Vectorworks Adds 3D Printing Plugin From 3YOURMIND

How would you like to take that 3D widget you designed in Vectorworks and bring it into the real world? Now you can with the help of 3YOURMIND and their plugin that they have created for Vectorworks 2016. Of course, you need a 3D printer to go along with it.

More from the Press Release:

After concluding a second financing round in which Dr. Hans J. Langer, founder and CEO of EOS GmbH positioned himself as the new lead investor of the company in December 2015, Berlin-based 3YOURMIND GmbH continues to develop new 3D printing plugins for CAD programs. The latest addition: Vectorworks 2016, a line of 2D and 3D software developed by Vectorworks, Inc. that helps designers to communicate effectively and bring their visions to life while keeping building information modeling (BIM) at the heart of the design process.

With this new plugin, Vectorworks 2016 users can check, analyze and repair their 3D file to optimize it for 3D printing. With one click on the 3D printing extension inside Vectorworks, the file is uploaded to the 3YOURMIND comparison tool, where it can be scaled and previewed in different 3D printing materials available. Finally, users can instantly compare prices for their 3D model and order it online.

“We’re thrilled to have teamed up with 3YOURMIND to offer this free plugin to our user community,” said Jim Wilson, user experience manager at Vectorworks. “Now, users are just one click away from uploading their 3D files via this plugin to services that cater to all their 3D printing needs, where a wide range of materials are available to choose from and where secure file transfer with SSL is guaranteed.”

Learn more about 3YOURMIND’s plugin for Vectorworks software here and explore Vectorworks’ partner products here. The new plugin can be easily installed at either site.

About 3YOURMIND

3YOURMIND offers intelligent 3D printing solutions for industry and architecture. Their comparison tool on 3yourmind.com presents a convenient way of ordering a 3D printed model of a prototype online. Users can upload their 3D file, which is automatically repaired to achieve a better 3D print result. Afterwards, the user can compare prices of various 3D printing services, and choose from different materials. 3YOURMIND gathers DAX-30 groups and 3D printing suppliers as their clients and partners.

Cloud Based Drafting with Drafty

Are you looking for a less expensive CAD program to draft your shows in? It comes up a number of times all over the twitter and facebook worlds.  “What is a cheap or free draft program?”.

In steps a cloud based drafting “program”, Drafty, (www.drafty-app.com).  Drafty is a streamlined CAD program, developed by Lumax Software LLC., built from the ground up to meet the unique needs of Lighting, Sound, and Video designers for live entertainment. Drafty ships with a library of hundreds of scale-accurate lighting, sound, video, and scenic symbols.

Currently, Drafty is in beta.  Meaning, till the official launch, Drafty is free to use! All you need to do is have a Google ID to login and start using the free online resource to create full fledged plots.

Why use an online drafting program?  To start, the price seems pretty reasonable. As computers and browser technology becomes increasingly powerful, so do the possibilities for browser-based applications.  For their first version, Lumax wanted to make the best tool in the shortest time with the most rapid turn-around of features and fixes.  That being said, they would love to create desktop and mobile versions for all platforms where there is demand.

Looking over the getting started PDF, Drafty seems straight forward.  It gives a lighting designer powerful tools while leaving out the unwanted or unneeded tools found in desktop versions of CAD programs.  All of the tools and features are designed with a lighting professional in mind.  The goal, to create plots and paperwork quickly and easily.  As we all know, time is money!

Drafty is designed and created by Lucas Krech and Mark Maxham. Lucas is a Lighting and Video designer with nearly 20 years of CAD drafting experience and design work that has been seen everywhere from the basement of an art gallery to internationally acclaimed Opera houses. Mark is a software engineer with over 20 years experience and more than a dozen software patents to his name.

Learn more and start using Drafty by visiting www.drafty-app.com.

Nemetschek Releases Vectorworks 2012

Wow, I am just a bit behind.  PLASA took a whole lot out of me! Almost two weeks later and I am still recovering!  While over in London, Nemetschek announced their latest version of Vectorworks, version 2012.  Side note, I love the version numbering as of late guys!

