GPS World

Tag: BIM

  • Trimble acquires e-Builder to expand construction management solutions

    Trimble has acquired privately-held e-Builder, a software-as-a-service (SaaS)-based construction program management solution for capital program owners and program management firms.

    e-Builder extends Trimble’s ability to accelerate industry transformation by providing an integrated project delivery solution for owners, program managers and contractors across the design, construct and operate lifecycle, the company said.

    e-Builder manages more than $300 billion of construction project value and over 200,000 projects from some of the most influential owners in North America. Owners benefit from the e-Builder solution through improved transparency and accountability while contractors benefit from faster payments, increased productivity and improved competitive advantage.

    The e-Builder solution is uniquely designed to measure and manage every step of the capital project delivery process including planning, design, procurement, construction and operations.

    Trimble’s wide range of construction hardware and software solutions significantly improve project cost, schedule and effectiveness — beneficially impacting owners, architects, engineers and contractors. The Trimble presence in construction has two points of focus, one on civil engineering projects and the other on the construction of buildings and structures. Both will benefit from the e-Builder acquisition.

    Trimble solutions leverage constructible building information model (BIM) workflows to integrate processes, improve information fidelity, reduce rework, establish transparency and deliver higher productivity. By using Trimble technologies, contractors and owners are realizing substantial reductions in total project cost.

    The combination of Trimble and e-Builder accelerates value creation for both owners and contractors by combining e-Builder’s best practice solutions for owners with Trimble’s construction lifecycle solutions, access to contractors and global reach.

    The combined solution portfolio will accelerate the integration of field operations with enterprise needs, enabling additional productivity gains. The tangible benefits include more consistent on-time and within-budget project delivery that is enabled by improved visibility, clear accountability for outcomes and the ability to convert large volumes of disparate data into actionable workflows and measurable outcomes.

    “e-Builder has always recognized that owners play a key role in the construction lifecycle and that their influence will be key to the adoption of transformative construction technology,” said Steven Berglund, president and CEO of Trimble. “Trimble will extend its reach into the owner community by leveraging e-Builder’s presence. In turn, we intend to aggressively bring e-Builder solutions to civil and building contractors and the international market. We see a significant opportunity in leveraging data and intelligence gained through design-construct workflows across the full infrastructure lifecycle. e-Builder’s solutions and, more importantly, its organization provide a strong platform for significant growth.”

    “e-Builder’s mission is to improve project execution to make construction faster, less expensive and more reliable,” said Ron Antevy, president and CEO of e-Builder. “The addition of our solutions to Trimble’s broad portfolio extends our collective ability to best support owners and contractors with project delivery and management. e-Builder current and future customers will benefit from Trimble’s construction management expertise, culture of innovation and global reach to take e-Builder solutions to the next level.”

    The e-Builder business will be reported as part of the Buildings and Infrastructure Segment.

    Financial Terms

    The all cash purchase price of $500 million will be financed through a new $300 million credit facility and cash. The new facility has terms and conditions similar to the existing revolver with a 364 day term.

    e-Builder’s reported trailing twelve month revenue is approximately $53 million. In recent years, e-Builder’s revenue growth rate has exceeded 20 percent annually, with greater than 65 percent subscription revenue as a percentage of total revenue. The transaction is expected to be dilutive to Trimble’s first quarter non-GAAP net income per share by $0.01 per share and dilutive to full year 2018 non-GAAP net income per share by $0.02 to $0.03 per share, due to the impact of fair value accounting of e-Builder’s deferred revenue and interest expense. Trimble expects the acquisition to be accretive to 2019 non-GAAP net income per share.

    An overview of e-Builder and the strategic rationale for the acquisition is available on Trimble’s Investor Relations website. For a more detailed description of the acquisition and credit agreements see Trimble’s Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Feb. 2, 2018.

    About e-Builder

    Founded in 1995, e-Builder is a provider of integrated, cloud-based construction program management software for top facility owners and the companies that act on their behalf.

