Industry news

ArcGIS Maps SDK for Unreal Engine offers immersive ways to visualise GIS assets

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sri has released version 1.0 of the ArcGIS Maps SDK (Software Development Kit) for Unreal Engine, which is designed to enable developers to build ‘world-scale’ AR, tabletop AR, and VR experiences for a range of sectors including AEC, utilities, and transportation.

According to Euan Cameron CTO, developer technology at Esri, the SDK will allow developers to use the Unreal Engine 5 game engine to create new classes of applications around their data, creating immersive ways to visualise and interact with real-world GIS assets that complement their current workflows.

The SDK is the result of a long-standing collaboration between Esri and Epic Games. One of the key outcomes of that relationship has been Epic Games’ development of the GeoReferencing plugin for Unreal Engine which led to full support in Unreal Engine 5 for double-precision coordinates and the ability to accurately place geographic data on a global scale.

Version 1.0 of the ArcGIS Maps SDK for Unreal Engine includes support for basemaps, which depict relatively static features like streets, buildings, facilities, and landscape details, elevation data for terrains, and geospatial layers such as 3D objects and integrated meshes.

According to Esri, Version 1.0 is just the beginning. The company explains that there’s a ‘rich vein of functionality’ waiting to be tapped into, such as vector tile layers, point cloud layers, feature support, geocoding, routing, and other analysis tools.

“At Epic, we’re committed to building the most open and advanced real-time 3D creation tool, freeing up digital creators to leverage Unreal Engine’s capabilities as part of their existing content creation pipeline,” said Sébastien Lozé, Unreal Engine simulations business director at Epic Games. “The work done by the Esri team in this collaboration will allow the entire GeoInt community to leverage the rich diversity of created content existing in the ArcGIS ecosystem, and we’re excited to see how the release of the ArcGIS Maps SDK plugin for Unreal Engine will create virtually unlimited immersive, interactive, synthetic environments in Unreal Engine 5.”

Urban planning and design firm Houseal Lavigne is an early adopter of the SDK. The company was recently hired by the Village of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, a Chicago suburban community, to build an application to assist the community in evaluating development proposals.

To help maintain the character of the cherished downtown main street in Glen Ellyn, Houseal Lavigne built an immersive video game-like application with Unreal Engine (pictured above).

The app allows members of the community to see if a proposal fits into the existing context of their downtown by placing themselves directly into the 3D environment and experiencing potential change first hand. The app uses the ArcGIS Maps SDK for Unreal Engine to create an immersive environment based on 3D scene layers.

The SDK simplifies application updates by using ArcGIS data sources directly. It dynamically streams in the built environment from ArcGIS Online. Then, when the area changes, the client can publish a new scene layer and the application will update itself.

“It used to be that when we would talk to clients and client communities about change, we would show it on a map. But expectations have changed. Like everyone else, our clients and their constituents have been immersed in video games like Fortnite, and they watch movies shot on sound stages in front of green screens with beautiful 3D worlds drawn in behind the actors. They not only want to see a potential change, but they also want to experience it,” said Devin Lavigne principal and founder, Houseal Lavigne.

San Francisco textured buildings with demographic data, global imagery, and elevation

Nvidia looking to encode the IFC schema in USD

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vidia is exploring how BIM schemas, especially Industry Foundation Classes (IFC), can be layered on top of USD, the 3D scene description and file format developed by Pixar which forms the foundation for Nvidia Omniverse, the 3D design collaboration platform.

The research is part of Nvidia’s multiyear plan to expand the capabilities of USD beyond visual effects, to better support ‘industrial metaverse’ applications in architecture, engineering, manufacturing, and other sectors.

Rev Lebaredian, vice president of Omniverse and simulation technology at Nvidia, told AEC Magazine that the default schemas that Pixar created are the fundamental building blocks for computer graphics and that, over time, there will be more and more schemas showing up for different industries, including AEC.

“We’ve done work towards bringing existing BIM schemas from other formats and translating them into USD, encoding them in USD,” he said, adding that IFC is the most likely path forward.

“That should be the standard since that’s the closest thing we have to a BIM standard for AEC,” he says.

Lebaredian adds that Nvidia has already done the development work internally. “You can take any data that’s represented as IFC, which is just an XML file if I’m not mistaken, and convert it into USD – just translate it directly as a oneto-one representation and without any loss of data, and you can take it back.”

He admits that the challenge isn’t so much about modifying USD as a technology, but about getting enough buy in from industry. “What we want to look towards is having consensus, with enough people in the community that just agree this is actually what everyone should be using. Once you have that, you have the snowball kind of effect,” he says.

■ www.nvidia.com/omniverse

Theorem-XR adds support for AEC T

heorem-XR, an eXtended Reality (XR) solution that enables design, engineering and manufacturing firms to optimise, visualise, and collaborate around 3D design data regardless of location, now supports Revit, Navisworks and IFC formats.

With the new Q2 2022 release users can also load data from multiple sources into a single session. In addition to BIM, this includes 3D CAD (3DExperience, Catia, Alias, Creo, FBX, Inventor, NX, Solidworks, STEP and VRED), Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) data (JT) and scanned data.

According to Theorem Solutions, preparing data for Theorem-XR is a ‘seamless, fully automated process’. Users can ‘save as’ from their CAD session, drag and drop from the file system or drive it directly from their PLM workflow. Data can also be used for the creation of Unity or Unreal assets for internally developed XR solutions.

Theorem-XR works across a range of Augmented, Mixed and Virtual Reality devices, including Microsoft HoloLens 2, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Magic Leap, Oculus Quest and Android and iOS devices. To support large datasets across multiple devices, Theorem-XR uses Azure Remote Rendering (ARR).

According to Theorem, being able to offer remote rendering across all devices is especially beneficial to construction and factory layout, as it removes the barriers associated to working and interacting with huge quantities of design data.

