Abstract: The disclosed inventions and embodiments relate to the propagation of information among workflow applications used by a design project such as a construction design project and the creation and use of dimensioned and animated models for such projects. The workflow applications may be extended to enable participation in the information sharing or the system may provide functionality external to the tools that facilitates the participation of the tools. Information from various sources, including the workflow applications and third party sources, can be represented and modeled in an animation system. Sometimes the propagation is enabled in part by a store of information that also enabled reuse and reporting. Information used and generated by the various workflow applications is kept consistent among the different workflow applications and among the different representations of that information.

Abstract: The disclosed inventions and embodiments relate to the propagation of information among workflow applications used by a design project such as a construction design project and the creation and use of dimensioned and animated models for such projects. The workflow applications may be extended to enable participation in the information sharing or the system may provide functionality external to the tools that facilitates the participation of the tools. Information from various sources, including the workflow applications and third party sources, can be represented and modeled in an animation system. Sometimes the propagation is enabled in part by a store of information that also enabled reuse and reporting. Information used and generated by the various workflow applications is kept consistent among the different workflow applications and among the different representations of that information.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a thematic design article is disclosed. One of the embodiments of the method comprises the step of formulating from a three-dimensional computer model of an article, design parameters for panel elements of the article. The method further comprises the step of controlling a wire bending device responsive to the design parameters to form the panel elements, wherein the panel elements are comprised of horizontal and vertical sub-elements comprising continuous sub-panels, linear cut to form sub-panels, or a combination thereof.