AEC TECH NEWS: RDV Systems unveils interactive 3D modeling plug-in for AutoCAD and Bentley

New York — Visualization and building information modeling (BIM) software developer RDV Systems announced 123BIM Publisher, a 3D modeling plug-in for AutoCAD Civil 3D and Bentley MicroStation. 123BIM Publisher enables engineers and visualization experts to use their existing CAD platforms to “democratize” their designs by publishing their models into a browser-based Google Earth-like 3D environment that is fully interactive. Using 123BIM Publisher to import external data such as aerial photographs, GIS data, SketchUp models and much more, designers communicate intent quickly and inexpensively.

“123BIM Publisher was built in a way so that actual, complex project design created in any industry standard CAD platform can be seamlessly converted to 3D digital models and uploaded to the cloud for collaboration and public engagement on the 123BIM platform. This is not trivial since the 3D digital documents created by the engineers are huge and require dedicated software to be viewed,” said Dolio Kafri, VP North America Sales with RDV Systems.

RDV’s 123BIM SaaS platform and services are used by departments of transportation and engineering companies across the U.S. with civil infrastructure projects of all sizes that require frequent public engagement and buy-in from many stakeholders. The 123BIM platform has three key components:

• 123BIM.com – The SaaS platform for collaboration allows stakeholders to access and share designs from anywhere using any web connected device.
• 123BIM Virtual Tour – The ultimate online public engagement tool enables guided tours of 3D models to experience proposed designs.
• 123BIM Navigator – With this desktop app, users can work offline and rip as many animations and HDTV still images from any point of view in their 3D project models.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation has been using the 123BIM platform for several years to present various developments.

“Public awareness and support for our projects is critical, so the ability to communicate our plans as thoroughly and often as is necessary is a game changer. 123BIM Publisher gives my team the freedom to visualize our designs and publish our 3D interactive models to the platform,” said Richard Armstrong, Principal Engineer at the Connecticut DOT. “Because the 123BIM platform makes it easy to deliver always-updated 3D renderings, videos and virtual tours, we can present and revise our project plans as much as we and the public need, allowing for a true dialogue rather than a monologue, garnering faster public support and approval with minimal expense. Using 3D models can be the difference between a project getting rejected or approved.”

Organizations using the RDV 123BIM platform include: Arizona DOT, Dewberry Engineering, Florida DOT, Maine DOT, New Jersey DOT, and TranSystems Engineering.