Other new features of Theorem-XR Q2 2022 include support for the new location features in HoloLens 2, where users can define where 3D models appear in relation to a QR code. According to Theorem, being able to render data in this way brings ‘greater accuracy and flexibility to the review process for tracking digital content against physical objects.”

Another new feature for the HoloLens 2 is the ability to markup digital design data in a live session using a ‘holographic pen’. Users can add annotations to highlight required changes, potential clash issues or to leave notes for users unable to attend collaborative sessions.

Archicad 26 launches

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rchicad 26, the latest version of Graphisoft’s BIM software, features improvements to automated design, documentation and collaboration workflows, plus ‘out-of-the-box’ visualisation.

Features include: more intuitive navigation and management of attributes through a structured hierarchy; fast finding of (and navigation to) specific views and layouts in the design project; smart parametric object creation with graphical editing methods; and faster modelling and documentation of surface openings.

Archicad 26 also introduces improved structural analytical model workflows and usability enhancements for ‘faster, smoother’ interoperability between architects and structural engineers.

■ www.graphisoft.com/archicad

Bricsys boosts VR workflow

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ricsys is collaborating with Virtual Reality platform Vrex so users of BIM software BricsCAD BIM can more easily export models to VR.

The enhanced workflow is designed to enable AECO firms to streamline collaboration between multiple stakeholders working together in VR. Users can virtually meet inside the model, perform visual inspections and exchange buildings and project data from ‘any location’.

Both platforms support the exchange of BIM Collaboration Format (BCF) issues via interface services such as BIM Track, BIMsync and BIMcollab. According to Bricsys, this allows for the easy communication of issues emerging during the virtual meeting to be resolved within BricsCAD BIM.

ROUND UP

Map data for Britain

Aerial mapping company and consortium lead Bluesky International, in partnership with Getmapping plc, has been granted a contract extension from the Geospatial Commission to continue to supply aerial photography, 3D height models and colour infrared imagery, to public sector organisations across Great Britain ■ www.bluesky-world.com

Defence support

Skanska UK, one of the UK’s leading contractors, has chosen the Asite data management platform to help it provide ‘modern, sustainable, and effective’ storage and maintenance solutions for the British Army’s land equipment fleet. It is part of a £259m Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract ■ www.asite.com

New scheduling tool

Cloud-based digital construction management platform PlanRadar has introduced a new ‘Gantt View’ scheduling tool, designed to ease construction and maintenance challenges, provide clearer task oversight and help meet deadlines ■ www.planradar.com

Expansion bolts

Trimble (UK), in partnership with Lindapter, has launched a new Tekla plug-in to help facilitate the ‘efficient and accurate’ detailing of the HolloBolt system. Bolt models and their associated product-specific information and data can now be easily brought into Tekla Structures ■ www.tekla.com

iConstruct acquired

Hexagon AB, which owns several AEC-focused technology firms including Bricsys, Leica Geosystems, and Multivista, has acquired iConstruct Pty Ltd, an Australian firm that develops the construction automation tool iConstruct Pro that runs on top of Autodesk Navisworks ■ www.iconstruct.com

Intelligent City

Canadian firm Intelligent City has raised $30m to help it advance sustainable urban housing using mass timber, automation, and robotics. The company says it is on track to deliver over 2,300 apartments ■ www.intelligent-city.com

Unity Reflect Review now available on Meta Quest 2

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nity Reflect Review, the immersive design review solution for architects and designers, is now available for the Meta Quest 2, the all-in-one VR headset previously known as Oculus Quest 2.

Norconsult, a leading Norwegian multidisciplinary engineering and design consultancy, has been using the new hardware/software combination to cover all phases of a project lifecycle – from the earliest pre-investment and feasibility studies, through planning and design, tendering and construction supervision, to project implementation, operations and maintenance.

“Combining Meta Quest 2 and Unity Reflect Review is a true game changer,” says Marius Jablonskis, digital transformation leader at Norconsult.“XR was great before, but it was not for everyone. Hardware-heavy processes, cables, tracking stations, remembering to charge multiple devices, logging in and out to multiple accounts, pre-processing the data, exporting, packing and updating it – all these operations made the XR world an exclusive club.

“Unity and Meta’s fusion eliminated all the irritating moments and bottlenecks from the process. Now you just have to pop on the glasses and you’re good to go!”

Norconsult uses Revit for design, but typically goes from Navisworks or BIM 360 to Unity Reflect Review.

“We use Unity Reflect Review for visual reviews – including stakeholder, design and safety evaluations – on desktop and in VR and AR,” explains Jablonskis.

Prior to the new integration Norconsult used a custom-developed application on the Unity Editor that compiled .apk files which were loaded to untethered Meta Quest 2 devices, as Jablonskis explains. “The application was used for design review and practical safety evaluations with our safety and design experts, customers, and their operation personnel to evaluate safety aspects of the design and placement of equipment in emergency scenarios.”

■ www.unity.com/products/unity-reflect

erulean Labs has launched Spaces Version 2, a major update to its sketch-based conceptual design tool for the iPad.

Space planning allows users to create and manage their own design briefs, put together project concepts and then create reports to ensure designs meets requirements. Sun studies, a digital sketchbook, and key workflow integration features, including IFC and OBJ export, are among the other new features.

iPad design tool gets space planning Many of the new features C are included in a new subscription offering, Spaces Pro, which is available for $75 per month. Space Starter (free) and Spaces ($29 per month) are also available. ■ www.spacesapp.io

Enscape for Mac now shipping for SketchUp

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eal-time rendering software Enscape is now available for the Mac platform, compatible with SketchUp 2021 and 2022.

As a direct plug-in to the push/pull modelling tool, architects and designers now have access to Enscape’s integrated real-time viz and design workflow.

The initial version of Enscape for Mac offers real-time visualisation via the Enscape rendering window; real-time walkthrough to navigate rendered projects in walk, fly, and perspective modes; export options for still renders, 360-degree panoramas, and web standalone; visual settings, and a material editor that uses height maps to adjust textures and increase the level of realism. VR is not currently supported.

