May/June 2007 >> Vol.31
AECMAGAZINE
DESIGN, MANAGEMENT & COLLABORATION IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
BE Conference report UK customers excel at Bentley’s annual awards
Structural focus
Revit Structure, Robot Millennium, Fabsec FBEAM
Leadenhall Street aerial view image courtesy of Cityscape / British Land
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Vol.31: Contents 10 Report Bentley BE Conference
This year’s annual ‘Bentley Empowered’ (BE) Conference was held in downtown Los Angeles. Martyn Day attended to both judge the company’s excellence awards and hear the latest Bentley strategy.
Editorial Publishing Director: Martyn Day Email: martyn@edaltd.co.uk Managing Editor: Greg Corke Email: greg@edaltd.co.uk MCAD Technical Editor: Alistar Lloyd Dean Email: al@edaltd.co.uk Consulting Editor: John Marchant Email: john.marchant@skilstream.com Publisher: Geoff Walker Email: geoff@edaltd.co.uk
Design and Production Dave Oswald Email: dave@edaltd.co.uk
15 Software review Revit Structure 2008
Autodesk’s impressive structural design ‘hub’ receives a range of new advanced modelling functionality.
16 Case study Clear vision
Fluid Engineering Limited produces highly developed structural designs by applying advanced 3D analysis software and a great deal of experience. The way software is integrated into the practice is key to the company’s award winning performance.
19 Case Study Market forces
For the redevelopment of Wakefield’s old market quarter Fabsec’s FBEAM has not only helped generate optimum cellular beam designs, but will prove invaluable when it comes to fabrication and site installation says Leeds-based BWB Consulting.
Advertising Group Advertising Manager: Peter Jones Email: peter@edaltd.co.uk Deputy Advertising Manager: Steve Banks Email: steve@edaltd.co.uk Accounts Director: Terry Wright Email: terry@edaltd.co.uk
20 Case Study Digital project at SOM Recording and retaining creative integrity through to the build, while optimising the design around multiple analysis criteria, has become possible for SOM architects since the introduction of Gehry Technologies’ Digital Project software.
Subscriptions Database Manager: Alan Cleveland Email: alan@edaltd.co.uk Free Subscriptions: AEC Magazine is available on free subscription to UK readers qualifying under the publisher’s Terms of Control. Paid Subscriptions: AEC Magazine is available on paid subscription at the following rates: UK – £36 per annum; Overseas – £50 per annum. Cheques should be made payable to Electronic Design Automation Ltd ©Electronic Design Automation Ltd. Reproduction in whole or part without prior permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited EDA Ltd. 63-66 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8SR Tel: +44 (0) 20 7681 1000 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7831 2057 Printed in the UK by Warners Midlands plc www.warners.co.uk
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22 Tutorial Making Light Work - Part 4
In the final part of Darren Brooker’s four-part comparison of the interior lighting methods available within 3ds Max, he looks at the role of HDR lighting and relighting your scene with both 3ds Max and combustion
27 Comment Twice is once too often
29 Interview ParaCloud formation
When CAD replaced the drawing board it replicated a manual process. BIM is all about information capture and when an object changes, so does all the associated the data. Never again do you need to type the same note twice says Paul Woddy of CADline.
As architects look for new expressive forms, they need more capable geometric tools. ParaCloud is one of a new breed of parametric engines to generate forms from simple inputs. Martyn Day talks to practising architect and the developer of the software, Dr Eyal Nir.
31 Case Study The model answer
32 Case Study 3D ReproGraphics
Ogle Models and Prototypes has built up a strong client base in the automotive and consumer products sectors. The company is now applying its model making expertise to the architectural field to great effect.
3DRG produces a range of architectural models, which are not only durable, but feature the finest of detail and are given an individual stamp through the use of applied colour. By Al Dean and Greg Corke
Cover image
Leadenhall Building, London Rogers Stirk Harbour Partners was awarded first prize in Bentley’s Excellence awards in the ‘BIM for Architecture’ category for this iconic 224m, 48 storey skyscraper, scheduled for completion in 2011.
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HP unveils new technical printers
HP has launched a brand new range of large format inkjet printers specifically designed for the technical marketplace. The new Designjet T Printers series, which include the HP Designjet T610 and T1100 Printer series, offer enhanced print quality by
using a three-black ink set and HP Vivera inks. According to HP, these deliver exacting detail, a wider range of colours and hard-to-achieve tone reproduction. The new printers can print an A1/D page in 35 seconds, enabling project print speeds up to three times faster than the previous offering, the HP Designjet 800 series. The HP Designjet T1100 Printer series is targeted at larger CAD work groups who need to manage larger print runs, while the Designjet T610 is suitable for personal use, smaller offices and studio environments. Both printers are available in 24 inch (A1) and 44 inch (A0) formats. Meanwhile, large format printer reseller, Repropoint, will have the new HP Designjet T-Printer series installed and fired up ready for customer demonstrations throughout June. The company is also offering trade in offers on old equipment from a wide variety of manufacturers including Epson and EnCad. Look out for a full review in the July/August edition of AEC Magazine. www.hp.com / www.repropoint.com
IAI certifies software vendors for IFC 2x3
Nemetschek presents universal tool for IFC
The International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI) has certified nine software vendors that support the 2nd step of the IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) 2x3 standard. Three additional software systems have passed the 1st step certification. The IAI International Council is responsible for developing the open IFC format that enables communication between different construction software, communication within structural design, and communication with the software of other building and construction disciplines. The following software systems were confirmed the 2nd step IFC 2x3 certification. Active3D (Archimem Group), AutoCAD Architecture & Revit Architecture, Bentley Architecture, DDS-CAD Building Services (DDS), MagiCAD building service engineering (Progman), Nemetschek Allplan & Graphisoft ArchiCAD, Solibri Model Checker (Solibri), and Tekla Structures. The recent meeting also agreed on how to develop the IFC-based workflow in the construction industry. An IFC-based workflow starts from the architectural design and continues to structural modelling and analysis as well as to building service design. From the analysis, the building information returns back into structural modelling and needs to be coordinated among all disciplines. www.iai-international.org
Nemetschek has unveiled a new software tool for viewing IFC-based (Industry Foundation Classes) building models. Nemetschek IFC Viewer enables project members to check and coordinate planning data in a simple manner, says its developers. Nemetschek IFC Viewer is available for free download. “The market launch of IFC Viewer underpins our strategy of driving forward IFC as a powerful future format for the exchange of component-oriented data”, says Michael Westfahl, member of the managing board responsible for Sales and Marketing at Nemetschek. “We are thus pioneers not only in the implementation of the open data standard, but also in the development of tools for practical everyday use,” explains Westfahl. “The IFC format is designed to facilitate communication between the three core products Allplan, ArchiCAD and VectorWorks. It complements Nemetschek’s strategy of establishing an additional independent data exchange format in the building industry beside PDF.” In addition to offering pure visualisation capabilities, users can also utilise the tool to perform analyses and generate structured schedules of doors, windows and rooms. Furthermore, building models can be exported from IFC Viewer to GoogleEarth and thus transferred to a real environment. www.nemetschek.com/ifc
Bentley to offer flexible licensing for ProjectWise Bentley Systems has announced the ProjectWise Passport, which it describes as a versatile, portable, and global license for collaboration. The ProjectWise Passport provides ProjectWise users with a collaboration license that is portable between projects. With just one ProjectWise Passport a user is now
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licensed for any ProjectWise client, including ProjectWise StartPoint, ProjectWise Navigator, ProjectWise Explorer, and ProjectWise InterPlot Organizer. ProjectWise is a scalable collaboration system for connecting people and information across the distributed enterprise. www.bentley.com
Deltek Vision 5 focuses on resouce planning Deltek has unveiled Vision 5, the latest version of its software solution for projectfocused professional services firms. In addition to a number significant business and technology enhancements across the solution, Vision 5 delivers new resource planning capabilities that are designed to enable organisations to more effectively balance the process of managing project budgets and resource workloads. www.deltek.com/vision
JetStream v5.4 to support Autodesk 2008 NavisWorks, the developer of JetStream, the collaborative 3D design review software, has announced the release of version 5.4. Enhancements include support for Autodesk 2008 products (including the latest RealDWG technology) and the latest releases from other important industry leaders including MicroStation XM, Graphisoft Constructor 2007, Google SketchUp v6, Microsoft Project and Primavera. www.navisworks.com
MultiSuite gears up for major sporting events 2010 sees the FIFA World Cup arrive in South Africa and in anticipation of the intensive construction work, and to support its clients in South Africa, MultiSuite Software has opened a new office in Cape Town. In addition, looking forward to the London 2012 Olympic Games, Multi Suite will be on hand to share its structural detailing experience gained from the Athens games to help its clients deliver their projects both on time, and on budget. www.multisuite.com
Tekla extends reach of Structures 13 Tekla has launched its thirteenth release of its Tekla Structures building information modeling (BIM) software, which is designed to streamline the delivery process of design, detailing, manufacture, and construction organisations. “To follow our users’ wishes, we have concentrated on improving the existing functionality in the software,” says Ragnar Wessman, Director of Tekla Structures Product Management at Tekla Building & Construction. “With Tekla Structures 13, users can concentrate more on the business instead of spending time mastering their software tool.” www.tekla.com
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Can you build a 100-acre farm in the middle of a city? Definitely. The Vertical Farm is just one of many ideas that can transform the world through sustainable design. At AutodeskÂŽ, we are helping architects, engineers and designers bring those ideas to life. We support all those who envision a smarter, more efficient, greener future. For more information, visit autodesk.com/green
Image by: atelier SoA Autodesk is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document. Š 2006 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Graphisoft delivers ArchiCAD 11
ArchiCAD 11, the latest version of Graphisoft’s Virtual Building modelling solution, is shipping on both Windows and Macintosh platforms. The three main areas of enhancement in ArchiCAD 11 are Coordination, Control and Virtual Building functionality. Coordination helps users better coordinate documentation sets, work with the internal project team and work with external consultants, Control enables users to better control
the quality and level of detail in documentation sets and the Virtual Building enhancements are designed to increase the productivity and flexibility of working in the Virtual Building environment. “There is no question that the BIM wave is gaining tremendous momentum. In this release, we paid particular attention to an invention that can help 2D users to migrate their workflow to 3D without losing the benefits that the 2D world provides” said Viktor Varkonyi, VP, ArchiCAD Development. “Existing users will also benefit from the new Virtual Trace functionality (pictured left) as well as from the enhancements to our Virtual Building technology which brings even more modelling freedom and flexibility.” Meanwhile. Graphisoft has also announced that its Google connectivity plug-in for ArchiCAD 11 is available for download from its website. The new capability means that users can not only download 3D models from building product manufacturers for use in their projects, but they can also publish their designs for the world to experience via Google Earth. www.graphisoft.com
Autodesk launches Revit Design Awards
Osmos keeps watchful eye on your structures
Autodesk has launched the inaugural Revit Design Awards, which will be run in conjunction with the newly created online UK Revit User Group. The awards aim to recognise the creative talent and innovation of Revit Architecture (formerly Revit Building) and Revit Structure customers across seven categories. These include: best residential scheme under 500 square metres; best residential scheme over 500 square metres; best non-residential scheme under 2,500 square metres; best non-residential scheme over 2,500 square metres; best structural design (schemes designed with Revit Structure); best conceptual project (projects at the idea stage); and best student project. The awards can be entered via the UK Revit User Group website (www.revitusergroup.org.uk), an on-line community where Revit customers can share ideas, exchange hints and tips and generally interact with like-minded individuals. The deadline for submissions is 16 August 2007, after which a panel of expert judges will select a winner and runner up in each category. The winners will then be put forward to be judged for the best overall project or scheme. . www.autodesk.co.uk / www.revitusergroup.org.uk
OSMOS of France, a specialist in surveillance engineering, is extending its network of affiliated partners to the UK. The OSMOS system provides ongoing surveillance of physical structures and identifies any risks or defects at an early stage, enabling maintenance costs to be reduced whilst still guaranteeing safety. OSMOS already works with high-profile sites such as the Eiffel Tower, the Channel Tunnel and the Manhattan Bridge. The OSMOS system is based on fibre-optic technology and provides permanent monitoring for the target structure. This enables users to determine the exact time when maintenance work should be carried out. It also enables users to reduce the number of electronic and mechanical components required for monitoring, which leads to considerable cost savings. The monitoring apparatus is simple to install and does not require any maintenance, says OSMOS. The OSMOS system can be used on a wide range of structures, including bridges, historic buildings, hydraulic sites, industrial sites and amusement parks. wwww.osmos-group.com
Datech sees 50% rise in Autodesk’s AEC sales Autodesk and CAD products distributor, Datech 2000, says that sales of products from Autodesk’s Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) portfolio have risen by 50 percent over the past 12 months. The reason for this is that more companies are becoming aware of the significant improvements that these vertical solutions deliver in terms of productivity, accuracy and faster production of documentation, says Ian Briffett, General Manager of Datech 2000.