Version 2012 brings updates to their entire line of titles, Vectorworks Designer, Architect, Landmark, Spotlight, Fundamentals and Renderworks. The enhancements found in the Vectorworks 2012 products will save designers time and increase their productivity. The software’s interface allows users to easily conceptualize their designs, while innovative, flexible tools let them document their plans and easily collaborate with best-in-class open BIM workflows.

Here is a quick run down of some of the new features found in 2012.

• Enhanced 3D modeling: The software now examines the model under the cursor and sets the working plane automatically, removing the general need for users to manually set working planes.
• Improved Building Information Modeling (BIM) capabilities: The new stories feature allows design layers to be dynamically and vertically referenced to named story elevations. Story-aware objects like walls, columns, slabs and stairs can span across stories and update with story elevation changes.
• Integration of building and site: Vectorworks 2012 software marries building and site design and is the first package to combine a complete BIM modeler with extensive Geographic Information System (GIS) capabilities (available in the Vectorworks Architect, Landmark and Designer applications).
• Best integrated renderer: Improvements to the Renderworks rendering application include the introduction of Renderworks Styles, which can be re-used and shared among team members. In addition, users will enjoy significantly improved OpenGL shadows and better solar animations with the new Heliodon object.
• More than 100 performance and usability improvements: This release addresses user requests such as a new 2D X-ray fills mode, faster viewport navigation, new custom color options for backgrounds, faster access to frequently used settings, coincident selection, streamlined polyline arc editing, offset improvements, improved wheel zooming and others. This version also offers designers the ability to generate hidden lines between intersecting geometry and, in the Design Series products, to modify objects by record value.
• New features in the Vectorworks Landmark and Spotlight applications: This version of the Vectorworks Landmark program includes improved stake objects with better visual representation and data information on the drawing, better control over hardscape creation, a new option to convert between boundary and path configurations and the ability to specify different pattern sizes for grid and running pavers. The Vectorworks 2012 Spotlight application features a more intuitive way to focus instruments, as well as a new soft goods object that enables the creation of curtain, border and pipe-and-drape assemblies.

To learn more about Vectorworks 2012, visit Nemetschek’s website at www.vectorworks.net.

AutoCAD WS App Now on Android Market

AutoCAD released their mobile version of it’s CAD software, AutoCAD WS on the Android Market Place today! Here is more about the app for Android.

AutoCAD WS is a mobile CAD application that gives you the freedom and flexibility to view, edit, and share your DWG files on your Android phone or tablet. AutoCAD WS mobile app offers a simplified, intuitive set of viewing, editing, and markup tools so you can work on your designs while you are on the go. Open drawings from email attachments, sync your files from the web, or upload drawings directly from AutoCAD software. Drawings can also be saved locally so you can work in the field without an Internet connection. Experience the freedom of taking your designs with you—wherever you go.

*Requires a multi-touch device running Android 2.1 or above. Recommended devices include: 1GHz processor, 512MB RAM.

AutoCAD WS for the Android platform is a FREE download from the Android Market Place. Learn more about AutoCAD WS by visiting www.autocadws.com. Yes Apple users, there is a FREE iOS version of the app!

Thanks @DavidrWhitney for the tip!

DraftSight: A Free CAD Software for Your DWG Files

A college buddy sent me a note about DraftSight, a CAD software title for both the Mac and PC.  I have not downloaded or even touched the software as there are a number of things on my plate right now.  But the title on the DraftSight webpage struck me…

DraftSight: Free CAD Software * for Your DWG Files

Here is more from the website:

DraftSight is a professional-grade, open 2D CAD product for users who want a better way to create, edit and view DWG files. DraftSight is easy to use and is available for professional CAD users, students and educators to download and activate for free.*

Based on an advanced architecture, DraftSight has a small footprint, should take a few minutes to download, and supports Microsoft® Windows XP®, Windows Vista®, Windows® 7 and the Mac®. (Linux® coming soon).

*Standalone license. Activation required.

Head over to www.3d3.com to learn more and to try the software out. Thanks David!

