation

  
  
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 <p>Design projects can become challenging when working with large sites which include lengthy roadways and site features that are needed to be displayed on multiple sheets for production. With the plan production tools in <a href="https://autode.sk/2UBsBid">AutoCAD</a><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/au-online?facet_product%5B0%5D=urn%3Aadsk.content%3Acontent%3A3324e2e0-c5c3-461d-b91a-f31517c7cb19"> Civil 3D</a> you can automate the process of creating plan and profile sheets quickly. We will explore how to use these tools to create multiple plan and profile sheets, sections on multiple layouts, and tie it all together in a sheet set ready for publishing your deliverable. Let’s get productive and learn how to optimize the production of final plans and profile drawings.</p>
<h2>Introduction</h2>
<p>How do you efficiently create your final plans quickly and easily for printing in AutoCAD Civil 3D? The plan and production tools will help you quickly create sheets that automatically display station ranges of alignments and profiles in your plans. These wizards will also Create View Frames, Plan and Profile Sheets, and Section Sheets, all of which will automatically display segments of alignments, profiles, sections, and plan sheets in your design set. The figure below shows the Plan Production Tools located on the Output tab of the Ribbon.</p>
<p><img alt="1" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74d28bb8-d33e-4683-8737-61dfd4aba5e8" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-110844-1_24.jpg" /></p>
<p>You have been working on your design project for weeks and running prints for review supplying to the engineering team to check scale and the project details. We have now done the planning and it is time to produce our sheets at a scale for a deliverable. Before you start generating all sorts of sheets you must address a few concepts and prerequisites. The Plan Production features draw on several <a href="https://autode.sk/2UBsBid">Civil 3D</a> components to create a plan set.</p>
<p>We will begin with the drawing templates. Plan production tools create new layouts for each sheet in a plan set at a scale. Therefore, you have to set up templates with named viewports at each scale telling Civil 3D what you would like to produce. Most features in Civil 3D have styles which we will define those within our template.</p>
<p>Steps to follow while referencing this material:</p>
<ul>
<li>Create the templates (you can start with the templates provided from Autodesk)</li>
<li>Use these as a guide to develop your own templates with your company title block</li>
<li>Select the Create View Frames (shown in the figure above)</li>
<li>Choose your sheet type and the template with the appropriate scale</li>
<li>Choose View Frame Groups and Match Line Styles</li>
<li>Change those (and add additional after selecting)</li>
<li>If you chose a profile you will have to select the Profile and Band Styles (as with View Frames, you can change these later)</li>
<li>Profile Views can play an important role in “white space” around your profile</li>
<li>Select the Create Sheets (shown in the figure above)</li>
<li>Define your Sheet Set (new or existing; use Sheet Sets to your advantage)</li>
<li>Add any Data References (only if you are creating a new drawing file)</li>
<li>Select Create Sheets and the process will begin to create your new layouts</li>
</ul>
<blockquote><p><strong>Related:</strong>  <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/article/Managing-Your-Sheets-Sheet-Set-Manager-2019">Managing Your Sheets with the Sheet Set Manager</a> with Sam Lucido</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Overview</h2>
<p>Instead of manually creating many viewports on layouts to show segments of alignments, you can create view frames that automatically capture predefined areas along an alignment. View frames are rectangular areas along an alignment that represent what is displayed in the associated viewports on the layouts (sheets) to be created. This <a href="https://autode.sk/32XyLwx">automation</a> saves you from making many manual changes when your design data changes. Remember the days when you created view frames to match the scale of your design?</p>
<p><img alt="2" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5e096e9a-033e-4099-89fd-a3f0f0f17fec" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-110844-2_22.jpg" /></p>
<p>The image above shows an alignment of a long road with curves. The red boxes are the view frames that we are requested to show the road on Plan sheets with or without a profile.</p>
<p>By setting up the North Arrow and Scale on your templates you also have the ability to have that North Arrow linked to the viewport giving it the ability to rotate to “true North” when the view changes throughout your sheets.</p>
<h3>Templates</h3>
<p>Several predefined template (.dwt) files are provided with Civil 3D 2018. You must have templates created to follow the four scenarios as shown below. For this demonstration we have templates created for each instance as shown.</p>
