RobiNZ CAD Blog

AutoCAD 2016 already? I’m just getting used to 2015!

Time flies. I’ve only been using the 2015 release full time for a few months* and 2016 arrives! Shaan shared a link to a YouTube playlist with highlights of the new release. Check it out while you download the install from your new Autodesk Account (formerly Subscription) page! I did have some warning, seen but not used the beta, and like the look of the new simpler rendering, enhanced point cloud features and BIM coordination using Navisworks linking or BIM 360 Glue integration. * My travels and workflow around projects delayed it rather than any technical or product concerns! Read more →

Autodesk desktop applications to be ‘pay as you go’ subscription only from 2016

It was an early start for a call to learn about some big changes to Autodesk software purchases from 1 February 2016 onwards. New commercial seats of most stand-alone desktop software (not Design Suites) will only be available on ‘pay as you go’ Desktop Subscription, not as Perpetual Licenses or the current annual Maintenance Subscription. Purchases before 1 Feb 2016 will continue to receive existing benefits: Existing perpetual licenses will continue to work forever. Existing Maintenance Subscriptions (annual updates & bundled services etc.) will be honoured for as long as the subscription payment is maintained. If current Perpetual or Maintenance... Read more →

AutoCAD 2015, it came from OZ? – AutoCAD Blogger Day

My first impression of AutoCAD 2015: This looks different! A couple of presentations at the AutoCAD Blogger Day gave an insight into how changes in development methods, hardware/operating system capabilities and cloud infrastructure have driven evolution of the AutoCAD “platform” on, and beyond, the desktop. We’re not in Kansas anymore…? JoAnna Cook, Director User Experience AutoCAD Product Line Group (phew, long title!), handed out a little booklet titled: OZ. It was not a new publication, not made for sales/marketing and not about AutoCAD 2015. OZ presented a future AutoCAD user experience based on customer research, developments of the desktop application... Read more →

Autodesk ReCap reality data webinar

If you are interested in learning about laser scanning, photogrammetry or other reality data with Autodesk ReCap (part of Autodesk 360 & Building Design Suites): There is a free webinar series being hosted by the Autodesk Reality Solutions team. If you want to know more about how to incorporate laser scanning, photogrammetry or other reality data into your workflow, this might be a great resource for you. These are available to everyone, no matter what country you are in*. The first scheduled webinar on May 13th will focus on 3D laser scanners and ReCap entitled "The basics of terrestrial 3D... Read more →

Autodesk Fusion 360 Windows Phone wind up?

I visited the Autodesk Fusion 360 site today—documenting some changes to Autodesk Building Design Suite—and thought they were winding me up. Fusion 360 is part of the Autodesk 360 family and the page (below) features “3D CAD like never before” with Gus Petrika’s lovely ‘The Hook’ wearable phone. The design is awesome and features (it appears) Windows Phone tiles (right). Thing is, guess how many Autodesk Windows Phone applications there are? Not lots, not a few, none at all! That’s not Gus’ fault, he just chose the best mobile OS for his lovely device. Pity Autodesk don’t do the same!... Read more →

Apple news expected, AutoCAD for Mac surprise!

I’ll leave covering the Apple announcement to the many iFan blogs other than to say it was more a story of refinement than surprise for iPad, nice for OS X Mavericks upgrade to be free on the desktop. What I wasn’t expecting was a new AutoCAD for Mac 2014 and AutoCAD LT 2014 for Mac to match the OS X update. This is the first AutoCAD optimised for the Retina display and from the screen shots I’ve seen it benefits both UI and document display fidelity. Autodesk Supplied image In addition to the display and OS X compatibility changes AutoCAD... Read more →

The new Autodesk.com and 2014 products revealed

Autodesk have unveiled a new look Autodesk.com and announced their 2014 product updates. The new look Autodesk, hinted at earlier this month, comes with updates to existing products, new applications, revised industry specific Design Suites and Autodesk 360 Cloud Services. Check out the announcement below and details at http://www.autodesk.com/ I’ve had a peak a some of the 2014 line-up and will be posting about the release product when they are available. Read more →

2012 Blogging Highlights

Wow, where did 2012 go? Months flew past like weeks and now it’s nearly is 2013*. Time to look back at the past year from a (not just CAD) blog perspective: Best Blog Event: Usually it is Autodesk University but I didn’t get there this year. However, I did see some of it on-line. It was a bit strange to watch the keynote, on the netbook, in bed at about 05:00am NZ time! I enjoyed the virtual event, enhanced by the live Twitter stream which accompanied it, but it wasn’t quite like being there! Although I haven’t blogged about it... Read more →

Autodesk announce Revit LT & AutoCAD Revit LT Suite

Today Autodesk announced a new addition to the Revit Platform: Revit LT. LT from a Spark? Remember Autodesk Labs Project Spark? An experimental simplified Revit aimed at individual users wanting to migrate from 2D drafting to Building Information Modelling. I tried Spark and found the feature set pretty complete for modelling and documentation. It didn’t offer conceptual massing, a bit of a pity, or the complication of work-sharing/worksets. That’s not a problem for the single user who doesn’t need to support multi-user, multi-discipline projects. Autodesk Revit LT, Building Information Modelling for everyone? Revit LT is a Windows desktop application with... Read more →

Autodesk University 2011 Day 1 – Innovation explosion #AU2011

AU 2011 was a total mind blowing overload of fun, meetings and intellectual challenges. Add to that a few kilometres walking each day, the dehydrating low humidity of the Vegas atmosphere plus a bit of jetlag made it physically challenging as well (or I’m getting old!). I’m going to summarise my experience per day and then revisit aspects in the detail they deserve as separate posts. The first real day of Autodesk University 2011 kicked off bright and early with the Welcome Address/General Session Keynote. This is the only formal session attended by everybody and seeing ~8,000 in one room... Read more →