Users also get access to the Enscape Asset Library, which includes more than 3,000 ‘high-quality, low-poly’ 3D models, including people, furniture and vehicles.

■ www.enscape3d.com

Automation focus for Vectorworks 2023

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ectorworks 2023, the next release of the CAD / BIM software, is due to launch soon with a major focus on process automation. The Windows and Mac tool will also include several updates for BIM workflows and enhanced interoperability, thanks in part to new Revit import options.

Core architectural objects have been re-engineered and modernised to be more intuitive through all phases of a project. According to Vectorworks, this helps reduce the amount of manual work needed to create and edit documentation.

A new Graphic Legends tool is designed to help make the creation of object type and drawing key legends less labourintensive and prone to errors. According to Vectorworks, it completely removes the manual process of creating graphic legends, automatically coordinating resources used and providing an easy editing and customisation process.

Elsewhere, door and window objects can now be created and interactively edited by simply drawing a rectangle on the face of the wall in 3D or a line spanning the opening in 2D.

For Revit file import, Vectorworks will now support the translation of more Revit object types and provide better organisation of the imported file data.

Users will also experience ‘better, faster and more accurate’ BIM collaboration when using BCF files. Now, as a web palette, the BCF Manager will have the ability to be kept open to ‘seamlessly and efficiently’ manage and model changes with cloud-based collaboration tools.

Elsewhere, there’s a new offset edge tool for ‘streamlined and smooth’ 3D modelling for more efficient design exploration, plus the ability to generate section viewports up to six times faster.

ISO 19650 BIM training courses refined

RE Academy, a

Bspecialist in practical

training for construction, has re-shaped its BIM training courses based on ISO 19650, the international standard for managing information over the life cycle of a built asset.

‘BIM Essentials’ is designed to provide an overview of information management using BIM, following ISO 19650 parts 1 and 2. ‘Delivering Information Management’ is for professionals who undertake an Information Management function in accordance with ISO 19650-2.

■ www.bre.ac

Chaos releases V-Ray 6 for 3ds Max

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haos has released V-Ray 6 for 3ds Max, a major upgrade to its all-in-one photorealistic rendering software that reduces its reliance on thirdparty plug-ins.

V-Ray 6 features new worldbuilding and workflow tools to quickly distribute 3D objects, generate detailed 3D surfaces and add procedural clouds to create beautiful custom skies. V-Ray 6 for 3ds Max also introduces a cloud collaboration tool to speed up reviews and approvals.

■ www.chaos.com/vray

Leica finally launches update to ground-breaking BLK360 laser scanner

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ack in November 2016, Leica (with Autodesk) launched the smallest and lowest cost professional laser scanner. Working in conjunction with Autodesk’s Recap scanning solution, the 60 metre ranged device was perfect for architectural interiors and some exterior work.

In the subsequent six years, Leica has gone on to develop a whole BLK range, including SLAM scanner (BLK2GO), Drone scanner (BLK2FLY) and a robot mounted variant (BLK ARC), all glued together with its HxDR cloud platform. With all the innovation and advances that have been included in the latter BLK devices, Leica has finally now got around to updating the core technology and design of the original BLK device.

While the BLK360 was a huge success, Leica could not make enough of them. The scanner weighed 1kg and could fit in a handbag, however it was less rugged than one of would have hoped. The mirror enabling the laser scan was very exposed and unprotected and dropping it would mean recalibration back in Switzerland.

The refresh design integrates a cover to protect the scanning mirror in the body, which is 20% smaller than the previous BLK360 and weighs just 850 grams. There is an updated processor which is five times faster than the original. Within the body there are four 13-megapixel cameras with an HDR imaging capability.

The new scanner can capture 680,000 points per second (previous generation did just 360,000 points) and supports the Visual Inertial System, allowing scans to be combined automatically. The device uses USB-C for faster data transfer times, as well as Wi-Fi. It can be operated from a mobile phone using the BLK Live app or the Leica Cyclone Field app.

At time of launch, the original BLK360 cost around £15,000. The second generation product sees a modest price bump to around £17,300. It certainly looks to offer a lot more capability for upgraders who have been waiting a long time to see this update.

While time of flight laser scanning has always been the most accurate way of getting a point cloud, the encroachment of photogrammetry on the low-end scanning market means there is increased competition from even lower cost optical devices. With the built in cameras and laser, a future update could be to combine both methodologies within the one device.

■ www.leica-geosystems.com

aro has acquired UK-based GeoSLAM, a provider of mobile scanning solutions with proprietary simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) software.

Under terms of the agreement, GeoSLAM shareholders received a cash payment of £22 million and 495,562 shares of Faro stock.

SLAM is the process of mapping an area whilst keeping track of the location of the device within that area. It allows for the mapping of large areas in much shorter spaces of time than tripod mounted laser scanners, although accuracy isn’t as high.

Acquiring GeoSLAM gives Faro one of the widest portfolios of reality capture solutions, which includes 360-degree camera-based images, mobile scanning and stationary high-accuracy laser scanning.

Faro already had a mobile scanning solution – the Faro Swift – which combines its Faro Focus laser scanner with its Faro ScanPlan 2D mapper. However, this tripod mounted system, which was once described by a Faro spokesperson as being SLAM(ish), has to be wheeled around to capture the reality on site, on a relatively flat surface.

The acquisition of GeoSLAM gives Faro a much wider range of mobile scanners that can scan all types of environments, indoors and outdoors. Its Zeb products can be carried by hand, or mounted on a drone, backpack or vehicle.

