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Updates for 3D CAD, collaboration tools
By Deborah Snoonian, P.E.

Lamina aids the design and production of complex 3D forms made from planar materials like metal and wood.

Lamina 1.0
Lamina Design
www.laminadesign.com
Windows only

This new software package enables the fabrication of large-scale, free-form structures from planar materials like plywood, plastic, and metal. Useful for a wide range of architectural applications, including interior finishes, lighting and product design, and custom signage, Lamina works by taking a 3D model file and “breaking up” the structure into machinable 2D parts that are fabricated using laser cutting, waterjet cutting, or plasma cutting, depending on the material used and the size of the desired end product. The software automatically accounts for material properties like thickness and flexibility, and subsequently adjusts joining angles and joint types automatically during the cutting process. The preferred 3D file formats that Lamina can accept are OBJ and 3DS-formatted files, but it can also use STL files, which are common in digital fabrication.

Graphisoft’s revised interface for ArchiCAD 9 lets users customize tools and see more of their designs on-screen.

ArchiCAD 9
Graphisoft
www.graphisoft.com
Windows and Mac

The biggest revision in the latest version of Graphisoft’s flagship CAD software is a simplified interface that users can customize with tools of their choosing. A redesigned layout for palettes gives users up to 50 percent more room on-screen to see their designs (rather than software tools). AutoCAD DWG files can be dragged and dropped directly into ArchiCAD for changes and modifications. Re-engineering the product has also improved its speed; the company says that tasks like automatic section generation occurs up to 10 times faster than in previous versions. Productivity-boosting features include enhanced text formatting and the ability for multiple users to share the same customized work environment to make it easier for clients to adhere to companywide layering conventions and drafting standards. Graphisoft has also incorporated the LightWorks rendering engine into the product, which improves its presentation capabilities and its support of output using the popular PDF format.

Revit’s latest upgrade offers enhancements to its parametric components.

Revit 7
Autodesk
www.autodesk.com
Windows only

Autodesk has followed an aggressive upgrade schedule for Revit (this release is the second major update in the past year). New features include the “building maker” design environment that lets users map conceptual models to components such as doors and curtain walls; parametric components that are alterable, so that repeating elements within a design, such as an office, can be changed quickly throughout a model; and improved tools for drawing tasks, including change-tracking legends.

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