Advanced AEC Solutions: Beyond Conventional Construction- BIM Software Part 3

BIM- Resources

The BIM industry has begun creating new web sources and add-on software that takes all the model information and compiles it for use to create additional benefits. There is a website and add-on software requiring the spot light.

The website is known as BIMWorld by BIMWorld, LLC HYPERLINK "http://www.bimworld.com" www.bimworld.com. This site was made for any designer using one of the major BIM software, who is trying to find manufacturer enriched BIM model content like materials, doors, faucets, etc. The website is BIM software neutral and doesn’t distract with banner ads. After placing BIM modeled content into a shopping cart, the website visitor can download all the components at one time in the form of a small zip file. This content may also be loaded directly into the designer’s project. The website serves to inform and aid anyone using BIM, whether it is the manufacturer or the designer and includes multiple web forums directed at many of the BIM software and from the discipline of the visitors. The website is growing fast and is free to anyone who registers with the site.

The first add-on software is known as BCM or BIM Content Manager also by BIMWorld, LLC (US$350) at HYPERLINK "http://www.bimworld.com" www.bimworld.com. As we begin working with multiple building components (columns, furniture, specialties, etc.) in a BIM environment, we first notice how clumsy it is to find them using Microsoft Windows Explorer interface. BIMWorld has answered this challenge by creating an extension of their popular website. This program allows a designer to visually see images of the modeled content as well as read embedded and specification information within the modeled content, and all this in one easy to display window. Just like the website, a designer having found their intended model content, can simply select a load button and the content is inserted directly into the designer’s model.

The second add-on software is known as e-SPECS by InterSpec, Inc. (US$2,795) at HYPERLINK "http://www.e-specs.com/" http://www.e-specs.com/. The program ties to the project model file, extracts all the available information and creates a specification. This means you don’t have to type up a full specification as the coordination of information is handled by the software using the model information you entered into the model. The spec can be custom based on your firms style or can be created using the Master Spec system. They also have a web-based spec writing service.

There is another desperate need seldom mentioned across industry platforms. The requirement to actually share your information with other industries that may not be using actual BIM software. Whether graphics model or document information, Clients, Construction Managers, Design Teams and Project Schedulers all need to share information that may come to all in multiple file formats not easily retrievable. Some of these collaboration viewing software are SpinFire Professional 8.2 by Actify HYPERLINK "http://www.actify.com/" \t "_blank" http://www.actify.com/ and Adobe Acrobat 3D version 8 by Adobe Systems HYPERLINK "http://www.adobe.com/acrobat3d/" \t "_blank" http://www.adobe.com/acrobat3d/ and MYRIAD by Informative Graphics HYPERLINK "http://www.infograph.com/" \t "_blank" http://www.infograph.com/. Many collaboration viewing software have available plug-ins to provide for popular applications, including Lotus Notes and Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Internet Explorer, Project, Visio, Access, and Publisher.

BIM- Training

We do have to be concerned about one major issue as we strive to take advantage of this new tool. We cannot expect to use it as an extension of our 2D CAD methods we currently employ. We must learn to take advantage of the virtual model to save us time and provide us with the component information it so easily shares. It is only responsible to add that a solution is only as good as our commitment to use it. In order to succeed, the BIM solution depends on each company’s commitment to implement BIM methodology, document BIM standards, and train their staff to use it. Without this commitment, we might as well go back to using pen and paper, and push all chances of making profits aside along with our technology. Our industry is just beginning to convert from 2D to BIM, making the availability of designers with experience in BIM hard to find, and of the few who know a little about it, opportunistically concerning. The current available training from Software Sales Companies provides 3-5 days with your staff being lead through the major features of the software, as the Software Sales Companies have done for the last two decades. When your staff, returns to their offices the next week and sit down before their computers, it hits them. They don’t know what they need to know to begin creating design models or how to use the associated scheduling or analysis software. So, they fake it, and through countless lost man hours, they slowly create a rough virtual model that can probably be printed, but may lack many of the basic systems you’ve already been using in your 2D CAD software. It doesn’t take you long to wonder what happened? The answer is, your staff had been trained in the use of common commands needed to use the software superficially and the difficult management and project start-up lessons, well, were totally missed. Due in part, because most of the training staff lack the industry knowledge to apply the use of the BIM software in your discipline, as well as most of the trainers haven’t been in the industry for more than a handful of years. Can you imagine training an intern, if you yourself were an intern? Many firms will tend to rely on this basic training even still, perhaps with the additional focus on short-sighted tutorials and modeling experimentation in the hope of a couple of designers cleverly discovering the BIM software, and passing their knowledge on to the rest of the staff. This method actually works in a light 2D CAD environment, but in the BIM environment, it tends to lead many firms in a blind-leading-the-blind effort with lost man hours and disillusionment with the software as a result. And so we have lost before we have begun, and lost profits doing it. What is needed is a well-thought out plan similar to the way we work in our industry. We require on-going or mentoring effort with one team on one project, and build the virtual model from the sub-floor up. We train our management in the use of this new tool and it’s important to understand that this is a virtual model and not unlike the construction of a real building, the best designers to model or add data for this building are the ones that understand how the actual building would be built. BIM software will, with lost man hours, allow a firm to use interns to build the virtual model, but the process becomes a whole lot more efficient when experienced designers handle it.

BIM- Support

The future of our industry is at our door steps. Some of us have already begun the transition by using 3D illustration and paint software, while others have focused on software with some form of automatic scheduling from annotation tags. Within two years, the use of BIM within our offices will be as commonplace as the use of email. Unlike the use of 2D CAD as an alternative to producing production documents, BIM, through its use of virtual models will change not only our methods of design and production, but create a marketing aware graphics opportunity with a level playing field for all of us to compete with the largest design firms. Clients never expect less. They demand more and BIM will provide us the engine to meet their expectations. Through the use of BIM’s virtual models, we will design better, present better, and look as good to our clients as we all wished we had the opportunity to do so.

BIM- we are just beginning to see the next step… Paper > 2D CAD > Virtual Object Model

We at Soft Innovations thank you for this opportunity to inform you about BIM. We are here to train your staff as no Software Sales Company can. We’re with you in the beginning and stick by you and continue to provide you with the best of BIM software support until your firm is comfortable with the software. We are a leader in BIM knowledge and experience with 6 years of practical, real-world BIM experience, 16 years of mentoring and implementation experience, and 28 years of architectural practice, we are your best ally when converting your company to BIM. My name is Scott Ebert and I am a BIM Industry Analyst and the President of Soft Innovations, Inc. Please feel free to call me direct with questions and feedback at 770-855-8059 or email me at HYPERLINK "mailto:sebert@revitman.com" sebert@revitman.com Thank you!

Written by: Scott Ebert, BIM Industry Analyst

Advanced AEC Solutions

Pages

Monday, September 5, 2011

Beyond Conventional Construction- BIM Software Part 3

0 comments:

Post a Comment

About aAECs

Followers

Blog Archive