Faro acquires GeoSLAM to boost mobile mapping capabilities It should also make Faro much better F equipped to support emerging digital twin applications, where accuracy is not always as critical as it is for constructionfocused workflows such as construction verification. Faro will also be able to compete on more fronts with Leica Geosystems, which launched its first handheld SLAM scanner, the BLK2GO in 2020, followed in 2021 by two autonomous variants: the Leica BLK ARC, a module for robots including Boston Dynamics quadruped Spot, and the Leica BLK2FLY, a fully integrated LiDAR drone. ■ www.geoslam.com

Matterport increases focus on AEC with Pro3 Camera

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atterport has introduced a new reality capture device, the Matterport Pro3 Camera, which has the ability to capture indoor and outdoor spaces, even in full sunlight. Matterport’s previous generation camera, the Pro2, was better suited to indoor spaces alone.

The Matterport Pro3 features a custom 20-megapixel sensor and 12-element lens, covering an ultra-wide angle to produce what Matterport describes as ‘accurate, detailed digital twins in brilliant, life-like colour.’ The camera’s ‘high-precision’ LiDAR sensor is said to enable the capture of millions of measurements in various conditions, from dim light to direct sunlight, up to a range of 100 metres at less than 20 seconds per sweep.

Accuracy has been improved, with Matterport quoting ±20mm at 10m, compared to ±44~58mm at 4.5m for the Pro2. The company acknowledges that it is not as accurate as higher-end laser scanners, quoting ±6mm for the Leica BLK360, ±2.4mm for the Trimble X7 and ±1mm for the Faro Focus S at 10m However, it points out that the Pro3 costs considerably less ($5,995 compared to $22-42k) and the accuracy is ‘good enough for most use cases’.

The company appears to have an increased focus on AEC, quoting several construction-centric use cases, including an architect or sub-contracted surveyor capturing as-built surveys, a main contractor documenting and reporting construction progress, a site manager carrying out quality control or work package sign off, or an architect or main contractor producing ‘accurate’ handover documentation for use in design, BIM and FM applications.

■ www.matterport.com

rimble has launched the Trimble X12, a new scanning system that integrates Trimble software for ‘precise data capture’ and on-site registration with 3D laser scanning and imaging hardware technology from Zoller+Fröhlich (Z+F).

The Trimble X12 can be operated using Trimble Perspective field software installed on a Trimble T10x tablet to enable registration and refinement of scans on site and help ensure project accuracy and completion before returning to the office.

Trimble introduces new scanning system Trimble’s customised on-board T software menu can also be used to configure and operate the scanner. Data can be exported from site and processed in the office with Trimble RealWorks software or third-party software. Final deliverables can be shared online with clients and stakeholders using browserbased data tool Trimble Clarity. The scanner boasts a range of 0.3 up to 365 metres and a scan speed of up to 2.2 million points per second. ■ www.trimble.com

Accuracy of viDoc RTK rover certified

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ureau Veritas has certified the viDoc RTK rover for use in industry. The company, which specialises in testing, inspecting, and certification (TIC) across multiple industries, found the real-time kinematic GNSS device to have a margin of error of less than 5cm, which is half the required accuracy for Class A measurements. The viDoc was tested for volume calculations, as well as measurements for digitising as-builts in a trench.

The viDoc is a handheld device with an RTK antenna that connects to mobile devices. It was originally designed by German company viGram and is distributed by Pix4D worldwide.

When paired with Pix4D’s app Pix4Dcatch, it enables users to gather geotagged LiDAR and photogrammetry data for use in creating 3D models or single point measurements.

■ www.pix4d.com

Veesus moves to cloud-based subscription P

oint cloud software specialist Veesus has a new subscription service that allows its customers to store scan data in the Zappcha Cloud and stream point cloud files to end devices.

The subscription service also gives users access to multiple applications: Arena4D, Veesus’ flagship point cloud visualisation, editing and animation software, as well as dedicated plug-ins for Revit, Rhino, and Solidworks, that enable users to work with point cloud data natively in their CAD/ BIM tool of choice

Intel makes long awaited entry into discrete workstation graphics with focus on CAD

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ntel has made its muchanticipated entry to the world of discrete workstation graphics with the launch of the Intel Arc Pro A-series professional range of GPUs for CAD, AEC and ‘creators’.

The first products are the Intel Arc Pro A30M GPU for mobile workstations and the Intel Arc Pro A40 and Intel Arc Pro A50 GPUs for ultra-compact and small form factor (SFF) desktop workstations. All three GPUs appear to be ‘entry-level’ but include advanced features such as ray tracing and machine learning.

For pro workstations, driver optimisation and certification is important. Intel has stated it is targeting certifications with leading professional software applications within the AEC and design and manufacturing industries but has not specified which ones. In the past, when Intel only offered graphics built into its CPUs, it focused on certification for only the most popular CAD and BIM tools. With Arc Pro we expect Intel to up its game.

At Siggraph on 8 August, the company showed Intel Arc Pro Graphics Workstation GPUs running Trimble SketchUp with D5 Render to show off the hardware accelerated ray tracing and hardware assisted AI (XeSS) capabilities of the new cards when rendering architectural scenes.

D5 Render’s real time rendering software is based on Unreal Engine 4 and Nvidia RTX rendering technology but the rendering pipeline is based on Microsoft DX12 and DXR, which is supported directly by Intel Arc Pro GPUs. Applications that take advantage of ray tracing using the Vulkan API should also be compatible.

In terms of specifications, the Intel Arc Pro A40 and A50 are very similar. They both feature 6 GB of GDDR6 memory, four mini DisplayPort outputs and offer the same memory bandwidth, plus the same number of Execution Units, Xe-cores, Render Slices, and Ray Tracing Units. The only notable differences are form factor, Thermal Design Power (TDP) and peak performance.

The A40 is a single slot card with 50W peak power and 3.50 TFLOPs peak performance, while the A50 is dual slot with 75W peak power and 4.8 TFLOPs peak performance. The A30M is virtually identical to the A40, but the number of outputs will be specific to the mobile workstation.

