Autodesk University 2019 just finished up last week and in addition to their big announcement of the creation of the Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC), they also announced a bevy of updates for the four platforms on the ACC: PlanGrid, BIM 360, Assemble, and BuildingConnected.
Read moreThe Ultimate Construction Holiday Gift Guide 2019
Another year is about ready to wrap up as the holiday season is upon us. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but it can be stressful for those in your life that are hard to buy for, especially those in the construction trades. Our goal is to make that process easier for you or your loved one with our top picks for gifts every year!
For more gift ideas, be sure to check out our Ultimate Construction Holiday Gift Guides from 2015, 2016, and 2017, 2018 or our past Father's Day Gift Guides from 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.
Read moreSTACK Helps Streamline Your Project Docs and Takeoffs with Cloud-Based Software
For general contractors and subcontractors looking to keep their cash flow moving, the preconstruction process is a key step to winning and growing their business. The manual processes that many still employ today can be inefficient and segmented within various silos - making true collaboration between all project stakeholders difficult. STACK Construction Technologies provides cloud-based software that aligns teams throughout this critical planning phase and eliminates the traditionally fragmented and error prone process that contractors often endure.
Read moreHoloBuilder Teams Up with Boston Dynamics’ Robot Dog for Autonomous Photo Documentation
In September, Boston Dynamics announced that their creepy robot dog, Spot, would finally be available for purchase and that one of its core applications would be for construction. We had an idea of how Spot could be used on the jobsite, but HoloBuilder is one of the first to market after their announcement made just yesterday.
Read moreAutodesk Announces Autodesk Construction Cloud, Their New Cohesive Construction Platform
Last year, Autodesk went on an acquisition rampage, gobbling up field productivity software company, PlanGrid, for $875 million; preconstruction software company, BuildingConnected, for $275 million; and BIM software company, Assemble, for an undisclosed amount. Up until yesterday, all of those companies remained relatively separate from each other.
At Autodesk University 2019 (AU 2019), Jim Lynch, vice president and general manager of Autodesk Construction Solutions, announced a new cohesive platform that will bring all of their acquired software -- as well as some key internal software -- together under one platform: Autodesk Construction Cloud.
PlanGrid, BuildingConnected, Assemble, and BIM360 will now live under the roof of the Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC). Combined with Autodesk’s clear stranglehold on design software, the ACC will connect construction teams through all phases of the project life cycle, from design, to planning, to building, and operation.
“With Autodesk Construction Cloud, we’re introducing a new era of connected construction and offering unrivaled integration between headquarters, office and field teams. We’ve never been more dedicated nor clearer in our mission to empower designers, contractors and owners to meet the world’s rapidly expanding construction needs, while helping to make building more predictable, safe and sustainable,” explained Jim Lynch, in a press release.
In addition to the ACC, Autodesk also announced 50 new product enhancements at AU 2019. I plan to do a more in-depth look at all of those enhancements, but the highlights include electronic quantity takeoffs inside BuildingConnected, the ability for field teams to now take video within the PlanGrid app, and Design Risk Management, which identifies possible sources for RFIs and change orders originating in the design stage.
Although Autodesk has been working diligently for the past year in creating integrations and product enhancements for all of their construction software offerings after the acquisitions, the announcement of the ACC feels like just the beginning of their concerted effort to make a huge impact on the construction industry.
More to come on this and other news from Autodesk University 2019, but in the meantime, you can check out the Autodesk’s announcement video of the ACC below:
eBacon Keeps Your Construction Business in Payroll Compliance
If there’s one thing that I know about contractors, it’s that they love to navigate governmental regulations and fill out the required paperwork. That’s obviously sarcasm, but, in reality, payroll compliance can be extremely difficult to manage, especially when workers bounce between roles and your company’s jobsites can span across multiple cities and states.
Read moreRiskcast Provides Simple Solution to Get Data from the Field to the Construction Office
There is a lot of data that is gathered by foremen throughout the length of a construction project. These jobsite leaders are on-site every day and can be responsible for many reporting tasks, including daily reports, time sheets collection, toolbox talks, among others. For a lot of companies, all that data gathered comes in many different forms, making it extremely difficult and time consuming to gain any real value from it.
Read moreAutomate Your Accounts Payable System with TimberScan
Contractors are set up to build and that’s what the vast majority enjoy doing. Building with high quality and efficiency is important for long term success of your company, but perhaps just as important, but enjoyed much less than building, is tracking and managing the accounts payable process.
Read moreSmartvid.io Uses Artificial Intelligence to Predict Safety Risks on the Jobsite
The construction industry is just waking to the realization that with the adoption of mobile devices, BIM and other new technologies, the amount of data being generated by projects has grown exponentially. This data comes in a variety of sources from images to schedules to models and more - most of which is locked inside the system in which it was created. Artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging way to bring additional value from this data and allow for better decision making on projects.
Read moreIntroducing SketchPad, a Bluetooth Keypad for SketchUp Shortcuts
courtesy of Steve Moore
SketchUp is an extremely accessible and generally considered an easy-to-use 3D modeling program. It’s become a very popular tool for woodworkers, designers, and construction professionals, especially when 2D drawings don’t paint a detailed enough picture.
SketchPad for SketchUp is a sleekly designed Bluetooth keypad containing 34 of the most commonly used functions of the tool.
Read more
In the midst of fierce discourse over the bipartisan infrastructure bill lies a unique opportunity for the United States.