Predictive processing uses CPU resources in the background to make Graphisoft’s BIM tool ‘faster than ever’
Graphisoft continues to focus on improving performance in its flagship BIM tool with ‘Predictive background processing’ being the headline feature of its latest ArchiCAD 19 release. Building on the 64-bit and multi-processing technologies of ArchiCAD 18, the new technology uses unused computer capacity to anticipate potential future user actions and prepare for them in the background. According to Graphisoft, this greatly increases the overall responsiveness of the application, so it feels more agile with projects of any type or size.
"End-users perceive software performance as one single measurement – however it is the combination of a large number of factors,” said Péter Temesvári, Director, Product Management at Graphisoft. "ArchiCAD 19 introduces major improvements - most importantly to its intuitiveness and responsiveness - offering a unique, fluid feel to interactions with the software. Its patent pending predictive background processing capability reinforces ArchiCAD’s technology leadership position in the BIM field.”
3D graphics performance has also been improved thanks to a ‘fully-optimized OpenGL engine. The new release is said to offer smoother, faster 3D navigation, even when working with extremely large building models.
One of the less prominent but important features is the addition of point-cloud support, which will now allow 3D laser scanned survey data to be imported into the model to help visualise the environment or the “as built” structure. Compared to competitive products like Autodesk Revit and Bentley AECOsim Building Designer, this has been a notable omission in previous releases.
Other new features include an improved work environment where a new tab bar is used for multiple viewpoints to allow speedier switching among floor plans, sections, elevations, and 3D windows.
Brand new Guide Lines, Snap Guides and Snap Points are said to provide permanent graphical support for accurate element creation and editing.
Intuitive, ‘drag-and-drop’ building model surface editing in 3D with ArchiCAD 19’s new Surface Painter enables designers to change model surfaces in the 3D window with a single click.
Interoperability has also been improved with Graphisoft claiming the new release allows users to an import IFC model exactly as it looked in the original application in which it was created. Collision detection now works with all imported IFC MEP elements and collision detection performance has also been improved.
Other productivity improvements include the ability to list skin areas in interactive schedules so users can accurately schedule the area of any skins from composite structures as well as various annotation and PDF improvements.
AEC Magazine will be carrying out in in-depth review in the coming weeks so stay tuned.
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