The New Flavors of Autodesk InfraWorks 360

As the ENI Team Lead and a Senior Application Specialist at Ideate, Inc.  Autodesk InfraWorks has been one of my primary applications for quite some time.  Over the years it has gone through a number of updates, enhancements and even changed its name (more than once).  In 2016, we have a new set of InfraWorks products, and here’s a little bit of information that may help clear things up. First, let’s start with product naming.  We are now down to just two options, which are:

Autodesk InfraWorks 360 and Autodesk InfraWorks 360 LT

Autodesk InfraWorks 360 LT replaces the Autodesk InfraWorks version that was previously included as a subscription entitlement with the Design Suites (Building Design Suite Ultimate or Infrastructure Design Suite Premium and Ultimate).  It is also available for purchase as a stand-alone product for non-Suite product owners.

Autodesk InfraWorks 360 is the “full” version of InfraWorks in 2016 and is a separate software purchase.  It includes additional functionality beyond what is included with the LT version, and can also be upgraded with additional modules for Road, Bridge and Drainage Design (requires additional purchase).

The second big change is the lack of a Serial Number with Autodesk InfraWorks 360 installations.  For owners of one of the above mentioned Design Suites, Autodesk InfraWorks 360 installs as a 30-day trial with the Suite.  This does not require a serial number, and activates the full version of the product for 30-days.  After the trial period is over, the installation reverts back to the LT version unless an upgrade to the full product version is purchased.

Now you might be thinking “If there’s no serial number, how do we know what we have?”

This is where your Autodesk 360 (A360) account comes in to play.  When a full seat of InfraWorks 360 is purchased, the software manager at your organization must assign the product entitlement to the end user that will be using the application.  This is done through A360, and must also be done with the additional modules that are available for purchase.  Once the product entitlement has been assigned to a user’s A360 account, logging in to A360 after launching the application enables (or disables) the features that the end user is entitled to.  It sounds like a complicating process, but this actually allows an end user to change computers, or go from a desktop to a laptop without having to worry about uninstalling and reinstalling the application.
An A360 account with no entitlements can log in to Autodesk InfraWorks on any workstation and the program will revert to the LT version where you can open and access models, but all other features have been disabled.



Autodesk InfraWorks 360 LT (login using A360 ID with no entitlements)

 

When an A360 ID with full entitlements is used at login (on the same installation), the application loads and enables all available features that have been assigned to that user. 

 

 

Autodesk InfraWorks 360 (login using A360 ID with full entitlements)

The full version of Autodesk InfraWorks 360 has significantly more features available, including the Model Builder, Groups, the ability to create new models from scratch, design Modules (Road, Bridge and Drainage) and a number of “preview only” features that have not yet been fully released.  Also included, but not shown are additional cloud-based optimization tools accessible through an A360 account with cloud credits.

 

A full comparison list of features in Autodesk InfraWorks 360 and InfraWorks 360 LT can be found below....



InfraWorks 360 vs. InfraWorks 360 LT

 

A So regardless of if you’re an existing user, new user or future user, now you know what options are available in the 2016 version of Autodesk InfraWorks 360.

For more information on training and consulting for the various products Ideate services, visit our website at www.ideateinc.com

 

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Matt Miyamoto

Ideate ENI Manager & Senior Application Specialist

Matt is an ENI Manager and Senior Application Specialist in Ideate, Inc.’s Seattle office. He has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and is a licensed Civil Engineer. Prior to joining Ideate, Matt worked as a civil engineer, using Civil 3D on a variety of projects including site development, roadway improvements and infrastructure design. With over 10 years of experience in the civil engineering industry, Matt now provides training, consulting, technical support, and implementation strategies for organizations transitioning to Civil 3D. Matt is an Autodesk Certified Instructor (ACI), as well as an Autodesk Certified BIM Specialist: Roads and Highway Solutions. Additionally, Matt is and Autodesk Certified Professional for AutoCAD, and AutoCAD Civil 3D. He can be found on twitter as @MattM_PE
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Autodesk InfraWorks 2014 Proposals and Scenarios

At Ideate, we are reviewing the latest release of Autodesk’s Suites. New to the Infrastructure Design Suite is Autodesk InfraWorks, a re-branded and enhanced Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler (AIM). Autodesk InfraWorks is an easy to use, high-level collaboration, communication and visualization tool for planners, designers, and anyone else involved in the planning and pre-design phase of a project’s lifecycle. 