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“The message about the benefits of using the specially adapted versions of AutoCAD is gradually sinking in amongst the architectural and design communities”, says Briffett. “We have worked with Autodesk to ensure that everyone understands the advantages of the AEC portfolio and over the past year we have seen a steady rise in sales. It is very clear that companies which do adopt these solutions are seeing real benefits in terms of improved productivity and time-saving.”
CADline to host Autodesk 2008 seminars Autodesk partner CADline is running a series of free, one-day seminars designed to enable customers to “kick-off” their knowledge of Autodesk’s 2008 products. “Not only will we demonstrate the new benefits of Autodesk’s 2008 Building, Infrastructure and Manufacturing solutions, we will show the true interoperability between products including the integration of manufacturing design tools into the construction design process,” says CADline’s Scott Woolven. CADline will be visiting Gatwick on the 19th June and Southampton on the 21st June. www.cadline.co.uk
Data Collection advances crack detection technology Highway surveying specialist Data Collection Limited is claiming to have achieved significant improvements in crack detection surveying following the introduction of new image recognition technology. Data Collection’s fleet of ARAN survey vehicles are equipped with a new crack detection system called WiseCrax. According to Data Collection, the processing software can detect cracks as small as two millimetres and comparative tests have shown the system to meet the stringent requirements required in the UK. www.datacollection.co.uk
Repropoint adds KIP 3000 to wide format portfolio Woking-based digital print solutions provider, Repropoint has expanded its equipment sales range by stocking the new KIP 3000, which can scan and print black and white documents and also scan colour. The system is based on true 600 dpi optical resolution and 24-bit colour imaging technology. When linked to a colour inkjet printer, the KIP 3000 can reproduce a wide range of wide format full colour tasks. www.repropoint.com
Xerox adds DWF support to AccXES print systems Xerox has added Autodesk’s lightweight DWF file specification support to its Accxes controller, which is used for the processing of CAD file formats inside its wide format monochrome range of printers. These include the low volume Xerox 6204 (pictured), mid volume Xerox 510 series and high volume Xerox 721. www.xerox.com
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DTE brings Digital Project R3 to UK
Desktop Engineering has launched Gehry Technologies Digital Project Software, DP R3, in the UK. The latest version of the BIM modeller features a revised workbench which allows users to add BIM intelligence to conceptual architectural designs; define and use architectural grids; model concrete and steel systems; model
3D Laser Mapping aids cityscape visualisation 3D Laser Mapping has supplied a top of the range laserscanning system to create 3D ‘cityscape’ visualisations. The Riegl LMS Z390 scanner, supplied to visualisation technology specialist, AMT3D, is being used to create highly accurate photo realistic 3D models to assist with urban regeneration, tourism and heritage, facilities management and environmental applications. AMT3D is a spin off from Leeds University and has already created a number of high profile 3D visualisations including one of Holbeck Urban Village, a £800 million project to regenerate the Leeds birthplace of the industrial revolution. Most recently the Riegl LMS Z390 was used by AMT3D to undertake a detailed survey of the streetscape in Ireland’s fastest growing Heritage Town. The highly accurate survey measurements, when combined with digital photography and specialist software, were used to create Ireland’s first fully
and place building elements in 3D; manage multiple architectural, structural and analytical views; parametrically define spaces and objects, and interact with analysis solutions - in real time. R3 DP users can now take advantage of 64-bit processor platforms running under Windows XP with significantly increased performance results. Also new in R3 is the Imagine and Shape module that is designed to enable even novice users to form-find directly in 3D using intuitive game based technologies. Knowledge Expert, another new feature, is an infrastructure application based on Artificial Intelligence that enables automatic verification of building codes and project rule invocation. Photo Studio generates photorealistic images while an Optimiser extends this capability to create highly rendered movies. R3 also includes a Project Engineering module that helps to optimise and explore multiple design options. Current UK users include architectural practices SOM and Zahra Hadid as well as Arup and Buro Happold. Patrik Schumacher, Zaha Hadid Partner said. “ DP ensures that however much a design evolves we never lose sight of our original ideas, and that however extraordinary the result we know it can be seen through to construction.” www.dte.co.uk
interactive virtual town. Residents and visitors to Westport in County Mayo can now explore the town with the click of a mouse. The 3D interactive digital model of the town centre is now available online see www.amt3d.com and work is ongoing to expand the model’s coverage to include all the Westport hinterland including the Quay. The Riegl LMS Z390 uses laser beams to record the position of features and surfaces. The scanner also includes an integrated Nikon D200 12.3MPixel camera for the capture of digital images of the scene being surveyed, can be operated by any standard PC or Notebook and allows wireless data transmission for remote working. Meanwhile, 3D Laser Mapping has developed a laserscanning robot to provide an electronic eye in dangerous and in-hospitable environments. Using state of the art laser scanning units combined with wireless communications and advanced robotic technology the 3D-R1 allows a 3D map of the surrounding area to be created. 3D-RI can be deployed in any environment where a risk to personnel may be present including earthquake zones, and fire damaged buildings. wwww.3dlasermapping.com / www.amt3d.comm
Bentley acquires Austrian bridge design specialist Bentley Systems has continued its spending spree in the AEC sector with the acquisition of TDV GmbH of Austria, a provider of structural modelling, analysis, and design software for bridge engineering serving engineers, designers, and owners. TDV’s RM 2006 product for static and dynamic design and analysis of steel, concrete, and composite structures is used by hundreds of bridge design firms worldwide. The software is applicable to the design of virtually all bridge types - from simple segmented bridges to complex cable-stayed and suspension
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bridges to long crossings. “This acquisition exemplifies Bentley’s strategic focus on providing comprehensive software solutions for infrastructure projects,” said Bhupinder Singh, senior VP, Bentley. “RM 2006 adds sophisticated, advanced structural analysis capabilities to Bentley’s market-leading structural design solutions, including our RAM and STAAD product lines, and expands our transportation design portfolio to encompass all elements of a roadway or rail design project.” www.bentley.com
Maxon introduces Cinema 4D R10 for Architecture Maxon has introduced the latest generation Cinema 4D package for architectural visualisations. In addition to enhanced connectivity with Allplan, ArchiCAD and VectorWorks, the new Architecture Edition boasts such features as object and material libraries and a new Virtual Walkthrough tool. www.maxon.net
Excel drives parametric point cloud models ParaCloud is a low-cost software tool which can use and edit Excel spreadsheet data to create parametric models that can drive popular CAD tools to deliver generative design capabilities. Users start with surfaces or curves drawn in their CAD software and ParaCloud provides parametric control to edit their designs. For more on the product turn to page 29. www.paracloud.com
IMSI/Design Ships TurboCAD Pro v14 IMSI/Design is shipping v14 of TurboCAD Professional. Architectural CAD improvements include: new parametric stairs, new window & door schedules and a terrain tool which helps users place a building design on uneven terrains by creating them from scratch or by importing Triangular Irregular Network (TIN) data. www.TurboCAD.com
V-Ray rendering plug in released for Rhino v4 ASGVIS has released VRay for Rhino 4.0, an out of the box rendering plugin for users of the freeform modelling system. V-Ray offers engineering and architecture users a set of global illumination and ray-tracing features. www.acgvis.com
Autodesk brings AIA convention to Second Life With a view to reaching the growing number of architects and designers participating in the Second Life virtual world, Autodesk has announced it will host a series of events and activities on Autodesk Island in Second Life tied to the themes presented at the recent 2007 American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Convention. www.autodesk.com
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Bentley ‘BE’ Conference Report This year’s ‘Bentley Empowered’ (BE) Conference was held in downtown Los Angeles. Martyn Day attended to both judge the company’s Excellence awards and get the latest Bentley strategy.
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entley’s User conferences are always big affairs and were historically held in the company’s home town of Philadelphia. But for a number of years now the event has toured the United States, landing at Baltimore, Atlantic City, Orlando and Charlotte. This year it was its first west coast destination, Los Angeles, in the Staples convention centre. I can’t help but think that being a Bentley customer is a great way to see the US and now also Europe. Last year saw BE come to Prague for a European leg and this year London is the host city. However, there’s little time for sightseeing as the company always lays on almost a week’s worth of keynotes, training and demonstrations - everything you wanted to know about MicroStation and more! Bentley is a company that keeps a fairly low profile, so for those of you that don’t know much about the company, it is one of the largest privately owned software companies in the US, with revenues of almost $400 million, and the Bentley brothers, of which there are more than a few all take active roles. Greg Bentley is CEO, Keith Bentley is CTO and Ray and Barry Bentley are Executive VPs - the company also has 2,495 other employees. Over the years Bentley has developed into the CAD company for Infrastructure. Nearly all the US State Department of Transports (DOTs) use Bentley products, the company dominates the Civils market, is a key player in Process and Plant, supplies the US Army Corps of Engineers, is big in railways and water treatment and mapping and Geo. Then, of course, especially in the UK, there’s AEC design especially in mid-sized firms and at signature architect level. By attending BE one really gets a great insight into the breadth of markets that Bentley competes in, and by taking part in the judging of the Bentley Excellence awards, I had additional exposure to the size and scale of projects that Bentley’s customers undertake.
