Tag Archives: modeling

ArchiCAD 17 – New Feature: Link Element Height to Stories

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AC17_BOX_CAM1In this series, we review on a daily basis, the new features of ArchiCAD 17.

Modeling

Link Element Height to Stories

Screen Shot 2013-05-09 at 6.20.00 AM

Enable the height of walls, columns and zones to be linked to a particular story: when the story position changes, the heights of the linked elements are automatically adjusted. This way, you do not have to manually adjust element heights every time the story height changes.

  • Use a built-in Find and Select criteria set to locate any inverted elements (e.g. with a negative height) with a single click. Such elements are also highlighted on the plan for easy locating.
  • You still have the option to input a fixed height, and to define a base elevation to a given reference level
  • Option to retain or ignore toplinks in Hotlinked Modules
  • Door/Window sills and headers can be linked to the top of the wall, not just to the bottom

Benefits

  • Automatically managed natural vertical connections among load-bearing elements
  • Reduce the risk of modeling errors caused by story height changes
  • Intelligent ArchiCAD model elements behave as you want them to

View the latest ArchiCAD 17 new feature videos:

ArchiCAD 17 – new feature: Automatic Model-Based Junctions

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AC17_BOX_CAM1In this series, we review on a daily basis, the new features of ArchiCAD 17.

Modeling

Automatic Model-Based Junctions

The ability to configure all construction elements so that when they intersect or collide, their display will accurately and automatically reflect their construction – particularly in section views, used as the basis for detail drawings. Most of the junctions of a section will look correct up to 1:50 scale.

Screen Shot 2013-05-08 at 6.26.51 AMPriority-Based Connections Available for All Construction Elements

Extend priority-based connections (currently available only for walls on the floor plan and to a limited degree in section) to all construction elements and composites, and column/beam profiles, in all model views, via the Building Material. Separate intersection priorities can be set for column veneer and core.

A revised interface simplifies these priority settings to make their input easier and the results more predictable.

Other Improvements for Better Junctions

  • Eliminate common contour lines where construction elements meet, subject to Building Material
  • Represent the T/L/X connections between walls based on their actual skin/component based connections.
  • Symbolic representation of connections of any (normal/profiled) vertical columns and non-polygon walls on Floor Plan
  • Improved dimensioning of structural components in section view – e.g. place dimensions at contour lines or separator lines, or at boundaries of core/finish skins
  • More flexibility for displaying cut surfaces in Section views (consistent with 3D Document)Screen Shot 2013-05-08 at 6.30.46 AM
  • Snap to composite separator or any visible edge in 3D as well as Floor Plan
  • View results of skin-based connections in 3D
  • Helping modeling interactions for Junctions: better manual editing options and new automated junction command from the Edit menu: Adjust Elements to Slabs
  • Screen Shot 2013-05-08 at 6.33.48 AM

Benefits

  • Unprecedented level of accuracy in BIM modeling
  • Real, live BIM models maintained throughout the entire project lifecycle
  • Structurally correct details at any section of the model up to 1:50 scale or more
  • Increased documentation productivity since less manual work is needed on detail drawings
  • accurate quantity take-offs at any design stage
  • Less model exchange needed with consultants since even the initial structural details are very precise

ArchiGlazing for ArchiCAD 16

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The new version has been updated to work with ArchiCAD 16 and it has the same feature set as previous releases.

ArchiCAD’s Window tool meets the needs of the architect when selecting and placing traditional window styles. The parametric quality of the window objects supplied with the standard ArchiCAD library also allows the definition of a large range of individual types of glass structures.

ArchiGlazing was developed to fulfill special needs, for instance when it is impossible to create the desired glass structure using the Window tool due to complicated geometry. It offers tools for upright, tilted, opening, façade and greenhouse glazing, and for creating sketch windows. ArchiGlazing is an Add-On for ArchiCAD.

ArchiGlazing is freely downloadable for existing ArchiCAD 16 users with a valid Software Maintenance Agreement. To receive a download link, Click here!

Once installed you can find the ArchiGlazing User’s Guide accessible from the Help menu in ArchiCAD 16.

Modular Joinery Object

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Modular Joinery Object (MJO) for ArchiCAD 16, is now available to all users on Software Subscription Agreement (SSA). To download it launch ArchiCAD 16, open up the “Door/ Window Default Settings”, and search for ‘modular’ with the option “On BIM Components Portal” or “Both” selected. Then select the Modular Door/ Window object and click on the button “Download and Embed” at the bottom. Please note: You need to do this in both “Window Default Settings” and “Door Default Settings”.

