Revit, Navisworks and 3ds Max improve the productivity of AEC professionals!

Some of the most important software used by design and construction professionals include Revit, Navisworks and 3ds Max and all of them are individually accountable for performing specific tasks. All of them are developed by Autodesk which is one of the most familiar software manufacturing companies in the world. Autodesk is based in United States and all the software developed by it has been used extensively by AEC professionals for simplifying the difficulties of construction process. 

Revit is extensively used across the nations for developing the design of different building trades such as architecture,structure and MEP. Multidiscipline models are created by using different Revit disciplines such as Revit architecture, Revit structure and Revit MEP and they clearly show the design of these trades. Revit is also used for developing families which are later on included by design development teams in the model created by them. No building model can ever be completed without including families in it. Families can be defined as building components which are necessary to be included in the models for their successful completion.

Example of families includes stairs, light fixtures, doors and sinks etc. Now imagine for a second can be develop a building without using such crucial components in it.  Yes we can’t.

So Revit Modeling Services is utmost important for architects and engineers when it comes to creating effective design for different building trades.

Apart from Revit, Navisworks is paramount for construction professionals as it is used for locating the design errors which exist within the models. These clashes become visible when AEC professionals try to coordinate different models together. When models are coordinated without detecting clashes, we often see that model elements fight with each other for the same place for their existence. And this problem can be easily detected in Navisworks.

On the other hand when AEC professionals want to develop photorealistic images for a building in question they have to utilize 3ds Max for this purpose. It includes both rendering and modeling tools in it which are important for producing photorealistic in an image.

Be it Navisworks, Revit or 3ds Max all of them help in increasing the productivity of design and construction professionals as well as the entire productivity of the project. 

How to examine if a service providing company is worth hiring services?

With the rapid technological progress in the last few decades service providing companies are mushrooming like anything in the market. You just name services and you will find that numerous companies are available to serve you but you shouldn’t be carried away by simply knowing the name of the company over internet. It’s not at all intelligent to consider any company as your engineering service providing partner until and unless to carry out a thorough investigation of the company in terms of its reliability. 

It’s important that the company you select for executing CAD and BIM Services Provider for your imperative construction projects maintain high end design standards in the services delivered to you. And for scrutinizing companies’ status clients are required get detailed information about it through various sources.

It is necessary that a significant amount of time and effort is invested towards researching the company in terms of examining its websites and making direct phone calls to it. If at all it is convenient to clients they can conduct personal meetings with the employees of service providing company and clarify all their doubts I terms of hiring the services. Another important step would be to keep in touch with the clients who have worked with company on quite a few projects. It is better to ask their experience with the company and the effectiveness of the services delivered by it. Apart from that clients can also get in touch with the CAD technicians and BIM modelers employed by the engineering service providing company and get some detailed information about the kind of experience they have received in working with distinguished projects.  Clients must be satisfied by their work experience before they make a contract with the company. The company must maintain high level of design standards and employees must be proficient with all kinds of design codes and standards that are being followed in different countries.

Many a times the lack of design standards maintained in engineering services such as drafting services may lead to rework scenarios at a later stage which can then result in costly rework. Hence knowledge of CAD and BIM standards is a must for the employees of the service providing company.

Last but not least the company must be equipped with all the important tools that are required for the execution of preconstruction services such as effective software and powerful computers. 

Role of steel detailing in construction business

In most simple language steel detailing is the process of developing detailed structural steel drawings that are meant to be used by fabricators and steel erectors. Very effective methodology and techniques are applied in the detailing process wherein detailed plans, estimates, drawings and other important reports are documented and created that  are used in the manufacturing of steel parts  and in the  construction process.

That means wherever steel is used in construction and manufacturing steel detailing services are necessary. Apart from building construction steel detailing services are required for the construction of various other structures.

The drawings generated during Structural Steel Detailing Services is a  process that includes the information about a variety of steel members such as columns, braces, truces, joists and hand rails etc. Structural steel drawing can be divided into two important categories which are structural steel shop drawings and erection drawings. Information contained in structural shop drawings is largely used in fabrication process. These drawings include the information regarding material specification, size and dimension of steel members, and other specifications required in fabrications.

That means structural shop drawings are highly necessary steel fabricators in the manufacturing of steel parts which are necessary for the construction of structural framework. For executing steel detailing services inputs from various building stakeholders such as contractors, structural engineers and fabricators are required.

However, erection drawings are meant to assist steel erectors the correct method of placing a steel part in a structure. As these drawings are created for guiding steel erectors they do not incorporate any sort of information that is required by fabricators.

