BIM Digital Fabrication is the new trend to automate production and Bill of Materials (BoM). Thus, BIM for Manufacturers reduces the risks and contingencies in a project. Here we are sharing how to save time and cost with prefabrication and manufacturing.
BIM Implementation
More often, clients need BIM implementation in their process, of manufacturing steel structures. These prefabricated steel structures are complicated because they include lots of individual components. Also, the manufacturers have different strategic partners with engineers. They need subcontractors for assembly purposes. This means there’s a lot of information and communication going on.
At the same time, they need to ensure that time and the budget are reasonable for the project owner. And last but not least, they need to make sure the architects are satisfied with the design of the structure. We establish a goal to reach the greatest for BIM digital fabrication, bidding, and assembly. This way, we can visualize everything in a more accurate way. At the same time, to keep a sustainable supply chain throughout the project life cycle.
For the BIM Digital Fabrication, we have decided to go in through complex BIM components. That involves rules and constraints. This way, we know that these components should be used in a particular method in a Lego format. This way we can bring fast the whole structure together.
After having the entire structure, we can share the 3D information for the model with the Architect, and the Project Owner. So they check how it fits their design. They are able to review and provide feedback.
Also, the expected amendment could be implemented very fast. After that, the code for the Project Owner could be sent right away. As, we have the Bill of Materials (BOM), extracted from the nested components, they are very accurate.
The BOM will include all the needed components for constructing the structure. Hence, the bidding process is going to be accurate and fast. As a result, the risk for the Manufacturer is significantly reduced. The reason is that we know what input we need exactly for this project. So, he can arrange the supply chain to deliver the project within a particular time frame. Furthermore, to fit within the budget.
Subcontracting and Assembly
For the subcontracting and assembly side, the fees are very high. The reason is that the subcontractor found it very complicated and a lot of information. They did not realize how much input they will need to have for this project. They are overloaded with so much information, which brings a lot of questions to their mind. So, what is the solution? In our project, we took the nested BIM components and did a construction simulation with them. Simulated the whole workflow that contains the people, resources, and timeline. This way, the “picture” is clear for the subcontractor. Now, he could be aware of how much input he needs to invest. That reduces his risk and everything is transparent. As a result, the bidding for assembly is much, much cheaper. This is one of the reasons why BIM is so important and how the Manufacturer could benefit from it. In this particular case, the objectives could be set up according to the different aspects we need to concentrate on.
You can also watch our video for BIM Digital Fabrication:
