As we gain users for the Konstru beta program, we are trying many different ways to get to know our users better, so we can build better software for the BIM industry. Recently, we’ve embarked on a series of “Lunch & Learn” events with active and potential users. We bring pizza, drinks, a full demo of Konstru, and 30 or so minutes of Q&A. Oh, and awesome Konstru t-shirts for everyone! Yes, we’re totally ok with bribing our users for deep, experienced feedback. The first few Lunch & Learns have been real eye-openers, and here we’re sharing some of these BIM questions and answers.

Doing a Konstru lunch and learn demo of @AutodeskRevit and @CSiAmericaSoft #SAP2000 for a room full of structural engineers in Atlanta #bim pic.twitter.com/aHdRoA4J7f

— Konstru (@teamkonstru) March 22, 2017

Konstru, Revit, and Dynamo

Q: What are the similarities and differences between Konstru and Dynamo?

A: Dynamo is a really great package, but it is a visual script, which usually requires a software programmer. Konstru is commercial software designed to be easy to use. We have built in a lot of rules over the years specific to BIM modeling and interoperability with the various desktop software programs that we support. Using Dynamo, you have to build these types of rules yourself from scratch. Another difference is that Konstru is really a database,whereas Dynamo is a script engine. That structure allows users to collaborate with other people.

Q: How does Konstru deal with offsets (column offsets) in Revit to SAP?

A: Konstru takes all offsets from Revit into account to create a Column that exactly represents the structural column as it is visually in Revit. Any offset from levels will affect Konstru geometry. We restore columns with level offsets if the geometry is not aligned to specific levels. Konstru takes all offsets from Revit into account to create a Column that exactly represents the structural column as it is visually in Revit. The Konstru app has built-in translation logics for attributes like offsets and justifications well-elaborated by engineering experience and user feedback.

Secure, Cloud-based, Collaborative

Q: It looks like Konstru does everything in the cloud with internet access. Is there a downloadable version of Konstru for your desktop?

A: There is not a downloadable version of Konstru. Konstru is a secure, cloud-based application, designed to enable users to collaborate from here to Hong Kong and anywhere in between.

Q: Did you create the BIM viewer?

A: The 3D engine behind the Konstru app has been custom built for Konstru. The main criteria that we had in mind when developing the viewer were Speed, Size and Mobility.

1. Speed: We want the user to be able to interact with a Konstru model in many different ways, be it by comparing different models to each other, or by color coding a model based on various different criteria. Moreover, we want the viewer to also work reliably on mobile devices. After all, our users should be able to access their model data from anywhere. With this in mind, we also came up with a method that allows for very fast download speeds of the model data.
2. Size: We want the model viewer to work for very large models with 100s of thousands of elements. Hence we implemented a number of ways that optimize when, and how, the 3D data is displayed to the user.

Order Your Own Lunch & Learn

These are just a few of the questions from the great interactions we experience when we bring Konstru (and Pizza!) to our users. Can we come visit you? Request a Konstru Lunch & Learn here.