<p><img alt="Files" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="80451b69-fe85-42df-8ffe-8e44859ef73f" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-110844-lucido_0.JPG" /></p>
<h3>Plan(s) Only</h3>
<p>The current drawing must contain an alignment.<br />
You must be able to access a template that contains a viewport with a Viewport Type defined as Plan, such as the Civil 3D (Imperial) Plan Only.dwt or the Civil 3D (Imperial) Plan over Plan.dwt template located in the Template\Plan Production folder.</p>
<h3>Profile(s) Only</h3>
<p>The current drawing must contain an alignment and a profile.<br />
You must be able to access a template that contains a viewport with a Viewport Type defined as Profile, such as the Civil 3D (Imperial) Profile Only.dwt or the Civil 3D (Imperial) Profile over Profile.dwt template located in the Template\Plan Production folder.</p>
<h3>Plan and Profile</h3>
<p>The current drawing must contain an alignment and a profile.<br />
You must be able to access a template that contains a viewport with a Viewport Type defined as Plan, and a viewport with a Viewport Type defined as Profile, such as the Civil 3D (Imperial) Plan and Profile.dwt template located in the Template\Plan Production folder.</p>
<h3>Section</h3>
<p>The current drawing must contain an alignment, sample lines, and cross sections. You must be able to access a template that contains a viewport with a Viewport Type defined as Section, such as the Civil 3D (Imperial) Section.dwt template located in the Template\Plan Production folder.</p>
<h3>Templates and Viewports</h3>
<p>We first will create our template file using specific Plan and Production Viewports. Open a title block drawing that you use for your company standard. The file you should be using will be in paperspace on a layout tab. This is the file where you define your sheet set properties which contain project-specific data that will be carried throughout the project.</p>
<p>We will now create the viewports. On the Contextual Ribbon Layout Tools Tab select Named under the viewports panel as shown. Notice how my layer is also set to my viewport layer. When you are drawing the viewports, they will be placed on the correct layer.</p>
<p><img alt="4" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="20014f90-0a72-4383-924b-5447f6f5ca3c" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-110844-4_17.jpg" /></p>
<p>In this example, we will create two horizontal viewports for a plan and profile scenario. We will select two horizontal viewports with a spacing of 0.25 between them. If I was to create a Plan only, I would select one viewport.</p>
<p><img alt="5" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="767c9905-ebbf-4da7-97b9-638a3fb08a48" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-110844-5_20.jpg" /></p>
<p>After placing the viewports in your drawing, you must set the Viewport type. Open your properties palette (<strong>CTRL+1</strong>) to see the properties of the viewport. Select the viewport and move to the viewport type and designate the appropriate viewport that you need for the template. You can modify the properties of the viewport within the template file to ensure that you have the proper settings for your standards.</p>
<p><img alt="6" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="43651d9d-a308-4d3b-8ee8-79f19b52dea7" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-110844-6_21.jpg" /></p>
<p>Once you have your layout type correct, you will need to make sure the scale is correct on the viewports and name a sheet (layout tab) to reference the correct scale and type as shown.</p>
<p><img alt="7" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="19413ed3-5aef-4fd9-8fb3-aef3f6ae45a6" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-110844-7_14.jpg" /></p>
<p>The final step of completing the template is to make sure you have a North arrow and scale bar added to your sheets. You will have the options to select the North arrow block when creating the sheets in the plan and production tools to ensure the alignment is correct.</p>
<h3>Plan Production Commands</h3>
<p>You can access the plan production commands from the Output tab and Plan Production contextual tab on the ribbon as shown above. The Plan Production contextual tab is displayed when you select a view frame or a match line in the drawing.</p>
<p><img alt="8" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f65a43b8-27db-402c-a75b-3f036afa7382" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-110844-8_16.jpg" /></p>
<p>The following definitions are taken directly from the <a href="https://knowledge.autodesk.com/" target="_blank">Autodesk Knowledge Network</a> and give a good description of the general commands.</p>
<p><strong>Create View Frames Wizard<span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif">—</span></span></span></strong>Start the process of using the plan production tools by using this wizard to define a group of view frames along an alignment.</p>
