Survey Terminology - US Style

http://www.directlinesoftware.com/survey.htm

Future Tech - 3D pen !!!

The World’s First 3D Printing Pen that Lets you Draw Sculptures in Real Time | Colossal

Free DXF / DWG viewer

Using the free AutoDesk Trueview software this morning; a great free viewer for DWG & DXF files, plotting, printing to PDF and reviewing plans. 

Plotting to PDF works really well, preserving the layering structure for ease of viewing and reducing 'aliasing' effects 

See the free software page for details & download info :-)

2D Aerial view

3D Rotation

Free IFC BIM Viewer

For a professional free BIM viewer (Building Information Modelling) that fits with the ethos of 'Open BIM' (utilising a range of software platforms and sharing data in 'IFC' format), try Tekla BIMsight:

http://www.teklabimsight.com/

Images from Severn Partnership

It is available to use on PC, Tablet computers and also as 'Tekla BIMsight note for ipad & iphone.  The 'note' version allows for information to be tagged on a model and easily shared with a mobile device to aid collaboration on BIM projects.

Tekla have a help centre and support forum, although most of the key tools for the full PC version are self explanatory (Clip planes, navigation, notes, layers & attributes).

Follow them at: @tekla

Link to Support Forum

Link to Download