Autodesk Introduces the Next Generation of Tools for a New Era of Infrastructure

 Autodesk is uniquely positioned to strategically partner with our AEC customers in the public and private sectors, enabling them to drive a new era of infrastructure.  

The breadth of our industry expertise makesAutodesk one of the very few companies that can bring architecture, manufacturing, and construction to bear for the infrastructure of the future – facilitating more interconnected vertical and horizontal infrastructure design processes, more efficient civil structures workflows, and improved project delivery. I believe we bring the whole of Autodesk to the whole of infrastructure challenges and opportunities.

Even before new public dollars began flowing to projects, the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law had already done something essential to its success: Itconfirmed the need for digital transformation to improve project delivery and save time and money by authorizing $100 million over five years for a digital design and construction program.  

The stakes are high for states and local governments to rebuild and repair long-neglected infrastructure by delivering on-time, on-budget projects. Every minute saved, and every risk mitigated during design and engineering conserves taxpayer money, contributes to the well-being of communities, and minimizes environmental impact.   

I am proud to share how Autodesk supports this once-in-a-generation infrastructure investment in the U.S., and the investments being made across the globe, with innovations across our entire portfolio to reshape the systems by which we move people and goods and improve the environments and communities in which we live. Innovations such as:   

• Model-based design that facilitates better design decisions.   
• Conceptual design capabilities that improve understanding of the impact of projects before a single shovel breaks ground.   
• Automated workflows that support more efficient design.   
• Cloud-based data-sharing that improves stakeholder collaboration.   
• Technology convergence between manufacturing and infrastructure to accelerate the industry shift toward prefabrication and industrialized construction.  

To help deliver infrastructure projects with better outcomes, I am excited to share the 2023 releases of Autodesk® Civil 3D®, Autodesk® InfraWorks®, and Autodesk® ReCap™ Pro. Let’s walk through how these tools can be used to seize the opportunity of the infrastructure boom ahead.  

Automation, Interoperability, and Better Collaboration for End-to-End Project Delivery Improvements  

When compiled together, these updates can make a real impact on project delivery. Let’s look at bridges. With a third ofAmerican bridges needing repair, it’s one of the most critical areas of infrastructure investment.   

With our latest updates, we’ve enhanced integrations between InfraWorks and ourstructural analysis and simulation tools, enabling engineers to assess the structural integrity of their designs more effectively. And improved connections withAutodesk® Inventor® make it even easier to bring custom bridge parts and components into the design process.  

Since almost every infrastructure project begins with site work, a newHelp Center makes it easier to get started with Grading Optimization for Civil 3D. We’ve also provided enhanced notification capabilities to help you stay on top of the optimization process and ensure you achieve the best grading plan possible for your project while minimizing material waste.  

And should you need toshare a digital representation of your project with collaborators, support for cloud-based workflows in ReCap Pro facilitates visualization, presentation, and inspection processes in the field using large, visually rich reality capture data. Here, the Autodesk® Forge® viewer makes it simple for anyone to review and annotate models, simply with Autodesk® Docs and a browser.  

There are many more updates to share with you that improve design efficiencies for every segment of infrastructure, including pressurized utilities, rail, and civil structures design.  

Meeting the Infrastructure Challenge Together   

The advancements made throughout the project lifecycle were inspired by our customers. Across Autodesk, we are building a community of customers—nearly 10,000 and growing—who provide us with insights and feedback about our products. They help us test solutions and drive the next generation of tools that accelerate our ability to solve enormous challenges. Because to meet the need ahead, no single stakeholder or company can do it alone.   

This historic investment in infrastructure comes with big goals: Rebuild the world’s roads, bridges, public transit, and commuter rail. Expand access to clean drinking water. Mitigate climate change—and more.   

Be the future of infrastructure. Join theAutodesk Infrastructure Futures program and let’s work on achieving those ambitious goals together.