<p><strong>View Frame Group<span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif">—</span></span></span></strong>The view frame group object helps you manage a single group of view frames that are displaying consecutive station ranges along the same alignment. You can set many options at the view frame group level, such as styles and labeling. View frame group objects are displayed in the Prospector tree, and you can control their default command settings in the Settings tree.</p>
<p><strong>View Frames<span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif">—</span></span></span></strong>View frames are rectangular-shaped regions along an alignment that define an area that will be displayed in a sheet. The view frame size, shape, and scale come from a designated viewport that exists on the layout tab of a specified template. After view frames are created, the properties of the view frame objects are saved in the currently open drawing. The view frame objects are displayed in the drawing and in the Prospector tree, and you can control their default style and labeling in the Settings tree.</p>
<p><strong>Match Lines<span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif">—</span></span></span></strong>In the <a href="https://autode.sk/2UBsBid">Civil 3D</a> plan production features, a match line is a straight line that indicate locations in a view frame group where one view frame intersects or matches up with another view frame. Match lines are only displayed in paper space and only in plan view. They are designed to visually indicate the locations (start and end stations) along an alignment where each view frame begins and ends. Match lines have their own object style and they typically include labels that can identify both the previous and next sheet (view frame) along an alignment. You have the option to include a left side match line label, a right-side match line label, both, or none, and you can choose where along the match line you want the label to be displayed (top, middle, end of match line). Like view frame objects, match line objects are also displayed in the Prospector tree, and you can control their default style and labeling in the Settings tree.</p>
<p><strong>Create Sheets Wizard<span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,sans-serif">—</span></span></span></strong>After you have used the Create View Frames wizard, the next step is to use the Create Sheets wizard to quickly create your sheets. After you have created view frames and sheets for publishing in the sheet set manager.</p>
<p>The table below is from the <a href="https://knowledge.autodesk.com/" target="_blank">Autodesk Knowledge Network</a> and lists the plan production tool <a href="https://autode.sk/2UBsBid">AutoCAD Civil 3D</a> commands and briefly describes their functionality.  You can type in the command at the command line to start the function in Civil 3D.</p>
<p><img alt="17" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c09debe1-7c66-4160-b356-fbabdb24b705" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-110844-17.png" /></p>
<h3>Create View Frames</h3>
<p>Using the View Frames Wizard, view frames are created automatically. View frames are always associated with a parent view frame group.</p>
<p>View frames are created based on an alignment in the drawing, and on a designated plan view or profile view viewport in a template. Once the View Frames are created they will be automatically associated with a View Frame Group. and are displayed in the drawing as well as in the Prospector tree. When you chose to insert match lines, the match line objects are also displayed in the drawing and in the Prospector tree.</p>
<p>Most of the view frame object information is derived from the viewport information specified in the template. For example, the view frames you create get their size and scale from the viewport in the template. Similarly, the sheet layout is also derived from the referenced template. Viewports in the referenced template must have the Viewport Type property specified, depending on the type of data you want that viewport to display. Although you can move or rotate view frames, you cannot change the size of a view frame. This is because the view frame’s size is based on the size of the viewport it references in the associated template.</p>
<p>Before you create view frames, the <em>desired alignment </em>must already exist in your drawing. Depending on the type of sheets you want to produce (plan and profile or profile only), you may also need to have a profile already created. On the Output Tab of the Ribbon under the Plan Production Panel Select Create View Frames or right click view Frame Groups under prospector as shown in the figures below.</p>
<p><strong>Note: </strong>Make sure you set the annotation scale to match the scale you will be creating for your viewports. Best practice is to set the scale prior to creating the view frames.</p>
<p><img alt="14" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7050822a-d65e-49c4-afee-84f76e4f8f61" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-110844-14_4.jpg" /></p>
