LevelUp enables switch between 2D and 3D views

Atlanta — Applied Software, a systems integrator to the AEC and Manufacturing industries, earned a patent for the process used in the company’s LevelUp Software System. Using LevelUp, design and construction professionals can easily generate and switch seamlessly between 2D and 3D views of every floor of a 3D virtual construction model.

“As a software developer, our primary goal is to look for ways technology can make it easier for AEC workers — from the architect through to the builder — to bring a concept to fruition,” said Richard Burroughs, president of Applied Software. “LevelUp gives workers different ways to interpret plans by allowing them to more easily switch between two- and three-dimensional views.”

LevelUp gives workers capabilities they didn’t have access to before. For example, two-dimensional views of multiple floors can be integrated directly into a three-dimensional model. The on-site crew can choose the best view, either 2D or 3D, to help them complete their work in the field.

The process patent, which was approved on October 31, 2017, covers “creating two-dimensional floor plans within three-dimensional models.” The inventors are listed as Mark Petrucci and Xiao Chun Yao, both of Atlanta. The technology differs from older Building Information Models (BIM) software through its ease of use and ability to seamlessly switch between two- and three-dimensional representations in the field.

LevelUp has three modules:

• Module 1 takes a 3D building and creates both 2D and 3D views of each floor or level. This benefits BIM/VDC teams by automating the process of generating associated 2D and 3D views of every level of a multi-story building.
• Module 2 merges the 2D and 3D view of each level and uploads the new file to the cloud for anytime, anywhere access. Jobsite teams can quickly and easily alternate between viewing each level’s 2D drawing or 3D model.
• Module 3 allows BIM/VDC managers to export each level’s 3D model to Autodesk Navisworks Manage, thereby improving the ability for advanced coordination.