Category: BLOG

Creative projects don’t always begin with ideal conditions. Sometimes they start with a tight deadline, a small room, and a simple question: What can I make with the tools I already have? That was the starting point for SWITCH, a short animation created by Masahiro Yoshida, technical sales for Flow Studio at Autodesk Japan. Designed for an exhibition at a Japanese anime creators’ event, the film was produced in just three days using Autodesk Flow Studio, alongside 3ds Max and Arnold. Working Under Tight Timelines Rather than assembling a large team or complex setup, Masahiro chose a deliberately minimal approach. He filmed himself performing the action in his own room, using standard live-action footage instead of traditional motion-capture equipment. The goal wasn’t to recreate a full studio pipeline. It was to see how far an AI-assisted workflow could go when time and resources were limited. Those constraints shaped the project in practical ways, but also creatively. The confined space, the single performer, and the short schedule all became part of the experiment. Refining the Scene in 3ds Max After exporting the animation from Flow Studio as USD, Masahiro imported the scene into 3ds Max to prepare it for rendering. He notes that the bones can appear large after import, which is easy to manage by scaling them using the Bone tools. Small end bones can also be hidden in the viewport to keep the scene readable. The surrounding environment was modeled directly in 3ds Max. Objects like books were duplicated using an Array modifier with randomized scale and rotation, while elements such as windows were created using Boolean operations so they could be easily adjusted later in the modifier stack. Stylized Rendering with Arnold For the final look of SWITCH, Masahiro used Arnold with a toon rendering workflow. To begin, he changed the render filter to Contour in the Arnold render settings. This step is required to enable toon rendering. The toon shader was then applied by connecting it to Map to Material or a similar material setup. Once connected, Arnold is ready to render outlines and toon-style shading. With toon rendering active, Masahiro focused next on shaping the edges and line work. He lowered the Angle Threshold to increase the number of detected edges, then adjusted Edge Width to control overall line thickness. While fine-tuning these settings, he recommends adding color to the outlines or slightly darkening the base color texture and using it as the edge color, making the results easier to evaluate. Overall line thickness is set using Edge Width in the render filter settings, while Edge Width Scale in the toon shader allows for more precise adjustments. To add visual variation, Masahiro connected noise or gradient nodes to Edge Width Scale, creating subtle changes in line thickness across the model. Once the outlines were established, attention shifted to shadows. Masahiro adjusted shadows by connecting a Ramp shader to the toon shader’s Base Tonemap. To achieve a look closer to Japanese anime, he set the ramp’s colorinterpolation to Constant, creating clear, step-like transitions between light and shadow instead of smooth gradients. For additional stylistic expression, dot or cross-hatch nodes can be connected to the Ramp shader, allowing shadows to appear as dots or cross-hatching, similar totechniques used in manga illustration. A Workflow Built for Experimentation What SWITCH demonstrates isn’t just speed, but flexibility. By reducing the technical overhead typically associated with animation and motion capture, Flow Studio made it possible to move quickly from idea to execution. For Masahiro, this meant spending less time troubleshooting setup and more time experimenting with storytelling, timing, and visual style. Making Space for More Creators Projects like SWITCH show how AI-powered tools are opening doors for a wider range of creators. Indie artists, students, and small teams can explore animation workflows that once felt out of reach, now with far fewer obstacles in the way. With Flow Studio, attention shifts away from setup and technical overhead and toward creative choices — making it easier to try ideas, iterate quickly, and learn by doing. That spirit of experimentation extends beyond a single project. Join the Creator Community to see what others are making, share ideas, learn, and get inspired from fellow creators pushing their work in new directions. Sometimes, a short deadline isn’t a limitation. It’s an invitation to try something new — and with Autodesk Flow Studio, you can start experimenting with your own footage today.   Article From: www.autodesk.com

The building of the new Faculty of Health Sciences at the Public University of Navarra (UPNA) consists of four floors, each measuring 2,800 m² (30,139 ft²), constructed using cross-laminated timber (CLT) slabs made of spruce (Picea Abies) with a thickness of 180 mm (7 in) and the C24 strength class, supported by a truss structure of glued-laminated timber beams and columns, also made of spruce, with the GL24h and GL28c strength classes. The entire timber structure rests on a reinforced concrete structure that forms the ground floor and basement of the building. The Faculty combines teaching, research, and healthcare, which brings significant benefits for students, teachers, healthcare staff, and patients. It is located on the grounds of the University Hospital of Navarra, next to the Faculty of Health Sciences building, where degrees in Medicine and Nursing and several postgraduate courses in the field of healthcare are taught. The use of structural timber has been a key element in this positive-energy building, which will generate at least the same amount of energy on site as it consumes for heating, cooling, ventilation, and lighting. Initially, a box system was proposed for the timber floor elements, but in the end, a solid CLT (cross-laminated timber) slab solution was chosen. Design and Structural Analysis The entire timber structure was calculated using RFEM 6 and the Timber Design and Multilayer Surfaces add-ons for the standard-compliant design. In addition to the required design checks, a local and global stability analysis was performed to ensure structural stability against buckling. This project has been included as one of the 10 top mass timber projects in 2025 by the supplier of renewable products, Stora Enso. Articel from: www.dlubal.com