<p><img alt="15" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3ee53e9f-a4cb-49bd-a093-869c300c8b63" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-110844-15_5.jpg" /></p>
<p><em>Want more? <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Getting-Productive-Plan-Production-Tools-Civil-3D-2018#handout">Download</a> the full class handout to continue step by step: choose an alignment, create sheets and profiles, and much more.</em></p>
<p><em>Sam is a design systems administrator with CHA Consulting, Inc. Within these roles he presents workshops on CAD standards, tools, and productivity techniques to managers and users in both corporate and classroom settings. He provides support on a wide variety of architectural, civil, mechanical, and structural design projects. Sam has over 25 years of experience involving production design and drafting, user support, and standards coordination. He continues to be very self-motivated and enjoys working in a team environment to accomplish project objectives on time and with high quality. Sam shares his knowledge through the AKN (Autodesk Knowledge Network) and has authored 12 articles in AUGIWorld from 2011 to 2018. Sam is the owner and operator of <a href="https://cadprotips.com/" target="_blank">CADproTips.com</a> and is professionally certified in AutoCAD.</em></p>


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6hRVlY9MlEI4nSkB3qEuLS-Lucido_Plan%20Production.jpg

Optimize and automate the production of your final plans and profile drawings with the AutoCAD Civil 3D plan production tools. Sam Lucido shows you how.

Getting Productive with Plan Production Tools in Civil 3D

  
  
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 <p>Everyone knows that <a href="https://autode.sk/3jyTEWp">Revit</a> software is a <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/Building-Information-Modeling">Building Information Modeling</a> (BIM) program, and that it has intelligence when modeling. However, this intelligence is sometimes lost when creating details. In this article, we’ll show how to create intelligent details using detail components and nested detail components. In doing this, we’ll be able to keynote these elements to maintain a consistent noting procedure. If keynoting isn't your choice, we’ll also cover how to tag these elements so that there’s consistent notation of the details on every project.</p>
<h2>Creating the Detail</h2>
<p>There are different ways to create details: model everything and only notate the model, use the model as a place to start and then embellish by adding detail items to the view, create standard details without any reference to the model. It is unreasonable to expect to model every element that needs to appear in details. As an example, it is difficult to model flashing and waterproofing, or welds and washers. This then necessitates the use of 2D information as part of the set of construction documents. We will cover how to use 2D detail items to best take advantage of their intelligence. These principles apply to both drafting views and detail views.</p>
<h3>Detailing Best Practices</h3>
<p>If the detail is to be 2D yet still remain intelligent, then a rule of thumb is to <em>not</em> use any lines or text in the detail. Instead, use detail items (formerly detail components) families, along with tags (either keynote or component tags). This will accomplish a few things: it will allow for consistency in appearance, information, and spelling, while limiting liability due to the incorrect information noted in a detail. It is also a good rule to use a guide family to assist in alignments and the boundary of the detail.</p>
<p><img alt="2d" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5b5ab477-e02e-4c36-b55d-96ec93943f2a" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-94371-1_19.jpg" /></p>
<h3>OOTB Detail Item Families</h3>
<p>A good starting place is with the Autodesk Revit out of the box (OOTB) families. Autodesk Revit 2018 ships with 665 detail item families. Not everything needed will be in there and more intelligence will likely need to be added to some families, but it is a good start. One complaint about the OOTB detail item families is the line weights aren’t consistent with the office standards. If this is the case, each family doesn’t have to be edited. Instead, the object styles can be changed in the project (or project template), or view templates can be created to accomplish the desired line weights. If keynoting is utilized then all of the OOTB detail item families are aligned with the OOTB keynote file. If element tagging is used, then these families will have to be edited to include the desired information. Despite the method chosen, a new keynote or detail item tag will probably need to be created since the OOTB ones might not match what is needed.</p>
<h3>Starting the Detail View</h3>