■ www.intel.com/arc

What AEC Magazine thinks

This is a significant move from Intel as it looks to boost its graphics capabilities and compete more strongly against AMD and Nvidia, who offer a wide range of discrete workstation GPUs via the AMD Radeon Pro and Nvidia RTX brands.

Prior to the launch, Intel’s workstation GPU presence was solely through integrated graphics, where the GPU is built into the CPU, but such processors are only really suited to true entry-level workflows.

With its first-generation Arc Pro products, Intel is clearly targeting users of CAD and BIM software, for which the 3D graphics requirements are relatively low. Such tools are generally ‘CPU limited’ and, in many cases, you’ll see no discernible performance difference between a budget pro GPU and one that costs ten or even twenty times more.

Intel has not yet released pricing, but we expect the Arc Pro A40 and A50 will be priced competitively with other low-profile professional GPUs. Intel’s trump card, like that of the AMD Radeon Pro W6400, is that it has hardware ray tracing built in. The Nvidia T600 and T1000 do not. Plus, it has an additional 2 GB of memory, which may prove important for viz centric workflows, especially when next generation graphics engines for CAD come online with support for ray tracing in the viewport.

However, Intel will have to compete with decades of pro driver development from both AMD and Nvidia in an industry where both performance and stability are valued very highly.

On mobile, Intel arguably faces a bigger challenge in an increasingly competitive entrylevel segment.

While the new Intel Arc Pro A30M GPU should slot into existing pro laptops, it will also go up against a new generation of mobile workstations with AMD Ryzen Pro 6000 H-series processors, which come with integrated AMD RDNA 2 graphics and AMD Radeon Pro graphics drivers.

This includes the new Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen3 and ThinkPad P16s Gen3 (see page 18).

AMD Ryzen 7000 Series desktop processors launch with boost for CAD and rendering

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MD has launched the Ryzen 7000 Series, a new family of desktop processors based on its 5nm ‘Zen 4’ architecture. This includes the flagship 16-core Ryzen 9 7950X, which AMD claims is the fastest desktop CPU in the world, featuring a 5.7 GHz boost frequency and a significant Instructions Per Clock (IPC) increase, compared to its previous generation ‘Zen 3’ architecture.

According to AMD, the Ryzen 7000 Series will outperform 12th Gen Intel Core processors in both single threaded workflows (which is important for CAD and BIM) and multi-threaded workflows, such as ray trace rendering.

In V-Ray Render, for example, AMD claims the Ryzen 9 7950X offers 62% more performance than the Intel Core i9-12900K, Intel’s current flagship mainstream CPU which has 8 Performance cores and 8 Efficient Cores. Performance gains in other rendering benchmarks are smaller, with Cinebench R23 NT quoted at 41% and Blender Render at 36%. However, with 13th Gen Intel Core ‘Raptor Lake’ CPUs rumoured to launch in Q4 2022, AMD will soon face increased competition.

AMD’s Ryzen 7000 Series also marks a significant improvement over AMD’s previous generation ‘Zen 3’ Ryzen 5000 Series. Compared to the Ryzen 9 5950X, the Ryzen 9 7950X boasts a single-core performance improvement of up to 29% and up to 48% more performance when rendering in V-Ray and Cinebench R23 nT.

The Ryzen 7000 Series also offers ‘leadership energy efficiency’, claims AMD. The company states that the Ryzen 9 7950X is up to 47% more energy efficient than the Intel Core i9-12900K when ray trace rendering in the Chaos V-Ray Benchmark.

With a TDP of 170W the Ryzen 9 7950X is more power-hungry than the 105W Ryzen 9 5950X it replaces. However, the 7950X wins out in performance per watt. It delivers the same performance as the 5950X while using up to 62% less power, says AMD.

The Ryzen 7000 Series also marks the launch of the new Socket AM5 platform, which features dual-channel DDR5 memory and support for PCIe 5.0, including next generation SSDs.

There are currently four models in the AMD Ryzen 7000 Series – the 16-core Ryzen 9 7950X, 12-core Ryzen 9 7900X, 8-core Ryzen 7 7700X and 6-core Ryzen 5 7600X. The lower-core count CPUs, which are perhaps best suited to entrylevel CAD and BIM workflows, also have slightly lower boost frequencies than the higher core count models.

The AMD Ryzen 7000 Series is expected to be available September 27.

■ www.amd.com/ryzen

P has introduced the HP Z32k G3 4K USB-C display with IPS Black Panel, a technology that offers double the contrast ratio of a traditional IPS panel for blacks that are ‘deeper and richer’.

The 31.5-inch 4K display is said to offer ‘ultimate colour accuracy’ with support for 100 percent of the sRGB colour gamut and 98 percent of DCI-P3. According to HP, it allows users to experience anything from CAD drawings to product renders in tangible, lifelike detail.

Beyond image quality, the HP Z32k G3 4K USB-C display also offers several practical features including single power on, KVM switch, and support for Thunderbolt 4.

Through a single Thunderbolt 4 connection, the display drives 4K resolution at 60Hz, supports daisy chaining for a second 4K monitor without a dock, as well as high-speed data and internet — all while charging a device up to 100W.

‘Single power on’ allows users to turn on their workstation by simply pressing the power button on the bottom right of the display. “You no longer need to open the laptop and hunt for the power button,” says HP’s Aaron Slessinger.

KVM switch allows easy switching between two workstations – a laptop and

HP’s new 32-inch IPS display boasts richer and deeper blacks a desktop, for example. Simply plug in H both machines and a single set of peripherals to the back of the HP Z32k G3 4K USB-C display then press the joypad twice to switch. Users can also save space by attaching a HP Z2 Mini Workstation at the rear. ■ www.hp.com

Lenovo re-defines small form factor workstation with ThinkStation P360 Ultra

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enovo has launched the ThinkStation P360 Ultra, a new desktop workstation that delivers ‘tower-like’ performance in a compact chassis with a volume of 4 litres. It is half the size of a traditional small form factor (SFF) workstation and will replace the 8.2litre ThinkStation P350 SFF.