The Air Arabia Hangar is a large-span steel truss structure which posed significant challenges due to the need for pin connections with non-standard parameters and steel joints with as many as 13 members. ''IDEA StatiCa enabled us to fulfill consultant's requirements for high complexity details and pin connections, which was needed for the project to progress.''- Dr. Seham Ahmed El Saeed, Product Technical Senior Manager ,Kirby Building Systems United Arab Emirates The challenge The project required a pinned connection for the base detail to form a perfect hinge. The connection is formed by a central steel rod (the pin) with its axis perpendicular to the applied loads and several plates with circular holes through which the pin is inserted.Designing such complex details required a finite analysis supported by standard code equations. The consultant has restricted the connection design by requiring the use of a connection software that is able to define all the parameters and tolerance for pin holes after fabrication. “IDEA Statica software enabled us to do this,” states Dr. Seham.Moreover, the project required verifying a node where 13 members converged into a single joint at irregular angles. Apart from many complex connections, solving 150+ similar connections and transferring data among teams would take a lot of time if only standard tools were used.Fortunately, thanks to their experience and professionalism, Kirby's team found solutions for all of the project's challenges. About the Project The Air Arabia Hangar is a large-span steel truss structure designed for aircraft maintenance operations at Sharjah International Airport. The hangar’s external dimensions are 136 m wide × 57 m deep, with a minimum clear span of 129.5 m and a crane hook height of 15 m. It accommodates three overhead cranes (6T capacity), mezzanines, skylights, fall arrest systems, and specialized hangar doors. Protection of steel was ensured using shop primer compatible with intumescent fireproofing. Kirby’s scope included the design and supply of the steel structure, preparation of design drawings and calculations, consultant approval, shop and fabrication drawings, fabrication and supply of pre-engineered sections, and provision of erection methodology. Solving a pinned base connection – a challenge to the job’s progress The consultant required a pinned base connection detail that was rarely used in practice. The challenge escalated when they required a connection software that could perform this type of detail. ''Thanks to IDEA StatiCa, we could perform this type of design. Also, after fabrication stage, IDEA StatiCa was a great tool to verify the impact of tolerances on those types of connections.'' - Dr. Seham Ahmed El Saeed Fortunately, Kirby’s team prepared for this situation. Using IDEA StatiCa’s component-based finite element method (CBFEM), they designed the pinned base connection with the actual fabricated conditions. The software evaluated the stress distribution and interaction under realistic loading, demonstrating that the connection remained safe and within acceptable performance limits. The validated outputs, supported by third-party verification, gave the consultant confidence to approve the connection. How 13-member joints stopped being a challenge One of the most demanding tasks in the hangar project was verifying a node where 13 members converged into a single joint at irregular angles. This was exceptionally challenging because it required consideration of axial, shear, and bending interactions simultaneously in a highly unsymmetrical 3D geometry. Manually rebuilding the geometry and calculating stress interactions branch by branch would have been excessively time-consuming and prone to error. ''At one critical joint, 13 members converged into a single node, many with different angles. Each truss had different loads and requirements. Using IDEA StatiCa we were able to design it in a matter of hours''. - Dr. Seham Ahmed El Saeed Kirby’s team did stand up to the challenge and managed to overcome it with flying colours. Using BIM Links through IDEA StatiCa’s app Checkbot, Kirby integrated IDEA StatiCa directly with STAAD.Pro. The joint topology, cross-sections, inclinations, and multi-plane rotations, along with all the load cases, were automatically extracted and transferred into IDEA StatiCa. This eliminated the need for manual reconstruction and provided an immediate, validated starting point. “It was very important that we could export the data from STAAD.pro directly to IDEA StatiCa Checkbot, which significantly reduced the risk of error,” states Dr. Seham. Instead of envelope load cases, the team analysed directly corresponding load effects, resulting in a more economical design. IDEA StatiCa captured the full stress interactions across the node and verified the connection with comprehensive code-based checks, completing in hours what would have otherwise required extensive engineering effort. ''In general, transferring the data including the loads accurately normally takes 3 days. With IDEA StatiCa, it takes 5 minutes.'' - Dr. Seham Ahmed El Saeed Saving 20% of repetitive work with each of +150 similar connections Slight geometric variations across the hangar meant that many nodes were similar but not identical. Engineers would have to re-model and re-check each connection separately, which would be repetitive, time-consuming, and risking inconsistency. Kirby found a way to trim the process considerably so that they could focus on the challenging work where their skill matters the most. They used the Propose & Publish functionality, modelling a connection once in IDEA StatiCa and publishing it to their internal template library, to be reused wherever a similar node occurs.By simply proposing the saved template into the new location, they avoided starting from scratch. This significantly reduced engineering time and ensured uniform quality across all grid lines. ''We created our own templates, which saved us roughly 20% per each of the 150 geometrically similar connections.'' - Dr. Seham Ahmed El Saeed Cutting down the time to share connection designs with the detailing team Conventionally, engineers would prepare detailed sketches for each connection and send them to the detailing team, leading to long cycles of back-and-forth validation and a high risk of misinterpretation when moving designs into Tekla.As usual, Kirby’s engineers found a way to solve this issue: they shared direct IDEA StatiCa Viewer links with their detailing team. This allowed detailers to open the connection models online, inspect every plate, weld, and bolt, and then directly model the details in Tekla. This eliminated the need for sketch preparation, reduced review loops, and streamlined communication between engineering and detailing teams. ''Before IDEA StatiCa, designers would prepare 2D sketches for approval before passing them to our detailing team. Now we receive the 3D model directly, visualize every plate, bolt, and weld, and even open multiple connection files at once. It saved us hours of cross-referencing drawings and made collaboration with design and fabrication teams much smoother.'' - Shahul Hameed Abdul, Drafting Team Leader – Kirby Building Systems

An IDEA StatiCa product engineer shares valuable experience with the innovative features and capabilities of IDEA StatiCa Checkbot. Like most structural engineers, I live in a world full of steel connections. Some are elegant, some are frustrating, and many—let’s be honest—are simply standard ? You have probably thought at some point: “There must be a better way to deal with all these repetitive connections!”It turns out—there is. Recently, a young colleague of mine was working on a specific project where he had to check dozens of nearly identical beam-to-column connections. The usual approach—exporting a few typical joints, checking them in IDEA StatiCa, and calling it done—started to feel increasingly risky. What happens when the load combination acting on a “standard” connection exceeds its design resistance? At the same time, I was thoroughly testing the latest internal version of the IDEA StatiCa Checkbot application, whose new features were focused on bulk workflows. One spring afternoon, it clicked: this was exactly the tool needed for repetitive connection design. I could apply the same design templates to entire groups of identical connections, run multiple calculations in parallel, filter the most critical load cases, and generate a complete set of checks in a single PDF file—all with far less manual work. Elapsed time: 0 minutes — real steel warehouse project modeled in SAP2000 What are bulk workflows? Simply put, BIM-connected bulk workflows allow you to import and process a large number of connections at once. No more tedious, one-by-one configuration. You can transfer dozens—or even hundreds—of connections directly from your FEA model (e.g., ETABS, Robot, STAAD.Pro, etc.) into Checkbot and process them in a single, unified workflow. The key word here is automation. You prepare groups and design templates in advance, and Checkbot takes care of the heavy lifting. This is a massive time saver, especially for standard, repetitive connections spread throughout the model. The process looks like this: Import hundreds of connections from the structural model Automatically assign them to predefined design templates Run checks for all connections in one unified process Export a single comprehensive report for all connections This workflow is particularly powerful for projects with repetitive structures—warehouses, industrial buildings, parking garages, towers, and more. You still get accurate code-compliant checks and full IDEA StatiCa analysis, without drowning in manual input chaos. Elapsed time: 2 minutes — project imported into Checkbot, connections automatically grouped Multi-management tools – a hidden gem So what do these Checkbot multi-management tools actually do in practice? They allow you to manage, organize, and assign templates to groups of connections simultaneously. Have 25 base plates with identical parameters? One template is enough.Design assumptions change and you need to update the group? Select the group and hit Recalculate. Here’s what Checkbot enables: Grouping connections by type, geometry, or internal forces Designing only one “reference” connection, with the rest automatically inheriting the design Running calculations and code checks for an entire group in one step Synchronizing geometry or load changes and recalculating groups Generating a full PDF report, exporting IFC models, and sharing connections online via hyperlinks Elapsed time: 9 minutes — 24 roof connections and 6 column anchorage connections designed, calculated, and checked Think of it as Excel for connection models. Filters, selections, and bulk actions make everything easier. Instead of opening each connection individually, assigning templates, running checks, and processing results one by one, you simply select the entire group and do everything at once. The productivity gain is enormous. Want even faster results? Calculate load extremes One of the biggest pain points in connection design is dealing with all load combinations. A global analysis may include over 100 combinations, each producing different internal forces. In reality, however, only one or two combinations are critical for a given connection. This is where the Calculate load extremes filter significantly reduces calculation time. It identifies the governing load case or combination for each connection—whether it’s the maximum axial force in a brace or the largest bending moment in a beam. Everything is selected automatically and safely for the entire group. Let’s do the math together:A group of 16 connections with 10 load combinations means 160 calculations—about three minutes.With load extremes, only 38 combinations are calculated, taking less than one minute. Now imagine that across an entire project with countless combinations… Elapsed time: 14 minutes — two groups of 16 roof connections checked faster using Calculate load extremes More importantly, this allows you to confidently say: “Yes, I checked every connection—including the worst-case scenarios.”That is far more reassuring compared to manually selecting a few joints for a typical connection type that seem to represent “extreme” combinations—something we often see in Excel spreadsheets. Real-world example – bulk design of 64 connections from SAP2000 Let me show you how I applied bulk workflows on a test—but very real—project: an industrial steel structure modeled in SAP2000 (any other global FEA model could be used as well). The warehouse project had exactly 64 connections and approximately 10 ULS load combinations, and from the very beginning, I knew that checking each one manually would not be efficient. Here’s how I solved it: I imported the entire SAP2000 model into IDEA StatiCa Checkbot. All 64 connections were transferred together with global analysis results and eccentricities, and automatically sorted into 10 groups based on their geometry. The integration worked seamlessly—there was no need to manually recreate geometry or connections. Essentially, it took one click, and the job was done within seconds. For the larger, repetitive groups, I assigned design templates to the reference connections of each group. I used either predefined connection templates from the connection library—for example, for column anchorage—or single operations such as cuts and bolt grids for gusset plates. There is a real sense of satisfaction when analysis and code checks for half of your project start simultaneously just minutes after you begin working. For smaller, non-standard groups, I handled the setup individually—but still within Checkbot. I was able to reuse parts of templates, make manual adjustments, reuse single operations, and keep everything organized in one place. This approach allowed me to process the remaining, more complex connections, such as gusset plates welded to stiffened plates for wind bracing, or rigid frame corners with bolted gussets on top. After completing the calculations, I used Checkbot to generate a single PDF report that included all 64 connections. Even better, I exported an IFC file containing models of all connections, which I could send directly to the CAD detailer. They were able to load the entire set directly into their detailing environment without any rework. In the end, all 64 connections were checked, documented, and ready for delivery—without opening 64 separate projects. Standard connections were almost fully automated, while non-standard ones became much easier to manage thanks to organized grouping. All of this was done in a single tool: IDEA StatiCa Checkbot. Forget about organizing Excel files and the painful process of manually re-entering everything. https://youtu.be/HrVHDc2z2IM You can also download my project here and review it, or use your own latest structural model from any FEA software for testing! SAP2000 test project (version 2.0) Checkbot test project (version 0.1) Final thoughts If you are still checking connections one by one, I completely understand—we all started that way. But if you are buried under dozens or even hundreds of repetitive steel connections, IDEA StatiCa workflows are absolutely worth trying. And most importantly, with Checkbot, it finally becomes… fun! Elapsed time: 52 minutes — all connections designed and code-checked, ready for the final click!