<p>Since we will discuss 2D details, the place to start is a drafting view. A good practice is to create different view types for drafting views to help sort and keep track of details in the project. Once the view is created, load a guide family. Create the guide family from a generic annotation family so it will scale properly and provide a way to judge the available space for a detail. This family can be set to adapt to different layouts and sheet sizes such that the available drafting area is always accurate. Reference planes can snap to the insertion point of the guide family which will then allow for snapping the view into place when placing it on a sheet.</p>
<h3>Creating the Detail</h3>
<p>Once the view has been created, the graphics are all created by placing detail items. These detail items can be anything from advanced families that are used on a daily basis, to nonparametric families that are used on a project specific basis. The advantage of using intelligent detail items is the future capability to tag these elements; even simple elements that look like lines should be a family for this reason. If you are using repeating detail components, there is a limitation on tagging them, a single item will have to be placed in a detail for tagging purposes, or think about creating a line based detail family that utilizes an array to repeat the nested detail item.</p>
<h3>Annotating the Detail</h3>
<p>Despite the chosen approach, keynoting or tagging, it is necessary to create a custom tag that meets company standards. That also is more flexible than those available OOTB. So if the company standards include consistent left or right justified text, dictate the use of a box around the tag (or not), the need for a custom tag will become inevitable. In addition, as families get more advanced, multiple tags might be required to tag different shared parameters, rather than just tagging Type Comments, etc. The OOTB keynote family only allows for the keynote number <em>or</em> the keynote text, not both together, plus, it is center justified. So if the standard is to show the keynote number and text, and left justified, a custom tag will be in order.</p>
<p><img alt="anno" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ef0d53a2-25db-4a7e-9ea9-e5dd3f5a3dd4" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-94371-4_12.jpg" /></p>
<p>The OOTB detail item tag references the Type Mark value as center justified, and can be boxed or not. Utilizing a value other than Type Mark might be beneficial to gain more flexibility while tagging. For instance, a tag can use the Type Comments and/or Comments to allow for consistency in the Type Comments, but to also allow for flexibility with individual notes by using the instance based comments. A tag can then be set up to allow a user to change the tag type if desired.</p>
<p><img alt="unit" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a6fa0357-7543-4da6-8854-451586b758df" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-94371-5_16.jpg" /></p>
<h3>Placing on Sheets</h3>
<p>The last step in the detailing process is to place all of the detail files on a sheet. A detail guide family that has been added to the view will assist in the size and layout, and placing it on a sheet. This is why reference planes are important. When <a href="https://autode.sk/3jyTEWp">Revit</a> added guide grids in release 2011, snapping of datum elements to the guide grid became possible. It will also allow for snapping to other datum elements in other views, as long as they are on the same sheet. So, a good practice is to add a reference plane to each side of the detail guide, thus allowing for precise alignment on a sheet.</p>
<h3><img alt="sheets" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="45d1d996-d59c-4762-899d-542b6af7170e" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-94371-6_17.jpg" />Filters</h3>
<p>Filters play a major role in modeled elements in both documentation and quality assurance, and can play just as large as a role in detailing. Whether the file is set up for keynoting or tagging, the way the filters work will be similar. Because comments are for tagging purposes, the filters change the graphic look of the detail item based on the value entered. In this example, if 'Beyond' is entered into the comment field, then the fill pattern is hidden, the lines are changed to a thinner line weight, and the color is changed to a shade of grey.</p>
<p><img alt="filters" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c61134ed-5331-4506-92c7-4b069398ae82" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-94371-7_5.png" /></p>
<p>Using filters can eliminate the need for additional family types as well as the manual labor of overriding graphic in view by Element. Filters also add consistency to a project.</p>
<h3>Detail Item Families</h3>
<p>In order to compile a complete library of detail items, creating new, custom content will become necessary. The OOTB content will not cover every required family. Thinking about all the options that can be added is a big step, and can seem daunting. Considering line weights is usually one of the easiest places to start. What line types, weights and styles are going to be needed to match the company standards? What fill patterns are needed for families? Are there going to be custom parameters for tagging or for creation? Will having custom Reference Plane subcategories make the family creation process more clear.</p>