Thanks to our partners at GRAPHISOFT UK, who commissioned Ralph Wessel of Encina Ltd. to create a window/door/panel/storefront/curtain wall GDL object, called Modular Joinery, for kindly making it available for Southern Africa users on SSA contract. Special thanks go to Simon Gilbert from GRAPHISOFT UK, who assisted me with this process, and of course Levente Filetóth and his team at GRAPHISOFT HQ.

MJO allows for amazing complexity and unifies both window and door options into one Object. MJO for ArchiCAD 16 also includes an update. This update has now been extended to incorporate typical uPVC and timber profiles along with improved representations enabling the objects to be used in conjunction with the default library of doors and windows in ArchiCAD. Download the “Modular Joinery update.pdf” for more details.

Modular Joinery update

Download the “Modular Joinery Manual. pdf” for help with using MJO.

Modular Joinery Manual

For a “quick guide” to using MJO please refer to the following two images:

GRAPHISOFT and BIMobject Sign Strategic Partnership Agreement

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MUNICH, January 16, 2013 – Leading BIM technology providers GRAPHISOFT® and BIMobject® announced today at BAU 2013 that they have signed a strategic partnership agreement, which aims to serve the ArchiCAD community with the broadest range of intelligent BIM components available on the web and in their native BIM environment.

“Building components are as mission critical to the design and realization of buildings as standard construction elements are,” said Akos Pfemeter, Director of Global Marketing at GRAPHISOFT. “We expect our customers to greatly benefit from the extended range of product families and manufacturer content that will be directly available to them with the addition of BIMobject.com as a content source to both ArchiCAD and BIMcomponents.com,” he added.

“BIMobject is committed to assisting architects and designers in realizing their designs with premium quality BIM objects of real, confirmed and approved products from existing manufacturers,” said Stefan Larsson, CEO of BIMobject. “We believe that ArchiCAD’s GDL technology and the end-to-end workflow that we are building from the manufacturers to architects and designers will greatly improve the quality of the BIM process throughout the entire lifecycle of BIM projects,” Larsson continued.

GRAPHISOFT and BIMobject have started to work on building direct links between their respective systems to make content from BIMobject.com directly accessible in ArchiCAD and BIMcomponents.com in the near future.  For more information, please visit GRAPHISOFT Booth #431 in Halle C at BAU 2013, and/or BIMobject booth #329.

About BIMobject

BIMobject AB’s mission is to increase measurable sales of products in the AEC field by generating visibility of accessible objects used in the BIM process. BIMobject offers software tools, web solutions and services to assist its customers in the creation, conversion, and publication of BIM objects on the web, by creating a straight path to the users of any BIM software.  BIMobject AB is a brand-neutral, innovative platform committed to providing cost-effective marketing and sales solutions to manufacturers.

About GRAPHISOFT

GRAPHISOFT® ignited the BIM revolution with ArchiCAD®, the industry first BIM software for architects. GRAPHISOFT continues to lead the industry with innovative solutions such as the revolutionary GRAPHISOFT BIM Server™, the world’s first real-time BIM collaboration environment, and the GRAPHISOFT EcoDesigner™, the world’s first, fully integrated building energy modeling application. GRAPHISOFT’s innovative solutions have fundamentally changed the way architects around the world design and collaborate. GRAPHISOFT® has been part of the Nemetschek Group, since its acquisition in 2007.

Trimming Bodies: Sometimes walls disappear when “trimming elements to roof”-How to fix this

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Sometimes walls disappear when trimming elements to roof, this might be due to the position of the trimming bodies in relation to the position of the walls to be trimmed and because trimming bodies are not displayed in default settings of ArchiCAD most users are not aware of their importance and their existence.

1. To start, go to the 3D window where you have walls and roof ready for trimming, by default trimming bodies are not displayed in ArchiCAD, to display them, go to View-On-screen View Options- Trimming Bodies as illustrated on the screen shot (i) below. Alternatively we may display them by going to Design-Connection-Trimming Bodies as per video at the bottom.

(i) 

2. Trimming Bodies will be displayed with a “reddish” translucent colour and from the roof settings we may set them to project from the “Pivot Lines Down” ( Angle Point of the Roof) or from the “Contours Down” ( Edges of the Roof), refer to the screen shot (ii) below. For Walls to trim correctly they must be within the margin of the trimming bodies.

(ii) 

3. Alternatively, we may trim the walls to roof with an operation called SEO (Solid Element Operations), quite an accurate tool and does not require trimming bodies to trim correctly, to activate it go to Design-Solid Element Operations as per screen shot (iii) below. Then follow the Video for illustration of all the above mentioned steps.

(iii)