Benghiat Lighting Releases Savvy Symbol Key Plug-in for Vectorworks

Check it out all you Vectorheads, Joshua Benghiat has release another plug-in tool for Vectorworks called Savvy Symbol Key.  No, by using the Savvy Symbol Key you don’t automatically gain coolness points or extra savvyness, but you will work smarter.

The Savvy Symbol Key plug-in object quickly creates an accurate, customizable key to instrumentation.  The setup dialog shows the symbols in use in your Spotlight drawing so you never have to worry about an incomplete key.  You can select and order your symbols as well as set several text, border, spacing and alignment attributes.  With the click of a check box you can show wattages, weights, lamp types and counts.  Counting can be subtotaled to count bodies vs lenses.  Symbols which have the same Instrument Type are counted together, allowing for alternate versions of a single type.  Multi circuit devices are counted properly.

The Savvy Symbol Key Plug-in is available for both Vectorworks 12 and Vectorworks 2011.  To learn more about the Savvy Symbol Key Plug-in or to download a demo version, head over to www.benghiatlighting.com.  If you try, and like it, buy it.  The standard version goes for $19.99 USD.  The student version runs half that at $9.99 USD.  If you are an educator, contact Joshua directly.

Vectorworks Releases Service Pack 2 for 2011

Fire up Vectorworks 2011 and check for software updates.  Nemetschek recently released an update to the software with Service Pack 2.  This update is for all version and flavors of your Vectorworks product.

The Service Pack 2 includes all kinds of things.  There are a number of fixes having to deal with areas of walls, planar objects, exporting PDF files and just general software stability.

Updating the software is pretty easy, just check for software update right in the software and Vectorworks will walk you through the process.  Service Pack 2 weighs in at 163 mb so depending on your network connection, prepare to download, update and get back up and running.

Learn more about Vectorworks by visiting www.nemetschek.net.

PanzerCAD Releases CameraMatch 2011 for Vectorworks 2011

If you do a LOT of 3D rendering, you need to take a look at CameraMatch plug-in for Vectorworks 2011. Looking over the gallery images and info page on PanzerCAD’s website, I was blown away!

Here is more information on the plug-in from the official press release:

The CameraMatch 2011 plug-in allows a user to easily align a 3D model view to a photograph. With this plug-in, a user can also superimpose the rendered model into the photograph, saving time by eliminating the need to spend hours creating models of a project’s surroundings.

“We’re really excited about CameraMatch 2011,” says Matt Panzer, owner of PanzerCAD. “A lot of work went into this version, and it shows. Creating a composite rendering in an existing photo is even more accurate than before, and the new ‘image editing’ abilities can give you great finished renderings without even leaving Vectorworks.”

Some of the new features in CameraMatch 2011 include:

Completely Rewritten View Calculation Procedure
This “under the hood” improvement makes calculated views more accurate and allows for more difficult situations.

Mask Object’s New Clone Mode
The feature allows a Mask object to shift the photo image it displays, which lets a Mask object behave similar to the Clone tool in many image-editing applications.

New Shadow Object
The new Shadow object allows shadows and shading to be placed over the rendered image, eliminating the need to export to an image editor for adding simple shadows.

Other New Features
CameraMatch’s more efficient use of image resources greatly reduces file sizes. Mask and Shadow objects automatically clip any parts of themselves extending past the viewport’s crop.

The CameraMatch 2011 plug-in can be purchased from www.panzercad.com for US$100. For CameraMatch 2010 users, the upgrade fee is US$40. CameraMatch 2011 is free for students and teachers using the 2011 educational version of the Vectorworks software.

CameraMatch is currently available in English, and German and Italian versions are planned for later this year.

AutoCAD WS for the iPhone and iPad

First AutoCAD announces that they will be releasing a Mac version of their CAD program and now on the iPhone and iPad?! Is the Kindle up next?  Just Kidding!

AutoCAD® WS mobile app enables you to view and work with AutoCAD drawings directly on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. Using the touch and gesture interface of your iPad or iPhone you can accurately view, annotate, and revise drawings on the spot. Change the way you work in the field or on the road by reducing the need to carry around over-sized paper drawings.