Structured and standardized data and information management is critical to delivering today’s complex Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) projects. As teams manage growing volumes of project information, digital tools play an increasingly important role in helping organizations work more consistently and efficiently. With this in mind, we’re pleased to share that Autodesk Construction Cloud is now BSI Kitemark certified for compliance with the ISO 19650 Framework — a milestone that reinforces Autodesk’s continued work supporting standards-based collaboration across the industry. This achievement reflects Autodesk’s long-term commitment to building tools that support consistent information management practices and help organizations strengthen their approach to complying with industry standards. What is the BSI Kitemark Certification and Why Does It Matter? The BSI Kitemark Certification is a globally recognized certification for information management issued by the British Standards Institution (BSI). It verifies that Autodesk Construction Cloud supports the workflows and functionality required by ISO 19650, the international standard for managing information across the lifecycle of built assets. As part of a two-stage audit, BSI evaluated Autodesk Docs, Autodesk Build, and Autodesk Construction Cloud's Model Coordination against the software-enabled requirements of: ISO 19650-1:2018 ISO 19650-2:2018 ISO 19650-5:2020 ISO 19650-6:2025 For our customers, this means Autodesk Construction Cloud offers: Alignment with ISO 19650 standards, based on BSI’s independent evaluation of core information management capabilities. Tools that help teams configure project environments in ways that align with their information management practices and requirements. A consistent and organized environment for managing project data, with Autodesk Docs supporting structured workflows across the lifecycle of a project. These capabilities can be especially beneficial for organizations working in regions or markets where ISO 19650 compliance is mandated. Autodesk Docs: Built for Structured Data and Information Management As the backbone of Autodesk Construction Cloud, Autodesk Docs is purpose-built to help teams manage project information with clarity and control. It serves as the common data environment that connects data and workflows across Autodesk Construction Cloud throughout the entire project lifecycle—making it a central area of focus during the BSI audit. Autodesk Docs supports versioning, status codes, revision identifiers, and permissioning that aligns with BSI’s interpretation of ISO 19650. It treats both files and folders as information containers and helps teams avoid duplication by intelligently managing metadata and naming conventions. These capabilities were key components of BSI’s assessment and reflect how Autodesk Docs supports structured information management practices across projects. Structured and standardized data and information management is critical to delivering today’s complex Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) projects. As teams manage growing volumes of project information, digital tools play an increasingly important role in helping organizations work more consistently and efficiently. With this in mind, we’re pleased to share that Autodesk Construction Cloud is now BSI Kitemark certified for compliance with the ISO 19650 Framework — a milestone that reinforces Autodesk’s continued work supporting standards-based collaboration across the industry. This achievement reflects Autodesk’s long-term commitment to building tools that support consistent information management practices and help organizations strengthen their approach to complying with industry standards. What is the BSI Kitemark Certification and Why Does It Matter? The BSI Kitemark Certification is a globally recognized certification for information management issued by the British Standards Institution (BSI). It verifies that Autodesk Construction Cloud supports the workflows and functionality required by ISO 19650, the international standard for managing information across the lifecycle of built assets. As part of a two-stage audit, BSI evaluated Autodesk Docs, Autodesk Build, and Autodesk Construction Cloud's Model Coordination against the software-enabled requirements of: ISO 19650-1:2018 ISO 19650-2:2018 ISO 19650-5:2020 ISO 19650-6:2025 For our customers, this means Autodesk Construction Cloud offers: Alignment with ISO 19650 standards, based on BSI’s independent evaluation of core information management capabilities. Tools that help teams configure project environments in ways that align with their information management practices and requirements. A consistent and organized environment for managing project data, with Autodesk Docs supporting structured workflows across the lifecycle of a project. These capabilities can be especially beneficial for organizations working in regions or markets where ISO 19650 compliance is mandated. Autodesk Docs: Built for Structured Data and Information Management As the backbone of Autodesk Construction Cloud, Autodesk Docs is purpose-built to help teams manage project information with clarity and control. It serves as the common data environment that connects data and workflows across Autodesk Construction Cloud throughout the entire project lifecycle—making it a central area of focus during the BSI audit. Autodesk Docs supports versioning, status codes, revision identifiers, and permissioning that aligns with BSI’s interpretation of ISO 19650. It treats both files and folders as information containers and helps teams avoid duplication by intelligently managing metadata and naming conventions. These capabilities were key components of BSI’s assessment and reflect how Autodesk Docs supports structured information management practices across projects. Additional Capabilities Evaluated Through the BSI Audit While Autodesk Docs served as the foundation of the audit, BSI also evaluated how Autodesk Construction Cloud supports a broader set of workflows referenced within the ISO 19650 framework. As part of this review, BSI looked at how Autodesk Construction Cloud supports model coordination and clash detection activities, how design and construction information moves through structured reviews, and how project safety information is documented and managed across teams. The audit also considered platform-supporting elements, including Autodesk’s customer support processes and the cloud-security practices associated with Autodesk Construction Cloud's cloud-based environment. Together, these areas formed the wider context of how Autodesk Construction Cloud aligns with additional components of the ISO 19650 framework. Configuring Your Environment for ISO 19650 While BSI Kitemark certification requirements recognize that Autodesk Construction Cloud provides the capabilities needed to support ISO 19650-aligned workflows, each organization determines how these capabilities are implemented and governed within its project environments. Key steps typically include: Aligning with your Exchange Information Requirements (EIR)/Asset Information Requirements (AIR) Defining folder structures and permissions Setting up naming conventions and metadata fields Establishing governance processes Training teams and maintaining consistent project practices These decisions shape how information flows across a project and how teams work together throughout the project lifecycle. Autodesk Construction Cloud supports your ISO 19650 journey, whether refining existing workflows or establishing new ones. What This Certification Means Moving Forward In short, the achievement of BSI Kitemark certification means Autodesk gives you confidence that your projects are built on globally recognized standards for information management. It’s assurance that your teams can work in a structured, consistent way, reduce risk, and meet compliance requirements where they matter most. Whether you’re aiming for smoother collaboration, stronger governance, or a competitive edge in markets that mandate ISO 19650, this certification helps you get there with clarity and trust. And we’re not stopping here; Autodesk will continue to evolve its products to meet your needs and support the future of digital collaboration.