Greg Bentley CEO And so having given you a little background, what did Bentley have to say to its customers? Greg Bentley’s Keynote kicked off with an examination of the increased productivity of its users, tying this into Bentley’s relatively new On Demand learning and Institute services, allowing users to train where and when they want. Greg Bentley announced ProjectWise V8 Passport, offering portable and global licenses allowing access to any ProjectWise client, desktop or web application. The aim is to reduce the costs of collaborating across multiple projects, when it has been based on a per-project model. ProjectWise V8 Navigator is a new
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Bhupinder Singh, Senior VP Bentley Software
review and analysis package for multiple file formats, in a ProjectWise Startpoint or ProjectWise Integration Server. With the focus of the event clearly being Bentley’s customers, Greg Bentley then literally went around the world, starting off in Los Angeles, highlighting a number of customers (many household names) and their projects, explaining how they managed to innovate and achieve better economic productivity. In his final round up, the CEO showed Bentley’s acquisition momentum, as it buys up many of the specialist analysis firms. As Bentley predominantly operates a subscription model, licenses are the lifeblood of the company revenues, and again for the fifth consecutive year, subscriptions were up. A new and innovative company division, Bentley Direct, headed up by former Chief Marketing officer, Tony Flynn, has been established to sell to new and existing customers. Bentley has few dealers and tends to sell direct, this new division is a more volume approach using the latest web and electronic technologies.
In his keynote speech Greg Bentley, CEO, introduced new technology, showcased customers and their projects from around the world, and gave a round up of the recent acquisitions.
Next on stage was Bhupinder Singh, who has taken over the strategy and direction of Bentley’s software development. In his first statement, Singh recommitted to the Bentley vision of, one platform, a comprehensive portfolio and ongoing technology innovation. Bentley is the MicroStation company and nearly everything is based on that underlying architecture, or developed to extend or enhance these MicroStation-based applications. By having one platform Singh elaborated, it means that all development is standards-based, extensible desktop and server, through multi-connected workflows. Coming from the ProjectWise and Collaboration development side of the business, it was unsurprising to hear Singh spend some time here. ProjectWise Navigator, for viewing and mark-up is actually designed on MicoStation V8 and is proof of the one platform promise. The Bentley portfolio of products is very, very big – Building, Plant, Civil and Geospatial with MicroStation and ProjectWise are the substrate for all. Again using customers as examples, Singh toured the verticals showing how Bentley was innovating within each market, addressing and refining workflows and providing efficiencies through application integration and interoperability. However, Singh did reiterate a promise that Bentley has tried to keep but obviously had some problems keeping. With so many products, making sure everything works together at the same time is a massive task. When MicroStation V8 was introduced, Bentley attempted to synchronise the releases of all its products. Obviously over time this has been difficult to maintain. The next release of MicroStation, codenamed Athens, will be another chance to pull all the Bentley development teams together. For now Bentley has introduced the ‘Compatibility zone’, where at a glance you can tell what versions of each application are certified to work together. The Athens project was the big announcement of the event. This next release of MicroStation, slated for sometime next year, will feature conceptual design tools, dynamic 3D views, distributed project capability and built-in geo-co-ordination. Conceptual tools in CAD is the new big thing. CAD has always been this regimented computerised way of accurately drawing things. Conceptual modelling requires less precise, freehand sketching and the capability to turn these sketches into something more useful for proper detailing. It’s a tough computer science task but there have been AEC MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2007
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some great innovations in this area. Autodesk’s AliasStudio and Google’s SketchUp are the kinds of products I’d advise you to look at to get a view as to what is possible today. Bentley’s vision is to provide a tool that provides a rapid transition from idea to form, iterate quickly through design alternatives and provide a tool that answers more questions earlier on in the design process. In the package this will mean that MicroStation will be able to do interactive push/pull modelling, manipulate integrated surface, solids and mesh modelling and there will be a Rhino import capability. The company’s exciting Generative Components technology will also benefit from these additions. So expect some very cool stuff for architects in the Athens release. Dynamic views offer a new way to author and visualise designs. It will be interactive and work off live content, so there will be no need to extract drawings, with section and elevation markers. These features will feed through into all the vertical applications, e.g. in Civil it will be possible to work in a cross section and exaggerated profile views. For distributed teams, Bentley is planning Athens to improve on performance of uploading and downloading over high latency bandwidth connections. Together with improvement of sharing managed content. With Singh’s presentation there were a number of platform keynotes. Here each vertical got to explain the highlights of Athens for their customers. The one presentation and technology that stood out was Bentley VP Styli Camateros. Athens will have Geo-co-ordination built-in. Camateros pointed out that there are many co-ordinate systems for geo data and it would in fact be easier if the world was actually flat but it’s not, it’s an Ellipsoid. As a result we have to put up with multiple representations, which unfold the Earth and mimics ‘flatness’. These projections are all based on co-ordinate transforms and don’t easily map to traditional Cartesian geometry systems. Athens
(Graphics Processor Units). In the not too distant future, computers will have many processors which will be dynamically allocated to running applications. However with the move to 64-bit everything is going to take more memory, including caching and working with Tera-drives. Keith Bentley explained that today MicroStation XM will use all the available memory on a 64-bit computer but not the extra 32-bits of processing power. The 64-bit version is coming (Athens), so don’t buy anymore 32-bit computers and make sure you buy multi core 64-bit processors. In the graphics world Bentley is seeing big developments with Shader Model 3 and Direct3D 10.
Buddy Cleveland, Senior VP Applied Research Another new innovation is Bentley Applied Research, under Bentley long-timer Buddy Cleveland. The purpose of the division is to expand the company’s R&D activities to partner with customers and research institutions to select, fund and develop new product-focussed technologies. While Bentley has always spent a large amount on R&D, most of this effort has been internal. This will now expand to include input from other sources. Areas highlighted for research include Digital Fabrication, Law Curves, Pattern Editing, Remote Video, RFIDs and Digital Pen and Paper.
Malcolm Walter, COO
Rogers Stirk Harbour Partners’ Leadenhall Building scooped first prize in the BIM for Architecture category. Image courtesy of Cityscape/British Land.
Bhupinder Singh, senior VP, Bentley Software, recommitted to the Bentley vision of one platform, a comprehensive portfolio and ongoing technology innovation. MAY/JUNE 2007 AEC MAGAZINE
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will now take that problem away by automatically coalescing content in different formats, from different sources both on the desktop and on the server. The user simply assigns the spatial location and MicroStation will automatically re-project for attach display and search. As with all geo presentations, somehow we ended up in Google Earth.
Keith Bentley, CTO With much of the future tech now out of the bag, Keith Bentley mainly reinforced the company’s vision of development, explaining the platform layers and the benefits of a single platform, albeit an evolving one. Bentley goes to great lengths to try and lessen software impact, having only changed the DGN format twice in the company’s history. When it comes to hardware, Keith Bentley was offering the following advice; Moore’s Law is running out of steam, so parallelism is the new source of power – multiple processors on a single chip. Multi-core and the rise of something called a GPU
Walter wrapped up the main plenary session with a keynote on ‘Return on Innovation’. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (USA), the lack of interoperability among CAD engineering and design systems costs $15.8 billion. While the manufacturing market has seen gains in productivity, the productivity of architects over the same timeframe has become even more inefficient. Approximately 25% of an engineer’s time is spent looking for data and an additional 20% is wasted in data conversion. Added to this it’s estimated that by 2010, the USA will be 700,000 engineers and technicians short. So, we waste lots of time and money, challenges are escalating and there is a shortage of resources that’s only going to get worse. Walter then looked at how a number of customers were using ProjectWise to collaborate and save time handling data in distributed projects, saving money. One interesting customer case study was the Dutch Ministry of Property which is the largest land owner in the Netherlands. The Dutch Cadastra and the Ministry of Finance were totally separate until they integrated their Bentley GIS products with SAP. With a $20 million return on investment, this works out at a 1,600% return on investment.
Awards As part of my invite to BE, I took part n the judging of the Civil component of the Excellence awards and it was a day long event with much point and counterpoint, working through the submissions in the
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various categories with my fellow independent jurors. In other rooms similar teams gathered to evaluate other vertical segments. It was a very inspiring experience, seeing and reading all the entries and it made me think how much we all take the infrastructure around us for granted. I didn’t take part in the Building judging but one UK project that really stuck out was Rogers Stirk Harbour Partners’ Leadenhall Building, which came first in the BIM for Architecture category. The stunning
rendering on the front cover shows how the Leadenhall Building will look next to Foster’s ‘Gherkin’ and is set to become yet another iconic piece of London architecture when it is completed in 2011. This building will be a 48-storey tower located opposite Roger’s Lloyd’s of London, rising to a height of 224.5 metres (802 feet). Its tapering profile is prompted by a requirement to respect views of St Paul’s Cathedral, in particular from Fleet Street. The office floors take the form of rectangular floor plates
The Winners of the 2007 BE Awards of Excellence Building BIM for Architecture: Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners Ltd – The Leadenhall Building BIM for Building Engineering: M/E Engineering, P.C. – BioMed Engineering and Optics Laboratory Building BIM for Multiple Disciplines: Arup – Review and Study of the Opera Theatre Interior and New Works, Sydney Opera House BIM for Visualisation and Simulation: Dvorak architekti s.r.o. – Vrnata House BIM for Sustainable Design: Fortis Bank – Kanselarij Cluster Restructuring Project Building Innovation: LJB, Inc. – Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Building Structural Analysis, Design, and Documentation: WSP Group plc – Manchester Hilton Building Distributed Enterprise: The Standard Bank of South Africa Ltd – Central Premises Information Repository Civil
Civil Civil Innovation: HNTB – TrueViz OnTarget Civil Road Infrastructure: Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick (India) Pvt Ltd – Laning of Hyderabad-Vijayawada and Norra Länken Civil Site Design: Vela VKE Consulting Engineering – Zimbali Civil Infrastructure Civil Visualisation and Simulation: Mott MacDonald Ltd – East London Line Project Civil Structural Analysis, Design, and Documentation: Arup – Marina Bayfront Pedestrian Bridge Civil Distributed Enterprise: The Banks Group – Centralized Data Storage Using StartPoint and Riverbed WAN Optimization
Geospatial Mapping and Cadastre: Petrobras SA – SGO Project - Petrobras Subsea Assets Tracking Geospatial 3D GIS: AAMHatch – True Orthophotography and 3D Model of the City of Melbourne Geospatial Water Resource Management: ISKI Genel Mudurlugu – Infrastructure Integration of Mega City - Istanbul Geospatial Utilities: Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. – The BGE Bentley Project Geospatial Innovation: Dutch Ministry of Finance – Geospatially Enabling the Dutch Ministry of Finance; Putting ‘Where’ into SAP Geospatial Distributed Enterprise: Sandia National Laboratories – Power Through Integration
Plant Plant Multi-Discipline Design: BSPiR EnergoprojektKatowice S.A. – The Coke Plant “Przyjazn” Plant Lifecycle Information Management: North China Power Engineering (Beijing) Co. Ltd – Building Up NCPE Content Management Platform With ProjectWise as the Core Plant Structural Analysis, Design, and Documentation: Southern Co. Services – Plant Wansley Units 1-2 FGD Addition Plant Visualisation and Simulation: Atkins Water – Bolton Wastewater Treatment Works Plant Innovation: VECO Alaska Inc. – Conoco Phillips Drill Site Technologies Plant Rookie of the Year: Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County – San Jose Creek Central Plant Modification Plant Distributed Enterprise: Bechtel – Jamnagar Export Refinery Project
Geospatial Geospatial Communications: Nacap Telecom BV – Fibre Optics ‘Zuid-Limburg’ -Isilinx Geospatial Government: Gemeente Amsterdam, Dienst Ruimtelijke Ordening – IJburg
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which progressively diminish in depth towards the apex. Instead of a traditional central core providing structural stability, the building employs a full perimeter braced tube which defines the perimeter of the office floor plates and creates stability under wind loads. Any project in the City of London will be faced with challenges of construction and the close proximity of other occupied buildings, access and tube lines combined mean every stage of the design needs to cater for the constructability of every component. Leadenhall Street is no exception, although these challenges are exacerbated by the scale and aesthetic requirements of the steelwork. The steelwork is designed as an integrated structural/architectural frame, comparable to the type of design favoured by luminaries such as Eiffel. The structural requirements inform the architectural appearance of the elements. Additionally, as a traditional cladding was not possible, the success depended on a truly integrated design approach within all the involved disciplines, With major nodes connecting the members standing at over 8m tall limited by the maximum 30 tonnes lifting capacity the challenge was to design and define a structure that was both elegant and constructable within the tight constraints of the site.
