Integration is the name of the game in construction apps and software, along with software for managing the lifecycle of a project. Check out award-winning construction apps and an affordable metal 3-D printer.

Apps

Timesheet Mobile’s Project+ All-In-One Workflow and Workforce Management App

Timesheet Mobile’s new Project+ is a comprehensive project management, messaging and task management feature. Project+ integrates into Timesheet Mobile’s existing application, providing businesses with an all-in-one resource to communicate, collaborate and manage their workforce. Employees log into Project+ on any mobile device to review key projects and activities in real-time, and receive prompts to punch in and out of work shifts with Timesheet Mobile’s geofencing technology. Project+ features simple checklists and task management; direct message and team messaging; image attachments; complete project visibility; multilingual translations in English, French, German and Spanish.

Casella Airwave App Helps Monitor Dust and Noise Safety

The Casella Airwave App provides remote access to its Apex2 personal dust sampling pump and dBadge2 noise dosimeter. Connected via Bluetooth, the app enables users to monitor real-time data and assess risk should an event require attention. The app can remotely start, pause or stop a measurement; check measurement process, battery life and memory capacity; and email data, photos and notes for reporting.

TSheets Announces Top 10 App Award Winners

TSheets reviewed almost 100 apps with experts from a wide range of construction companies to come up with 10 winners and runners-up in each category, based on problem-solving, ease of use, number of users and integrations, quality of customer service, track record and ratings. The top 10 apps are: Autodesk BIM 360 (Field Management category); Canvas (Reporting category); CloseOut (Task Management category); DEWALT Mobile Pro (Tools category); Drone Deploy (Mapping category); e-Builder (Project Management category); Gas Buddy (Logistics category); JobFLEX (Estimates & Bids category); Red Cross First Aid (Safety category); and True Look (Photography category).

Software and In the Cloud

Sage Mobile Projects and Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate Upgrades Provide Field Mobility

Sage Mobile Projects and Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate version 17.1 updates enable customers to manage the entire lifecycle of construction projects with any mobile device. Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate version 17.1 serves as the foundation that enables access to all project information through Mobile Projects and includes the ability to design and create SQL reports and to query a SQL database. This release also includes automatic data backup and easy database maintenance and administration to further ensure data security. Contractors can also easily consolidate data from multiple sources to see the full picture of their business.

PlanGrid Offers New Features and Integrations

PlanGrid announced new features and integrations to revolutionize the way workers manage and build projects. The new capabilities include one-tap navigation, 10 times faster publishing, push notifications, and mobile 360° photos. PlanGrid also integrates with CMiC, Dronomy Site Aware, eSub and EarthCam. For example, the Dronomy's SiteAware integration to allows general contractors, project owners, real estate developers and subcontractors to add current, objective and contextual views of their project status into their construction management workflow. Users can save data captured with SiteAware, including snapshots from 2-D, 3-D, and 4-D models, directly to PlanGrid, and can easily reference them on drawings and in RFIs.

Partnerships and Acquisitions

Applied Software Acquires Technical Sales International

Applied Software® has acquired Technical Sales International (TSI), LLC, an Autodesk® Gold Partner specializing in fabrication and construction solutions for the MEP industry. TSI offers sales, consulting, training, data and support services for Autodesk fabrication software products Fabrication CADmep, Fabrication ESTmep and Fabrication CAMduct, among others. Its early partnership with Micro Applications Packages Limited (MAP Software), a U.K.-based provider of CAD, CAM and estimating software for the MEP industry, led to its partnership with Autodesk upon Autodesk’s acquisition of MAP Software.

Video & Cool Stuff

Desktop Metal 3-D Printer Cost-Effective Option for Contractors, Engineers

Add a Desktop Metal 3-D Printer to the company wish list. The affordable Studio printer extrudes bound metal rods–similar to how a plastic FDM printer works, eliminating safety requirements associated with metal 3-D printing while opening up new alloys and enabling the use of closed-cell infill for lightweight strength.

Bentley Announces Finalists in 2017 Be Inspired Awards

Bentley announced the finalists in the 2017 Be Inspired Awards program, which honor the extraordinary work of Bentley users advancing infrastructure design, construction and operations throughout the world. Ten independent jury panels comprising distinguished industry experts selected 51 finalists from more than 400 nominations in more than 50 countries. The finalists will present their innovative projects at the Year in Infrastructure 2017 Conference, October 10-12 in Singapore.

Elecosoft Offers No-Cost Academic Licenses for Asta Powerproject

Elecosoft, maker of Asta Powerproject, provides free academic licenses of its pro scheduling tool for all accredited colleges and universities in the United States so construction students can install the fully functional version of the scheduling software on their laptops or desktop computers.

Onvia’s Next-Generation Platform Accelerates Sales to the Public Sector

Onvia’s sales platform enables fast lead qualification and management with the ability to create custom alerts and receive daily emails to capture critical bids and updates. Users can view government agency spending trends and purchase history to help craft proposals. Construction supply and service providers can use awards information to discover which prime contractors are winning government awards, and then download vendor contact lists to market their products and services directly. Onvia 8 provides an accessible view of future leads, displaying actionable details and forward-looking intelligence from government agencies’ documents including annual budgets, capital improvement plans, federal grants, planned projects, technology improvement plans and advance notices.