According to global product manager Cris Jara, the P360 Ultra is a redefinition of the compact chassis. “It’s a clean sheet design, where our engineering team was given the challenge of how to make a small chassis without compromises in performance.”

The P360 Ultra features 12th Gen Intel Core processors up to 125W. The ThinkStation P350 SFF was limited to 65W processors, so this is a significant advancement. 35W and 65W 12th Gen Intel Core processors are also supported.

Notably, the P360 Ultra also supports up to Nvidia RTX A5000 mobile pro graphics with 16 GB of VRAM. This is a big jump up from the Nvidia RTX ‘2000’ or ‘3000’ class GPUs often found in compact workstations and makes the P360 Ultra suitable for a much wider range of GPU-accelerated AEC workflows. This includes VR, GPU rendering, real time viz, and reality modelling, as well as 3D CAD and BIM, which are more typical for a machine of this size.

The P360 Ultra measures 87 x 223 x 202mm and features a unique design where the motherboard runs down the middle of the chassis. According to Lenovo, this allows for superior cooling thanks to two distinct airflow channels either side of the motherboard, and maximum space efficiency when configuring the workstation. With a single external shell that slides off, Lenovo also says servicing is easy, and users can get quick access to internal components without having to deal with screws and panels.

Elsewhere, the system supports up to 128 GB of DDR5 SoDIMM memory, which is double that of the slightly smaller HP Z2 Mini G9 and Precision 3460 Compact. This ‘industry first’ is enabled by having four SoDIMM slots so there are dual DIMMs per channel. According to Lenovo, it is the result of working very closely with Intel.

Other features include two PCIe Gen 4 slots for expandability (one PCIe x16 and one x8), up to 8TB of M.2 storage, and support for up to eight displays across two GPUs. The machine comes equipped with dual onboard ethernet, which could be useful for remote management, and dual Thunderbolt 4 ports on the front, which are typically found in mobile workstations. A VESA mount accessory is coming later this year.

In order to support the Nvidia RTX A5000, Lenovo developed a custom board for the mobile GPU, which Jara explains is MXM protocol driven through a PCIe standard riser. With a base Thermal Design Power (TDP) target of 110W the GPU will not deliver as much performance as a desktop RTX A5000 (which has a total board power of 230 W). However, Jara points out that even though you’ll find the same GPU in a mobile workstation, users should get better performance since the P360 Ultra has superior cooling. Users can expect slightly better performance than a desktop Nvidia RTX A4000, he says.

■ www.lenovo.com/workstations

What AEC Magazine thinks

This feels like a very important release from Lenovo. The P360 Ultra not only promises to rival the performance of traditional SFF workstations but in GPUcentric workflows, it should even outpace them. This includes the Dell Precision 3460 SFF and the HP Z2 SFF G9, which can take a desktop Nvidia RTX A4000 GPU.

The P360 Ultra also stands out for its memory capacity which, at 128 GB, is double that of many similarly sized workstations. While most core AEC workflows will fit comfortably into 64 GB, as the industry continues to embrace more demanding workflows like reality modelling, having access to large amounts of memory will become more important in the future.

The IT industry has long been obsessed with shrinking down technology, but this advancement feels particularly relevant at this moment in time. As working environments continue to evolve, with more people working from home, a highperformance space-saving chassis will be extremely attractive to many firms.

Finally, the P360 Ultra also seems very well suited to remote graphics applications. With dual GPU support and 128 GB memory, it should comfortably support two users. And with expected good density in racks, it will be interesting to see where Lenovo takes the ThinkStation P360 beyond the desktop.

Dell Precision 7865 launches with Threadripper Pro

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ell has become the second major manufacturer to release a workstation with the AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 5000 WX-Series processor.

The Dell Precision 7865 Tower follows on from the Lenovo ThinkStation P620, which launched in 2020 with 1st Gen Threadripper Pro and had a refresh in April 2022 with 2nd Gen Threadripper Pro (the 5000 WX-Series).

The Dell Precision 7865 Tower can be configured with five different Threadripper Pro models spanning 12, 16, 24, 32 or 64 cores. The high-end desktop CPU combines high frequencies with high core counts to accelerate a range of workflows including CAD, simulation, rendering and reality modelling.

The workstation can support up to 1 TB of DDR4 ECC memory with Dell Reliable Memory Technology (RMT) Pro. Other features include up to 56 TB of storage (comprising up to 8 TB HDDs, 4 TB NVMe SSDs or an Ultra-speed storage card up to 16 TB), optional Thunderbolt 3, and a range of professional graphics options, including up to two 32 GB AMD Radeon Pro W6800 GPUs or two 48 GB Nvidia RTX A6000 GPUs.

The newly designed chassis is 14% smaller than the dual Intel Xeon-based Dell Precision 7820 Tower. It features a hexagonal venting pattern that supports dedicated air channels for critical components. According to Dell, this enhances both thermal efficiency and acoustic performance.

For servicing and upgrading, the chassis features front and side access. Tool-less interiors and colour-coded components are designed to make it more intuitive to upgrade memory, storage or graphics cards.

For security, the chassis can be locked, complete with intrusion detection alerts, while TPM 2.0 and self-encrypting drives also help protect sensitive data.

USB Type-C and A ports are located on the front of the tower, and carrying handles make the tower more portable.

What AEC Magazine thinks

This is a very important win for AMD. Threadripper Pro has outperformed equivalent Intel processors in multithreaded workflows for close to two years.

The processor offers a substantial performance lead in ray trace rendering, video editing and other workflows that can take full advantage of its many cores. Meanwhile, the 8-channel memory architecture can offer a significant boost in bandwidth hungry applications such as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA).

Until now, the high-end desktop CPU was only available from Lenovo and from specialist workstation manufacturers like Scan, BOXX and Workstation Specialists.