Special Awards Best Overall IT Strategy: VECO Alaska Inc. – Bentley Enterprise Implementation and Management Well-Trained Organisation: Halff Associates, Inc.
Conclusion LA was a great BE and the most customer-centric I have been to. Not only did all the execs reference what customers were doing with the technology but most of the presentations were built on what customers had achieved and I think to the audience the implications and benefits of the technology was really immediate. Athens looks to have some good new technology and the research announcement promises to come up with some real innovations. Bentley’s core technologies are MicroStation and ProjectWise and the company is probably one of the few vendors still to remain true to so few code streams. Bentley does purchase many small technology companies and it has taken a while for it to integrate and digest these within the MicroStation framework. Still you can’t really fault Bentley for its progressive evolution of a toolset that is being used in such large and diverse projects. www.bentley.com
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Revit Structure 2008 Now on its fifth release, Revit Structure is finally catering for the design of more complex structures with a whole range of new advanced modelling tools. Greg Corke reports
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evit Structure has been gaining more traction in the structural engineering sector since its UK launch last year. The product is based on Revit’s parametric change management system, which means a change anywhere will be reflected across the whole project. This means elevations, plans, sections, details and schedules, and not just changes to the 3D view. With links to Revit Building, AutoCAD Architecture (previously known as Architectural Desktop) and AutoCAD MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing), Revit Structural can also be used to co-ordinate project information between structural engineers, architects, and building services engineers. Interference checking can be carried out between the various models to flag up potential problems before the construction phase. And when Revit Structure is used in conjunction with Revit Architecture a co-ordination monitor can be used to automatically notify engineers and architects of any changes made during the design process. In addition to providing better co-ordination between architects and engineers, Revit Structure can be used as a central repository for a wide range of structural analysis data. Dynamic links can be established with a number of analysis applications and Revit Structure can co-ordinate any design changes. This is made possible by the fact that Revit Structure builds two models concurrently. One, a physical model which represents the exact structure as it would appear on site, which is used for layout, drawing production and documentation; and two, an analytical model, which is a simplified nodal model which can be used inside their dedicated structural analysis package. This analytical model can be edited and simplified by the engineer so it can work more effectively with their chosen analysis application.
The new release The first two releases of Revit Structure were for the US market only and the product only came to the UK last year at Release 3. It now appears to be on a six monthly release cycle and the fifth release (2008) was rolled out to customers this Spring. The main focus for the new release has been in the area of advanced modelling, with the system now able to model curved beams, more complex openings in structural beams and columns, parametric trusses and warped concrete slabs. We’ll look at each of these in turn. Curved beams: These are becoming increasingly popular in Northern Europe and Revit Structure now has the ability to create horizontally or MAY/JUNE 2007 AEC MAGAZINE
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vertically curved sections. Beams can be based on arcs, ellipses and splines, so you can pretty much generate any shape you want. While many analysis applications won’t understand or be able to analyse such complex geometry, users can overcome this by simplifying the analytical model – by splitting curved sections into multiple straight lengths, for example. Complex openings: Castellated and cellular beams were introduced with Revit Structure 4 but 2008 sees the introduction of ‘openings by face’. This enables the user to sketch openings directly onto the face of a beam or column, so they can tie in to satisfy specific structural or building services requirements. Stiffeners can also be placed directly on faces. Parametric trusses: Revit Structure Release 4 saw the introduction of a truss wizard, which was invoked through the API. This has now been embedded directly inside the application and is accessed through the modelling bar. Revit Structure provides a whole range of truss types, which can be adapted by the engineer. These include Fink Truss, Pratt Flat Truss, Gabled Truss, Warren Truss plus many more. Warped concrete slabs: The 2008 release has seen a lot of work done on the creation of concrete slabs. These can now have variable or constant thickness, which can be defined individually for all the layers or materials. Users can modify slabs with straight edges to include multiple slopes for draining and slabs can be morphed to vertices or points.
Conclusion The advanced modelling enhancements made in Revit Structure 2008 are sure to be welcomed by structural engineers who have found previous versions restrictive. The software has always been good at modelling core structural elements, but as soon as you moved away from standard components, it struggled a little. Elsewhere, the third party analysis links continue to improve, but it’s important to note that not all deliver the same level of functionality. Some might just inform of a change in beam size or a deletion of a member, while others will bring back forces into Revit Structure. Robobat’s Robot Millennium appears to be at the forefront of this integration, and despite its proposed acquisition by Autodesk falling through, it’s clear Robobat sees a strong future in Revit Structure, which is evident by its development of the Revit Extensions. However, whichever analysis partner you work with you’ll still need to tailor the modelling process inside Revit Structure to make sure you get the most out of your analysis package. This will become more
complex if you use multiple applications (though the ability to co-ordinate analysis data from multiple sources is naturally a key attribute of the product). Unfortunately Autodesk provides little guidance as to which analysis applications work best with Revit Structure, but you should be able to get good advice from your reseller. Of course, while Revit Structure excels in its ability to link to third party analysis applications, some engineers/drafters simply want to use the product to co-ordinate with the architectural model, and for this reason alone Revit Structure is still an excellent tool which can be used to generate all design documentation. After all, this is the very foundation of Building Information Modelling (BIM). www.autodesk.co.uk
Extensions for Revit Extensions for Revit are a suite of applications written by Robobat that extend the capabilities of the product in areas such as structural analysis and reinforced concrete drafting. Many “Extensions” are provided free of charge, though a small fee is charged for others. In addition to the Analysis Integration Enabler, which facilitates the bi-directional integration of Revit Structure and Robot Millennium, users can download Structural Analysis for Revit Structure. This is a totally free variant of Robot Millennium which uses a slightly different file format. The catch is that the software is limited to 200 members in 2D/3D multi material frame structures, and 1,500 nodes for FE plates and shells. Robobat also provides a free tool to import/export models to the CIS/2 format; another set to define reinforcement patterns for RC beams, columns and footings; and an Excel based model generation tool. This enables user defined MS Excel data to automatically generate the geometry of a structure in Revit Structure. The base (free) version produces beams, columns and levels, while the enhanced version (£149) also generates walls and footings. Finally, a ‘Freeze Drawings’ extension enables the user to unlink the drawing from the object model, so the drawing will remain unchanged despite any changes in the Revit Structure model. www.extensions4revit.com
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Clear vision Fluid Engineering Limited produces highly developed structural designs by applying advanced 3D analysis software and a great deal of experience. The way software is integrated into the practice is key to the company’s award winning performance. By Nick Lerner
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luid Structures, which was granted an Institute of Structural Engineers Award for the Glass Pavilion, London, has been commissioned to produce designs across a range of large and small projects for domestic, corporate, academic and institutional clients. Of Fluid’s Glass Pavilion the judges commented “ exceptional engineering is immune to scale” and a current project is proving an example that nicely illustrates the point. Having cut his structural engineers’ teeth on radical new towers in Dubai, Manhal Ibrahim is among 20 Structural Engineers at Fluid. Several of the team are working on the small but fiendish problem of how to preserve the top two floors of a historic St. Johns Wood Villa, install a giant basement and underground swimming pool while removing most of the ground floor internal walls. Manhal takes up the story, “There are many elements to this project which are complex because of their interdependency. For example a 300 sq. m concrete floor pad, to be supported by contiguous 4m deep concrete supports, when fully installed, must have temporary support, while the basement is dug out, to retain structural integrity.” He cites another example. “Steelwork flexion must be very
tightly controlled to preserve the substantial brick structure above, meanwhile, budgetary and aesthetic constraints require minimising the steelwork.” Removing the temporary pad supports presented more complication while the discovery of one of North London’s lost rivers just beyond the swimming had also to be factored in. The enviably big swimming pool, at 4m deep presents its own problems of wall thickness and possibilities of heave come into play when it is empty. The Finite Element analysis for the work on this house is handled in-house. The company uses Robot Millennium software, which the practice has been using since before the Glass Pavilion, London project.
See through solutions Fluid Structure’s Founding partner, David Crookes, explains how the software fits with the firm’s work. “The structures that we devise are concurrently designed and analysed using Robot. The software allows FE (Finite Element analysis) results to be factored into designs as soon they are solved. That means we are able to consider several alternative, but always structurally compliant, design options.”
Above and right: At 4m deep the glass fronted swimming pool at the St. Johns Wood Villa, presented a number of challenges for Fluid Engineering, not only to optimise the wall thickness to support the volume of water, but to overcome possible heave when it is empty.
“The St. Johns Wood Villa, presents in a microcosm, many of the challenges that we encounter on other projects,” continues Crookes. “Our ability to solve the structural design needs for one job lead us to better solutions on others. Robot is used as a repository for much of this work and from our databases we can reference a growing library of project solutions and outcomes. “Using Robot Millennium as a design and analysis tool helps not only with the actual design, but also with communicating it to clients, contractors, planners and other stake holders. They can see the design in 3D and assess it from their own perspective and needs. This helps to reduce everybody’s risk and means that non-technical people can get involved too.”
Uplifting light Left: Designing in glass has become a speciality at Fluid Engineering, with the company designing, analysing and optimising their glass structures.
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Designing in glass has become a speciality at Fluid. An ability to design and analyse, and thereby to optimise, glass designs, has become a matter of course at the practice. Crookes explains. “Glass is a fantastic material to work with. Large sheets up to 6 x 3 sq. m are readily available and becoming more common in domestic refurbishments as people see the possibilities that are on offer. Glass, when used in sympathetic combination with massing creates uplifting environments that people enjoy. Glass is AEC MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2007
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developing from a secondary building material into a primary one. “Adding large sheets of glass to the construction palette produces a range of new challenges. Using Robot’s software tools we can use thinner glass over bigger spaces and compare the performance of several sheet types. We can also use glass structurally and analyse other novel designs with great accuracy.” One significant example of the use of software to solve problems of this type is found in Fluid’s iconic, post-tensioned glass staircase. In this piece the glass column and treads were subject to FE analysis leading to several design iterations before the optimum balance between aesthetics and functionality was discovered.