View

• Open DWG drawings uploaded to your free* AutoCAD WS online workspace
• See all aspects of your DWG file, including external references, layers, and image underlays
• Use Multi-Touch zoom and pan to more easily navigate very large drawings

Edit

• Tap objects to select, then move, rotate, and scale
• Draw or edit shapes with accuracy using Snap and Ortho modes
• Add and edit text annotations directly on your device; no need for paper mark-ups
• Validate distance measurements in the drawing while you are onsite at the actual location
• Save your edits to your AutoCAD WS online workspace, so your drawings stay up to date

Share

• Share designs with others directly from your device
• Work with other people on the same DWG file simultaneously
• View edits to drawings in real time: AutoCAD WS immediately captures changes made by you and others in your online workspace.

The best part about this entire app, IT’S FREE!  All you have to do is sign up for a FREE account through AutoCAD and bam, a pocket CAD app.  Fire up your app store and download the AutoCAD WS App.

[nggallery id=64]

Sunday YouTube Videos

This weeks Sunday YouTube Video is actual hosted on Vimeo.  YouTube doesn’t like us uploading more then a ten minute video.  Nuts to that!  Seems like this week has been focused on Vectorworks 2011 and rightfully so.  There are some huge new features included into 2011 and thus makes the announcement and release big news.  Late this past week I put up a listing of some of the new features of Spotlight.  Vectorworks went a step further and created an introduction/tutorial video about the new features of Spotlight.

Are you excited about Vectorworks 2011 yet?  If so, head over to www.vectorworks.net/2011 and download a 30 trial version of the software as well as learn more and get some more in depth training videos.

Vectorworks 2011: What’s New In Spotlight

Earlier this week, Nemetschek announced the release of Vectorworks 2011 with all kinds of new features for each design element of the software package.  As lighting professionals, we mainly deal with Spotlight and there have been some huge new features added to help us accomplish our designs. Here is a listing of all the great new features available to us in Vectorworks Spotlight 2011.

Make 3D as Easy as 2D

Vectorworks software is now, more than ever, a true 3D modeling environment. 2D planar objects can be created and edited within a planar context, where they display with all their attributes. You can work in Top/Plan view as usual, or switch to a 3D view and continue working in the same way, with the same tools and operations!

Best in Class Render Engine

Renderworks 2011 is faster, easier, and more powerful than any of our previous versions. Now based on the robust CINEMA 4D render engine, the results are breathtaking and easier to achieve. Our new engine is fully integrated into Vectorworks, so it works seamlessly to allow you to visualize your work throughout the design process, producing clear and accurate renderings. With the click of a button, rendered viewports will update as your design evolves.

Easy-to-use Spotlight Tools

With the Vectorworks Spotlight 2011 version, you’ll see changes that will help you design lighting, scenery, sets, corporate events, theatrical productions, or exhibits with minimum time and maximum ease. New features like better focus point support make visualizing your models more intuitive. New seating layout options give you more options when designing events and shows. And new LightwrightTM enhancements make sharing information very simple. With Vectorworks Spotlight 2011 software, your designs will be stronger and smarter than ever.

Exceptional Text Capabilities

The Vectorworks 2011 version is packed with new and improved text capabilities. Text styles, perfect preview of text while editing, improved text fills, and easier access to check spelling are just some of the new options that make creating text even better.

Top 11 features in Vectorworks Spotlight 2011

1.    Improved 3D Environment

The 3D environment is much more intuitive in the Vectorworks 2011 software. Working in 3D is similar to the ease of 2D, for a truly unified and simplified experience. You can:

• Draft any shape, on any plane, in any view, using the tools you already know how to use
• Edit planar objects from any view using familiar 2D operations • Dimension objects in any plane
• Display graphic attributes of planar objects in any view
• Working in 3D has never been easier.

2.    Push/Pull Tool

The tool’s name tells you how it works—just “push” and “pull.” The Push/Pull tool can edit solid faces and planar objects just like it would in the real world, so you get dynamically interactive feedback and instant results as you work.

3.    Extract Planar Objects

Now the Extract tool can create instant planar objects from a 3D surface in the Extract Surface mode, so you can simulate the appearance of a hatched 3D object.

4.    Design Layer Section Viewport

Create section viewports directly on design layers so you can create elevation views right on the design layer. These section viewports can be referenced into other files for enhanced team workflows.