<p>All of these situations should be considered first, and then a detail item family template should be created. Utilizing a template will cause all the new families to be consistent, and creating each family will become less time consuming. <a href="https://autode.sk/3jyTEWp">Revit</a> doesn’t allow for the creation of family templates, however a family can be renamed within windows explorer from .rfa to .rft. So, create a family that includes the template information and then simply change the file extension. This process should be used for both detail item and detail item line based family types. (Note that elements created in a template might not be able to be changed. For this reason, keep the original .rfa file in a separate folder for future changes.)</p>
<p><img alt="families" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4b85f58d-5f88-4842-8eda-0eaaefa1fc20" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-94371-8_13.jpg" /></p>
<h3>Detail Items Line Based</h3>
<p>Line based detail items also play an important role in detailing. Most of the OOTB families such as gypsum board or structural framing are line based. These types of detail items can play a large role in detailing. For example a line based concrete family could be used as a wall, column, foundation, slab, or beam and this could a single family. Structural rebar, either in elevation or in section could also be a line based family. One of the most useful detail items is simply a line, which can be any line that needs to be called out: building wrap, vapor barrier, lines of elements beyond, etc. a line family is virtually limitless. Adding parameters to line based components adds another level of sophistication and adds to the flexibility of the family. These parameters can be a range of items, such as visibility settings, angles or other dimensions.</p>
<p><img alt="dimension" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b8085351-f602-4b1c-a1a3-0e7ffc678bd6" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-94371-9_15.jpg" /></p>
<h3>Embedding Intelligence</h3>
<p>A benefit of using detail items is the intelligence, automation, and efficiency they can add to details via tags. Instead of manually entering it, information can be embedded into a family such that it can be tagged once placed into a project. There are different ways this can be approached all with advantages and disadvantages. One of the ways is to use Revit Keynoting, a benefit of which is anyone in the office can edit the Keynote.txt data file without needing to have Revit installed <strong>(Keynote Manager from Revolution Design is a must)</strong>, which can push information back into the project file without needing knowledge of Revit. In addition rights can be granted to only specific users in the company virtually locking down the tagable information for elements. Unfortunately, the keynotes can only have two values for tagging, the keynote number and keynote description. Therefore any element-specific information needed has to be added as text next to the keynote. One nice part about this approach is a keynote legend (schedule) can be created and then given to a spec writer, thereby limiting the time looking for all of the elements that have been defined. Another method is to embed information into parameters, (i.e., type comments) so that the intelligence can be extracted and updated as the element changes. With this method individual notes could be added to components by using an instance-based parameter (i.e., comments).</p>
<p><img alt="revit" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="47a546d3-806f-4fd2-8396-5b31a1f03241" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-94371-10_11.jpg" /></p>
<p>Intelligence in a detail family can also come via graphics and/or calculations, along with information. For instance, rebar placed in section can be set so that if the rebar becomes too close per code then a note, color change, or something else can happen in the family notifying the user that the configuration doesn’t meet certain criteria. Or if a family is based on a manufacturer’s data and one of the input values doesn’t meet their specifications or sizes, then a user can be alerted.</p>
<h3>Nested Detail Items</h3>
<p>As more detail components are created, and as their complexity grows, nesting of other detail items becomes necessary. Nesting becomes vital if an array is to be used, if notes or flags are to be displayed, or simply if the swapping of one subcomponent for another is required.</p>
<p><img alt="detail items" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c757a095-9879-41b7-84ce-9009fe786e03" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-94371-11_10.jpg" /></p>
