What's New in the Autodesk 2021 Architecture, Engineering & Construction Collection?

 It's a new year! And that means new Autodesk software offerings! The Architecture, Engineering & Construction Collection, or the AEC Collection, has some new upgrades. In this post, we'll review what they are.

First, what is the AEC Collection?

For those who aren't familiar with this, the AEC Collection provides designers, engineers and contractors a set of BIM and CAD tools that support projects from early-stage design through to construction. It's the motherload of Autodesk software access for the AEC industry.

The collection specifically includes Revit, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, InfraWorks, Navisworks Manage, ReCap Pro, Advance Steel, Insight, FormIt Pro, Dynamo Studio, Robot Structural Analysis Professional, 3ds Max, Autodesk Rendering, Vehicle Tracking, Fabrication CADmep, Structural Bridge Design and Autodesk Drive.

With these programs, you're able to create high-quality, high-performing building and infrastructure designs with conceptual and detailed design tools. In addition, you're able to optimize projects with integrated analysis, generative design and visualization and simulation tools as well as improve predictability in the field with tools that maximize constructability and project coordination.

AutoCAD with Specialized Toolsets

Last year Autodesk added Specialized Toolsets to AutoCAD. Now, these Specialized Toolsets are included with AutoCAD in the AEC Collection. These toolsets are suitable for every AutoCAD user, including toolsets for architecture, electrical, mechanical, plant 3D, MEP, map 3D, Raster Design and the AutoCAD web and mobile apps.

Project Explorer in Civil 3D

On the civil side, there's a new product in the AEC Collection called Project Explorer for Civil 3D. Project Explorer is basically a one-stop-shop where you can access all of the information about your project in Civil 3D. It provides an easy-to-use tool for design-data review and user-configurable report generation, helping you navigate, interact and share Civil 3D design information with ease. For example, you can modify corridors, see feature lines, etc. all in this tool. 

It does a lot of things that Civil 3D cannot do, like swapping multiple pipes. The reporting tool in Project Explorer is also quite robust including quantity takeoff, reporting, analysis, etc.

This is an extension exclusively available in Civil 3D through the AEC Collection. 

Autodesk Docs

Autodesk Docs is being added to the AEC Collection this month (February 2021)! While we don't know every detail about this new offering yet, here's what we do know.

Autodesk Docs is a base-level container where all files are stored, permissions are setup, projects are setup, etc. With this cloud offering, you're able to organize, distribute and share files across the project lifecycle with a single document management platform with standardized control and approval workflows, powerful search capabilities, markups increase collaboration, reducing errors and delays. You're also able to create a single source of truth, ensuring teams have access to the information they need from anywhere, anytime, on any device. 

Are Autodesk Docs and BIM 360 Docs the same offering?

No. While each offering contains many of the same features today, and Autodesk Docs includes BIM 360 Docs, the Autodesk Docs offering supports document management for projects on the unified platform as well as projects on the BIM 360 platform. The BIM 360 Docs offering only supports document management for projects hosted on BIM 360.

Now, the changes happening within the BIM 360 line of products is a whole other story. If you'd like to learn more about that, click here.