    The company’s flagship product, e-Builder Enterprise, improves capital project execution, resulting in increased productivity and quality, reduced cost and faster project delivery.

    Since 1995, e-Builder’s technology leadership and construction industry focus have helped thousands of global companies, government agencies, and health care and educational institutions manage billions of dollars in capital programs with solutions to improve the plan, build and operate lifecycle.

    The company is based in Plantation, Florida.

  • Bentley publishes 'Plain Language BIM' book

    Plain_Language_BIM_coverPlain Language BIM is now available as both a print publication and as an eBook for Kindle and iOS devices from Bentley Institute Press.

    Bentley Institute Press is the publisher of a broad array of textbooks and professional reference works dedicated to building information management (BIM) advancements in the architectural, engineering, construction, operations, geospatial and educational communities.

    Plain Language BIM is by Iain Miskimmin, a BIM Advancement Academy expert.

    “Current industry thinking in the digital world moves at a fast-changing pace,” Miskimmin said,. “But the lessons we have learned in the BIM Advancement Academy and that we share with you in this book, are an excellent starting point for any individual or organization wishing to grasp both the high-level reasoning and the details of BIM.”

    Because BIM improves the ability to manage, produce and consume asset information throughout the lifecycle (design, construction, operations, and maintenance) of infrastructure assets, an increasing number of governments around the world are mandating BIM Level 2 standards and deliverables for publicly funded projects.

    Successfully implementing a BIM strategy can result in considerable cost savings, improved performance and better project outcomes. Plain Language BIM is beneficial for beginners and for those with experience with BIM strategies to ensure all professionals are thoroughly prepared to be part of industry efforts focused on advancing BIM.

    Plain Language BIM condenses years of experience and lessons learned from Bentley Institute’s BIM Advancement Academy. It guides the reader through the many complexities of BIM methodology by providing a plain language understanding of the concepts and building blocks required to deliver an effective strategy.

    It demonstrates why gathering data about the asset is vital to the BIM process, and why trustworthy and reliable information, delivered in an understandable and consumable manner, is essential for effective decision making— upgrading, augmenting, replacing, decommissioning, or leaving assets as they are.

    Plain Language BIM also explores three elements in creating good BIM practices: people, process and technology. It explains how the combination of these elements plays a crucial role in the lifecycle of an asset and in delivering better outcomes.

    The book also examines the Eight Pillars of BIM Wisdom that ensure best practices and world-class BIM vision.

    Like all the titles in the Bentley Institute Press portfolio, Plain Language BIM aims to deliver continuous learning to help both students and practitioners in infrastructure professions increase their expertise and improve their workflow efficiencies.

    Plain Language BIM is available as a printed book, and also as an eBook from Amazon and from iTunes.

    Miskimmin has spent the better part of two decades working in support of the infrastructure and construction industries, helping to deliver the first BIM projects in the UK. Since 2012, he has run the Crossrail/Bentley Information Academy and the BIM Advancement Academy in London. This position has allowed him to interact with more than 4,000 industry people from all over the globe to capture their thoughts and experiences about BIM technology, including some about the biggest infrastructure projects in the world. He was worked closely with the UK BIM Task Group and leads the Infrastructure Asset Data Dictionary for the UK (IADD4UK) initiative.

  • OGC seeks sponsors for Phase 2 of Future Cities Pilot Project

    The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) is seeking interested sponsors to define the challenges for Phase 2 of its Future Cities Pilot Project.

    As the operation and planning of cities increasingly relies on 3D geo-information in their processes, and apply Building Information Models (BIM) paradigms to their information management approach, efficient information flow in both directions between geospatial systems (GIS) and the architecture/engineering/construction (AEC) systems becomes increasingly important. This requires data to be interoperable, which requires common — and ideally open — standards.

