AppliCad Introduces SolarWizard Software
To Be Launched At METALCON 2011 In Atlanta
Melbourne, Australia - AppliCad announces plans to introduce their new SolarWizard software to the metal construction industry at the upcoming METALCON show in Atlanta, October 11-13, 2011. SolarWizard is a 3D modelling program that calculates solar radiation and shadows on a 3D model of the client's structure and helps determine the optimum location of solar assets such as PV arrays and solar thermal equipment, taking account of nearby obstructions and structures.
Ray Smith, Managing Director of AppliCad said, “The SolarWizard has been a pleasant surprise for us. Early indications are that our new SolarWizard will be our most successful new product launch for many years. We are very excited by the commercial opportunities for our new software. ”
Parallel with the launch of SolarWizard at METALCON is the release of AppliCad’s latest version of Roof Wizard – the roof modelling and estimating program for metal roofing and cladding. The new release is the combined result of nearly two years work by the development team. Documentation of suggested enhancements from customers in 40 countries was collated and prioritized according to resulting benefit to users. Top of the list was improved speed of our advanced report generator followed closely by digitizing aerial imagery and the solar design tools.
Given the ready availability of aerial image libraries to the construction sector, accessible via the Internet and from specialist vendors, the re-designed image digitizing tools in the new AppliCad enable consultants, contractors or installers to prepare accurate client proposals from their desk without the need for a site visit, at least until a commitment from the customer has been received. This results in huge savings in time and gas and improves turn-around time from initial enquiry to professional proposal. It also saves lots of money spent on third party service providers doing this for the contractor, who can now do it for themself without any additional cost or delay.
Roof geometry can also be modelled from a field sketch or an architect’s blueprint, allowing all jobs to be professionally analyzed, reducing the uncertainty that surrounds forecasting the yields of PV systems using traditional methods.
Combining this functionality with the new shadow analyzer and the solar radiation calculator allows solar industry and roofing professionals to prepare detailed client proposals at the initial stage without leaving their desk. The entire client structure can be modelled in 3D along with the immediate surrounds, and the interference effects of shadows from these items explored in detail. The new calculators create precise results displayed in very easy to understand maps of shadow and solar radiation on the 3D structure for any location in the country.
The high performance report generator then connects all the calculated data and images to report in Microsoft Word. Further integration with external programs includes the ability to create and maintain all the user’s material definitions in Microsoft Excel.
The new AppliCad now exports data in various text file formats including XML. The 3D roof geometry may be exported as an XML version of AppliCad’s Roof Exchange Format (RXF) file.
About AppliCad
AppliCad is a specialist CAD/CAM application software development company based in Melbourne, Australia. It has been developing CAD applications since 1991 and now exports their specialist software to solar, roofing and cladding companies to 40 countries around the world. For more information, call (800) 966-1698 or visit www.applicad.com.