The football stadium in Mazatlán, with a capacity for 25,000 spectators, is home to the local team that plays in Mexico's First Liga. The stadium is partially built into a basin and consists of a large grandstand organized on one level on the south side and two levels on the north, east, and west sides. From the outside, the stands are surrounded by a curved membrane facade, the upper part of which forms a canopy of varying dimensions along the perimeter, partially covering the grandstand. The main structure of the grandstand consists of prefabricated reinforced concrete elements assembled on site with special reinforcement details, connecting them to the concrete poured on site. The prefabricated columns are joined to on-site footings, which support various beams using short brackets, forming the frame structure covered with prefabricated prestressed T-beams. The exterior metal structure consists of a series of curved trusses of varying heights, distributed along the entire perimeter of the stadium, and connected to the various levels of the grandstand, where they transfer their loads. These trusses of varying heights are connected by an upper perimeter ring and intermediate elements that support the enveloping membrane. Engineer Alberto Cervantes Lugo from JCR Estructural was responsible for ensuring the structural safety of this project in accordance with current Mexican regulations. To do this, he created a spatial model in RFEM of the entire reinforced concrete frame structure and metal trusses, applied the loads to them, and carried out the corresponding strength, stability, and serviceability design checks in the add-on modules. Article From: www.dlubal.com

What does it take for a small animation studio to become a leader in the development and production of premium character-driven animation for feature film and TV? For Triggerfish, Africa’s largest and most awarded animation studio, the answer lies in empowering animators and embracing new technologies that let artists be artists. From automated animation pipelines to cutting-edge simulation software and interoperable file formats, Triggerfish prioritises tools that free its animators to craft characters and stories beloved around the world. The Scarecrows’ Wedding, image courtesy of Triggerfish and Magic Light Pictures Director of Production Mike Buckland and CG Supervisor and Layout Supervisor Chris Cunnington both came up through the animator ranks, so they know firsthand how important systems and tools are to facilitating creative storytelling. Buckland studied graphic design in his native Zimbabwe and started his career working in advertising. After seeing Toy Story, he became excited about 3D animation and began an internship at a small animation studio in Harare. “We did a lot of work and a lot of variety, so I learned everything from dealing with clients to editing to compositing,” he says. “I’ve always had a passion for designing characters and making cartoons, so I started making short films.” Buckland moved to South Africa to focus on films and joined Triggerfish in 2007 to help transform the studio’s focus from stop-frame animation to CG animation. Cunnington also began his career in advertising, specifically in the signage industry. “I started a small company with my father, creating vinyl signage, he says. “We bought ourselves one of those vinyl-cutting machines, saw a gap in the industry, and expanded out from there.” Sign creation evolved into graphic design and website work. Wanting to take his skills to the next step, Cunnington sold the company to a friend and used the proceeds to pay tuition in a 3D animation program. After earning his diploma, Cunnington worked for a gaming company before segueing into animation, joining Triggerfish in 2009 to lead the stereography department on a movie project. It was around this time that Triggerfish began to take off on the global stage. “When Chris joined us in 2009, we’d just gotten funding for our first feature film, Adventures in Zambezia,” Buckland says. “Then we did another feature film called Khumba. Both got international distribution and release, which was really exciting and gratifying.” Over the years, Triggerfish has grown into Africa’s leading animation studio, winning Emmys, Annies, and other international awards, and creating work for such prestigious clients and partners as Disney, the BBC, Netflix, Lucasfilm, Magic Light Pictures, Hasbro, eOne, Ubisoft, Cake, Nickelodeon, Warner Brothers Animation, Sesame Workshop, and Sony Pictures Animation. A pipeline that lets artists be artists When Triggerfish set out to make feature films, the projects quickly became too complex to manage with just a few spreadsheets. At first, Buckland says, the team created a homegrown solution. “We wrote our own production-management software, mostly around keeping track of tasks and the status of various departments. We used that for two or three projects, and it was great, but it was self-managed and became too much of a burden to maintain.” They shifted the pipeline to Autodesk Flow Production Tracking, and quickly came to rely on it for task management, review management, and more typical artist-related work. About five years ago, during a period of downtime between major projects, Triggerfish undertook a massive overhaul of its animation pipeline. “Our pipeline at the time was kind of manual, a bit more human-managed, with a lot more internal messaging linking things in,” Cunnington says. Opting to start from scratch, the team built a new pipeline around the guiding principle of “let artists be artists.” “The goal was to not have artists worrying about the technicalities of file storage and scene content,” Cunnington says. “We built a user-friendly interface that allows artists to focus on their work. For example, if they are working on an asset for look dev, they can do their work, and when they publish, the system takes over and places it in the correct location, whilst layering and merging other assets as required.” For the new system to properly manage files, the team needed to standardise deliverables, creating, what Cunnington calls, “freedom within a framework.” He explains, “Artists have the freedom to be creative, but deliverables need to be structured within a more regimented framework. We have a validation tool that checks all assets and kicks back files with issues to be fixed before handing off to the next department.” “We also do a lot of behind-the-scenes processing with mayapy, the Maya Python interpreter. An artist might publish something, and that asset is reprocessed multiple times in the background without their knowledge.” It’s all managed in Flow Production Tracking, which gives the team a comprehensive database for tracking and managing assets of every type. “Not only do we create our main characters and main sets and publish those review turntables up onto Flow Production Tracking for review, but we then assign that same character to a shot as a sub asset,” Cunnington says. “We use that to track all the related assets that are supposed to be built into a shot for lighting and rendering.” “When an artist says, ‘I want to work on shot 1010,’ Flow Production Tracking presents them with all the relevant assets—characters, environments, props—and then they can tick those boxes and import the assets for the shot.” Working with this structured and automated pipeline for the past few years has reduced downstream problems and kept assets moving more smoothly, enabling the studio to streamline its departmental structure even as it has created its most ambitious projects to date. Create, render, simulate—filling an animator’s toolbox Triggerfish uses Autodesk Maya for modeling, rigging, and animation, as well as layout for previz and camera work, and set assembly. Buckland explains that Maya was the logical choice given the company’s size, the scale of its work, and the prevalence of Maya skills among the animators joining the team. Tiddler set dressing done with Bifrost in Maya, image courtesy of Triggerfish and Magic Light Pictures Similarly, the studio has used Autodesk Arnold rendering for years. “When Arnold came out, we immediately adopted it,” Buckland says. “It was just much easier to work with. We got better results, quicker renders, and better-looking lighting.” “It’s basically the best third-party render engine available,” Cunnington adds. “The others don’t get near the speed and quality that Arnold has.” For future projects, the team is exploring the use of GPU rendering with Arnold. “We’re still in the testing stage, but we’ve been excited by the leaps and bounds that the GPU rendering side of Arnold has been taking.” “We don’t want an artist sitting around waiting for their own machine to kick out a turntable when it’s not necessary.” The team has taken advantage of the Autodesk Media & Entertainment Collection to bundle multiple Arnold seats with each Maya license. “It’s mainly about making sure that we have sufficient render nodes available,” Buckland says. “Again, it’s about letting artists be artists.” Intricate environments made easy with procedural capabilities Maya’s procedural content creation tool, Bifrost, has also proven useful on recent projects. Cunnington began using Bifrost several years ago during work on Tiddler, the Magic Light Pictures film about a fish, which required scatter systems for parts of the underwater environment. “I poked around with a different tool for a couple of weeks and could not make it do the things I needed to do,” Cunnington says. “I started asking, what are the other options? The one that came up very quickly and that answered a lot of my questions was Bifrost.” He found that Bifrost was compatible with the production’s pipeline and allowed him to create multiple instances of files. “Bifrost checked all the boxes, one of the big ones being creating multiple vertex maps color sets on a single input mesh. It just gave me that power that I didn’t have in the other tool and solved all the problems that we were foreseeing, ” Cunnington adds. “On The Scarecrows’ Wedding, our most recent work for Magic Light Pictures, it’s being used for actual prop work: for creating tree canopies, bales of hay, along with scattering massive fields of wheat and grass.” “When it comes to complex asset creation, Bifrost has become one of our go-to tools, revolutionizing how we approach some of the most intricate environments.” “Take, for example, the creation of five unique trees, each with a custom-designed canopy. By leveraging Bifrost’s power, we were able to instance every single twig and place apples on those twigs with precision, all while maintaining complete control over the canopy shape. This flexibility was key in achieving exactly what the directors envisioned.” Bifrost, Maya’s 3D procedural content creation tool, is used for intricate environment work like creating tree canopies, bales of hay, along with scattering massive fields of wheat and grass. One of the standout challenges in the film required a vast wheat field, which needed to appear both in its fully grown and harvested states. Here, Bifrost’s procedural capabilities really shone. Instead of painstakingly painting new vertex maps or manually placing each row, they could effortlessly control the placement of the wheat. The rows were arranged as if sewn by a tractor, and during live reviews, they had the power to dial in the number of rows on the fly. From the grass scatters that blanket the ground to the hay bales and even every tiny pebble, Bifrost played a huge role in ensuring that every shot of the film felt organic. “Bifrost gave our artists the freedom to focus on the art while it handled the heavy lifting, making it an indispensable part of our pipeline. In every frame, Bifrost played a role behind the scenes, creating the world our story inhabits.” says Cunnington. Bifrost also made it easy for Cunnington to create scatters that can be shared with animators and readily managed within Triggerfish’s pipeline. “Bifrost is able to output an OpenUSD file of the proxy geometry of scatters that animators can import into their environment in a lightweight form. From a pipeline perspective, we can move the Bifrost graph into an object that we can parent into our assets for easy publishing.” Three years on, Bifrost is an important tool for the studio’s current projects. “It’s slowly creeping more and more into the pipeline,” Cunnington says. “Where it was just used for dressing on the previous project, it’s now being used for actual prop work, for creating bales of hay, for destroying that bale of hay.” Empowering data interchange with OpenUSD One of the most significant factors in Triggerfish’s ability to take on increasingly complex projects while still giving animators freedom to focus on their art is the studio’s embrace of Universal Scene Description (OpenUSD) to ensure data interoperability. “It’s now the de facto standard in the studio,” Cunnington says. “Everything gets exported out as OpenUSD, and we know that any software will be able to read that OpenUSD in.”  “Where do we need assets to come from? It doesn’t matter. As long as it’s output in the correct OpenUSD structure, we can use it anywhere.” But beyond OpenUSD’s usefulness for data interchange, Cunnington appreciates the format for its structure and portability. “OpenUSD’s power comes from its layer and composition arc systems,” he explains. “When you layer two OpenUSD files that have a similar scene, hierarchy, or graph structure, they overlay each other perfectly, and merge into each other.” “The size of the files is actually quite amazing,” he adds. “A binary OpenUSD file is a massive size saving over any other file format. For example, when I initially exported grass scatters for the animation team, it was a 1.6 GB file, which is a bit too heavy to copy over to local computers and have in your viewport. OpenUSD’s native instancing solved that immediately. I instanced the standardized grass tufts, and we then could produce that same file with only 40MB. It loads in the viewport nearly instantly, the animators are happy, and there’s no like lag time for them.” As Triggerfish continues to expand and scale, the team will continue to explore new tools that can help power their uniquely flexible, artist-focused animation pipeline. For Buckland and Cunnington, the priority will always be freeing animators from technical hassles so they can focus on doing what they do best: creating characters and stories that resonate on the global stage.   Article From: www.autodesk.com