Two new features in InfraWorks are the ability to create Proposals and Scenarios. Proposals allow a user to develop simultaneous design alternatives while Scenarios allow a user to share designs online with groups of other users through an Autodesk 360 account.

Proposals
A Proposal is a design alternative. It is a set of InfraWorks objects developed on top of your existing data. A user can have many proposals in the same design footprint, allowing for multiple design alternatives. This can be done quickly and is useful for working with clients in real-time.

You access the Proposals dialog box on the home tab of the InfraWorks Ribbon, as seen in the image below. You can add different InfraWorks objects to create proposal components, as identified in the Proposals Dialog Box. To add components to a proposal, use the create/edit features tool bar. A user will need to make sure that objects are being added to the correct proposal. To do this, a user must set the correct Proposal in the drop down list in the Proposals Dialog Box, or the proposals drop down list above the InfraWorks Ribbon. Users can create, delete, and merge proposals in the Proposals Dialog box.

InfraWorks Ribbon

Proposals Dialog Box

Scenarios
A Scenario is an isolated geographical section of a chosen proposal which can be shared with other users. The Scenarios dialog box is accessible on the Present tab of the InfraWorks Ribbon. From the Scenarios dialog box, you can create, delete, edit, copy, and publish Scenarios as well as create Scenario files. A user can name, define the geographical extents, edit a few basic settings, and determine a display resolution for a Scenario, as seen in the Create/Edit Scenarios Dialog Box. Once a Scenario has been created, it can be published to a particular group to be viewed in either in an InfraWorks 360 mobile application or the InfraWorks desktop application. It can also be viewed in a web browser.

InfraWorks Ribbon

 

Scenarios Dialog Box

 

Create/Edit Scenarios Dialog Box

Both Proposals and Scenarios allow a user to effectively and efficiently communicate design intent of multiple design alternatives. I encourage you to check out these new features.

Visit our website at www.ideateinc.com to see what Autodesk InfraWorks can do.

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Kate Ming
Ideate AEC Application Specialist
Kate has a BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UC Berkeley. Prior to Ideate, she worked at a multinational company for four years doing general civil design on large infrastructure projects. She is versed in roadway, rail, and utility design. She also has experience with utility demand analysis and Low Impact Development plans. At Ideate, Kate provides training and support for Civil 3D, AutoCAD, and Navisworks.  

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Autodesk InfraWorks: New File Type Support

When speaking to our customers at Ideate, Inc. we often receive requests for easier ways to create visualizations and renderings using different types of combined model data. This year, Autodesk InfraWorks includes two added file types that allow users to directly import Revit .RVT and Point Cloud files into their InfraWorks models. From there, the Presentation tools in InfraWorks can be used for quick and easy renderings and visualizations.
 
Included with Autodesk’s Building Design Suite Ultimate, and Infrastructure Design Suite Premium and Ultimate editions, Autodesk InfraWorks adds a great tool and tremendous value to the 2014 design suites.
 
When installed through the Infrastructure Design Suites packages, Autodesk InfraWorks loads two new files types into the list of available data sources.* In the previous releases of InfraWorks, known as Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler (AIM) and AIM R2, the .FBX option was the only way to import a Revit model into InfraWorks and required an extra step to create the .FBX file.
 
The new Revit .RVT file option allows users to directly import Revit files and place them in the InfraWorks model. This option is compatible with Revit 2014 files, and requires users to have Revit 2014 installed on the same system (it does not work without Revit installed, or if you have a pre-2014 version installed).  
 

Point Cloud support has also been added to the list of Data Sources and supports the new Autodesk ReCap .RCS and .RCP files.

As with all other data sources, once a Point Cloud or Revit file has been added, they must be configured and placed into the InfraWorks model. However, with the shared material libraries for Autodesk products, materials and textures from Revit files are now transferred over to InfraWorks automatically (it does take a few minutes to process and load the Revit model).  

