3D Repo announced the release of the latest version of its cloud-based building information modeling (BIM) platform. The company said that 30 enhancements have been made to the open source 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 young start-up but already has won numerous awards for its open version control system. 3D Repo v2.8 continues to expand 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 makes it possible 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 visualization models. This is part of a larger trend of increased interactivity in BIM models, as seen with the new Unreal Studio.
Support for the vendor-neutral BCF file format is meant 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.
“3D Repo Version 2.8 is all about extending the reach of the functionally robust and feature rich 3D Repo platform,” said Dr. Jozef Dobos, 3D Repo CEO. “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.”
To learn more about 3D Repo v2.8, visit the product website.