3D Repo has announced the release of the latest version of its cloud-based building information modelling (BIM) platform. The company said that 30 enhancements had been made to the software, including support for the most recent open standard Building Collaboration Format (BCF) and live base map integration
3D Repo, founded as a spin-off from the Virtual Environments, Imaging and Visualisation program at University College London in 2014, is a relatively new start-up but has already won numerous awards for its open version control system. 3D Repo v2.8 expands on the capabilities of this system to include significant updates.
The newest version not only has support for mobile devices (in beta) but also Xbox controller support, as well as support for FBX files with embedded textures. This allows it to navigate large models more easily and intuitively using the Xbox controller. Integration of Autodesk FBX enables interoperability between digital content creation applications and 3D visualisation models. This is part of a larger trend of increased interactivity in BIM models.
Support for the vendor-neutral BCF file format is intended to make 3D Repo an efficient means of communicating design issues with proposals, change requests and issues encoded within the BIM model itself. As a result, there’s no need to manually find a given problem and send a description or screenshot to a project team member or stakeholder.
Live base map integration makes it possible to put models in the context of the real world. 3D Repo supports standard base map tiles, as well as Geographical Information System data for the incorporation of external details, such as the proximity of a nearby building or feature.
Dr Jozef Dobos, 3D Repo CEO said: “3D Repo Version 2.8 is all about extending the reach of the functionally robust and feature-rich 3D Repo platform.
“With additional exchange formats supported and new hardware options added, we are making it even easier to share, access and collaborate on complex 3D models. The new version will improve communication, and therefore decision-making, and increase collaboration beyond the traditional file-based BIM workflow and data confines.”