Before the output of detailing process is actually used in construction it should be reviewed by architects and structural engineers. This is because steel detailers are not that proficient with the technicalities of structural design and construction. They are people who are technically proficient in software handling and hence with the assistance of architectural and structural engineering specifications they develop structural steel drawings.

Any inconsistency in the drawings is treated seriously and effective solutions are provided for correcting them. Once drawings are approved by architects and structural engineers they are released for purpose they are created. 

Benefits of BIM for general contractors in construction management

The entire aim of general contractors who are the main project contractors is to deliver the project on time to the owners within set deadlines. General contractors are liable for the successful execution and completion of the project and for doing so they have to take the responsibility of managing entire construction process. Irrespective of all the complications involved in the process they cannot hide from performing their duties and responsibilities.

There is no denying the fact that general contractors behave as project managers in most of the cases. Getting the site permits, being accountable for developing construction schedules and analyzing their practicality, visiting the proposed construction location and understanding site related technicalities, fulfilling day to day material and equipment requirements etc are the main responsibilities of general contractors.

In most of the cases it is the general contractor who has to hire preconstruction services such as CAD and BIM services from authentic service providers etc. They also have to be accountable for communicating important information between the design development teams of different disciplines and clarify their confusions if any. 

Since they are totally accountable for the increasing and decreasing productivity of the project it becomes important for them to have the knowledge of correct cost estimates. So as they have to tackle the risks of rework and late project deliveries they encourage the practice of predicting project outcomes and implement correct methods to avoid such issues. In this case 3D,4D and 5D BIM models are immensely helpful for contractors. 

Accurate 3D models that are hired by them from service providing companies help in the reduction of rework that solely becomes the reason for increasing project cost otherwise. As accurate design leads to flawless construction general contractors never forget to hire clash detection services which are immensely helpful in removing all kinds of design inconsistencies that can lead to rework.   

Construction schedules that are created for managing onsite construction activities are generated by using 4D BIM Services. By refereeing construction schedules general contractors provide necessary materials and equipments that are needed by construction professionals for performing day to day construction activities.

Cost estimates that are truly important for managing the expenses help in the reduction of wastage. So in this way 5D BIM models which help in the extraction of cost estimates also become indispensable for general contractors. 

The phrase seamless construction exists because of BIM!

Building Information Modeling has been in existence for at least three decades now and has enormously altered the methodologies that used to be applied in conventional construction process. The unconventional or new construction methodology is more innovative and technically advanced and has the potential to resolve all the complicated issues that arise during construction. Advanced software assist design and construction professionals right from the planning phase till final project execution that happens in the proposed construction location.

Drafting revolution is followed by revolution in modeling process which occurred due to the evolution and acceptance of effective software. BIM  Modeling Services  software makes use of CAD drawings during design development phase which results in the creation of informative models. Revit is a boon to design and construction professionals as its tools are immensely necessary for generating pristine models. Dependency of AEC professionals on BIM models cannot be described in words as they are used throughout the construction process and even in post-construction. If building design is not developed effectively during preconstruction then it leads to errors and reworks during construction. And rework during construction leads to increasing project cost which is ultimately accountable for decreasing project productivity.

On the other hand when design is developed by AEC professionals in Revit it doesn’t provide any room for any kinds of mistakes as everybody involved in design development can favorable and timely coordinate with each other. Coordination of design information remains at the heart of design development process in Revit. Proper coordination of project related details among the design development team is a must for developing informative building models which are then used in the entire building process.

Revit provides a huge platform for cross-disciplinary coordination that means design data of multidiscipline models can be easily exchanged between interdisciplinary design teams. For communicating interdisciplinary design information file linking system is used wherein design members link the model of another discipline in their model for understanding design of linked model. In this way accurate designs are developed for architecture, structure and MEP disciplines.

Apart from this clash detection services are also performed by design development teams for multidiscipline models wherein design issues are highlighted and clashes are indentified. The discovered clashes are then sorted out by making modifications in the design by AEC professionals. In this way Building Information Modeling facilitates seamless onsite construction. 

BIM is enormously important and advantageous for AEC industry!

Building Information Modeling has exceptional benefits for Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry in terms of its relevance in construction project execution. BIM technology came into the contact of AEC industry some thirty years back and since that time it has been providing tremendous relief to all construction industry professionals. BIM experts totally rely on the development of 3D models for the accomplishment of building projects. BIM models are capable of unveiling a lot of paramount information that is required by construction professionals for project execution.

