Monday, June 1, 2015

Ofcdesk uses new Autodesk technology to help contract furniture dealers speak the same language as their customers.




Chicago, IL (June 1, 2015) Ofcdesk llc, a member of the Autodesk Developer Network, released Ofcdesk Connect, a tool that translates 20/20 CAP Studio® designs to Autodesk Revit® designs, using new Autodesk cloud and web browser technology.

“We’d been hearing complaints for years about the disconnect between commercial office furniture dealers and designers using Revit®,” said Ofcdesk’s CEO, Mauricio Ritzmann, “so we decided to apply new Autodesk technology to make it easier for the two parties to share designs.”

Utilizing the new Autodesk technology, Ofcdesk developed Connect, a primarily web-based system that translates 20/20 CAP Studio® and AutoCAD® layouts to an equivalent native Revit® layout.  The user can view the final output in their web browser and email the Revit® file to their clients.

Ofcdesk’s new Connect software uses translation technology originally created for Ofcdesk IDC. The IDC plugin won Ofcdesk the Best of NeoCon Gold Award for Software Technologies in 2014.

While planning to sell the IDC plugin to the contract office furniture dealer market, Ofcdesk’s CTO, Fernando Malard, attended an exclusive cloud accelerator where Autodesk developers were invited to work together on their product ideas, using the new platform.

“This new technology helps Ofcdesk leverage all of IDC’s features in the cloud. By using the Autodesk Cloud API, Ofcdesk Connect will help dealers translate AutoCAD® designs to Revit®, collect information, and manage projects, all in a web browser,” Fernando said.

 “Because most of the Connect interface uses a web browser, we can offer a subscription model that means more price flexibility for dealers.” Ritzmann said.

A designer at a dealer can subscribe at connect.ofcdesk.com, download a simple plugin for AutoCAD®, select their CAP Studio® design, and upload it to the Connect web page, all for a minimal monthly fee.  From there, the Ofcdesk server will translate their CAP Studio® layout to the equivalent layout, using Revit® symbols.

Ritzmann added, “The Connect process makes it easy for a commercial office furniture dealer who doesn’t want a large upfront investment in Revit® technology, to be able to share their designs with their customers in a more cost effective way.”


Connect subscriptions are available at: http://connect.ofcdesk.com/