Cautious approach Manhal stresses that you need an engineer’s mind for this work because, advanced as the software is, the rule of GIGO (garbage in garbage out) does apply. “The software presents solutions that lead to thinner material, lower mass, smaller fixings and very often the need for less structural support. These results all need to be checked, and checked again,” he advises. “Because, if the numbers that are entered into the equation have been erroneously produced the software will solve them anyway. If the results look too ‘optimistic’ you may have to consider that the survey was flawed and go back to MAY/JUNE 2007 AEC MAGAZINE
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check where the error came from.” Wind load, thermal impact and natural frequency measurements along with soil structure interaction data are calculated by Robot. These results are made available to others within and beyond the design team. With this powerful resource to hand, Fluid is often called on to provide the benefits of its work to fabricators and others in the construction supply chain.
Problem solved David Crookes concludes. “Amassing knowledge of materials and their properties has always been an aim for the building industry. The technology now exits to
build with lower material mass in more attractive and appealing ways. Clients want this, and architects have been pursuing for it for years. The availability of new materials, such as plastics, and new ways to use existing materials, like glass joists, produce desirable buildings. These developments bring new challenges too but in calculating the limits of physical integrity, Fluid Structures is confident that it can produce award-winning designs based on a combination of Robot Millennium software, many years’ experience as structural design leaders, and a good eye for a winning design. www.robobat.co.uk www.fluidstructures.com
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Market forces For the redevelopment of Wakefield’s old market quarter FABSEC’s FBEAM has not only helped generate optimum cellular beam designs, but will prove invaluable when it comes to fabrication and site installation says Leeds-based BWB Consulting.
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he Trinity Walk project in Wakefield is a prestigious joint venture by Modus & Simons to redevelop the old market quarter in the town centre. The scheme’s construction schedule gets underway this summer and is due to be completed in spring 2010. A mixed use development, it will comprise circa 600,000 sq ft of retail space over three floors configured around a central ‘mall’ type pedestrian walkway. The design also includes 72 residential apartments located above the retail space, a new library for the local authority, a leisure unit and 960 associated car parking spaces. For the structural engineers appointed to carry out the design, Leeds-based BWB Consulting, retained by Simons Developments, simplifying site installation was one of the challenges of the project that they believe using Fabsec’s FBEAM software helped them overcome. James Knight, engineer at BWB says: “FBEAM designed all the plate girders for us and allowed us to rationalise them which has reduced the total amount of different FABSEC designs, which will help overcome any confusion when it comes around to fabrication and site installation.” The latest version of FBEAM launched in September 2006, and James has been using the thirdgeneration steel beam design software from Fabsec since January to take advantage of the program’s significant new features and capabilities. FBEAM provides a new project capability to manage all the beams on a project collectively. The group analysis, optimise and edit function permits the rapid design and modification of multiple beams. Knight claims one of FBEAM’s key functional benefits is the speed achieved when using the software’s Beam Wizard function. “By using the beam optimiser along with the option to use common beam properties for similar beams, we have saved valuable time.”
Analysis link FBEAM has also pioneered a comprehensive two-way link to the RAM frame analysis package. The link is the first of its kind for Fabsec and transforms the speed and time needed to complete frame analysis as beam data does not have to be manually transferred on a beam by beam basis. Designers can analyse the building frame with the RAM software and export groups of beams to FBEAM for simultaneous production of optimum (cellular) beam designs. Optimised beams can then be saved back to the RAM model along with any web opening MAY/JUNE 2007 AEC MAGAZINE
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details, consequently resulting in major design time saving and removing the possibility of data entry errors for multiple beam designs. Beam data is transferred instantly to RAM and the whole project can be optimised using FBEAM’s Beam Wizard function in a single step. James Knight adds that the process saves hours of painstaking information transfer and, if design changes occur then revisions can be quickly achieved. “If we were to do this even half manually, 435 beams would have taken weeks rather than hours to optimise and rationalise.” The team at BWB has used the RAM link throughout the project allowing them to update, revise and re-link the project efficiently. “The link has allowed us to re-assess the impact of any layout or loading revisions on the Fabsec beams almost immediately,” Knight adds. “We have used FABSEC beams for quite a few transfer structures in locations where headroom has been critical. Therefore by limiting the depth of the beam in the optimiser FBEAM has been able to provide us with a shallow yet adequate beam which a standard UB wouldn’t have been able to.” The software proves particularly useful on steel-framed buildings which are made up of a lot of wide spans that require steel to be fabricated to exact specifications, rather than using standard sections. Most of the beams in the Trinity Walk project have been specified as floor beams, James explains: “We have a reasonably rectangular grid and coupled with the sheer size of the building we believed that FBEAM would be able to span the distance with a lighter beam
FBEAM’s two way link to the RAM frame analysis software has saved hours for BWB Consulting in the design of Wakefield’s Trinity Walk project.
than a standard UB of the same depth.” Fabsec designs are used typically for primary and secondary floor beams and rafters and are used in many sectors of construction including offices, car parks, hospitals, retail and leisure. One of the most advantageous benefits of using steel in the design of large scale developments, particularly those which involve retail units, is that it allows for changes to be made later down the line, so if a new tenant comes on to the scheme and should like a different floor plan or escalator, modifications are efficiently and easily achieved. Trinity Walk will soon start to take shape and the team at BWB have been able to satisfy the specifications of tenants and easily redesign units as required. Soon, shoppers in West Yorkshire will be able to see the results for themselves. www.fabsec.com
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Digital Project at SOM Recording and retaining creative integrity through to the build, while optimising the design around multiple analysis criteria, has become possible for SOM architects since the introduction of Gehry Technologies’ Digital Project software. By Nick Lerner
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ecently Skidmore Owings Merrill Architects, (SOM) announced their purchase and planned global rollout of 100 seats of Gehry Digital Project (DP) software. This commercially available development of Dassault Systemes’ Catia software, which was developed at Frank Gehry’s famous architectural practice, brings the design and production efficiencies, normally associated with auto and aero manufacture, to architecture. Digital Project (DP) is supplied and supported in the UK by Desktop Engineering, which with 21 years in the industrial design and production software business is the UK agent for DP. Although DP will be new to most of SOM, one part of the practice has been using it for nearly two years with some remarkable results at all stages of its work. Aybars Asci, design assoc. partner at SOM, explains how his studio operates within SOM. “This practice has many different studios, ours recently
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relocated from New York to London under the mentorship of SOM NY Partner Gary Haney. Part of the reason for the move was to be among, and work with, the talent and culture that can only be found in London. We work as a group of ten exploring our identity and ideas as architects. We are the opposite of a signature architect there is no single genius here; but together…”
Exploring concepts The group has international commissions and is currently working for Middle East clients in Dubai, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Riyadh as well as for others in New York and London. The Kuwait project is a 412 m tower, the same height as SOM’s nascent, Freedom Tower. Their other work is remarkable for its completely fresh optimised forms and novel and surprisingly beautiful aesthetic. On these subjects Aybars has very strong views. “ We do not start out
Al-Rajhi Bank Headquarters is an office complex located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Reminiscent of the ancient monuments of the Middle East, the monolithic concrete piers respond to the harsh desert climate by creating an internalized oasis within the central space.
with an aesthetic vision or a preconceived typology. We look at our work in stages, the first being conceptual. At this stage we consider different layers of culture from vernacular dwellings to local customs. We learn from culture by looking in the Middle East for example; at rammed earth walls, the meaning of water, the labyrinth as a metaphor and other social, geological and ethnic symbols. We investigate plans of existing cities and the buildings within them. We write and I encourage our studio to use this and other non-visual techniques to explore the concepts that our work embraces.” Because each of the studio’s commissions is different, Aybars sees its work as similar to that of a bespoke jeweller. The work is cliché free yet contains ideas and forms based on a deep but somehow innocent cultural understanding, which is almost naïve at the conceptual stage. At the initial conceptual stage the group spends some time in academic and cultural research. One of AEC MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2007
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its members recently spent time studying 18th century stone cutting techniques (stereotomy) and delivered the results to the group. Of this Aybars commented. “We need this type of input to keep the intellect fresh.” By acting as a repository of rules, developed into constraints, DP allows SOM to apply strict scientific rigour to this series of creative activities. And, because DP enforces design rules that have been developed at the creative stage it also contains the group’s cultural intelligence.
to the process. Performance-based design using thermal, daylight, wind, acoustic, structural and other analyses inform the design. And, it is on these bases that the conceptual design is tested and optimised. Throughout these stages the use of Digital Project has become an increasingly valuable tool. Aybars explains how it is used. “We generate rules which are kept in DP. These rules are precise, have the highest levels of geometric rigour and are maintained through to construction (the third stage). We write formulae into DP. These allow us to achieve a performative design approach. They can vary from structural form finding algorithms to intelligent staircases that conform to building regulations. It is through these rules that the form is refined. This means that the final design is completely optimised as we progress. This is not the computer designing buildings; it does however modify them according to inputs of cultural and physics based data. Aybars comments, “Sometimes the rules are in conflict with each other in which case we modify the hierarchy
The stages are set
Genuinely new forms
Rules are important to the group because it is upon their foundation that the next stage of their work is built. Following the Conceptual Stage is the Analytical, and with it comes the change in question from Why? to How? At the Analytical stage, new criteria are applied
The parametric and rule based capabilities of DP allows the studio to create genuinely new patterns, forms and shapes. The software also offers choices because sometimes there are several solutions to the same problem. Being based on Dassault Systemes’ Catia V5, DP offers significant productivity benefits
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Located in Kuwait City, Al Hamra Firdous Tower anchors a commercial complex comprised of offices, a health club, and a high-end shopping mall with theaters and a food court. Reaching 412 metres, the iconic office tower will be the tallest building in Kuwait.
