Tag: AEC

Trimble Connects 10 million with collaboration platform

Driven by COVID-19, the uptick in adoption supports collaboration among remote workers as businesses adapt.

The Trimble Connect cloud-based collaboration platform has surpassed 10 million users. In response to COVID-19, distributed working has intensified the need for teams to share information and collaborate remotely, leading 1.2 million users to join Trimble Connect in March and April alone.

To date, Trimble Connect has hosted more than 80,000 design and construction projects, making it possible for people to collaborate and work together from anywhere in the world.

Photo: Trimble

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

In addition to adding new users, the activity on Trimble Connect has shown a considerable increase in collaboration for businesses in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry.

The number of invitations to collaborate on projects increased 58% in April over the previous month, indicating that users are adjusting to new remote and distributed working dynamics and enabling teams to stay resilient, despite interruptions to their traditional daily routines.

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

Trimble Connect’s open API enables data-flow to and from a variety of applications and allows users to customize workflows by integrating with existing enterprise solutions. Users can access project files stored on Trimble Connect directly through a wide range of solutions, including Tekla Structures software, Trimble Access field software, Trimble FieldLink layout software, SketchUP 3D modeling software and ProjectSight construction management software as well as third-party applications.

June 3, 2020
AEC technology consultant completes Pointfuse training program

Photo: Pointfuse

U.S. CAD is working with Pointfuse to help shape the future of point cloud processing software. This collaboration began upon U.S. CAD completing Pointfuse’s authorized training program.

U.S. CAD is an architecture, engineering and construction technology consultant that has 20 years’ experience in combining BIM content creation and 3D modeling with application development and configuration services. U.S. CAD is a Pointfuse distributor and has been working with Pointfuse to align Pointfuse’s software with its existing product and service portfolio, learn the full capabilities and ROI of the software, and discover product development functionality.

Pointfuse software converts millions of individual measurements captured by laser scanning, photogrammetry and mobile mapping systems into useable 3D mesh models. Pointfuse is unique in automatically segmenting the mesh into discrete, selectable surfaces by identifying objects based on their geometry and assigning unique identifiers to them, the company said.

“We already knew the addition of Pointfuse point cloud processing software to our market offering would release the power of laser scanning, photogrammetry and mobile mapping systems for a range of digital construction, facilities management and virtual design workflows,” said Jeff Rachel, president at U.S. CAD. “However, working with Pointfuse to complete the training program we now truly understand how to help and support our customers as they integrate these technologies within their organizations.”

April 23, 2020
Trimble to acquire GIS company Cityworks for EAM expansion

Photo: Cityworks

Trimble has signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Azteca Systems LLC (Cityworks), a provider of enterprise asset management (EAM) software for utilities and local government.

Cityworks’ solutions address the global challenges associated with maintaining and replacing aging utility, transportation and public assets and infrastructure.

The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2019, subject to customary closing conditions and expiration of the waiting period u

nder the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Cityworks, based in Sandy, Utah, was launched in 1996 and provides a powerful and flexible office, cloud and mobile EAM software solution that is used by more than 700 utilities and local governments. EAM is a key technology and system of record relied on by organizations to address a wide range of applications in infrastructure development, maintenance and permitting.

Cityworks is a leader in the mid-sized utility and local government market segments in North America and its solutions address organizations of all sizes with deployments serving some of the largest cities in the U.S.

The Cityworks acquisition will expand Trimble’s strategy by adding an EAM software platform to its existing utilities and local government capabilities, which include mobile, IoT and infrastructure lifecycle solutions. The combination will provide a comprehensive digital platform — with real-time asset intelligence, workflows and analytics — for transforming the way governments and utilities prioritize infrastructure maintenance and construction investments.

In addition, the acquisition will enable Cityworks to leverage Trimble’s global footprint in multiple industries.

Together, Trimble and Cityworks will provide an expanded solutions portfolio to their partner network of architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms and software system integrators.

Customers will benefit from integrated solutions that will enable them to realize improved infrastructure performance, increased productivity and better return-on-investment associated with infrastructure construction and operation.

“Cityworks is a pioneer in developing software to address the global challenges associated with managing aging, critical infrastructure,” said Steve Berglund, president and CEO of Trimble. “Trimble has a long history of transforming industries by combining technologies and providing full solutions that help customers measure, assess, design and construct infrastructure at scale. With Cityworks, we now expand our solutions portfolio enabling customers to manage and optimize the performance of their assets across the entire infrastructure lifecycle.”

“Trimble is an ideal match for Cityworks and the work we aspire to do in helping utilities and communities improve public infrastructure management. Joining Trimble is strategic, providing exciting growth opportunities and new opportunities for innovation,” said Brian L. Haslam, founder, president and CEO of Cityworks. “Cityworks as a Trimble company will accelerate our GIS-centric public asset management approach and allow us to increase the impact and value our solutions deliver to customers.”

The Cityworks business will be reported as part of Trimble’s Resources and Utilities Segment.

October 3, 2019
PrecisionHawk acquires Uplift for construction drone tech

Uplift adds commercially trained pilots and expands PrecisionHawk’s industry expertise and relationships in drone-based services for construction and facility management nationwide.

PrecisionHawk Inc., a provider of drone technology for enterprise, has purchased Uplift Data Partners.

Uplift specializes in the delivery of turnkey inspection services for construction, building information management and real estate, and has provided drone services for national and global brands.

Its nationwide network of commercially trained drone pilots will join PrecisionHawk’s Droners.io network of more than 15,000 drone pilots. Suzanne El-Moursi, CEO of Uplift, will join PrecisionHawk’s executive leadership team managing the company’s construction line of business.

This is the fifth acquisition for PrecisionHawk in 2018. Early acquisitions include Droners.io and Airvid. In September, it purchased both Hazon Solutions and InspecTools which specialize in the delivery of inspection services and technology for the energy industry. Their integration with PrecisionHawk has created dynamic synergy, providing solutions that elevate airborne intelligence and strengthen the data value chain for the enterprise.

Similar to the energy space, the construction industry has experienced a rapid uptake in the adoption of commercial drone technology. Drones are now one of the leading innovative technologies that are transforming the construction process since they decrease the need for lengthy visual inspections, reduce planning time, improve worker safety and identify problems.

Uplift Data Partners was formed in 2015 as a fully integrated subsidiary of Clayco, one of the nation’s largest architecture, engineering, design-build and construction firms, with more than $2 billion in annual revenue.

Through the acquisition, Clayco will exclusively source its construction projects to PrecisionHawk, and will serve on PrecisionHawk’s Board of Advisors to support the growth of the company’s services and software in the construction industry.

The PrecisionHawk UAV. (Photo: PrecisionHawk)

“PrecisionHawk is leading the commercial drone market by combining superior technology with deep expertise in the markets that they serve,” said Bob Clark, Clayco CEO. “Through this acquisition, Clayco customers gain access to a new level of technological sophistication for more scalable and robust operations, while continuing to benefit from Uplift’s deep understanding of the demanding nature of engineering and construction industry drone missions,.”

“This acquisition displays PrecisionHawk’s commitment to strengthening our technology and expertise in high-growth markets,” said Michael Chasen, PrecisionHawk CEO. “By combining PrecisionHawk’s leading-edge products and services with Uplift’s industry experience and training standards, our customers will receive best-in-class aerial data and analytics for complex construction and facility inspection projects through a simple and easy to procure process.”

“Our mission at Uplift is to support the modernization of the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry by creating tools and training that improve the accessibility of drone services, thereby delivering true value to construction projects,” said Uplift CEO Suzanne El-Moursi. “The construction industry is uniquely rugged, yet defined by innovation and intelligence, and we are thrilled to join PrecisionHawk, a company that is both aligned to this mission and committed to the growth and expansion of the industry.”

November 5, 2018
NavVis launches 6D SLAM indoor mapper

Mapping company NavVis has launched the M6, a next-generation indoor mobile-mapping system that the company says can overcome the scalability and data quality constraints of reality capture technology.

Surveyors and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) professionals can now use reality-capture technology for large-scale indoor mapping projects. The M6 can be used for factory planning and creating and updating as-built BIM (building information modeling) models and construction monitoring.

The NavVis M6 is an all-in-one system that captures 360-degree immersive imagery, photorealistic point clouds, Bluetooth beacons, Wi-Fi signals and magnetic field data.

The NavVis M6 features a mobile lidar system that lets it scan up to 30 times faster than stationary devices, letting users capture up to 30,000 square meters in a day.

Cutting-edge 6D simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technology significantly improves the quality of data captured. Thanks to 6D SLAM, M6 continuously scans even complex indoor environments, including uneven surfaces or changing elevations such as ramps, open spaces or long corridors without compromising the quality of the data.

M6’s innovative software is complemented by hardware features designed to improve the quality of data and ease of capture: four laser scanners with a range of up to 100 meters are arranged to maximize scan coverage, while six cameras automatically take high-resolution images during mapping. The innovative design of the M6 includes camera placement that keeps the operator in a blind spot.

NavVis IndoorViewer software gives stakeholders access to the scanned environment through an interactive virtual building in their browser.

“The NavVis M6 marks a quantum leap in indoor mobile mapping,” Felix Reinshagen, CEO of NavVis. “Anyone who needs to scan large properties, run repeated scans or would like to move into the field of reality capture will profit from the groundbreaking data quality.

“With M6, users can now quickly capture large, complex indoor environments for typical tasks such as updating floorplans, documenting construction progress or creating as-built BIM models. At the same time, M6 captures the data needed to provide customers with additional deliverables such as browser-based immersive walkthroughs and indoor navigation,” Reinshagen said.

April 18, 2018