AECbytes Blog

This is a review of the book, “BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors” by Chuck Eastman, Paul Teicholz, Rafael Sacks, and Kathleen Liston, published by Wiley in March 2008. The review presents an overview of the book, and explores how well it meets its intended goals of providing an in-depth understanding of BIM technologies, the business and organizational issues associated with its implementation, and the advantages that effective use of BIM can provide to all members of a project team.

URL: http://www.aecbytes.com/review/2008/BIMHandbook.html

This review explores the many impressive capabilities of the new version of Acrobat that are relevant to AEC, including the ability to combine multiple file formats in a single PDF portfolio, enhanced review capabilities with the ability to synchronize document views, ability to embed and play video within PDF, improvements in batch processing of AutoCAD files, and IFC import capabilities that provide support for BIM workflows.

URL: http://www.aecbytes.com/review/2008/Acrobat9ProExtended.html

This review takes a detailed look at the capabilities of DProfiler, a new “macro” BIM software targeted towards the planning and conceptual design phase to get an accurate cost estimate of a proposed design, and explores how it compares with more common BIM applications such as Revit, Bentley, and ArchiCAD.

URL: http://www.aecbytes.com/review/2008/DProfiler.html

This review explores the improvements in the latest release of Autodesk’s BIM application for architectural design, including the new mental ray rendering engine, expanded library of predefined materials, new navigation tools, color fills in sections, macros that users can write to access the Revit API, and many others.

URL: http://www.aecbytes.com/review/2008/RevitArch2009.html

This review looks at the many enhancements in the new release of AutoCAD Architecture, the AutoCAD-based design and documentation software for architects, including the updated user interface, sophisticated navigation modes, streamlined workflows, and significant AEC object improvements related to walls, spaces, and multiline attributes.

URL: http://www.aecbytes.com/review/2008/AutoCADArch2009.html

This review explores the architecture-specific module of the new version of Allplan, Nemetschek’s flagship object-oriented CAD application, that has now been enhanced and rebranded for BIM.

URL: http://www.aecbytes.com/review/2008/AllplanBIMArch.html

Tekla Structures is a BIM application for structural engineering that also includes comprehensive tools for detailers, fabricators, manufacturers, and constructors. This review takes a detailed look at the manifold capabilities of the application including structural modeling, linking to analysis tools, drawing production, detailing, and internal and external collaboration.

URL: http://www.aecbytes.com/review/2007/TeklaStructures.html

This review explores the latest version of Autodesk’s integrated BIM solution for structural design and documentation built on the Revit platform, which features several modeling improvements including curved beams, a dedicated truss element, slab modification tools, the ability to cut holes in beams and columns and add stiffeners, and rebar improvements for concrete construction.

URL: http://www.aecbytes.com/review/2007/RevitStructure2008.html

This review takes a detailed look at Newforma Project Center, a project information management and collaboration application targeted towards architecture and engineering firms, which organizes project information, facilitates information exchange, and streamlines project processes.

URL: http://www.aecbytes.com/review/2007/NewformaProjectCenter.html

This review explores the new version of Adobe’s Acrobat 3D application, which had been launched last year to extend the visualization, publishing, and collaboration capabilities of the ubiquitous Adobe PDF format from 2D documents and drawings to 3D models.

URL: http://www.aecbytes.com/review/2007/Acrobat3Dv8.html