    Completed in 2017, the Future City Pilot, Phase 1 (FCP1) demonstrated that interoperability between CityGML and BIM Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) works well in practice, and showed clear benefits in three use cases: urban planning; social care; and flood modelling. However, to achieve success, a significant amount of manual intervention needed to be employed.

    Phase 2 of the Future City Pilot (FCP2) aims to improve the automation of the flow of data, as well as address a number of related interoperability challenges, including:

    • Comparing data conversion with data linking approaches;
    • Looking at tools that consume both CityGML and BIM structured data;
    • Data structures that support the seamless integration of GIS data and BIM data;
    • Linking real-time sensor information with 3D City Models encoded as CityGML;
    • Security models to protect the sensor readings, including Single-Sign On (SSO) methodologies to protect parts of the 3D City Model;
    • Understanding where and how we must capture location and time information: the ability to correlate location in different coordinate reference systems (CRS) such as local, regional, global, and understand if, and how, the integrity of the location data has changed through that process (Survey4BIM use case); and
    • Data linking to facilitate asset management over dispersed geographies.

    Below is a video summary of FCP1.

    The Engineering Reports documenting the main outcomes of FCP1 are available.

    • Sponsorship of the Future City Pilot will provide the following benefits to sponsoring organisations:
    • Assess and affect market direction based on sponsor needs;
    • Visibility as global leader in information technology critical to deploying smarter cities;
    • Amplification of funding by multiple sponsors’ to solve common/similar problems;
    • Leveraging effort up to 3.5 times based on participant in-kind;
    • Accelerated process – workable interface specifications in 4-6 months;
    • Follow-on procurements using standards-based architecture proven in the pilot;
    • These Innovation Program pilots help feed into the consensus standards process of OGC’s Standard Program; and
    • Leading the way to safer and more efficient cities.

    There are three main deliverables resulting from an OGC pilot:

    • Testing of running software from several organizations to ensure interoperability of the independently developed implementations based on open standards;
    • Demonstration of policy-oriented scenarios with the deployed code. These scenarios show the previously unavailable capability from a non-technical point of view;
    • Documentation of the results of the architecture, testing, and demonstration. The reports may then become the basis of procurement activities of the operational system.

    The scope of this pilot as currently planned will include the demonstration of a common architecture and data model in multiple cities. The number of cities used for the demonstration will depend upon the sponsor requirements.

    If you want an innovative solution to your organisation’s Geospatial & BIM data interoperability problem, OGC urges you to contact Bart De Lathouwer, director of OGC’s Innovation Program.

  • GeoSLAM launches ZEB-REVO RT at fall exhibits

    The ZEB-REVO RT is the next generation of the ZEB-REVO, GeoSLAM’s lightweight handheld laser scanner that allows the rapid and simple mapping of complex, indoor and multi-level spaces.

    The ZEB-REVO RT uses technology to seamlessly connect the scanner to a mobile phone or tablet, allowing for real-time data visualization as you walk and scan, the company said.

    GeoSLAM launched its new offering in Europe at Intergeo in Berlin, Germany. This month, GeoSLAM will be premiering its new products to American audiences at the Fall BIM Forum, held Nov. 6-8 in Dallas. BIM stands for building information modeling.

    The simultaneous scanning and processing of 3D data removes any need for post-processing, effectively slashing project survey times in half. The technology is so rapid, users can scan and process a three-story building in just 30 minutes, the company added.

    The successor to GeoSLAM Desktop, GeoSLAM Hub is the latest version of the award-winning SLAM registration software. Enabling end-to-end data capture, the tool allows users to process, view, merge, edit and output 2D and 3D deliverables all from within the one software package.

    The mission statement of the BIM Forum is to explore technological and delivery innovation and performance improvement through BIM and new means of collaboration. This mission dovetails with GeoSLAM’s technologies.

    To find out more about GeoSLAM’s activities at Fall BIM Forum 2017, visit the events page or visit GeoSLAM in person at Booth 627.

  • Harnessing scan-to-BIM technology on historic sites

    Attucks School in Kansas City.
    Attucks School in Kansas City. (Image: GeoSLAM)

    When it comes to renovating a building, unforeseen structural problems or lack of knowledge about the materials used can result in costly delays. Detailed site surveys help to highlight these issues before work begins — and digital technology is playing an increasingly important role in identifying them.

    The GeoSLAM ZEB REVO. (Image: GeoSLAM)
    The GeoSLAM ZEB-REVO. (Image: GeoSLAM)

    A project undertaken at a 112-year-old school highlights the advantages of using 3D mobile indoor mapping for rapid and simple site surveys.

    “The beauty of scanning an historic building is that you find yourself delving into the stories behind its life,” said Stuart Cadge, sales and marketing coordinator at GeoSLAM. “As you peel back the layers you discover how the building has been used and altered over many decades of use.”

    This was certainly the case at the Attucks school in Kansas City, Cadge said. The distinctive red-brick building was designed by local architect Charles A. Smith and built in 1905. It is known for its colonial revival influences and also played a key role in the educational history of the African-American community.

    Two decades later, the school was suffering from over-crowding, and Smith was asked to extend it with a two-storey wing that connected to the east façade of the building. While the 1905 building had been symmetrical, the extension changed the floor plans considerably. Nevertheless, Smith delivered a sympathetic design that incorporated some of the original architectural details, ensuring the new wing was in keeping with the building’s aesthetic.

    While details of the school’s building history are available on national and state registers, it would not have been possible to uncover problems in its structural condition without an accurate survey.

    A Unique Challenge

    Redeveloping and retrofitting a building like Attucks requires careful planning to uncover any existing conditions in its infrastructure. Civil engineering firm BHC RHODES was tasked with providing a 3D Revit building information model (BIM) of the building. The firm decided to use lidar 3D mobile mapping technology provided by GeoSLAM to achieve this.

    The extremely rapid and efficient workflow of the GeoSLAM solution meant that possible setbacks in the project, caused by weakness in the structure, could be identified in advance, helping to speed up delivery time and reduce the overall project spend.

    At Attucks, there were visible signs of deterioration to the wooden flooring, as well as concerns about ceiling collapses and air quality — specifically, asbestos.

    The Value of Technology

    “The process of mapping a historic building can expose site personnel to a number of risks, so BHC RHODES wanted to ensure they spent as little time on-site as possible,” Cadge explained.

    As well as entering the Attucks building, personnel were required to move across the site safely, climb stairs and go into places that a trolley scanner could not.

    On this basis, the firm chose the GeoSLAM ZEB-REVO, a handheld, lightweight, mobile mapping scanner, which employs 3D Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) technology. In this case, it was seen as a much more time- and cost-effective alternative to terrestrial, static or trolley-based systems.

    The complete 3D scan of the building comprises four separate scans and over 160 million data points. (Image: GeoSLAM)
    The complete 3D scan of the building comprises four separate scans and over 160 million data points. (Image: GeoSLAM)

    “The ZEB-REVO is an incredibly useful tool for indoor mobile mapping, particularly in buildings with multiple storeys,” Cadge said. “It enables users to simply ‘walk and scan’ the building, in order to generate building footprints, 2D plans, area measurements for real estate and facility management, 3D BIM models — the list goes on.”

    In the case of Attucks, just four-and-and-half hours were needed to scan the whole building, with the ZEB-REVO recording more than 43,000 measurement points per second. This was helped by the fact that operation of the device requires minimal staff training.

    Results

    Data from the ZEB-REVO and a trolley-based scanner were registered with Cyclone 9.1.4 to a common coordinate system before being exported to Autodesk ReCap as a .pts file format. From this, data was divided into 10-GB files to be used in ReCap and Revit 2014, where a level 200 BIM model was generated. The smooth and hassle-free workflow resulted in the entire building model being completed two weeks earlier than predicted.

    The Jazz District Redevelopment Corporation (JDRC) in Kansas City has plans to transform Attucks into a new community performing arts facility, with office space, paying tribute to its African-American history. By supplying the JDRC with the geospatial data, the organization was better able to understand the structural condition of the building and consider how the space could be used.

    The 3D point data was used to build a level 200 BIM model in Recap and Revit 2014. (Image: GeoSLAM)
    The 3D point data was used to build a level 200 BIM model in Recap and Revit 2014. (Image: GeoSLAM)

    The development will form an integral part of the 18th and Vine historic district in Kansas City, known as the Jazz District. The area is recognized as one of the cradles of jazz music in the 1920s and 1940s, and a historic hub of African-American businesses.

    To secure approval on the plans for Attucks, JDRC must produce detailed drawings that show what materials will be used, as well as full dimension drawings, floor plans, site drawings and elevations. In addition, it must provide details, both graphically and in written form, on what parts of the building will remain and what renovation techniques will be used.

    All this might present a number of challenges, but the scans produced by GeoSLAM’s ZEB-REVO show that the existing buildings are of exceptional quality. When the project does proceed, it will be able to do so quickly and efficiently thanks in part to the speed, simplicity and ease of use of the ZEB-REVO.

  • Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360, cloud services offered for digital reality-capture market

    Lieca-Cyclone-WHexagon announced today its new Leica Cyclone REGISTER 360 laser scanning software for simpler, automated registration, and its Cyclone Cloud Services platform for secure global collaboration through an on-demand software-as-a-service model.

    Together, the new products offer users smarter ways to register, visualize and collaborate around digital reality projects, delivering solutions into the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC), plant, survey and public safety markets through the connected Leica Cyclone family.

    “Digital realities are enabling professionals and newcomers to laser scanning to shape the world around us. Whether it’s on a construction site for building documentation or in a plant environment for life cycle updates, efficiencies and productivity gains are realised with the ability to merge reality and digital data quicker and with more accuracy,” said Hexagon President and CEO Ola Rollén. “These new developments in laser scanning registration with our Cyclone software improve the user experience and overall workflow of point cloud processing.”

    Lieca-Cyclone-W2Cyclone REGISTER 360 is the a professional-grade registration software that combines automation, high performance and ease of use into one powerful package available to novices and experts alike. Simplifying and automating the entire production process, Cyclone REGISTER 360 enables users to automatically process, validate and deliver point clouds according to rigorous quality control and reporting standards.

    Cyclone Cloud offers professionals a new way to consume and deliver digital reality data through a highly scalable, intuitive and web-based platform. TruView Cloud Services is the only cloud-based digital reality visualization and collaboration platform that enables quick setup of private user communities, connecting with and making the data available anywhere in the world.

    Users can publish digital reality content in Cyclone from handheld devices and terrestrial, mobile and unmanned aerial vehicles. With open application programming interfacing, the data can be delivered in any device and operating system with connectivity for building information modeling, geographic information systems and computed-aided drafting.

  • Towering solutions: Using GNSS, BIM and a head-up display for speed, safety

    Towering solutions: Using GNSS, BIM and a head-up display for speed, safety

    Modern tower cranes can reach a height of more than 200 meters. They operate in a complicated, chaotic and constantly changing environment. This creates obstacles for the crane operator: poor visibility and dead angles — places the operator can’t see.

    Aiming to solve the problem is the Augmented Crane Navigation System (ACNS) project, which provides innovative intelligent operation of tower cranes on construction sites through the integration of highly accurate navigation receivers and a powerful processor unit.

    Photo © Natasza Figiel
    Photo © Natasza Figiel

    Polish researcher Piotr Krystek took home the DLR Special Prize from the European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) for the ACNS, which is designed to increase efficiency and safety at construction sites.

    Using the ACNS, the position of the crane elements can be determined and oriented using four to five low-cost yet highly precise Galileo or GNSS receivers. The central processor calculates the best possible route for load management. In addition to the position values of the various satellite navigation receivers, the digital model of the physical structure or Building Information Model (BIM) is used. Using a head-up display, the visualization is projected directly onto the crane operator’s field of view to enable easy and precise navigation.

    The ACNS has a modular design and can be mounted on the crane easily; this includes the retrofitting of existing cranes.

    The project is still in the concept phase. To implement the idea, the market must be explored and feasibility studies carried out with cranes in collaboration with crane manufacturers, Krystek said.

    The ACNS also could be transferred to other construction machinery and commercial vehicles, Krystek said. As one of the leading economic sectors, the construction industry can benefit immensely from GNSS-based solutions.

    Krystek was inspired to pursue the project because of the tower cranes visible from his window in Krakow — along with the availability of low-cost RTK receivers. He is also inspired by the trend to automate everything that can be automated, such as self-driving cars.

  • SketchUp Viewer for Microsoft HoloLens enables users to inhabit designs

    Trimble has launched its SketchUp Viewer for Microsoft HoloLens. The new mixed-reality solution allows users to virtually inhabit and experience their designs to improve quality, communication and efficiency in the design, construction and operation of buildings. SketchUp Viewer is the first extensible commercial HoloLens application available in the Windows Store.

    SketchUp a widely used 3D modeling software for architects, engineers, design and construction professionals as well as members of the global maker community.

    trimble-sketchup-viewer-for-hololens-2-w2The announcement was made at Trimble Dimensions. During the Trimble Dimensions keynote, Trimble, Microsoft and architect Greg Lynn demonstrated how the SketchUp Viewer solution could improve design and construction processes. Using HoloLens, architects were able to experience SketchUp models in mixed reality, as holograms placed in the real world — enabling them to quickly analyze various “what if” design scenarios in the context of the physical environment. The demonstration also illustrated how using Trimble solutions with HoloLens holographic technology enables remote teams to effectively review and collaborate in order to resolve constructability issues in real time.

    Greg Lynn leveraged Trimble’s mixed-reality solution and Microsoft HoloLens to re-imagine the Packard Plant—a historic, abandoned automobile factory in Detroit. The architectural project was commissioned as part of the U.S. Pavilion at the 2016 Venice Biennale exhibition in Italy.

    “Trimble mixed-reality technology and Microsoft HoloLens bring the design to life and bridge the gap between the digital and physical. Using this technology I can make decisions at the moment of inception, shorten the design cycle and improve communication with my clients,” said Greg Lynn.

    trimble-sketchup-viewer-greg-lynn-buildings-oThe emergence of mixed-reality technology is enabling new workflow processes for the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations (AECO) market. Trimble’s mixed-reality solution gives users the ability to understand and communicate complex spatial conditions in one comprehensive and immersive experience. The combination of SketchUp with mixed reality ushers in a new paradigm: Experiential Design Review—the ability to inhabit and experience design and construction projects in the most natural way possible.

    “Empowering people to design and communicate better in 3D is part of our DNA. Across the SketchUp platform, we are dedicated to the idea that technology should get out of the way of our users,” said Chris Keating, general manager of Trimble’s SketchUp. “With SketchUp Viewer, we are taking another big step toward delivering the ultimate experience for designers and their clients—the experience of inhabiting their own work.”

    Microsoft HoloLens is a self-contained, holographic computer that provides a mixed-reality experience for a range of commercial and consumer applications. HoloLens extends interaction with 3D models beyond the confines of a 2D computer screen, creating new ways for the many stakeholders of complex, multi-phase construction projects to visualize, collaborate, share ideas and manage change.

    “We are thrilled to work with Trimble to deliver new innovation to SketchUp, one of the most widely used applications in the architecture, engineering, construction and operations industry,” said Lorraine Bardeen, general manager of Microsoft HoloLens and Windows Experiences. “SketchUp Viewer for Microsoft HoloLens can dramatically improve collaboration, decision making, efficiency, quality, and safety by giving users the unique ability to bring digital content into the real world, real-time as part of their current workflow.”

    With SketchUp Viewer, users can view models that have been published to their HoloLens device via the newly launched AR|VR Extension for SketchUp Desktop; they can browse and download models from Trimble’s 3D Warehouse or they can pull project files down from Trimble Connect, a cloud-based collaboration platform. Users then have the option to place a model within their physical environment.

    In Tabletop mode, models can be scaled as needed to best fit the available space or specific design review requirements. While the experience is intended to mimic viewing a physical scale model, it maintains the flexibility and the dynamic nature of a digital model. Users can re-scale, move and rotate the model as desired. Models can be anchored and re-anchored in the physical environment, so designers and engineers can walk around the project and examine it from any vantage point.

    Users can transition seamlessly to an immersive experience. Mixed reality enables unique opportunities to overlay physical models in real world environments; and as a completely untethered device, HoloLens allows users to move freely as they inhabit their digital surrounds.

    In both Tabletop and Immersive mode, SketchUp Viewer allows users to do more than just look at the model. The application provides access to the most critical pieces of information for making vital project decisions and gaining consensus among project stakeholders. The Entity Info feature gives users access to important Building Information Modeling (BIM) data embedded within project components; and with the Tape Measure functionality, users can pull up dimensional information from the model. Users can also control the visibility of various aspects of the model by toggling layers on and off.

    Real-time, remote and co-located collaboration are key elements to the experiential design review process in SketchUp Viewer. With multiple HoloLens devices, a group of users can load the same model, engaging a “see what I see” collaboration mode. Remote collaborators can communicate via real-time audio and use mixed-reality visualization “sight-guides” to better understand who in the group is looking at what.

     

  • Trimble offers TX6 and improved TX8 for 3D laser scanning

    Trimble’s TX6 and improved TX8 high-performance 3D laser scanning solutions offer a fully integrated high-dynamic range (HDR) camera and Wi-Fi remote control. The high-speed 3D laser scanners provide increased productivity and versatility for users.

    The TX6 and the TX8 leverage Trimble’s patented technology, combining microsecond time-of-flight distance measurement with advanced on-board signal and 3D data processing, designed to provide the best combination of productivity, range and accuracy in all conditions.

    TX8 3D laster scannr by Trimble.
    TX8 3D laster scannr by Trimble.

    Integration with Trimble RealWorks allows geospatial professionals to produce high-quality deliverables to pair with CAD software or Trimble SketchUp and EdgeWise for advanced point cloud modeling solutions.

    The Trimble TX6 is a medium-range 3D scanning solution designed to quickly capture detail in applications such as public safety, forensics, building for as-builts, mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP), Building Information Modeling (BIM) and quality control during construction.

    The Trimble TX8 is designed best-in-class for geospatial professionals that require enhanced versatility and longer ranges to effectively support a variety of applications in urban environments, civil infrastructures and challenging terrains.

    “The new TX6 and improved TX8 3D laser scanners provide our customers with a range of options to fit their application needs without compromising data quality, accuracy or efficiency,” said Ron Bisio, vice president of Trimble’s Geospatial Division. “The power and versatility of Trimble’s scanning solutions allow construction, surveying and geospatial professionals to meet the needs of even their most demanding clients.”

  • Trimble to acquire Building Data company for BIM, construction

    Trimble has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Building Data based in Rocklin, California. Building Data’s managed content and software solutions enable mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) contractors and engineers to produce intelligent, constructible models by including manufacturing-specific content from a proprietary database of more than 6 million 3D data components.

    The combination of Building Data’s experience in Building Information Modeling (BIM) content paired with Trimble’s leadership in providing software and hardware solutions for building construction will empower contractors and engineers to gain efficiencies throughout the building lifecycle. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2016.

    The announcement was made at Trimble Dimensions.