up to and beyond the level of documentation. It also allows the studio to easily fine tune shapes based on further analysis – or client requirements. The rules for designs that this young dynamic group creates are handled from start to finish within DP, which has been adapted from Catia V5 not only by Gehry Technologies, but also by a host of contributors including SOM itself. Geoff Haines of the newly renamed DesktopEngineering, DP’s UK agent, has been providing Catia as part of Dassault Systemes CMP VAR channel and recently hosted the European DP User Group Meeting at the Institute of Physics in London. He said. “This cross fertilisation between two diverse engineering disciplines using what is effectively the same software, was bound to happen. Once architects realised the potential for risk reduction and accelerated rule making and output that Catia offers; they were not slow in taking it up.” Zaha Hadid Partner, Patrik Schumaker, another user and champion of DP recently elaborated on this view when he said. “ Productivity, creativity and elegance…are available from this software”
Challenging buildings Haines continued. “The ability to combine disparate design-to-manufacturing systems into one coherent system has been known to produce multiple benefits in a PLM context for several years. Boeing, Toyota and many others, use this software and methodology to control the design-to-manufacture process of rule based aeroplanes and cars retaining design intent throughout, in a very scientific way. “Buildings have always challenged design and manufacturing technologies. Industry has been able to responded to that challenge with DP, which is being adopted throughout many AEC supply chains and driven by each players’ specific needs.” Gary Haney’s SOM group in London is working on some of the world’s most exciting buildings; the levels of creative innovation being applied are very high. For the first time ever the essence of both the creative process and subsequent analysis and production stages can be unified and retained; this produces an often-surprising but ultimately practical outcome with no loss of design intent. www.DesktopEngineering.com www.SOM.com
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Making light work: part 4 In the final part of Darren Brooker’s four-part comparison of the interior lighting methods available within 3ds Max, he looks at the role of HDR lighting and relighting your scene with both 3ds Max and combustion
H
aving started this four-part series with the Global Illumination tools available within 3ds Max’s scanline renderer before moving onto equivalent photon mapping techniques within mental ray, we then progressed on to the use of standard lights to fake the look of Global Illumination. In this, the last part of this series on lighting in 3ds Max, we’ll take a look at using mental ray again to create High Dynamic Range (HDR) images, which can then be used to light and relight your scene, with the help of combustion. Regular 8-bit RGB images store an 8-bit value for each channel, giving us 256 increments of Red, Green and Blue, which means that all whites are clipped at R:255, G:255, B:255. HDR images, on the other hand, are floating-point images, and are capable of storing a far higher luminance range. When both HDR and 8-bit images are displayed on our 8-bit monitors, we cannot see the difference between the white of a wall and the white of the sun, but internally, when working with HDR images, the renderer sees a luminance value of 300 allocated to the wall, but a luminance value of 10,000 allocated to the sun. HDR images are generally created using photographs taken at different exposure settings. By exposing correctly for the brightest light in the scene incrementally down to the least bright, all highlights and shadows are captured at a mid-tone exposure level. These photographs are then assembled into a single image using software like HDRshop, as shown in Figure 1 (www.hdrshop.com) and these luminance levels are essentially layered, which gives the brightest highlights the super-whites within the resultant HDR image. Within a film pipeline, it took a relatively long time for HDR images to catch on (the first real application was in 2000’s X-Men), but it is now commonplace for chrome spheres to be photographed at multiple exposures on set to enable CG content to be easily lit to match the live action backplate. Just as spheres can be used to capture a live action environment, HDR output can also be rendered out as spherical images, which essentially does the same thing, capturing what would be reflected if a
chrome ball were photographed on set. To calculate floating-point values in the first place requires a floating-point renderer, which is where mental ray comes in. If you open 04mentalRayHDR.max you will see that the scene is all set up to render. Look in the Indirect Illumination tab of the Render Scene dialog and you will see that the Final Gather map has been pre-calculated. However, rather than render through this dialog, we’re going to use the Panorama Exporter utility to render a spherical image. See Figure 2. Within the Utilities panel, hit the More… button in the top-left corner and choose Panorama Exporter. Hit the Render… button and you will see that the resultant dialog looks rather similar to the Render Scene dialog, but with all the rollouts from the various tabs of this familiar dialog all placed next to one another in one dialog. There are a few subtle differences between
Figure 1. HDRshop enables the creation of HDR images from a collection of photographs taken at different exposure settings.
these two dialogs though; the first being that there is a field for your camera’s Aperture Width in this new dialog, which is not usually in the render dialog. This has a standard setting of 20.12mm and needs to be changed to match the camera that you’re using in your scene, so select your cameraRender object from the scene (you’ll unfortunately have to close the new Render dialog first, in order to do this). In the Modify panel, you can see that your camera has a 14.493mm Lens value, which is the equivalent to Aperture Width. Copy this value from this field and go back to the Utility panel, hit Render… again and Paste this value into the Aperture Width field. This dialog should have picked up the render settings from the Render Scene dialog, so everything should be set up properly. One thing to note is within the Sampling Quality rollout, which contains a dropdown named Frame Buffer type. When set to FloatingPoint this returns 32-bit information within the Frame Buffer, which is important for HDR rendering, as we’ll need to render to the Frame Buffer and then save this as a spherical image from this window. Ensure that this is set to Floating-Point and set the Output Size to 2,048x1,024, set the output to the .hdr file type and hit Render. This will take a reasonably long time to render, as what the Panorama Exporter does is render out six images, one each up and down the camera’s local X, Y and Z axes, before stitching them together to form a single rendered image. When this has finished
Downloading the tutorial files Visit www.stinkypops.co.uk/aecPt04.zip to download a zipped archive of all the scene files and textures that you will need to complete this tutorial. Unzip them to your chosen location on your hard drive
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Figure 2. The Panorama Exporter Utility is used to render a spherical image. AEC MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2007
25/5/07 12:41:34
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Figure 3. Foreground elements ready to be lit by the HDR image rendered in your original scene.
Figure 4. Combustion can be used to build compositing into your workflow to save time and offer flexibility in your final output. rendering, you should be left with a single image displayed. If you click and drag within this window using the left-hand mouse button, you will see that you can tumble around this image and see how the six images have been stitched together to make this one. The seam is most apparent on the upper-right hand area of the ceiling. This is no problem, however. From this window, you should choose File > Export > Export Sphere and save out this image as another .hdr image. Now that you have this image, you can render additional geometry to match your original scene, lighting it with this spherical image. To see how this is done, open up the 04mentalRayHDRfinished.max scene file. You should see that there is an additional foreground element in this version of the scene, which is the element that we’ll now render. If you right-click any other object in the scene and choose
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HDR lighting Positives: 1. Simple to setup 2. Perfect for match lighting 3. Versatile, especially in a compositing pipeline
Negatives: 1. Generation of HDR maps can be tricky 2. Sampling settings can be difficult to optimise 3. Relatively slow to calculate
Tips & Tricks • Work with white materials initially to define your render settings • Introduce curved objects to help define your render settings • Experiment with Exposure Control settings • View your images in the viewport background to check alignment • Work with HDR/OpenEXR formats to retain the full dynamic range • Render HDR images using mental ray, not the scanline • Turn your frame buffer from 16-bit to 32-bit floating-point • Render an ambient occlusion pass to apply as a composite layer
Object Properties… you’ll see that this object is set to non-renderable and that your scene’s lights are turned off. This is because your HDR map contains all of this information. To use this to light your scene, all you need to do is create a Skylight anywhere in the scene and, once created, hit the Map button for Sky Color and choose Bitmap, then pick the mentalRay.hdr map from your sceneassets\images directory, accepting the defaults from the dialog that appears. Once you’ve done this, open up the Material Editor and drag this image from the light’s modifier panel to a blank slot in the Material Editor, choosing Instance. Now open up the Rendering > Environment dialog box and drag this from the Material Editor to the Environment Map slot, again choosing Instance. Now, with the cameraRender viewport active, hit Alt + B to bring up the Viewport Background dialog. Check both the Use Environment Background and Display Background checkboxes before hitting OK. You should see a crazy pattern appear in the viewport, which you’ll now correct in the Material Editor. Within the bitmap’s Coordinates rollout, choose the Environ radio button and choose Spherical Environment from the Mapping drop-down, which will give you a solid grey background. You now need to adjust the U and V Offsets to match the image to the background. First set the U Offset to 0.303. You should see that the image is back to front, left to right, so change the U Tiling setting to -1.0, which should match everything left to right. To see the map correctly in the viewport, you should go to the Render Scene dialog and change the Output Size to any square resolution, for example 1,280 x 1,280. You should see the background correct itself. Finally, set the V Offset to 0.019 and you should have a perfect match, as in Figure 3. As we don’t want the Environment to render, uncheck the Use Map checkbox in the Rendering > Environment dialog. Render now and you’ll see that very quickly you have a foreground element that is lit by the HDR image rendered from your original scene. This would be incredibly useful if you had two characters in the foreground, animated over a static background. If you rendered this out in one hit, the moving characters would mean that you’d have to recalculate the Final Gather settings at each frame, as the solution would change at each frame. Indeed, you’d have to render the background elements out for each frame. However, with just one single frame of background rendered out, you could now quickly render your foreground character sequence out separately and composite these two together in combustion, as shown in Figure 4. Planning a compositing solution into your workflow in this way can save you time and offer huge amounts of flexibility to your final output…but that’s a whole other subject! Darren Brooker is a BAFTA award-winning lighting artist who has worked at many top UK studios. He works for Autodesk as a product specialist. His book, Essential CG Lighting Techniques with 3ds max, is published by www.focalpress.com Focal Press
AEC MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2007
25/5/07 12:41:58
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Twice is once too often! When CAD replaced the drawing board it replicated a manual process. BIM is all about information capture and when an object changes, so does all the associated the data. Never again do you need to type the same note twice says Paul Woddy of CADline.
W
e all – at least those of us over thirty – remember the onset of the demise of the drawing board era, with die-hard supporters proclaiming that this CAD thing won’t take off. My colleagues and I play an amusing game at industry conferences and seminars; we count up the number of times we can overhear a conversation between two men (not a sexist oversight) debating who started on the earliest version of AutoCAD and what composition of screen / tablet / pen-plotter they first used, almost like an overgrown edition of Top Trumps. Well it amuses us anyway, mainly because we have all done it too! I suspect that many of the unwitting participants of our game are the same people that gave all the reasons why the pen was mightier than the cursor. So why did CAD overpower parchment? Well, the main reason was to cut down on repetition. The idea of a whole troop of tracers meticulously copying a designer’s work seems bizarre now, but I still have a dent in my finger to remind me of an apprenticeship spent amongst this now-extinct breed. The arrival of CAD was seen as a monumental change to the construction industry and businesses either changed to adapt to the new technology or faded away. What CAD did, was to replicate and replace a manual process; that of producing drawings. We built up vast libraries of components and details so that we only had to draw something once and could forever more use the same detail or modify it quickly for a bespoke purpose. The pencil could never compete. But is it enough to speed up the process of drawing lines? Well, no and we are all aware of the new breed of BIM packages such as Revit, that utilise 3D modelling to improve coordination, rather than just to show some fancy graphics. The fact that we change something in plan and it changes in section and elevation simultaneously, is something the industry is getting used to and the idea of a fully coordinated set of schedules is sinking in. Again I ask, is this enough? A large part of my job is to look at emerging technologies in diverse industries and to anticipate how they might have an impact on the construction market. Already, lines start to blur between industries as diverse as electronics, satellite tracking, power generation, water usage, farming and building production and use. As they do so, information flow between interested parties will have to improve and no more so than in the convergence of our closest family; Design, Manufacture, Fabrication, Construction and Facility Management is the first phase in interoperability. The manual process of data entry needs to undergo MAY/JUNE 2007 AEC MAGAZINE
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the same revolution as the drawn line in removing repetition from the building lifecycle. BIM is all about information capture and possibly the inclusion of the word modelling leads people to think purely in terms of the graphics with the added bonus of an automated schedule or two. Identity data can be associated with a symbol as easily as it is associated with a fully modelled 3D representation and can hence be recalled where necessary throughout the process. This data is steadfastly linked to the object and where the object changes, so does the data. Never again need you type the same note twice. Even amongst hardened BIM practitioners, some simple techniques are being overlooked that are a major step in the right direction. You may think at first that the graphic in Figure 1 is a rather patronising way of showing a principle, and you would be right! What CAD has largely delivered is a simple way of swapping an apple for a banana, whether in simple 2D or parametric 3D, but what still undermines most practices is that the labelling of the fruit is a manual process and relies upon careful checking to ensure that the note reflects the diagram. What if the object was self-annotating however, and the note was simply a generic label and the information displayed in the note was attached to the object itself? The last part of this graphic may bemuse, but in the self-annotating world described here, the worst case scenario is that an object does not have the relevant data entered, in which case someone must add the data. The subtle difference here is that this need only be done once and henceforth the object will be self-aware. I am confident that you will agree with my opinion that a question mark showing missing data is better than a note showing incorrect data. When providing advice to clients I insist that the text tool be the absolute last resort when noting-up a drawing. In the near future, manufacturer-specific objects will emerge that contain not only relevant notational data but enough codes and information that they will be able to manufacture and deliver based purely on the model content. Uniquely identified objects will then relate to external databases showing maintenance requirements for a spatially aware building lifecycle management. Components arriving on-site can be zapped to identify where in the building they fit. It is nonsense to suggest with today’s hardware, the practical production of a 3D building model down
Figure 1: With traditional CAD systems, labelling is a manual process after a simple design change. With BIM, objects can be self-annotating, which in the worst case scenario, means that an object will flag up that it is missing its label, rather than showing the wrong label, which can prove costly. to the detail of bricks and mortar, but a simplified object can still contain everything needed to communicate design intent throughout the design and supply chain. Keep the library components graphically simple but data-rich. The proof… For those of you using Revit, there are many ways of achieving this but as a simple proof of concept try creating a multi-category tag with a label that points toward the Type Comments. This is one of few parameters that exist in all components. Then, within a project, add a relevant note to a wall style or even a detail component. From the draughting menu, the Tag > Multi-category tool will allow you to hover over the components and the note will appear like magic. On a final note, I started using AutoCAD at release 2.6 and Revit at release 2.1 – thankfully it has come a long way! www.cadline.co.uk
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25/5/07 11:27:54
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ParaCloud formation As architects look for new expressive forms, they need more capable geometric tools. ParaCloud is one of a new breed of parametric engines to generate forms from simple inputs.
