Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro (formerly BIM360) is a construction software for project managers, site managers, and Building Information Modelling (BIM) managers. It is designed to connect the office and site components of construction, providing cloud-based access to plans and models.
$480
per user/per year
Autodesk Fabrication
Score 9.0 out of 10
N/A
Autodesk Fabrication, based on the ESTmep+ construction and estimation software developed by Applied Software and acquired by Autodesk in 2018, allows users to Create MEP models, generate estimates, and drive fabrication. The Autodesk Fabrication line includes Fabrication ESTmep, as well as Fabrication CADmep, and Fabrication CAMduct.
Autodesk Bim 360 is well suited to the majority of construction projects in my opinion. On the construction side I could see how the straightforward nature of the platform would be well liked. The new update with the widgets is a great touch and allows for ease of site visits by showcasing good to know info like project location on a map and the local weather. You can also customize the "widgets" as you see fit to add more information if necessary to the home screen. From my experience as a LEED consultant, Bim 360 does not differ much from other platforms used for submittal review like Procore. It is easy enough to search for what you want but searches do take a while and you need to move the cursor over every time you search and do not find what you're looking for, which seems very unnecessary. Overall it is fine for reviewing documentation but isn't anything extraordinary.
1. This software best suits in the fabrication projects, because it generates the most accurate data for the fabrication of the model as compared to other softwares. 2. Due to its high end output the working on this software is a bit hard then other softwares because there is manual command for every step. 3. This softwares suits best when we need to do the routing adjustments completely manual because it does not show any errors just like other softwares.
It uses the database for the modelling of HVAC, Plumbing and electrical services. Using the database makes the model most accurate to the real time implementation as compared to other contemporary softwares.
It treats every fabrication element separate. Hence modifying or updating the element does not hamper the other model elements.
AutoDesk fabrication is much more flexible to implement different manual routings which is not that much flexible in other softwares.
Maintaining the whole number lengths of ducts is very easy in this software. Where others struggle to do this easily.
Bim360 is extremely unintuitive and frequently confusing to end users.
There are multiple avenues of sharing and collaboration for models and information. The advantages/disadvantages of each and how to perform even the most basic of tasks requires extensive training and mentoring for even the most advanced of users.
There are many enormous limitations and constraints to BIM 360 that are not immediately obvious and even contrary to published marketing materials and even product naming.
Development cycles of the product are seemingly monthly, but incredibly minor. This makes the desperately-needed and glaringly obvious massive usability, capability, and performance improvements into deal-breakers and hair pulling events. Change cannot come fast enough.
There are no integrations into Microsoft's Azure AD SSO or other 3rd party SSOs available for SMBs. This makes the provided MFA a huge headache for all SMBs.
There are no integrations into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem for SharePoint/OneDrive or Outlook. This is desperately needed for most organizations using Bim360.
This software needs the central file system so that multiple people can work on a single file at the same time.
This software needs high end graphics which make it tuff to work in 3D space. If this problem can be solved then the efficiency of completing the job will improve drastically.
In this softwares we have to prepare separate sheet on every file because we have to use separate file for separate work. This hampers in maintaining the same standards of the submission interface of the sheets.
AutoDesk support is slow and if you are not an enterprise customer they will likely tell you to go to forums and post for help pushing the support on the high-level end-users (some of which are AutoDesk employees). I haven't actually had issues requiring support with docs altough there are some features I wish it had
The saving in reduced field changes/mistakes quickly paid for the license plus some. The software allows for easy data collection, especially at project completion for field software by checklist creation. Furthermore, the internal punch-list tracking, tracking completion lists and punch lists created for us by others is optimal compared to the competition. We chose Bim360 over other options due to its ability to import out of other software programs directly into the system, adding reports in one location and then distributing it to subcontractors and internally from there to fix deficiencies. It does the tracking, importing, markups of pictures and document viewing well and fulfills our needs.
Positively we use for all safety items, so its potential to save money is really something cannot be quantified. It has helped document trends, big items leading trends and odd ball cases which overall helps perfecting process to eliminate those trends and save time.
Negative impact is we need to pay for another program to handle budget, submittals and bidding so we are paying for two systems and paying for all employees to learn each system and possible make errors since there are differences in the systems.