    MEP contractors face an enormous challenge to develop and maintain the data needed to design, estimate, build and manage projects. Trimble’s pricing and content services, combined with Building Data’s 3D solutions, will fill the need for timely, accurate and structured information to drive the key processes of design and construction. Building Data’s managed content and its SysQue software extend the capabilities of existing 3D CAD platforms to enable MEP contractors and engineers to increase productivity by developing constructible models that enable accurate pre-fabrication and field layout.

    “With the addition of Building Data, Trimble continues to reinforce its commitment to providing data and analytics solutions to the construction industry. Building Data’s strength lies in its ability to provide structured and highly accurate 3D content that will be connected to Trimble’s existing product and pricing services,” said Pat Bohle, general manager of Trimble’s MEP Division. “This wealth of content will enable MEP contractors and engineers to use their models to improve estimating, detailing, fabrication, purchasing, manufacturing and installation processes.”

    “Building Data’s solutions are dedicated to improving the productivity of the building contractor and engineer,” said Jim Reis, chief operating officer of Building Data. “We are already integrated with several of Trimble’s industry-leading software solutions including their fabrication software, field layout solutions and pricing services. We are excited to provide an even greater integrated office workflow for the building contractor and engineer by joining with Trimble.”

    The Building Data business will be reported as part of the Engineering and Construction Segment. Financial terms were not disclosed.

  • Sokkia announces compatibility with Autodesk layout application

    Sokkia’s new iX robotic total station series’ is compatible with the Autodesk BIM 360 Layout application.

    BIM 360 Layout is designed to provide vertical construction contractors the ability to connect the coordinated model to the field layout process — helping to increase job site productivity, while improving the accuracy of staked or installed building components.sokkia_ix-series_roboticstation-w

    “We are committed to the interoperability between our products and Autodesk software making workflows increasingly simple for common customers,” said Ray Kerwin, director of global surveying products. “Now operators taking advantage of the iX series’ smoothest and most accurate prism tracking ability can also layout or QA/QC (quality assurance/quality control) with the BIM 360 Layout app.”

    With the addition of the iX series, operators now have a choice of instruments in the Sokkia family with BIM 360 connectivity, including the SX total station series.

  • Topcon invests in virtual reality company for construction, infrastructure

    Topcon Positioning Group has acquired a significant share of holdings a company that assists customers in virtual design and construction (VDC).

    Viasys VDC — based in Espoo, Finland — has developed a suite of tools and services to assist customers in building virtual models for infrastructure and site-work projects. Using building information modeling (BIM) technologies, its solutions create VDC models that optimize the construction process throughout the project’s lifecycle, creating enhanced quality, higher efficiencies and reduced costs, Topcon said.

    “Viasys VDC solutions allow for the import of virtually any BIM or non-BIM design model, offering seamless interoperability with open design standards currently in the market — which provides the contractor or engineer with full control and visibility of the entire design throughout the entire project,” said Heikki Halttula, CEO and president, Viasys VDC Ltd. “With advanced simulation tools and communication functions, design-build issues can be detected before actual work starts, or at any time during the process.”

    Accurate 5D simulation allows for optimal planning and execution, Topcon said in a news release. Other significant features include cloud-based collaboration functions as well as mobile access to models and information on-site.

    Topcon currently offers various BIM and remote site management/visibility solutions aimed at many of the markets served by Viasys VDC.

    “Now, with our investment in Viasys VDC, we have partnered with the technology leader to allow us to offer an expanded platform for the future generation of advanced Topcon VDC solutions with seamless BIM interoperability for our partners and customers,” said Ewout Korpershoek, Topcon executive vice president for mergers and acquisitions.

    “Partnering with Topcon is an exciting step forward to help advance our industry-leading VDC solutions, while also expanding their reach to a global audience,” Halttula said. “With Viasys VDC offices in Finland, California and Vietnam, we are also well positioned geographically to work directly with existing Topcon operations in Europe, North America and Asia.”

    In addition to a full suite of BIM-based mobile workforce solutions, Viasys VDC offers an operational asset management solution as a basis for lifetime maintenance of the VDC managed projects.