Y
ou may not have heard about ParaCloud, and that’s probably because it’s been in development until very recently, but many leading London architectural firms have been using it for a while in an extended beta test. Martyn Day caught up with the software’s creator Dr Eyal Nir, to find out more about the product and what’s happening in firms that are using it. Martyn Day: As an architect how did you get into software development? Dr Eyal Nir: I reached a point where I was actually limited by my CAD tools. I discovered the joy of scripting when VBA was integrated by the CAD vendors. Going from recording macros to writing scripts was a matter of days. I started by writing my own design tools for unfolding surfaces and developing a performance driven façade modeller. The productivity of my scripts led me to think of generalising my ideas and concepts as a software product. MD: What kind of changes are you seeing in the architectural practices towards 3D and its application? Dr EN: 3D parametric modelling has become more accessible to architects, and the immediate result of that is reflected in the complex geometries decorating the city’s new skyline. The task of creating complex parametric design models introduced the need to acquire new skills, including advanced knowledge of complex geometry and scripting languages. Hence we noticed a bottleneck in the design process due to the steep learning curve involved. ParaCloud introduces a new parametric modelling method that simplifies the complexity of design models and provides a design environment that enables users to “script without scripting”. MD: What was it about the previous generation of CAD products that inhibited expressive 3D geometry? Dr EN: When observing trends in the development of CAD tools during the past decade I noticed that not much has really changed. We are very much limited by our common Cartesian space definition. I see it more as an interface problem. The early 3D CAD tools offer a design interface based on coordinate planes, which provide good support for planar and 2.5D geometry. In some CAD platforms you could not even create any operations with geometries originated from different coordinate planes! MD: Architect’s attitude to 3D traditionally hasn’t been all that progressive. Is this because of the MAY/JUNE 2007 AEC MAGAZINE
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tools, or is it a generation/age thing? Dr EN: I think it is beyond 3D literacy. In my opinion as an educator as well as a developer, the next generation of architects will have a better understanding of the digital media and will understand what goes beyond the geometry. Understanding the logical aspects of the design and the use of the design models as tools rather than media will bring a higher level of control. Working under the constraints and limitations of CAD tools can be quite frustrating. The ability to create a CAD model of one’s design ideas is not yet as immediate as a hand drawn sketch. The human-computer interaction in digital design environments can be metaphorically equated to the art of puppeteering. Puppeteers design not only the puppet, but also the control mechanism to operate it. Wiring the two allows the puppeteer to perform the act. This metaphor can be interpreted by designers in several ways according to their computation skills. A designer with basic CAD skills feels like a puppet controlled by the CAD vendor, while a designer with computer programming skills feels like the puppeteer driving his design model with the CAD tool as the control interface. Most CAD systems today are open systems, allowing designers with programming skills to script their own design tools and customise their design environment. MD: There certainly seems to be a great deal of interest in generative forms. From your experience (in practice and teaching) how do you see architects using them? Dr EN: I think that employing generative design allowed architects to actually think with their design models. Being able to regenerate design alternatives, and going through the process of defining the logic of the form, provides a very high level of control over the design. It also allows for employing performance driven design workflows. Generative forms play an important role in maintaining the design intent throughout the design process by defining the driving forces of a form.
“A designer with basic CAD skills feels like a puppet controlled by the CAD vendor, while a designer with computer programming skills feels like the puppeteer driving his design model with the CAD tool as the control interface.”
I found that generative design force is a component-based thinking. The most common application for that is in façade systems. MD: How does ParaCloud work? Dr EN: ParaCloud Modeler is a software solution that converts Microsoft Excel spreadsheet into a powerful generative and associative modelling and analysis application. With ParaCloud technologies, simple spreadsheet interfaces are converted into a powerful design and analysis environment based on multi layered matrix concept - a solution for handling design and engineering complexities. ParaCloud powers design tools with behaviour modelling and performance-driven design capabilities, increasing design and production efficiency. It does this by creating a bi-directional link between numeric and graphic representations and allows multiple representations to be driven from a single logical model. ParaCloud enables designers to “Script without Scripting” when automating design tasks and the ParaCloud model stores the logic of the design model rather than the geometric entities and generates native geometric models on its various output platforms. The main idea is that ParaCloud is not just another CAD tool. It is an enabling technology that powers the familiar CAD tool with parametric and generative abilities. ParaCloud uses low-density point-clouds as place holders for the overall form geometry and for its components. The software introduced an extended definition for the point-cloud, attaching a behaviour pattern identifier for every point, allowing both uniform and non-uniform control over the design. www.paracloud.com To read the full interview, including how ParaCloud integrates with Rhino and other CAD packages, go to www.aecmag.com
INTERVIEW
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7/6/07 12:15:21
Tel: 01784 419922 www.cadline.co.uk
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The model answer Ogle Models and Prototypes has built up a strong client base in the automotive and consumer products sectors. The company is now applying its model making expertise to the architectural field to great effect.
A
s children we played with Lego, hoping to create that great masterpiece. And for those who accomplished such a feat there was a great feeling of satisfaction. These models may not be the real thing, but the sheer simplicity in even the largest construction, is mesmerising and eye catching. But as times are changing, so are the ways to create these captivating models. Developing scale architectural models used to take weeks, if not months, hand crafting every detail. But as technology has improved, so has the efficiency of model making. It has advanced so far, that now an architectural model can be created in a matter of days. The technology that is currently used to do this is rapid prototyping. It allows a model to be produced directly from 3D CAD data. Rapid prototyping includes a group of technologies, which are used to create models in a short space of time. These technologies include Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and Stereolithography (SLA).
Model making technology As time becomes more of a cost, architectural businesses, like other product design companies, need models, produced quickly, but without sacrificing quality. Ogle Models and Prototypes is an experienced practitioner in this industry and technology. Over the years, Ogle has created stunning models for companies, such as Bentley, Jaguar, Electrolux, Kraft and many others. So when Zaha Hadid and her architects needed high quality models of their architectural designs for Dubai produced, they didn’t need to look far. In order to create the building models required, Ogle focused on the SLA process; this is also known as 3D layering or 3D printing. It allows you to create solid, plastic, three-dimensional objects from CAD drawings in a matter of hours (depending on part sizes and finishes required). The basic process involves creating a 3D model of the object in a CAD program, for example SolidWorks, and then exporting the model as an STL file. This is where Ogle takes over. A software program called Lightyear slices the drawing into layers as thin as 0.05mm and the model is prepared, so that the SLA machine knows how to build it and get the best of the features. The SLA’s laser then creates one layer at a time by exposing liquid photopolymer and hardening it. This process continues to build layers up until the model is complete. MAY/JUNE 2007 AEC MAGAZINE
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The deciding factors
For very complex models that require a bit more strength and where surface finish is not as important, the SLS process can be used. This uses an Argon laser to draw parts one slice at a time, onto finely powdered nylon 12, whilst melting the layers together (sintering) to form a solid component. Because the process is fully self supporting, it allows for parts to be built within other parts, with complex geometry that simply could not be made any other way.
Using technology over traditional model making methods is a cost effective solution. And whether you have an architectural model that requires intricate detail or smooth and slender lines the time taken to produce model masterpieces is significantly reduced. However, just because it’s fast, it doesn’t mean it’s any less impressive. The cost of producing models using this technology varies, depending on the size, amount of surface finishing, different textures or painting required and the time frame in which they need to be completed. But because Ogle has all the machinery and expertise in house there is no extra expense or time incurred for outsourcing jobs. Top architectural firms, such as Zaha Hadid have identified the rewards of using Ogle and its rapid prototyping technology for its model making requirements. And as the industry moves forward, it is only a matter of time before more firms start to take advantage of this innovative technology too. www.ogle.co.uk
More than just technology So what is Ogle’s role in this process? Ogle ensures that all the models are orientated in the most effective way; corners are never cut. And for the perfect finish Ogle has a purpose built paint and finishing department, which hand finishes and refines all of the models. Trained and experienced model makers will spend time rubbing away the layers that build up in the machines, to ensure models are 100% accurate. Finally, in order to retain the ultimate design precision and quality, Ogle also has a range of finishes it can use; this includes colour and texture, which can be added.
