This blog is written by Jason Artley, ATG Technical Specialist, LEED AP. He’s a Senior Technical Specialist here at ATG. To contact Jason, call 1.800.935.4894 or email marketing@atgusa.com. 

It’s April, which usually means we can expect new releases from Autodesk! We’ve already announced the releases of AutoCAD 2021 and Revit 2021. Today we’re excited to share the release of both Civil3D 2021 and Infraworks 2021. In addition to stability and performance enhancements, several new features have been added as well. These upgrades to 2021 will be accessible from the Autodesk Desktop App.

 

First up is Civil 3D 2021. This year’s edition brings us some exciting enhancements for more advanced functionality. Before we get started, please note that interoperability has not changed this year! Drawings saved in 2021 can still be opened all the way back to 2018.

Pressure Network Layout and Editing

• Networks can be separated into individual pipe runs now, but remain in the same network, making subdivision and more complex networks easier to manage.
• Better grip editing capabilities for pressure labels and appurtenances.
• Improved profile functions with reference surfaces. Cover can be changed in Toolspace.
• Stays dynamic to FG profile when network is based on cover.
• Path based pipe runs are easier to edit with grips and bends (fittings) are added automatically when the bend matches a specified angle.
• More “Profile-like” functions for Pressure Pipes with PIs, making vertical deflections easier to create and visualize.

Bridge Interoperability

• Bridges from Revit and Infraworks now get enhanced functionality in Civil3D for connection, assembly and elevation coordination.
• The default “Out of the Box” templates (Autodesk Civil 3D (Imperial) NCS.dwt) also have updated styles and settings to match the new functions in Civil3D for Bridge and Rail.

Dynamo Enhancements

• Dynamo finally came to Civil3D in 2020 and firms across the country are starting to use it to script repetitive design workflows. In 2021, we gain a Dynamo Player and additional design automation options.
• No longer a separate install, Dynamo will load automatically when installing 2021.

Object Properties Output as ArcGIS Attributes

• Extended Data can now be extracted from Civil3D and automatically output into ArcGIS attributes, making any pipe networks, parcel data, or custom properties easily accessible once imported into ArcGIS without needing to resort to table joins and relates on the Esri side. This is going to make functionality of the ArcGIS Connector even better!

Civil3D’s cohort in the AEC Collection is Infraworks, like Civil3D, this update can be found in the Autodesk Desktop App. Note that you’ll need to uninstall 2020 before proceeding.

This year’s new release of 2021 contains these new features:

Corridors

• These link much better between Civil3D, allowing quick importing and visualization of corridor projects in Infraworks.

Bridges

• Bridges gain additional styles and functions, as well as the ability to easily change material styles, like switching concrete girders to metal girders, etc.
• Parametric modeling abilities have also been enhanced.
• Linking Bridge design to Revit now allows for versioning and better control between software.

Support for High DPI Scaling

• If you have a 4K monitor and have tried to use it with Infraworks, the scaling was very small and difficult to navigate. The 2021 version addresses that scaling and makes everything look normal again in 4K.

This year’s releases are built upon the improvements to AutoCAD 2021 and BIM360 as well, further making these connected, cloud-based workflows even easier. Remote work is a lot more common these days than they were a year ago, and these improvements will only help design professionals adapt to the changing times.

Keep an eye out for future communication from ATG about these new features and more as we begin to share our tips and tricks for using the latest version of our favorite Civil software packages.

Thank you for reading!