June 18, 2012 - Autodesk announced BIM 360 Building Information Modeling (BIM). BIM 360 includes a set of cloud services that will provide anytime, anywhere access to BIM project information throughout the project lifecycle. BIM is an intelligent 3D model–based process that provides insight for creating and managing building and civil infrastructure projects faster, more economically, and with less environmental impact. With Autodesk BIM 360, Autodesk is bringing the BIM process to the cloud. New cloud-based services for multidiscipline collaboration that support model coordination and intelligent object data exchange will transform the way architects, engineers, contractors and owners collaborate in real time and manage as well as distribute building and civil infrastructure data.
Autodesk BIM 360 offers civil engineers, transportation and urban planning professionals new cloud-based services to collaborate between geographically dispersed teams to explore design concepts, create and review proposals and conduct feasibility evaluations. Autodesk acquired Vela Systems, a provider of cloud and mobile field management software for the construction industry. The combination of the Vela technology with Autodesk BIM 360 will bring the BIM process to the project site, helping contractors to automate field processes such as quality, safety and commissioning checklists and distribution of plans and drawings.
Autodesk BIM 360 can also help improve project outcomes by moving computational intensive tasks to the cloud, allowing rapid visualization with rendering services and the ability to simulate early and often with energy and structural analysis services. Autodesk BIM 360 will also help support the project handover and lifecycle by providing intelligent information to building and infrastructure owners for operations and maintenance. The launch of Autodesk BIM 360 marks an important expansion of Autodesk 360, a cloud-based platform that enables customers to harness the vast computing power available in the cloud to transform the way they design, visualize and simulate their ideas and share their work.
Earlier this year, the company launched Autodesk PLM 360 lifecycle management software, a cloud service that enables manufacturers to better access and manage product information to help continuously improve the products they design and manufacture, followed by a range of new Autodesk 360 services for Autodesk Design and Creation Suite customers. Since launching Autodesk 360 in September 2011, nearly nine million users have accessed the services.
Availability
Autodesk BIM 360 is now available in English, and will be available in the near future in other languages. Some services may be available exclusively for Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite 2013 and Autodesk Building Design Suite 2013 subscription customers.