By utilizing Tekla software, Advenser Engineering was able to revolutionize its approach to a major school replacement project, thanks to its superior 3D modeling and efficient workflows. Tekla's advanced features were crucial in improving communication, streamlining coordination, and accelerating the construction process. Advenser Engineering is a renowned CAD & BIM service provider in the global AEC industry, backed by 16 years of experience. Their expertise lies in meeting the specific needs of architects, builders, fabricators, engineers, and contractors. Since its inception in 2007, the company has consistently adapted to technological advancements to maintain its competitiveness. Through continuous improvement, they enhance their capabilities and widen their range of services. They assure that the key to their success lies in their commitment to developing, reinventing, and aligning  knowledge with the changing demands of the AEC sector. “We chose Tekla software to manage the whole process from the commencement to delivery of this project so that we could support our client on job planning and project management. Tekla enabled us to maintain our quality throughout the detailing process even though we faced several challenges. The needs of the customer may be innumerable, but the solution is one word - Tekla Structures! Today, Advenser acknowledges that investing in Tekla software was one of our most decisive steps that helped open doors of larger General Contractors, Fabricators and Erectors, for us, since Tekla is the software of choice for most of them too.” - Mr. Harikrishnan K, Director, Advenser Engineering Services Pvt. Ltd. Establishing the new 193,000 sq. ft. Fairmont Heights High School Prince George's County Public Schools, the owner, selected Grunley (GC) for the $80 million replacement of the old Fairmont Heights High School. The new 193,000-square-foot high school replaced the existing facility in Hyattsville, Maryland. The design of the new school facility provided improved layouts that maximized the potential for use by different community groups while separating the academic and administrative spaces from the full-size gymnasium, cafeteria, and auditorium. The high school includes new athletic facilities comprising a stadium, soccer field, baseball field, and athletic support amenities. At Advenser, their main objective/responsibility for this project was structural steel detailing. They were responsible for delivering shop drawings, models, GA drawings, reports, and bills of construction materials. Challenges  faced by the construction project team Tight job schedule: The project was to replace the old Fairmont Heights High School with the new 193,000-square-foot high school. Since the school authorities didn’t want to interrupt the school's functioning, the project timeline was further restricted, and the executing team had to deliver the project on a very tight deadline. Design change: The client requested the initial approval drawings, but the unavailability of an accurate connection design hindered the operations during the onset of this project. Other trade coordination: The project comprised many joists, concrete members and RTUs. The project team had to fix joists as per the joist manufacturer’s drawings and had also to add connections for joist supports. Erection of steel members: Early steel members are always “hot” while considering their significance in site erection. Similarly, embed plates, loose lintels, and anchor bolt modeling were tedious tasks for the executing team. Large number of RFIs: Preparation and tracking of RFIs were also a huge challenge for the team Complicated modeling: As per the architectural designs, connections were complicated. The majority of the brace connections were changed to the complex because of wind load calculation. The project team simplified these connections using Tekla’s Custom Components. Further, the team included various miscellaneous modeling like stairs, rails, ladders, etc. Tekla Structures: The best problem solver in detailing The project team faced a significant concern regarding design changes due to the unavailability of accurate connection design. Fortunately, the macro application platform offered by Tekla Structures proved to be useful in modifying the connections after the final design had been achieved. The execution of Joist drawing coordination was made easy by using accurate 3D models, which were created by inserting the PDF as a reference. Additionally, the project team had no trouble modeling RTUs thanks to the helpful visualization provided by the precise 3D models. While some revisions were required, the final deliverables were submitted without any discrepancies. To facilitate coordination, IFC files were also received. The Tekla Structures tool proved to be particularly useful in this stage. Finally, the coordination output files exported from Tekla were well-received by the other trade coordinators involved in the project. With the advanced options provided by Tekla, incorporating close to 250 RFIs and their related responses into the model was a seamless process. Utilizing a 3D model snapshot, the project team could clearly communicate issues with the client, architects, engineers, and manufacturers for improved coordination. The ease with which RFIs were handled allowed for a smoother overall project process. The Tekla interoperability feature proved to be highly beneficial for the project execution team as it facilitated seamless coordination with the client using various tools such as Trimble Connect and Tekla Model Sharing. Additionally, the team could effortlessly export DXF, KSS, and STP files on request from fabrication shops. Utilizing Tekla Structures offered a host of advantages. By utilizing the software, the executing team could expertly coordinate the steel member erection, skillfully placing concrete elements and locating early steel to sidestep any potential issues on the project site. Furthermore, Tekla’s user field options, phasing capabilities, and other tools effectively tackled various miscellaneous items, such as stairs, rails, and ladders, that are notoriously challenging to track on larger projects. Additionally, Tekla Organizer facilitated multiple submissions, streamlining the submission process and ensuring a smooth project timeline. “One of the key factors while considering my responsibilities as a ‘AGM Engineering’ is to boost my team’s overall productivity and ensure the quickest project delivery. And in this, Tekla Structures has been an amazing tool for achieving our goals. While comparing to other software tools that would need hours to complete a task, Tekla Structures consumes only a few minutes - which is indeed an amazing thing! We are extremely satisfied with its features and look forward to continue working & growing with this industry-leading tool.”- Ms. Rekha Murali, AGM Engineering, Advenser Engineering Services Pvt. Ltd.   Article From: www.trimble.com

Located on Viale Mario Bracci in Siena, "Santa Maria alle Scotte" is a prominent Italian hospital. To enhance its efficiency and modernity, the University Hospital of Siena (AOU) initiated a comprehensive redevelopment plan, which includes both aesthetic and functional improvements along with reorganization of the existing facilities.   The redevelopment includes the construction of the Volano building, designed by ATI Project, which plays a central role in preparing the site for future renovations. This building will initially establish core hospital spaces, essential for relocating functions and facilitating a smoother renovation process. It serves as a critical foundation for subsequent modernization efforts, supporting a transformation that aims to enhance the hospital’s capacity and operational efficiency. In terms of construction and design, the Volano building is engineered to eventually evolve into a new structure that accommodates essential hospital functions, allowing the release of space in critical departments and minimizing disruptions. This carefully phased approach ensures continuous, safe operation within the hospital while accommodating upgraded facilities, expanded spaces, and modern technical solutions for a sustainable and adaptable healthcare environment.   Article From: www.dlubal.com

As projects grow in complexity, efficiency and precision become vital. Brazilian company CODEME, together with BIM WORKS Brasil, improved its connection design process using IDEA StatiCa, replacing manual work with an integrated and faster workflow, cutting design time on complex steel details by over 90%. As CODEME’s projects expanded, engineers faced growing pressure to deliver precise designs within shorter timelines. Working closely with BIM WORKS Brasil, the team often tackled complex steel and concrete structures requiring reliable verification of forces and details. To keep up with increasing demands, they needed a way to reduce manual work, improve accuracy, and ensure every project stayed on schedule. Traditional spreadsheets had served well for years, but they were no longer enough to meet the complexity and pace of modern engineering. The challenge – accuracy under pressure Each complex steel connection required hours of manual input and force calculations. One connection could take up to six hours to finalize. In addition, integrating results from different design platforms into downstream BIM workflows created extra friction and increased the risk of inconsistency. With more international projects on the horizon, another challenge emerged: the need to communicate results clearly across multiple languages. Engineers had to deliver accurate documentation that clients abroad could easily understand and verify. CODEME’s team realized that improving accuracy, clarity, and speed would require a change in both process and tools. The approach – connecting tools and teams To overcome these challenges, CODEME implemented IDEA StatiCa, integrating it directly into their existing workflow with Autodesk Robot and Tekla Structures. This allowed engineers to import all acting forces at a node directly into the IDEA StatiCa Connection app and perform complete verification of all components in one environment. This interoperability eliminated manual data transfer and simplified verification. Engineers could now model, calculate, and document connections with full accuracy, saving valuable hours and reducing the risk of human error. “Before, our connection design process was tedious and slow. Now it’s accurate and efficient.“ What changed – clarity, confidence, and collaboration The impact was immediate: what once took six hours could now be completed in just a few minutes, saving over 90% of engineering time. Beyond speed, IDEA StatiCa gave CODEME new levels of transparency. Every calculation step was stored and traceable, allowing engineers to review results, validate assumptions, and make better-informed decisions. Multilingual reporting also made a real difference. By generating reports in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, the team bridged communication gaps with international clients and avoided misunderstandings during design approvals. “It helped us communicate more clearly with clients and made technical discussions much easier.” Lessons learned – people and support matter Behind every successful change is great support. CODEME engineers appreciated the fast and knowledgeable technical assistance they received from the IDEA StatiCa support team during implementation. It gave them confidence to adopt the new process without interrupting ongoing projects. “Technical support has always been prompt and knowledgeable. We really value that.” By combining interoperability, automation, and strong communication, CODEME not only improved efficiency but also strengthened collaboration with partners and clients. Their workflow became more predictable, their documentation clearer, and their outcomes safer and more cost-effective. Key takeaways 90% time savings per complex connection Fully traceable workflow for greater confidence Multilingual reports supporting international collaboration Faster delivery and clearer communication across teams CODEME’s experience shows that progress in engineering isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing things smarter, with precision, clarity, and confidence. www.ideastatica.com