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3D ReproGraphics 3DRG produces a range of architectural models, which are not only durable, but feature the finest of detail and are given an individual stamp through the use of applied colour. By Al Dean and Greg Corke
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D ReproGraphics (www.3drg.com) produces a range of architectural models which combine the arts of traditional model making and rapid prototyping in a holistic manner. Founded and located in Los Angeles in 2004 by Brian Ehler, 3DRG grew from a traditional reprographics business which serviced the printing needs of local architects and engineers and specialised in oversized printing. In 2002, Ehler was introduced to 3D printing by one of his architectural clients. “He told me there was a printer that would take an AutoCAD files and print it in 3D,” explains Ehler. “Not being familiar with rapid prototyping I wasn’t sure what he was talking about. I initially checked out the Z-Corp machine and I had a demo and I was amazed that you could actually take a digital file and print it. I was sold on the idea of 3D printing that minute. “It just made sense to me that architects could send files and I could deliver a physical model to them.” adds Ehler. “I took the sample from the Z-Corp Machine home to show my wife and business partner, Shelly, and sold her on the idea that I could make this a new business and potentially a new industry.” However, despite being impressed with the forms you could create with the Z-Corp machine Ehler soon developed concerns about the durability of the models. “I was all ready to purchase a Z-Corp machine when the model melted in the car. As much as I wanted to jump into 3D printing I wanted make the right choice of products, that’s when I found Stratasys,” says Ehler. Like Z Corp, Stratasys is a specialist in rapid prototyping technology, but instead of using 3D printing technology which deposits resin through a print head it employs a technology called FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) which was more suited to what Ehler wanted to achieve. “Their (Stratasys’) models are printed out of ABS plastic and created at high
temperatures making them sturdy and detailed at the same time,” explains Ehler. “Having the models built out of ABS plastic gives us ability to create models that are truly interactive and can be handled without the fear of breaking them. “Our models aren’t meant to sit behind a PlexiGlass display. They are truly a unique and interactive experience. The ability to pick up a 3DRG model and view it can make the difference in communicating the design.” For Ehler this added durability of parts was the critical factor and following an evaluation he decided to purchase two Stratasys Maxum machines. He sold his 2D reprographic firm and focused solely on 3D reprographics.
A model service 3DRG now offers a range of model making services to architects, home builders and land developers, building anything from a set of single family homes, to mid-rises, multiplexes or even high rise housing units. “The architects that utilise our services have been varied,” says Ehler. “For some architects, we do complex designs that using traditional modelling would be difficult. For others we’ve created certain features that they will incorporate with their traditional models such as columns or stone work. “We’ve done one off single family homes for the purpose of creating a model for their end customer.
“Our models aren’t meant to sit behind a plexi-glass display. The ability to pick up a model and interact with it can make the difference in communicating design” Griffin Enright Architects
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Since we have to physically build the model before the construction companies even start we can find errors in the plans and other potential issues. “For the individual home builder they may not read a blueprint well and when they see the 3DRG model they may realise they want to make a change. If this change is caught early in the process they could save in costly change orders that they would incur down the road. A price of $2,500 for a model could end up saving them $25,000 in change orders and construction over-runs.”
The build process The Stratasys Maxum printers have a build envelope of almost 600mm cubed, one of the largest in the RP industry, meaning 3DRG can build models of an impressive size. This also means that 3DRG is able to add the level of details that clients demand. “Over the past two years we’ve learned how to incorporate the textures of stone, brick, tiles, and shingles right into the file,” says Ehler. “It creates a bigger file but the end result is amazing!” Colour is also an essential part of 3DRG’s D. R. Horton
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Innovative Communities models, so the decision to go with the single colour Stratasys machines over the full colour Z-Corp units may at first seem an odd one. However, in addition to the relative fragility of the Z-Corp models, Ehler found problems with achieving exact colour matches. “The colour addition of the Z-Corp machine can get colours close to what you need but as with early colour copiers, calibrating the machine to produce colours that are correct can be difficult,” explains Ehler. “I remember when I’d run a colour copy job for an architect and the colours were off just by a little bit they would send the job back. I can’t imagine going through that with a 3D model.” Instead Ehler relies on a manual painting process which not only enables colour to be matched exactly for individual projects but helps give his models an individual style which is often lacking in other rapid prototyped models.
Model data preparation In order to produce quality models 3DRG needs quality source data and this has been a continual learning process for both 3DRG and its customers over the years. The company has formed a set of guidelines to aid with this process, but no two customers are the same so 3DRG helps streamline and perfect the way each customer creates 3D data. “Dealing primarily with architects and construction companies, they haven’t been the traditional companies that utilise rapid prototyping,” says Ehler. “The issues of file formats in 2D digital printing and 3D digital printing have the initial same problems. To get it to work you need a file that is set up properly. With 2D printing we ran into problems with, file formats, line thicknesses, certain lines dropping out etc. The same issues apply to 3D printing.” The problem that provides a continual challenge MAY/JUNE 2007 AEC MAGAZINE
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for 3DRG is dealing with the variety of 3D modelling applications that architects use. “There are so many different 3D software packages and they aren’t all designed for 3D printing in mind. Each program has a new set of issues. Some use faces rather than solids and since we need a single “solid” model some 3D software packages are less compatible than others. The bottom line is that we need an “STL” file that is one complete solid model. It needs to be ‘watertight’ with no holes. If the walls aren’t connected completely the model may not build correctly.” In addition to using the most suitable program for the job at hand the ease of printing a model from certain 3D programs really is dependent on how the model was created. “If you are creating the files with the intent of printing it in 3D it is easier because you know you need to use solid modelling and make sure that you have one complete solid at the end. You also know you have to make sure that you stitch or Boolean all intersections and you shouldn’t have any planar holes or reversed normals that would make the file unprintable,” explains Ehler. “Our biggest task
is to educate the customer in how to utilise their software best for 3D printing. Some files we get from MicroStation or Revit for example will work with no problem, but others will have to be fixed before we can print. “It’s hard for an end customer see this, so we take the file and check it for our customers and let them know what needs to be fixed. Ideally, they will know if the file will print correctly before they send it. We’re in the process of working with Materialise (the developer of Magics STL software) and Stratasys to create a user interface that will solve the question of “Is my file going to work?” However, not all architects use 3D CAD software with many still happy with 2D CAD, hand drawings or even sketches which are used at the conceptual stages of a project where physical models also help guide the design process. ”We work with two types of customers: customers who have 3D files and customers who don’t. We can also take a sketch and create an architectural model from that. In fact, most of our models are created from 2D drawings by our CAD team. This makes it easy for home builders and other customers that don’t design in 3D. We take the 2D files and convert them to “STL” files. Since we know how our machines build we can take care of all the hard work up front and design it properly.”
Conclusion 3DRG takes a very different approach to many service providers for the production of architectural models using rapid prototyping technology. The company prides itself on its attention to detail and incorporates textures of stone, brick, and tiles into its models to full effect. In addition, through the use of hand applied colour, 3DRG gives its models an individual look and feel, something that is lacking in many rapid prototyped models. It is these factors coupled with the high durability of its FDM parts that make 3DRG stand out from the crowd and despite being based in the US the company can still offer relatively quick turnaround times (depending on quality of data and complexity of model) and competitive prices, something that is essential in the increasingly competitive architectural model making marketplace. www.3drg.com Innovative Communities
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Workstations: the refresh Workstations can be fragile machines, so what can you do to help ease the pain if you have to rebuild an entire system? Rob Jamieson reports.
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ecently I have been rebuilding some workstations for a series of events. I was told that there was a pile of bits to use and I managed to get two out of three systems fully working. The owners were impressed and asked me how I did this. I’m not going to go into detail about repairing specific workstations but after a few email requests from readers on the things you can do to rebuild a system after a hard disk failure or damaged OS, I thought I’d share a few thoughts. However, neither I nor my company can accept any responsibility for loss of data, damage or expenses for use of this advice. This is targeted for Windows XP but the process applies to Windows 2000 and Vista. There is a lot to think about before you start, but the first step to rebuilding a system is making sure you have an operating system CD or the install files available. Most systems come with an install CD, a lot come bundled with the required drivers (but not all). A few systems come “pre-installed”, which means you have an i386 directory on your hard disk. If you don’t have a OS CD at all stop reading this and burn a copy of the i386 directory now! An install CD will be bootable by changing the boot options in your system. It can then load the boot sector off the CD and give you options for installing itself. Sometimes you need to go into the bios to do this and change the boot loading options or pressing F12 on boot up is often available. If you only have a copy of the i386 folder on CD you will need to boot off a floppy disk or USB key. You can make a bootable floppy disk from a working Windows system or use sites like www.bootdisk.com to find something usable. Check on the legality before you use it. If you have a HP workstation and no floppy disk you can use the “HP Drive Key Boot Utility” to create a bootable USB key, this may work on other systems but check the EULA (End User License Agreement) that comes with the download off the HP site. The ability to boot off the USB port via a memory key is also useful if you need to flash the BIOS or firmware of the system. If I have a very early version of a workstation, it’s likely to have an early BIOS, so I often update this as a precaution. The hardware option is to have a USB floppy drive which works very well and costs less than £20. When you have an old BIOS you might need to step through
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earlier ones before you can put the latest one on. Let’s assume you have a way to boot and install the OS but before you start you will need to download the latest ‘network’ drivers from the Internet because if you do a fresh install you might not have them built in to your install CD and you won’t be able to get online. From the device manager (or your workstation supplier) find the correct network driver or wireless network driver and download it before you start. I generally download all the drivers before I do a reinstall but if I miss something I always have the option of using another system - you might not. If your workstation is over a year or two old you might not have the latest service pack built in. Windows XP Service Pack 2 was very big so I would suggest downloading the “Windows XP Service Pack 2 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals” at 270MB! If you really want to go the whole hog you can apply this service pack to your install CD and make a new one with SP2 built in. Just search the web for “Slipstreaming Windows XP with Service Pack 2”. There are many sites detailing the process. So now we are nearly ready to start the process. If you have an existing drive or have booted off a USB
“Doing maintenance on your workstation is just like doing DIY - we normally only do it when we have to and then only when water is leaking through the ceiling!”
memory key I would suggest that you reassign it to something else than the C: drive. You really want the “System” drive to be the C as lots of software assumes this. I’ve had issues installing major software packages as the installer wants to write temp files to C:\temp, for example. Once Windows XP is installed it’s impossible to change the system drive. I will not detail the actual steps of the OS install except to say that I partition one NTFS partition per drive. Once the system restarts and you have network access, you need to enable the Windows firewall that comes with SP2 of Windows XP (if this is what you have installed). Next install the Anti Virus software and run an update to protect you. After this run Windows update, which you can find in the tools pull down in Internet Explorer. This applies to all the latest patches and protection. It will need several restarts and expect it to take an hour or so with a good connection. When you are fully up to date you can install the chipset and graphics drivers and any special drivers your hardware vendor recommends. Before you install your applications I would set your swap file to 2 or 3 GB max and min settings the same. This is dependant on your RAM you have installed. By setting the max and min to the same it stops the swap file growing which can cause fragmentation to the hard disk. You also want this file near the front of the disk as it’s the fastest part of the hard drive. I normally rebuild a system once a year as I install a lot of software, I’m not suggesting you need to do this as long as you follow the routine maintenance for cleaning out temp files, defragmenting etc. The thing is it’s just like doing DIY - we normally only do it when we have to and then only when water is leaking through the ceiling! N.B. I’ve had a lot of emails about my Sky + discussions in March/April’s “When do we adopt new technology” article so I thought I’d set the record straight. American dramas, such as ER and Desperate Housewives, are not classed as “soaps”, according to my wife. I would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused and also thank you for your concerns regarding my wife’s viewing habits. rjamieson@ati.com Robert Jamieson works for the hardware manufacturer AMD. The opinions in the article are not necessary the opinions of AMD as a company. . AEC MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2007
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