Lenovo certainly benefited from being the first major manufacturer to have a Threadripper Pro workstation. It helped it secure some significant deals, including DreamWorks Animation, which was a poster child for HP for many years.

While it has taken Dell 18 months to catch up, it can now finally give Lenovo stronger competition in enterprise accounts. It remains to be seen if HP will follow suit.

HP Anyware out of beta

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P Anyware, the remote graphics software for hybrid work environments where users can work from ‘anywhere’, has launched.

The 22.07 release delivers two headline features: support for Apple M1 silicon and HP Anyware collaboration which allows GPU accelerated screen sharing. Users can send invite links to others to easily join a live PCoIP session.

Collaboration is currently limited to the host sharing their screen with one secondary user. However, for true ‘team collaboration’, there are plans to support multiple users.

HP is also working on ‘True Edit Mode’, which will allow any user to take control of the mouse and keyboard – for example, to make edits in a CAD / BIM tool or markup a model in design/ review software.

■ www.hp.com/anyware

990 Pro SSD launches

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amsung has announced the SSD 990 Pro, a new high-performance PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD designed for desktop and mobile workstations.

Featuring Samsung’s latest V-NAND memory and a new controller, Samsung claims the 990 Pro series offers the highest speed currently available from the PCIe 4.0 interface.

Compared to the 980 Pro it replaces, the 990 Pro is said to deliver faster sequential read and write speeds even bigger gains in random read / write performance.

■ www.samsung.com/ssd

ROUND UP

SymTerra investment

The Nemetschek Group, which owns multiple AEC software brands including Allplan, Vectorworks, Solibri, Graphisoft, has invested in start-up SymTerra. The UK firm’s construction site communications platform is designed to allow ‘easy, instant, and intuitive’ communication across multiple contractors ■ www.symterra.co.uk

Smart construction

With its new Construction Intelligence Cloud Service, Oracle is using AI and data analytics to help give owners and contractors a comprehensive understanding of project performance in order to continuously improve outcomes across planning, construction, and asset operation ■ www.oracle.com

Reality capture guide

The Digital Twin Consortium (DTC) has published a new white paper that introduces the fundamentals of reality capture, which can play a key role in the lifecycle of a digital twin. The paper covers reality-capture devices, their applications and more ■ www.tinyurl.com/reality-paper

OpenTree enhanced

Graitec Opentree 2023, the latest release of the AEC-focused drawing and document management system, has added several new features, enhanced the interface, simplified common operations and improved overall usability ■ www.graitec.com/opentree

Hard hat monitor

AMC Bridge is working on a technology that identifies construction workers not wearing hard hats. The web-based software uses machine learning and image recognition techniques to analyse frames extracted from an uploaded video ■ www.amcbridge.com

Procore meets AWS

Construction management software provider Procore is working with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to bring ‘digital twins’ to the construction sector. AWS IoT TwinMaker will enable Procore data to be integrated from design and construction into operations ■ www.procore.com

Lenovo expands portfolio of AMD-based workstations

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enovo has launched three new workstations powered by AMD Ryzen Pro processors: the mobile ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and ThinkPad P15v Gen 3, and the desktop ThinkStation P358. It takes the total number of AMD-based Lenovo workstations to five and makes the global IT firm stand out further from the competition (HP, Dell and Fujitsu) where workstation portfolios continue to be dominated by Intel.

The ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 is billed as Lenovo’s most mobile workstation and is built around a thin and light 14-inch chassis. It is powered by AMD Ryzen Pro 6000 H-series processors (up to 8 cores and up to 4.7GHz), which also come with integrated AMD RDNA 2 graphics and AMD Radeon Pro graphics drivers. This contrasts with most other mobile workstations which have discrete GPUs with their own power and cooling requirements. As the Thermal Design Power (TDP) of the top-end AMD Ryzen Pro 6000 processors only goes up to 45W, we expect the ThinkPad P14s will benefit from reduced energy consumption in some workflows.

With integrated graphics, up to 32GB of 6,400MHz LPDDR5 memory and up to 2TB of PCIe Gen4 NVMe storage, the ThinkPad P14s looks best suited to mainstream users of CAD and BIM software. It starts at 1.28kg.

The ThinkPad P14s follows on from the ThinkPad P14s (Intel edition) and ThinkPad P16s (AMD and Intel editions), which launched earlier this year. The AMD edition of the ThinkPad P16s offers the same feature functionality as the ThinkPad P14s, but in a 16-inch chassis which starts at 1.68kg.

The ThinkPad P15v Gen 3 features the same choice of AMD Ryzen Pro 6000 H-series processors, but comes with higher performance graphics. The discrete Nvidia RTX A2000 GPU should make the 15.6inch laptop suitable for entry-level viz workflows as well as CAD and BIM. It also has more storage and memory than the ThinkPad P14s (64 GB DDR5 4800MHz memory and 4TB M.2 PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD) and starts at 2.26kg.

The ThinkStation P358 is Lenovo’s first desktop workstation to feature the AMD Ryzen Pro desktop processor with up to 12 cores and up to 4.7 GHz. It complements Lenovo’s other AMD-based desktop workstation, the ThinkStation P620, which features AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro CPUs with up to 64 cores and 4.5GHz.

With the ThinkStation P620 best suited to more demanding multi-threaded workflows, this leaves the ThinkStation P358 to handle workflows where frequency is the priority, such as CAD, BIM. It will rival 12th Gen Intel Corebased workstations, such as the ThinkStation P360.

In terms of pro graphics, Lenovo has seemingly limited options to the lowprofile Nvidia RTX A2000. Perhaps this is to differentiate it from the Intel-based ThinkStation P360, which supports up to the Nvidia RTX A5000 in what appears to be the same tower chassis as the P358.

Other features of the ThinkStation P358 include up to 128 GB DDR4 of memory.