When Mason Navarro Pledge was appointed as engineering consultants on the new Stephenson Way student accommodation development, the team turned to Trimble’s multi-material structural design software to provide the streamlined workflows and interoperability required. Stephenson Way is a proposed new student accommodation development in the heart of London, with a focus on elevating student living. Located near Euston Square tube station, the design is a 72-unit, 8-storey building, featuring a single-storey basement and containing 1,500 cubic metres of concrete. As expected, the development faces a congested site footprint, surrounded by existing multi-storey buildings of a similar height. Mason Navarro Pledge, the engineering consultancy firm, was appointed to provide structural and civil engineering services on the project, taking it from Stage Two to Stage Six / Seven of the RIBA Plan of Works (PoW). The busy city-centre location presented the team with two key structural challenges: the first, an existing curved vehicular ramp, which provides access to the rear of one of the existing buildings, and had to be maintained as part of the new development. The second being complex party wall issues, with neighbouring buildings close to the boundary line on three sides (including one flank wall which had to be retained by the new development) and a highway adjacent to the fourth side. Mason Navarro Pledge carried out the structural design works within Trimble’s Tekla Structural Designer software. Speaking about the project, Leo Corney, Structural Engineer, said: “At Mason Navarro Pledge, we’ve been using Tekla Structural Designer for many years. While the software is perhaps predominantly known for its steel capabilities and the interface with Tekla Structures, it is just as valuable for concrete design. “Personally, I’ve used a variety of design and analysis software packages over my career to date and there are certainly a few features within Tekla Structural Designer that offer enhanced value to my work. For example, it’s easy to modify stiffness properties and isolate individual elements for review. Long-term slab Deflection Analysis is another area that the software exceeds at. In current UK concrete construction, flat slabs are most commonly used because of their geometric flexibility and ease of passage for MEP containment. Flat slabs are usually governed by long-term deflection, so this is where a lot of our time as engineers is spent when it comes to concrete construction. Long-term deflection checks are made more time efficient with the software’s Check Line feature, where we can pre-set limits. You can also easily model and assess column positions and beam locations within the one software model, cutting out the middleman. This is especially valuable when you’re at the early stages of a project and trailing various column and grid layouts.” On Stephenson Way, it was the software’s interoperability and streamlined workflow that was perhaps the most beneficial for the team, saving valuable time and resources, as well as aiding coordination between disciplines and software suites. Leo commented: “The architect supplied us with CAD layouts of the floors, which we were able to import as DXFs directly into Tekla Structural Designer and model the structure in line with the architectural and structural design. This allowed us to accurately alter the model geometry without either using a third-party software (such as Revit) to first model the geometry to the architect's layout and importing that model into the analysis software; or painstakingly measuring out all the gridlines by hand and recreating the model from the architect's drawing. “Different structural geometry such as column positions, section sizes and slab depths were also tested within the model, and the geometry exported to Revit using the Tekla Structural Designer BIM Integration tool. From this, structural drawings were produced and sent to the architect. “This seamless and reliable direct data transfer from one software to another is a huge time saver, meaning that we don’t have to duplicate work or manually check for any small changes or problems between different software or model versions. It is a far more efficient workflow.”   Article From: www.trimble.com

1. Drawing Editor – New Program A completely new program designed for creating drawings and outputs from any GEO5 application. Main Features: Transfer images and drawings from any GEO5 program with a single click Add dimensions, descriptions, legends, title blocks, or company logos Import photos and external graphic materials in various formats Work in defined technical scales or fit drawings automatically to the window size Create clear, professional drawings ready for printing or PDF export Benefit: Professional outputs directly within GEO5 – no need for external CAD software, saving time and maintaining a unified appearance of project documentation. 2. Point Cloud – Major Upgrade  The program has been completely redesigned and now functions as an independent, fully featured tool. New functionalities include: Modeling multiple construction stages to monitor project development over time Direct data transfer to and from Stratigraphy using FineClipboard ASCII import (TXT, ASC, etc.) for broader data compatibility Creation of high-quality graphical outputs for printing and documentation Benefit: Better tracking of construction progress, faster data processing, and less need for data conversions. 3. GEO5 – FIN EC Communication (Design of Reinforced Concrete, Steel, and Timber Members) It is now possible to automatically transfer input data and results from GEO5 programs to FIN EC for the design and verification of reinforced concrete, steel, and timber members. This enables the calculation of bearing capacity, cracks, and deformations without manual data entry between geotechnical and structural programs. Benefit: Fast and reliable data exchange – saves time and eliminates potential errors when transferring between structural and geotechnical programs. 4. Sheeting Check, Sheeting Design, Anti-Slide Pile – Effect of Steel Corrosion and Interlock Slip in Sheet Pile Walls The program now allows engineers to consider corrosion rates of steel retaining elements (sheet piles, pipes, I and U sections). For U-type sheet piles, it is also possible to account for the effect of interlock slip on wall stiffness and bearing capacity using coefficients βB and βD. The consideration of corrosion and interlock slip is available for all design standards supported by the program. Benefit: New options for designing retaining walls – enabling more realistic analysis and design of sheet pile and retaining structures. 5. Slope Stability (+ FEM) – Variable Undrained Shear Strength (cu) with Depth It is now possible to define the undrained shear strength (cu) of fine-grained soils as a function of depth. Benefit: More realistic design and assessment of slope stability and geotechnical structures in fine-grained soils. 6. Cantilever Wall – New Custom Wall Shapes Users can now define custom retaining wall shapes, including special geometries commonly used in Belgium and China. 7. Spread Footing and Spread Footing CPT – New Geometry: Three-Step Footing A new geometry type allows defining foundations with up to three height steps. Benefit: More flexible foundation design and optimized material usage. 8. FEM – New Features Calculation of internal forces on a virtual beam along any chosen reference line. New catalogs and types of steel and composite cross-sections. Additional output parameters such as modulus of elasticity, mobilized shear strength, and others. Parallelized result processing – computations are now distributed across multiple CPU cores, reducing calculation time by up to 40%. Benefit: Simplified modeling, faster work with structures, and easier verification of results. 9. Stratigraphy – New Functions New modeling workflow without the need for a “master borehole” – layers and interfaces can now be defined directly. Ability to load source data (background maps, site documentation) in PDF format. Import of geotechnical data in AGS format. Creation of user-defined hatch patterns for different soil and rock types. Soil and rock hatch patterns according to the British Standard BS 5930 – Code of Practice for Site Investigations. Benefit: Faster creation of 3D geological models and easier integration of geotechnical data into the project workflow 10. Pile Group – Mass Selection and Editing Users can now select and edit multiple piles at once in large-scale projects. Benefit: Significant time savings and consistent data management in complex pile group designs. 11. Switching Help Language All GEO5 programs now allow users to switch the language of the contextual help directly within the interface.   Article From: www.finesoftware.eu

