B2- BIM for Contractors

            When talking about BIM, it is extremely important to drive home the main point of the utilization of such great technology: it “[saves] time and money” (Eastman, 263). Personally, after reading and understanding BIM’s purpose with respect to contractor work, that was the most significant note to make about the technology. From there, all else is explanation. 

This chapter in the BIM Handbook discusses how contractors can get involved in the construction process via BIM. With a degree of common sense, a point is made that contractors musthave early participation in the design process of a project. The reason I hold that this is slightly a point of common sense is that in the execution of a project, it makes sense that the individuals who will be responsible for building said project should have a say in its design. Contractors possess an inherent knowledge of the feasibility of a project’s execution through years of experience in the construction process. Even as a student in mechanical engineering, I can appreciate that the “traditional design-bid-build approach limits the contractor’s ability to contribute” (263) in the design stage of a project. In this scenario, BIM may act as the bridge that unites key contributors such as the designers, the architects, the engineers, and of course the contractors. A united work force yields a better result that is efficient and goes back to the core purpose of BIM- saving time and money. With a contractor’s input, impossible building tasks can be avoided and costly errors may be avoided and predicted through BIM.

There is significant value in having exposure to a project prior to the build phase. I have personally experienced a situation at the Philadelphia International Airport in which the contractors had no prior exposure to a project’s design and therefore took much longer (and consequently much more money) to complete. The BIM Handbook recognizes this idea and discusses that there is benefit in “close contractor coordination” (264) when all individuals involved utilize the BIM model for understanding portions of work. 

            A topic that goes along with the idea of understanding a project’s design before the build stage is referred to as “clash detection” (272). Typically, contractors would “overlay CAD layers to visually and manually identify potential conflicts” (272). Now, without even thinking, this process sounds time-consuming in addition to its costliness and potential for error. A BIM-based method for clash detection not only saves money but eliminates the time necessary for manual detection and significantly drops the chance of error. In a field where error has no place, this solution seems like a no-brainer. 

            While BIM implementation with contractors has its costs, it certainly will save money in a project’s future. A lack of error, a more efficient build process, fewer workers needed (as contractors can better gauge the necessary amount in the field), and improved collaboration (303) all lead to the obvious need for BIM in the field of contractor work. 

References:

Eastman, Teicholz, et al. BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors. Second Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2011.<http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzM2NDIzOV9fQU41?sid=4df32a3e-004b-43f0-a14c-f6fb56fe0cea@pdc-v-sessmgr01&vid=0&format=EB&rid=1>

Comments on Other Students’ Posts

Albert Hanan, I had no idea that the idea of 3D modeling has been around since the 1960s! It’s interesting that two similar approaches to the same “problem” had such different backend operations. This whole field is quite new to me, as I am studying mechanical engineering. I had actually never heard of B-rep or CSG before reading your post. Personally, I find that CSG would be much more desirable as algebraic expressions tend to be much easier to manipulate. Whoever thought to combine the two could be considered a genius. We take for granted how powerful modern modeling tools are. While you said you’d have a deeper appreciation for Revit going forward, I find that I would agree with that sentiment as well. I regularly use Dassault Systèmes’ Solidworks for 3D-modeling purposes and I now have a deeper appreciation for its existence and development. 

            Gabriel Grajewski, I really enjoyed the idea you present that states there is no “best option” for modeling solutions, but rather there are programs that are better fit to certain scenarios in the field. Personally, in mechanical engineering, we have used programs such as Creo Parametric, Solidworks, Fusion 360, and more. They all accomplish similar tasks and can be used to do the same work, however certain programs are better fit for different scenarios. The idea of “lightweight” modeling is quite incredible- it allows for intricate modeling that isn’t taxing on a computer’s memory. I’m glad to see other students sharing the same realization I had when I dove into Solidworks more- the programs do so much and there is a whole world of functions us beginners don’t quite understand yet. As time goes on, we’ll slowly unlock the potential of computer modeling in the professional world. 

            Christian Tait, your post brings up quote possibly the biggest issue with any advancement in development of this country. It doesn’t even have to be in construction or architecture or any engineering; business always hinders development. Your post does a great job highlighting this issue. What could be a seamless, easy transition between programs is blocked by businesses looking for more money. This makes sense, though, as a company is only in business to make money. Nobody at Autodesk is saying “let’s construct the most powerful modeling software for fun!” Of course they’re in it for the money. It’s a shame there are so many great programs out there that cannot communicate with each other. Sometimes it’s weird to stop and imagine what the world may be like without that sort of competition.