Thanks to everyone for attending my webcast where I presented the new features of InfraWorks 2023.1. (Please note that this is about the “dot ONE release” of InfraWorks, which was released November 2022. You can check the InfraWorks version number by going to the Application Options panel, under the About section.) To revisit the webinar, you can view it here on-demand.
Some of the features are not available in InfraWorks 2023.0. On the other hand, the Parking features were released in the 2022.1 dot release a year earlier but went largely unnoticed.
My webcast covered the following topics:
- Civil Structure clipping
- Bridge Components – Revit/Inventor
- Updates from Structural Bridge Design
- Parking Lots (new in 2022)
- Search Commands
- Elimination of Cloud Credits
- New Logos
I described these new and improved features and explained the theory behind their applications. Following that, I demonstrated the clipping planes and the parking tools with a software demonstration.
Below are some questions that were asked during the webcast:
Q: There appears to be within InfraWorks many Civil design aspects. Will Civil 3D eventually go away and InfraWorks replace it in total?
A: When it was first released, many thought InfraWorks was to become the “Revit-like Civil 3D” application. In reality, InfraWorks simply does not have the detailed tools to create robust construction drawings and analysis required for many Civil, Survey, and GIS applications. The best way to think of InfraWorks is as a companion product to Civil 3D, used mostly in the preliminary/conceptual design phase and in the final presentation phase.
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Q: Once the InfraWorks design phase is complete, would it then export out to Civil 3D to finalize the Civil design?
A: Yes, InfraWorks is a great visualization and preliminary analysis design tool. Once a design option is evaluated and approved for design development, it can easily be transferred to Civil 3D for the design development, detailed design, and construction drawing phase.
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Q: How can a coordinated Tiff be brought into my own coordinate system?
A: GeoTiff files, along with other geo-referenced images, can be imported into InfraWorks. The InfraWorks model has a coordinate system assigned to it and will convert the image from its embedded coordinate system to the coordinate system of the InfraWorks model.
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Q: We are in Southern Africa, while InfraWorks is set for North of the Equator?
A: InfraWorks is shipped with a wide variety of recognized coordinate systems for the entire world. Beyond that, there are tools to create your own coordinate system for use in InfraWorks and Civil 3D.
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Q: Does InfraWorks do rendering to be more photorealistic?
A: InfraWorks has a decent rendering engine but may not be enough for high-fidelity renderings. For that, the model (or InfraWorks-generated rendering) will need to be exported into other applications, such as 3D Studio Max, to take advantage of those tools.
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Q: How can I combine with site photos?
A: You cannot combine actual site photos in InfraWorks. The best option is to import the model into another application, like 3D Studio Max, where such features are available.
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Q: Do you have any material on rehabilitation of roads in InfraWorks and Civil 3D?
A: InfraWorks has limited specific tools for road rehabilitation. Civil 3D has many more though, so the conceptual model can be built in InfraWorks and then imported into Civil 3D for the detailed Road Habilitation design.
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Q: Has there been talk about exports to 3DS Max for more details in 3D?
A: The two options for exporting the InfraWorks model for use in 3DS Max is to use the FBX or OBJ filetype options. Another option is to import the InfraWorks model into Civil 3D and then use the Civil 3D (AutoCAD) tools for exporting – linking the model to 3DS Max.
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Q: What is the advantage of using InfraWorks?
A: InfraWorks can be used to create concept designs to share with clients and/or showing the public a transportation layout. It also assists with concept cost estimating at the early phase.
(Thanks to webcast attendee, Roger for this answer!)
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