With the added benefit of Proposals and Scenarios in Autodesk InfraWorks, we now have a quicker and easier way to create realistic visualizations and renderings while incorporating Revit models into a real world environment built from GIS, CAD, 3D Model, Raster, Point Cloud and other data sources.
 
Visit our website at www.ideateinc.com/2014 for videos and information on the 2014 Autodesk product line.
 
*Currently, the Revit .RVT import option is not available with Building Design Suite installations. 

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Matt Miyamoto, P.E.
Ideate AEC Application Specialist
Matt is a licensed Civil Engineer in the state of Hawaii. Matt obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and has 7 years of private sector design experience which he applies in his role as an application specialist with Ideate, Inc. His project experience includes residential and commercial site development, private and public sewer, water and drainage systems, harbors improvements, and roadway improvements. While in Hawaii, Matt was involved in multidisciplinary projects for City and County agencies, State Departments, the Army COE and private developers. @MattM_PE

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New in 2014: Introduction to Autodesk InfraWorks 2014

Here at Ideate, we have been working hard to review all of the new products and features of the 2014 Autodesk design suites.  This year, Autodesk has re-branded and enhanced their Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler (AIM) program as Autodesk InfraWorks.
 
Autodesk InfraWorks is an easy to use, high-level collaboration, communication and visualization tool for planners, designers, and anyone else involved in the planning and pre-design phase of a project’s lifecycle.
 
All capabilities that existed in the last release of AIM (version R2 via Subscription Center) have been carried over and enhanced in Autodesk InfraWorks.  New create and edit feature options allow users to create riverways, pipes & structures, and tree alleys while enhanced road styles provide new profile viewing and editing capabilities.

The Autodesk Material libraries are shared in the 2014 product line, making interoperability even easier, and providing a high level of consistency across renderings and visualizations from product to product.  The added ability to directly import Autodesk Revit models allows a seamless incorporation of proposed designs into existing condition models built from GIS, Civil 3D, DWG, and other 3D model data.
 
Point Cloud data compatibility has also been added to Autodesk InfraWorks, and with the release of Autodesk ReCap, processing, editing and using point clouds is easier than ever.
 
Autodesk InfraWorks also includes brand new functionality in the form of Proposals and Scenarios that can be created within the InfraWorks model to highlight different design alternatives. Users can easily switch between Proposals to quickly show changes to the design. Scenarios can be published and shared online with an Autodesk 360 account.
 
For non-design suite owners, Autodesk has also created a way to access shared models via InfraWorks for the Web and the InfraWorks 360 mobile app for iPad.  Both are free products that either work directly in a web browser, or can be downloaded and installed on an iPad.
 
Included with Autodesk’s Building Design Suite Ultimate, and Infrastructure Design Suite Premium and Ultimate editions, Autodesk InfraWorks adds a great tool and tremendous value to the 2014 design suites.
 
Don’t forget to look through the great features our Ideate Technical Team has found in the new 2014 releases for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure, Civil 3D, AutoCAD and more: ideateinc.com/2014

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Matt Miyamoto, P.E.
Ideate AEC Application Specialist
Matt is a licensed Civil Engineer in the state of Hawaii. Matt obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and has 7 years of private sector design experience which he applies in his role as an application specialist with Ideate, Inc. His project experience includes residential and commercial site development, private and public sewer, water and drainage systems, harbors improvements, and roadway improvements. While in Hawaii, Matt was involved in multidisciplinary projects for City and County agencies, State Departments, the Army COE and private developers. @MattM_PE

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Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler for Interoperability – .IMX and .FBX Files

Here at Ideate, Inc., we often receive requests from customers for information on how they can take advantage of their current Autodesk Suite of products to make modeling and visualization easier. Is there anything that can incorporate GIS data for existing features? Is there a product that can use model data that we already have in Civil 3D or Revit to create rendered animations? 

The answer to those questions is: Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler. And the best part is, if you’re on subscription with the right Autodesk Suite of products, you can have it for free. Autodesk Building Design Suite Ultimate, and Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite Premium and Ultimate editions include AIM. 