5.    Better Focus Point Support for Lighting Instruments

Now you can focus light exactly where you need it most. Lighting instruments and everything associated with them—their light source, accessories, associated 3D geometry, and beam—now always point toward your desired focus point, both when there are actual focus point objects or virtual representations displayed in design layer viewports. No other software package can boast the ability to properly represent a lighting design with non- horizontal lighting positions in Top/Plan view and then render the model in 3D.

6.    Lightwright Data Exchange Improvements

The automatic data exchange with Lightwright can now:

• Place new lights created in Lightwright between existing lights on a lighting position
• Allow Lightwright to set the selection state of lighting devices when updating

7.    Automatic Position Sensing Preferences

Gain even more control over lighting device placement by disabling the automatic positioning option and specifying a custom pick radius.

8.    “Perfect Preview” Text Editing

We’re taking the guesswork out of your work. With perfect text preview, text appears the same when editing as it does on the drawing, saving you time and effort. Rotated text can be edited in place, or un-rotated if needed.

9.    Text Styles

Use text styles to quickly and easily apply and maintain a consistent look to all text throughout a file, including text in sheet borders, dimensions, and callouts. Text styles are resources that can be shared among files to facilitate compliance with office standards.

10.    New Scalable Symbols

Now you can adjust the scale of a symbol right from the Object Info palette, without having to create a new symbol for each size that you need. When you import symbols, you won’t get a new symbol for each size, simplifying your files. That’s not all—symbols can now be page-based or world-based when created, so if you have an annotation symbol, it will always display at the size you want.

11.    New Renderworks with CINEMA 4D Render Engine

Introducing the award-winning CINEMA 4D, the exciting and powerful new 64-bit render engine in the Renderworks 2011 version. Together, they provide dramatic speed and quality gains, with a robust integrated rendering option that’s right inside your Vectorworks application. You’ll be blown away by simpler, more intelligent controls, and render speeds that are five to seven times faster for indirect lighting rendering!

There are many other areas of improvement including simplified file exchange features, and a number of significant usability improvements. Please check out www.vectorworks2011.net for full details of Vectorworks 2011.

Nemetschek Releases Vectorworks 2011 TODAY!

Nemetschek Vectorworks, Inc. is pleased to announce the availability of the 2011 version of its award-winning Vectorworks® line of design software, including: Vectorworks Designer, Architect, Landmark, Spotlight, Fundamentals and Renderworks™.

The 2011 version of Vectorworks software delivers several major improvements, including:

· 2D/3D integration. Vectorworks software has now, more than ever, a true 3D modeling environment. 2D planar objects can be created and edited within a planar context, where they display with all their attributes. Users can work in Top/Plan view as usual, or switch to a 3D view and continue working in the same way, with the same tools and operations.

· Improved Building Information Modeling (BIM) capabilities. The Vectorworks Architect program is even easier to use, and its state-of-the-art capabilities, new tools and features help get the job done faster and better, while communicating and exchanging files with colleagues and partners. It offers a greatly improved space object, along with new 3D wall components, and a new slab tool to enable architects to more accurately model and associate building components.

· Best-in-class rendering. Renderworks 2011 is faster, easier, and more powerful than any previous version. Now based on the robust CINEMA 4D render engine, the results are breathtaking and easier to achieve. The new engine is fully integrated into Vectorworks software, so users can seamlessly visualize their work throughout the design process, producing clear and accurate renderings. With the click of a button, rendered viewports will update as the design evolves.

Vectorworks 2011 also includes more than 70 improvements in usability and addresses some long-time wishes, such as the addition of “perfect preview” text editing, new tile fills, improved access to resource libraries and smaller file sizes.

With the launch of Vectorworks 2011, Nemetschek Vectorworks will expand its subscription option, Vectorworks Service Select, to customers in the U.S. and United Kingdom. This option is also currently available in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, where it was begun as a pilot program last year.

For a look at all of the new features by product, as well as feature movies, please visit www.vectorworks.net/2011. To learn more about Vectorworks Service Select, visit http://serviceselect.vectorworks.net.