The integral executive project for the restoration of the San Francisco Temple in San Miguel de Tucumán aims to assess its structural stability and define strengthening measures. Based on on-site studies and a computational numerical model, soil-foundation stresses, the behavior of vaults and walls, and the distribution of loads are analyzed. Key hypotheses about previous settlements, cracks, and modifications are considered to guarantee an efficient restoration that respects the historical heritage. This restoration project is based on the generation of a computational numerical model that precisely reproduces the geometry and loads of the San Francisco Temple in order to evaluate the soil-foundation contact stresses. Key hypotheses are considered, such as the stability of the settlements, the crack formation, and the preservation of structural integrity. Furthermore, previous modifications are taken into account, such as the removal of the filling material on the vaults, which was intended to reduce the permanent loads. For the structural evaluation, Dlubal Software tools have been used, allowing a detailed analysis of the soil-structure interaction, the distribution of forces in walls and vaults, and the simulation of structural behavior under various load conditions. A precise analysis of the stresses has been generated using these tools, thus facilitating the identification of the areas that require intervention and reinforcement. The structural model developed has been key to the stability analysis of the building and determining the most relevant restoration measures, ensuring that the load distribution in the structure reflects the reality. This approach guarantees that the reinforcement measures respect both the safety and the conservation of the Cultural Heritage of Tucumán, complying with the highest standards of structural analysis and restoration. Article From: www.dlubal.com

Tired of manual data chaos and uncertain complex designs? 25.1's expanded anchoring covers cast-in plates and multi-surface designs. Bulk design and update connections with faster reporting, and retrofit existing concrete with smooth rebars and unbonded tendons. Plus, there's a new ETABS/SAP2000-to-Detail workflow for critical concrete wall checks. Version 25.1 Highlights For too long, structural engineers designing critical elements have been forced to rely on manual data extraction, time-consuming modeling from scratch, or overly conservative estimations. Whether you’re copying global analysis results into Excel for concrete reinforcement calculations, trying to design D-regions using linear methods, struggling with inefficient bulk connection reports, or unable to accurately assess older structures, these manual roadblocks cost you time, reduce reliability, and slow down your projects. Anchoring: New use-cases and unification If you’ve ever needed to analyze multi-surface anchoring or check cast-in plates, IDEA StatiCa 25.1 has expanded the Steel-to-Concrete workflow to cover over 75% of real-world anchoring cases under Eurocode, no more risky workarounds. New anchor types for cast-in-place design (Headed studs, L-shape reinforcement) are fully code-checked to EN 1992-4. Design anchoring, no matter whether cast-in-place or post-installed, check the steel in Connection, and export to Detail to verify sufficient reinforcement and concrete capacity. You can now model multi-surface anchoring, avoid overconservative shear checks, and reflect real base plate setups, Stand-off, Direct, Mortar joint, Gap. All structural calculation data is unified across Connection and Detail for a comprehensive anchoring analysis. Bulk connection design workflow efficiency Calculation reports for big groups of connections used to be a bottleneck. Now, Checkbot cuts a 30-connection report time down to 6 minutes, which is 3 times faster than before. You can also apply members' offsets and eccentricities, align steel surfaces, and apply multiple parametric templates to one joint. The calculation process for groups includes a progress bar and the possibility of canceling the calculation. Buckling checks can be toggled for entire groups, meaning you can calculate them all in one go. The workflow is faster, simpler, and built for big structural models. Your complete ETABS (SAP2000) to DETAIL workflow When you're designing critical concrete walls, all the geometry and forces are already in your global FEA model. But tools like ETABS and SAP2000 use linear methods, which are not suitable for D-regions. That means you might get a green tick when checking your design, but it’s based on assumptions that don’t hold and is, in fact, a risky workaround, not real safety. Now, you can send geometry and design forces straight from ETABS or SAP2000 into IDEA StatiCa Detail 2D, no data loss, no rework. Use the right method (CSFM) to reinforce and code-check D-regions for ULS and SLS in minutes, with full support for Eurocode, ACI, and Australian standards, avoid relying on false positives and get checks you can trust. Retrofitting and Strengthening of Existing Structures Millions of structures built in the '70s–'80s use smooth reinforcement that typical software can't handle. That’s no longer a blocker. Detail 2D and 3D now support smooth reinforcement, covering EN, ACI, and AUS codes, with proper bond strength, anchorage, stiffness, and crack checks. You can also design with unbonded prestressing for strengthening bridges and precast elements. Article From: www.ideastatica.com

Welcome to the next chapter in innovative MEP planning. With DDScad 21, comprehensive project planning becomes even more efficient and precise. A new range of enhancements supports your expertise and streamlines every step of the design and documentation process. Discover how these improvements help you achieve outstanding results and shape innovative projects with confidence. Overview of the main innovations Discover the new possibilities of DDScad 21: Advanced automations, improved editing, realistic visualizations, and smart quality controls deliver even greater efficiency and precision in building systems design and documentation. See how these latest features make everyday planning smoother, safer, and more flexible. AI Assistant The new AI Assistant in DDScad 21 is your virtual companion during the planning process. It provides you with immediate support at any time: simply ask your questions and receive specific answers about features and workflows – no more searching. Incorporating cable and conductor weights in the design of cable management systems according to IEC 61537 Safe cable management: The new auto weight calculation instantly highlights when load limits are exceeded. Monitor, visualize, and optimize your cable management systems effortlessly – efficiently and in full compliance with standards. Configuration of security cameras including visualization of coverage areas Tailored surveillance planning: Flexibly adapt the coverage areas of security cameras to any situation and visualize the coverage directly in the model – for maximum control and planning freedom. Cross-discipline use of symbols provided in DDScad Greater freedom in design: Use the complete DDScad symbol library from all MEP disciplines across, allowing you to design your models more flexibly and in greater detail than ever. New 3D representations for switches and sockets Perfect design and presentation: The new 3D symbols for switches and sockets in DDScad deliver maximum detail and realism for your projects. Aligning to snapping aids: Precise placement and modeling using projected target points Precision modeling at your fingertips: Snap to dynamic guides and place components with pinpoint accuracy. The result: exact, efficient planning every time. Source/reference model change: Marking products with lost position reference Stay on top of changes: Objects that lose their position reference after updating the IFC reference model are now automatically highlighted. You can easily identify, review, and swiftly update the references for affected items, keeping you in control and your model up to date at all times. Editability of properties for DDScad system and manufacturer components used in the project Maximum flexibility: Edit system and manufacturer components directly in your project and enjoy effortless, project-wide updates at the touch of a button. Automatic placement of smoke detectors (VdS 2095) and visualization of coverage areas Fire safety made easy: Automatic placement and standards-compliant coverage in DDScad bring speed, accuracy, and security to your smoke detector planning.     Try out the enhanced features of DDScad and reap the benefits today! Article source: www.graphisoft.com