I’ve just read yet another article pushing BIM, immersive environments, multimedia and 3D printing in the AEC industries. What’s with this continuous obsession with complex and expensive technology? We’re in the grip of a massive worldwide recession, but we’re constantly hearing solutions reasoned like this:
Spend more money on complex technology
You’ll work faster and more efficiently
So you’ll make more money
Am I born yesterday, or is this type of marketing actually based on a falacy? In business, increasing efficiency only ever helps when we’ve got a full order book. When we’re already working at full capacity we can free up resources to do even more work, and bring in even more money. If, however, our workforce are already standing around, how will it help to increase efficiency?
Synchro Project Constructor provides 4D construction visualization, project scheduling, advanced risk management, synchronization with 3D design changes, supply chain management and cost allocation for comprehensive virtual construction simulation.
Click on the image to go to their website. You can also see a youtube video of Synchro in action:
Check out this latest article on the AECbytes website. Some interesting thoughts on moving away from drawing production.
“We would be better served to look beyond using BIM merely as a more powerful representation tool, and instead to treat the models we create as proto-buildings.”
BS1192:2007 – Collaborative production of architectural, engineering and construction information – Code of Practice is now out. It can be purchased from the BSI website for the princely sum of £118. See this link for the BSI Store.
So does that mean we’re all home and dry with a UK CAD standard? Well, actually, no. Firstly, BS1192:2007 is not a CAD Standard. Whilst the earlier versions of the code may have been used as such, this new code covers collaboration only. Rather than revising the old BS1192 the committee has used an entirely new basis by taking the code from the Avanti group’s publications.
Secondly, the new code is based on projects of £10m +, which procludes most construction projects in the UK.
Thirdly, the code is complicated.
So where does that leave us? Disappointed? Well, not entirely. BS1192:2007 is based on sound principles. What is needed is a useable implementation of this code which allows it to be more easily understood, and implemented in real world situations, especially in smaller projects. The AEC (uk) committee are in the process of reviewing BS1192:2007 and plan to produce just such a set of documents. These will be in the same vein as the popular AEC (UK) CAD Standard available at www.aec-uk.org.
See this article in Building Design for further comment.
The idea of the BIM (Building Information Model) has been around since the eighties. So why is it still not a working reality? Maybe the answer is that it’s been a theory hampered by complexity. So what if we simplify it? I think it just might become a reality.
SketchUp could unplug the blockage in the BIM pipeline. The reason? SU is simple. SU is universal. Since Google bought SketchUp from @last software the world’s eyes have been looking up. Suddenly we have a 3D format which plays nicely with all CAD formats, is easily picked up by Architect, Engineer and Contractor alike, and has the power we need to pull it off.
Entries (RSS)