What are we to do with Forge?

Automate repetitive tasks, render 2D and 3D models in a web browser, generate reports on consumption, usage and contract details, and convert images into high-res meshes, point clouds and orthophotos. It all sounds a little dreamy, doesn’t it? Perhaps a little out of reach?

We’re here to tell you all this may be in your work space sooner than you think. In fact, it’s already at your fingertips! Cue Forge, a relatively new tool from Autodesk, providing us with a way to unlock the powerful functionality in Autodesk’s products. It’s designed in a way that allows you to pick and manipulate a variety of tools Autodesk has provided, to bring to life your imagination in ways never before possible. All this is created through using a set of API’s and services handled by a platform intuitively called Forge. But before we start casually throwing around sophisticated acronyms like API and SDK, let’s take a minute to understand some of the foundational (and admittedly less exciting) things about Forge.

What on earth is an API? API stands for Application Programming Interface (in English please!). Basically, an API is the middleman that allows two applications to talk to each other. Think of this example: You’d like to invest money into the stock market. You need a way to buy stock but can’t quite do it yourself. This is where you’ll need an API, or in this case, a broker. The Broker will communicate with you, and then process the order in your behalf to the provider (stock market), and will then communicate back to you that you have indeed invested money into the market.

SDK is another term you may come across on your journey with Forge, so let’s find out more about this one too. An SDK is a Software Development Kit. They are a set of tools that allow the creation of applications for specific hardware or software (the key words here being specific hardware or software). Essentially, it provides developers a good foundation and healthy parameters to work with predetermined hardware or software, therefore speeding up the development process by getting rid of much of the back-end compatibility work.

Now for some real-life application, shall we? 
Forge, as it sits, gives you access to nine (9) API’s and services namely:

-Authentication: Generate tokens based on the OAuth 2.0 standard to authenticate requests made to Forge APIs and SDKs.

-BIM 360: Integrate with the Autodesk BIM 360 platform to extend its capabilities to reach segments of the construction ecosystem that don’t have direct access to BIM data.

-Data Management: Access data across BIM 360 team, Fusion Team, BIM 360 Docs, and the Object Storage Service to build apps to display and extend your data in ways that add value to your users.

-Design Automation: Automate repetitive tasks by leveraging on the scale of the Forge Platform and running scripts on your design files in the cloud.

-Model Derivative: Derive outputs viewable by the Forge Viewer from more than 60 CAD file formats, and extract metadata about the models as well as the individual objects within the model.

-Reality Capture: Convert digital images into high resolution textured meshes, dense point clouds and orthophotos.

-Token Flex: Access Autodesk Token Flex Usage Data platform to generate reports on consumption, usage, and contract details.

-Viewer: Render 3D and 2D model data within a browser. The models can come from a wide range of applications such as AutoCAD, Fusion 360, Revit, and many more.

-Webhooks: Subscribe to and receive notifications of the occurrence of events within the Forge ecosystem.

Viewing a 3D model with associated data in a web browser

The idea of these API’s is that it gives the user direct access to these specific tools and services to either compliment existing software and fill in where they may be lacking, or these may be used in software and hardware yet to be developed.

While we won’t go into too much detail on the use of each of these (at least not here), you may find it worthwhile to know that each of these tools allow you to integrate Autodesk products into your daily workflows, streamline and collaborate your efforts, embed many Autodesk components into your own mobile or web-based applications, and quite effectively forge your way to a better future.

If taken advantage of, Forge can make all the difference in the way you interact with Autodesk. It can make all the difference in avoiding mistakes, keeping all parties involved informed, saving both time and money, and keeping you on the cutting of Autodesk software. Forge can become the driving force and inspiration for the latest features and products of Autodesk itself.

Stick with us as we continue to discover Forge, and learn more in detail as to how it works and why we should be using it!

Let’s Forge the future together!

-Ethyn Roux