Introduced in 2011, Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler has the ability to quickly and easily generate a 3D model from existing GIS and other data sources. In most cases, GIS data in the form of SDF, SHP along with Raster Images are used to generate the base of the AIM Model. For proposed features like buildings, roads, and sitework, the 2013 releases of Revit Architecture and Civil 3D include built-in exporting tools that generate AIM compatible files. These files come in .FBX and .IMX formats and can be imported directly into an AIM project. 

In Revit Architecture, the Export command under the Application Icon (Purple “R” in the upper left corner) includes the FBX option that allows users to export the 3D View to a FBX file. In the FBX file, both the building model and the toposurface will be included. 

In Civil 3D, the Output tab → Export panel of the Ribbon includes an Export IMX icon for exporting Civil 3D objects to AIM compatible format. The IMX file contains data from Civil 3D objects in the drawing and can be used to re-create those objects in AIM. Alignments can be easily converted and stylized to display proposed roads, and surfaces can be exported and combined to display existing and developed conditions.

As of October 2012, an enhanced version of AIM was posted and available for download to Subscription customers. Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler 2013 R2 can be found on the main Subscription Benefits page after logging in to Subscription Center. AIM R2 has been enhanced with new tools for communicating and presenting proposed designs. 

NOTE: If you’re considering AIM R2, please note that the existing version of AIM needs to be uninstalled from your computer before you install AIM R2. 

Also included in the AIM R2 package is an iPad® compatible version called Autodesk 360 Infrastructure Modeler for Mobile and a web-based version called Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler for Web that works on 32-bit Internet Explorer. Here’s the Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler 2013 R2 info per Subscription Center: 

Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler 2013 R2
Release Date: 2012-10-04 

Autodesk® Infrastructure Modeler 2013 R2 software delivers several enhancements to our Autodesk® Infrastructure Modeler 2013 desktop software and our Autodesk® 360 Infrastructure Modeler cloud service. With the extension, Autodesk® Subscription customers will gain new tools designed to help better communicate their designs and produce high quality, low-touch design presentations in addition to new publishing options. 

• Storytelling Tools Enables users to better convey the details of their designs to non-technical audiences with the ability to create camera paths, fly-through animations, and videos that include titles, captions, points of interest and storyboards without needing video editing software. 
• Rendering More Realistic Models Helps users produce higher quality renderings with new photorealism tools like progressive ray trace, more realistic sun/sky models, and high and low definition range output. 
• Open Standards Support – Enables user to access CityGML, the standard many municipal bureaus in Europe use to store city data. CityGML data may contain a whole city’s structure (including detailed 3D models), roads, pipes, and textures in different levels of detail. The inclusion of CityGML can greatly improve our user’s ability to incorporate detailed data into their designs that was previously unavailable. 
• Autodesk 360 Infrastructure Modeler for Mobile Now, infrastructure professionals can share their models as well as specific scenarios in a more secure cloud environment - via Autodesk® BIM 360™ cloud-based services- with public stakeholders who want the ease and convenience of using an iPad® mobile digital device. 
• Autodesk 360 Infrastructure Modeler for Web The new Web application enables interested parties who are not Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler 2013 users to view models and specific scenarios via a link using their Web browser, giving broader access to project proposals and more. 

We’ve also posted a short fly-through video or a proposed road made with the new Storytelling tools to our YouTube page. The existing ground model and roads were imported via IMX file from Civil 3D and the road used in the fly-through (including light posts, median and intersections) was created directly in AIM R2. The process of setting up the model to producing the recording took about 30 minutes. The quality of this video clip has been lowered so we could post it on the web (down to 3 MB). The original video produced by AIM R2 is just under 3 GB. 

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Matt Miyamoto, P.E.
Ideate AEC Application Specialist
Matt is a licensed Civil Engineer in the state of Hawaii. Matt obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and has 7 years of private sector design experience which he applies in his role as an application specialist with Ideate, Inc. His project experience includes residential and commercial site development, private and public sewer, water and drainage systems, harbors improvements, and roadway improvements. While in Hawaii, Matt was involved in multidisciplinary projects for City and County agencies, State Departments, the Army COE and private developers. @MattM_PE

Get it. Know it. Use it.