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In the height of summer, builders get busy on job sites to make the most of the long days while they can. But working longer hours isn’t the only way to get projects done while the sun shines. Technology can also help contractors work smarter.
Here are seven recent announcements from software makers and other technology providers about new offerings or updates to existing products designed to make construction smoother for contractors:
fabric
The little plasterboard robot that could get smaller.
San Francisco-based Canvas, which has made waves in the world of construction robotics with a machine it claims can cut drywall work times from five days to two, one to apply mud and one to polishing, has just launched its newest model. The 1200CX has a more compact design than the firm’s 1550 model, which allows it to finish up to corners and ceilings.
Years of development and customer feedback, Canvas says, have resulted in a smaller, lighter, and highly maneuverable machine that construction professionals can use in tighter spaces, including tower and multifamily construction jobs.
The machine measures 30 by 34.5 inches and weighs 1,200 pounds. It has all-wheel steering, does a full day’s work on a single charge, and can complete Level 4 and Level 5 finishes, according to Canvas. The company says its robots are easy to use and provide plaster workers with skills for the future while reducing fatigue, injury and 70% of repetitive motions.
But not only the physical footprint of the machine has changed its image. Canvas uses over-the-air software updates, a method popularized by electric car maker Tesla, to refine the robots’ capabilities even after they’ve been deployed on site.
GeoCue
Geospatial solutions provider GeoCue has added a scanning system to its product line, with features that allow users to generate real-time digital twins as they walk through indoor and outdoor environments.
The TrueView GO Series, which includes the 16-channel 116S and 32-channel 132S models, integrates survey-grade LiDAR scanning, cameras and visual SLAM technologies. It produces georeferenced point clouds in real-time that are displayed live on your tablet, enabling instant adjustments and ensuring complete coverage. the company said in a statement.
Now available for pre-order, TrueView GO is designed for professionals in a variety of industries, including surveying, civil engineering, construction, urban planning and forestry, the company said. It can work even in areas without satellite signals, ideal for indoor and urban surveys.
Buildots
Construction technology company Buildots announced the launch of a new feature to further enable unified tracking of automated and manually recorded tasks within a single platform across both mobile and desktop devices.
The feature allows project teams to leverage artificial intelligence for automated progress tracking, while allowing professionals to record and verify tasks that require human supervision, such as confirming the presence of electrical wiring in conduits or completing tasks such as checks and quality assurance inspections.
Integrated tracking bridges the gap between people and machines by addressing the critical challenge of scattered data from manually recorded activities, says Buildots. By bringing both manually recorded and automated activities into a single platform, the new feature helps ensure that the dataset used for progress and performance tracking is as complete as possible, the company said in the press release.
“Following our recent launch of the delay forecast feature, integrated tracking is the next step forward for us,” said Aviv Leibovici, co-founder of Buildots. “By combining the precision of AI with the indispensable expertise of field teams, we are delivering a tool that improves more aspects of project management. This is just the latest stop on our journey, as we move towards providing a fully integrated and holistic tracking solution.”
LCA in one click
Software provider One Click LCA has released a tool designed to help California developers and builders meet new sustainability benchmarks for non-residential buildings and schools. New carbon reduction regulations incorporated into the California Green Building Standards Code went into effect on July 1.
The One click LCA CALGreen Tool simplifies CalGREEN compliance by leveraging Revit and energy models, according to the release. It provides a solid framework for building reuse, performance and prescriptive compliance, ensuring a comprehensive approach to sustainability.
The CALGreen tool includes the world’s largest database of material environmental product claims and automates the calculation of embodied carbon reductions, facilitating documentation and reporting of compliance, according to the release.
sage
Sage has announced new cloud native innovations for bid leveling, collaboration and insight with its Sage Estimating cost estimation software for the construction industry.
According to the company, the Sage BidMatrix cloud-native platform helps estimators effectively manage the chaotic nature of the subcontractor selection process and makes it easier to compare subcontractor bids, assess project risks, and optimize bid strategies to to greater success.
Additionally, a new web interface with slice and dice capabilities leverages standard business intelligence tools, including Microsoft’s Power BI, enabling customers to analyze and gain insights from having all of their estimate data centralized in cloud, says Sage.
“With real-time collaboration, deep bid analysis capabilities, and robust reporting and analytics on a scalable cloud-native platform, we’re poised to deliver more innovations that take Sage Estimating customers into the future,” he said Sage senior Julie Adams. vice president of Construction and Real Estate, in the statement.
IMAGINiT technologies
Consulting firm based in Baltimore IMAGINE Technologies, which helps architects and engineers become more proficient in the use of 3D technologies, said it has integrated Bluebeam’s software solutions into its offerings to provide a one-stop shop for customers who also use Autodesk products.
Bluebeam software helps architects, engineers and construction professionals coordinate their field and office teams to keep them on the same page. The company’s tools enable users to create, markup and share PDF documents, streamline project workflows, reduce paper usage and improve communication for project stakeholders.
IMAGINE‘s New integration with Bluebeam tools will help users learn more about leveraging them through a self-paced learning management platform, according to IMAGINE.
The firm said that by combining Bluebeam’s collaboration tools with expert knowledge of Autodesk products, it can improve project outcomes for clients in the AEC industries.
Samsara
San Francisco-based Samsara, which helps organizations with brick-and-mortar operations leverage data from the Internet of Things, presented a slew of new products at their user conference in Chicago earlier this summer. They include:
Connected training: Aimed at customers in the transportation industry, the company’s data-driven training experience is designed for continuous, remote learning through Samsara’s Driver app. Managers can improve their workforce by consolidating all training on the Samsara platform and connecting with existing workflows for a seamless employee experience.
Connected workflows: Building on its Connected Forms product that digitizes paper-based processes for physical operations, this program orchestrates multi-step workflows. According to the company, connected workflows can automatically assign forms, manage approvals and create tasks based on contextual knowledge, such as breaking into a geofence or detecting a vehicle crash.
Asset tag: As sensors become more sophisticated, it is now possible to connect virtually anything to the cloud, be it trailers, tools or equipment. Asset Tag was designed to meet customer demand for tracking and managing small and high-value assets. It leverages the Samsara network of millions of devices to help organizations minimize downtime spent searching for lost or stolen items, reduce associated costs, and simplify inventory management.
Smart Trailer functions: The company’s Trailer Telematics allows fleets to diagnose problems with the anti-lock brake system and electrical power failures. As a result, the company says, operators can optimize trailer maintenance, keep drivers safe and maintain compliance, safety and liability scores.