When BIM technology was not that easily available to construction industry AEC professionals used to confront a lot of problems and complexities related to project execution. Hence we can say that prior to BIM’s presence in construction industry accomplishment of construction projects was really difficult for architects and engineers. But quickly after BIM’s introduction to AEC professionals they began to execute construction projects with perfection since BIM models help them greatly to scrutinize the design before it is implemented onsite. The proper examination and analysis of building design in the preconstruction stage determines all the potential errors and clashes well advanced in time. The identification and rectification of design issues in the preconstruction stage helps architects and engineers with other design professionals to seamlessly execute building projects.

3D BIM models that are constructed by design and construction professionals in Revit are exceptionally helpful in terms of information revelation to architects and engineers. Tremendous crucial information related to building composition and geometry is dispensed among all the significant building stakeholders with the assistance of BIM models.  When building information is shared among stakeholders it gives rise to new design ideas which helps in design improvement.  During the preconstruction stage building design keeps on improving from time to time. Development of BIM models and their continuous improvement by modelers ultimately helps in smooth construction.  Coordination and Clash Detection Services resolve all the design related problems of architects and engineers since interferences between model elements are scrutinized and solved during this process. Once these services are executed by AEC professionals half of the onsite issues are resolved.

Constructiveness of Revit structure for structural modeling!

Revit structure is Autodesk product that is specially crafted by this American software manufacturer for the assistance of structural modeling team or structural design team.  Structural modeling was a daunting and formidable task for structural engineers prior to the presence of Revit Structure.  Structural design process is full of complexities and tackling these complexities was not that easy when high tech software like Revit structure was not in the picture.

Revit structure came up with great hopes for structural engineers as it contained effective tools that are absolutely necessary for creating detailed structural model. Its unique and quirky tools are highly imperative for structural design team in developing remarkable and informative structural models.

There are specific tools that are used by BIM modelers for placing structural elements such as braces, columns and trusses in 3D model. While developing 3D model in the digital environment of Revit structure entire members of design development team can fully integrate and collaborate with each other. It greatly supports the collaboration of structural design team during design development phase which directly helps them in developing constructive structural models.

Apart from Revit structure AEC professionals also have Revit Architecture and Revit MEP for executing modeling services for different building disciplines. So when structural design team works on a structural model in this software it provides them the authority to link the models of other building disciplines such as architecture and MEP for improving the accuracy of the model in question.

For developing pristine structural model it is important for structural design team to properly understand the design of other building disciplines so that their model elements do not interfere with the model elements of other models. That means to ensure that structural elements do not interfere with architectural elements, it is advantageous for structural design team if they link architectural model in their model since it can fully clarify their suspicion.

So in this way the interdisciplinary collaboration facilitated by Revit structure largely assist engineers and modelers in developing detailed and effective 3D structural models. These Revit BIM Models are very important for engineers in constructing robust structural framework for a building in question. 

Importance of material takeoffs and bill of materials in reducing budget overruns

Budget overrun is one of the core problems of any building project which directly affects owners and the productivity of a project in question. Budget overruns generally result from rework situations that are faced by design and construction professionals on the construction location. Prior to the familiarity of BIM technology among Architectural, Engineering and Construction professionals the budget estimated by them for the project generally used to exceed their assumptions. BIM has tremendously helped design and construction professionals in relation to the generation of exact material takeoffs and bill of materials.

3D BIM Models are full of crucial information that is used by design and construction professionals throughout construction project lifecycle. With the support of Building Information Models design and construction professionals have been greatly successful in calculating exact cost of the project with the help of bill of materials and material takeoffs. All the information related to the material requirements of the project along with their quantity is updated in BIM models which help in the generation of bill of materials. Bill of materials clearly shows the right amount of materials along with their cost required for the project which ultimately help design and construction professionals in measuring the exact cost of the project.

That means information contained in material takeoffs and bill of materials is greatly optimized by AEC professionals which eventually helps them in managing the budget of the project. With the assistance of bill of materials right amount of materials are bought by construction professionals, which can help in the reduction of wastage of materials in the construction site. Since materials are ordered in exact quantities it leaves no room for their wastage and hence keep the estimated budget under control.

BIM technology not only helps in cost cutting of the project but also helps in streamlining construction methods. Seamless construction on the proposed construction location can greatly be credited BIM technology. BIM models which are created with the assistance and collaboration of architects, engineers and BIM modelers are shared between all paramount building stakeholders so that important project decisions can be taken. The accuracy and effectiveness of these models results in seamless construction. Seamless onsite construction in itself is an indication of cost cutting.