<p>One thing to take into consideration when nesting is tagging: if the nested element is going to be tagged then it will have to be shared. In each family type, under the Family Category and Parameters, there is a check box for Shared. If this is selected, the family can then be tagged or scheduled once it is loaded into another family. Unfortunately, if a family is marked to be shared then type-based parameters can’t be mapped in the host. This means all parameters of a nest that are to be mapped must be instance-based values.</p>
<p><img alt="values" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9c91f2fa-adb1-4dfe-9dc5-b6aa62943b38" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-94371-12_9.jpg" /></p>
<p>Nesting is also required for family swapping, or changing one nested family type out for another. Using nesting for this purpose adds consistency, as well as flexibility, into a family. However, the drawback to this approach is that a user can change the value to any other shared family of the same type. This is why consistent family naming and understanding is a must. (Note that in the image, the fastener type for the door can be changed to any nested shared detail item in the project.)</p>
<h3>Schedules</h3>
<p>If using type comments and comments, as mentioned above, then a must-have tool for working in a project is a schedule. Schedules allow users to see all of the Type Comments and Comments (plus any additional parameters) being used within each project.</p>
<p><img alt="schedules" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="71b1ffe6-d5a6-4cc9-b49e-27daae2cba66" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-94371-13_0.png" /></p>
<p>An additional benefit of a schedule is to use it for spell check. Since <a href="https://autode.sk/3jyTEWp">Revit</a> can’t spell check properties of families, a schedule may be exported to a .txt file, where you can spell check the document and verify any corrections that are needed.</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>This article shared a method of detailing by using only detail items, and by not using lines and filled regions, therefore allowing the use of tags instead of text, and bringing a level of intelligence to the 2D side of Revit that is often limited to the 3D side. We also discussed how to embed intelligence into your component.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Creating-Intelligent-Details-Revit-2017"><em>Learn more with the full class.</em></a></p>
<p><em>Known as “The Revit Geek,” Brian has spent more than 25 years in the industry, more than 10 of which have been focused on Revit. Over a decade of working with architects and engineers to advance BIM in their companies, Brian started his BIM consulting company in 2011 to focus on custom high-level training/mentoring. Brian has clients all over the United States and Canada that generally tolerate his sarcastic nature in exchange for his wide breadth of BIM knowledge. Brian showcases his love of talking about Revit, or maybe just his love talking, in a monthly lighthearted, occasionally irreverent, free Q&amp;A webcast, Revit Radio. Brian is a regular speaker at many conferences, including Autodesk University, BIM Workshops and BiLT, where he has been awarded top speaker several times. Brian and his wife, who met at AU, welcomed Vienna in 2013, for a total of three daughters, and in 2016 welcomed a son Paxton.</em></p>


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Achieve flexibility and consistent notation in your Revit models with intelligent details. Brian Mackey explains best practices, filters, schedules, and more.

Creating Intelligent Details in Revit

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What can model states in Inventor software do for you? Optimize assembly performance, reduce the number of components, create a model state for manufacturing or

Getting Started with Inventor Model States

  
  
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 <p>Design and construction teams are cracking the code to improving communication across the project lifecycle. Their approach: common data environments (CDEs). </p>
<p>A CDE is the solution to technology silos. It provides centralized data management linking all project stakeholders—a single source of truth from design to plan to build. Think of it as a digital hub for models, documents, and data—no matter where they originated or what format they’re in.  </p>
<p>Achieving this state of simplified collaboration takes a lot of complex work. Different disciplines and companies use a variety of software, systems, and standards. An effective CDE must resolve these variables and be easy for collaborators to use. </p>
<p style="padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px;"><strong>“3D design is the beginning. Data makes those designs smart and when people can collaborate and use that data from anywhere, anytime, you can achieve new levels of success. Autodesk Platform Services enables new ways of working and accelerates companies’ digital transformation and efficiency.” --Cyrille Fauvel, Senior Manager, Developer Tech Consulting, Autodesk </strong></p>
<p>At Autodesk University 2022, we learned from industry professionals who are leading the way in building and implementing CDEs. Learn about their approaches in these AU classes: </p>
<h4>A CDE with the client in mind </h4>
<p>Roland Daane <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/true-Common-Data-Environment-integrating-platforms-ACC-Connect-2022">explains how Royal BAM built a CDE</a> that connects project data with client business systems. In essence, its CDE works for both the project team and the client.  </p>
<p>SharePoint and Autodesk BIM 360 are the CDE’s foundation, with SharePoint holding documents considered “works in progress” and BIM 360 holding published and shared files. Autodesk Platform Services cloud APIs (formerly Forge) and Workato offer a blend of integrations and automations that power seamless review workflows.   </p>
<p>Royal BAM gives its clients an interface—via ACC Connect—to sync their business systems with the CDE. ACC Connect provides no-code integrations for a variety of software like CRMs and ERPs. This CDE framework has several benefits: </p>
<ul>
<li>Clients can work in their own environments while project data remains up to date. </li>
<li>The CDE is ISO19650-compliant but simplified so document authors don’t need to understand ISO and naming conventions.  </li>
<li>Automated review workflows reduce manual processes, improving efficiency and quality while reducing chances for error. </li>
</ul>
<p>Here’s an example of an old workflow where mistakes happened: A collaborator would convert a model to PDF, attach it to an email, and send it to a colleague. The colleague marks up the PDF and returns it via email. In the interim period, the original model may have been updated multiple times.  </p>
<p>Here’s how the new CDE improves that workflow: Collaborators now open a document, choose the type of approval and the approver, and the review process is automated from there. That reviewed document remains in SharePoint and the approved document is sent to BIM 360. The originals and revisions are captured in a single digital thread. </p>
<p>Learn more about the process of building Royal BAM’s CDE and <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/true-Common-Data-Environment-integrating-platforms-ACC-Connect-2022">watch the CDE in action</a>. </p>
<p><img alt=" thumbnail_image006" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7d29d9ad-950e-4f3e-8fc2-0d82fdb1829b" src="https://static.au-uw2-prd.autodesk.com/legacy-article-images/node-137022-thumbnail_image006.png" /></p>
<h4>A CDE as the digital foundation for Paris’ largest hospital</h4>
<p>Jacque Levy-Bencheton from Brunet Saunier Architecture and Mathieu Lalanne from Autodesk Platform Services Certified Partner, DB-Lab, <a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/ACC-Forge-our-CDE-backbone-integrates-hospital-Data-Management-2022#video">walk through the process of building a CDE</a> for Grand Paris North Hospital. The project shows the complexity of hospital design: 12 companies with 100 stakeholders coordinating to envision 1.8 million square feet of space with 7,700 rooms. </p>
<p>The CDE needed to integrate different processes: </p>
<ul>
<li><b>Collaboration</b> including data production/authoring, sharing, and reviews. Tools include Revit, BIM Collaborate, and BIM Collaborate Pro. </li>
<li><b>Coordination</b> including clash detection and issue management. Tools include Revit and Navisworks. </li>
<li><b>Data management</b> including permissions, authentication, and data flows between tasks and users. Tools include Autodesk Platform Services APIs.  </li>
</ul>
<p>The developers chose Autodesk BIM 360 to centralize the data and connect these processes and will use Autodesk Construction Cloud in future hospital projects.  </p>
<p>With this foundation as the CDE, the developers tailored it to specific hospital design needs. For instance, they created a “data dictionary” associated with a NoSQL database to ensure the traceability of each room’s data. The result is a tool called RoomDataChecker, which manages room data through: </p>
<ul>
<li>Input data: direct import of rooms from Revit files (and Excel in the future) </li>
<li>Restructured data: spatial tree, rooms listings, areas compared, data compared, etc. </li>
<li>Output data: room sheets, Excel reports, PDFs, and re-import to Revit </li>
<li>Templates/customization of sheets </li>
</ul>
<p>This tool offers significant efficiencies in checking and ensuring quality for hospital rooms and across many design iterations for the Grand Paris North Hospital.  </p>
<p>Jacque Levy-Bencheton and Mathieu Lalanne share a lot of positive results stemming from the CDE, but this one stands out: Teams spent 50% less time on data management. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/ACC-Forge-our-CDE-backbone-integrates-hospital-Data-Management-2022">Check out their AU class</a> to learn more about building a CDE and the improved outcomes you can gain. </p>


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