Arloid using AI to optimise HVAC performance

rloid Automation is using AI to

Ahelp reduce energy

consumption in buildings. The company’s technology optimises the performance of existing building management and HVAC systems by learning what is required for optimum comfort and efficiency.

Arloid builds a ‘Digital Twin’ that takes into account construction materials, occupancy rates, pollution levels, past, present and predicted weather data, and thermal zones.

Once the digital model is complete the AI can begin to learn. Arloid.ai gathers live data on the correct responses to an array of changing conditions and occupancy levels. It runs 300,000 iterations to calibrate the model and learn about the building’s thermal behaviour. Optimum settings can then be found for each microzone to reduce energy, coolant and carbon emissions. According to Arloid, savings of up to 30% can be seen in just 60 days.

Arloid’s service has no upfront costs. A fee is agreed from the resultant savings and, if there are no savings, there is no fee.

■ www.arloid.com/technology

BIMcollab Zoom takes control of data

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he latest release of BIMcollab Zoom, the BIM validation tool, now allows users to re-organise and structure BIM data from different sources, so they don’t have to rely on authors changing their own models.

‘Smart Properties’ allows users to create their own properties and classifications based on existing object attributes, or map values from different properties to a single new, user-defined property.

■ www.bimcollab.com

lice Technologies, whose construction optioneering platform uses AI to help contractors plan, bid and build infrastructure and commercial projects, has announced two major partnerships.

Takenaka Corporation, one of the five largest general contractors in Japan, and Bouygues Travaux Publics, one of the largest companies in the civil works

Major contractors adopt AI optioneering sector, will use Alice’s platform on several A major projects around the world. Alice first worked with Takenaka on One Bangkok, a major multi-use project in Thailand. With the Alice platform Takenaka generated more than 300 ways to build one of the project’s large mixeduser towers as it explored solutions that would reduce risk and drive efficiency. ■ www.alicetechnologies.com

Embodied Carbon Calculator

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urner & Townsend has developed a bespoke carbon accounting tool which is designed to enable clients to evaluate the carbon footprint of projects from an early design stage, covering cradle to practical completion of the product and construction process.

With its ‘Embodied Carbon Calculator’ Turner & Townsend is also calling for a fundamental re-evaluation of the role of the cost manager allowing them to benchmark, model and track carbon values for materials across the full cycle of a construction process.

The proprietary software fully integrates with the global consultancy’s existing benchmarking and cost planning applications, incorporating the management of carbon as a currency seamlessly with its capital equivalent. Both currencies are managed in parallel via the same custom application.

■ www.turnerandtownsend.com

BIM SyncShare integrates with Autodesk

C

loud-based distributed document management system BIM SyncShare has a new integration with Autodesk Construction Cloud.

BIM SyncShare enables project stakeholders to create shared working folders to deliver files between internal servers and multiple external cloud hosting solutions such as Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive.

Now, project teams can import construction files from Autodesk Docs, Autodesk Build, or BIM 360 directly into BIM SyncShare.

Drone surveys help cut costs on Midlands section of HS2

B

alfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) has rolled out Esri’s Site Scan for ArcGIS drone flight management and image processing software, to support its drone deployment strategy on its Midlands section of HS2.

Various 2D and 3D outputs are being generated for sharing with multiple stakeholders, including high-definition imagery and 3D terrain models.

Faster and more efficient drone surveys are already saving around £20,000 a year on monthly construction progress surveys on a single site, instead of using physical surveys and the subsequent updating of CAD models. BBV estimates this could save around £1.6m if the same workflow was applied across 80 sites in the first year.

Another benefit has been the removal of 800 ‘working at risk’ days and a cost saving of £30,000 per year from monitoring aggregate stockpiles, using a single drone operator to carry out 3D volumetric measurements in 20 minutes.

Previously, contractors would take a full day to physically measure stockpiles and calculate transport requirements, often working in steep and difficult environments.

Other applications of the software include helping to show compliance with design tolerances in built structures against BIM and CAD models, speeding-up design cycles, particularly in earthworks and excavations design and monitoring the installation of utilities.

Site Scan for ArcGIS is Esri’s cloudbased drone flight management and image processing software, offering flight planning, hardware management, scalable image processing and unlimited data storage, plus ‘seamless integration’ with BBV’s Esri enterprise GIS system.

■ www.capturingreality.com/introducing-realityscan

he latest release of Gamma AR now makes it easier and faster to overlay BIM models on the construction site using Augmented Reality

With the new ‘pin’ feature, BIM models can snap to physical corners and edges of walls and columns on site automatically. According to the developers, identifying

Gamma AR snaps to increase accuracy the precise corner and having T an exact alignment allows users to more accurately overlay their models, in order to check the progress of projects and identify issues with pinpoint clarity. When using an iPad / iPhone Pro with the LiDAR scanner a vertical snapping detects the corner even if it is hidden. ■ www.gamma-ar.com

iTwin powers building energy platform S

martViz, a digital twin platform designed to help building managers optimise energy efficiency and space usage, is now integrated with the Bentley iTwin platform.

The SmartViz platform provides real-time access to data and insights about how a building is used. Data can be integrated from diverse systems and sensors into a 3D visual environment.

As well as identifying where energy is being wasted, it allows predictive modelling so building owners or managers can see how different scenarios, such as weather conditions or occupancy rates, would impact energy usage, providing more control over costs.

Now powered by iTwin, SmartViz offers users a ‘comprehensive’ digital twin that records, monitors, tracks, instantly alerts and optimises asset performance.

■ www.smart-viz.com

Akular unveils new digital twin app A

kular Twin is a new lightweight app built on the Bentley iTwin platform, that enables users to upload a BIM model during construction or have a BIM model created from the layout of an existing building.

The software is designed to enable a wide range of professionals from construction workers to facility managers to compare updated versions of the same model, detect clashes, or create and track issues. All this can be done in a real-world overlay through Augmented Reality or simply pinch/zooming in 3D on a phone or tablet.